Why Sauna? There are many reasons why people use the sauna.
One of the interesting things is that people talk about taking a sauna or having a sauna.
I am yet to find out the subtleties that this usage must imply.
So I use the two terms interchangeably.
There will be no attempt here to exhaust the subject of the various uses of the sauna.
Instead I am going to give you my opinion about how I feel a sauna should be used for maximum benefit and pleasure.
Solo or Ensemble? There really are basically two attitudes towards taking a sauna.
One is that it is a solo and personal experience that can be most beneficial when there is little or no conversation or communication with others.
Many people prefer being alone in the sauna.
If this is your approach to the sauna I would suggest that a naturist sauna is the best.
For me I enjoy my sauna most when I am able to be without clothes of any description.
There is nothing more relaxing and undoing than lying on beautiful wood as it heats completely naked and at one with nature.
Whether or not you agree with me regarding clothing is immaterial.
If you are basically either alone or at least not talking or communicating with anyone then you will gradually feel your muscles relax and at the same time stress will begin to disappear.
You can very easily enter a state of meditation if you let go completely and empty your mind and just become one with the heat and the wood.
You can feel your scalp let go of your head and the skin on your face loosen.
All these sensations are possible as you relax and undo completely.
How Long and How Hot? The duration and temperature are very personal and private preferences.
The more tiers there are in the sauna the more variety of heat is available.
Obviously the higher you are the hotter it is.
It takes experimenting to find out exactly how hot you want your sauna for maximum benefit.
There is no right or wrong.
There are competitions in some countries to see who can stay longest at the hottest possible temperature.
Those guys certainly turn red and personally I think that kind of torture is nonsense for us mere mortals.
You will find a heat that will permeate your body in just the right way.
You will let go of your tensions, your muscles will relax and you will feel free and almost outside your own body.
The length of time that is usually considered optimal is about 15 minutes a session.
There are those who can't last that long and certainly there are those who stay longer.
But as a norm 15 minutes per session is about right.
Aromatherapy One of the very nice extras for me is to add a bit of eucalyptus oil or peppermint oil to the rocks.
This can help open the sinuses and in general add to just feeling good.
The point of a sauna, for me at least, is to be able to relax and leave the stress that most days add to life.
A good sweat will also make me feel cleaner than just a shower or bath.
There is something about the heat and the smell of the wood and the eucalyptus which is mildly intoxicating in that it really can help you reach a state of other worldliness which is most pleasant and rewarding.
Conclusion I hope your next sauna will give you a kind of refreshment that is second to none.
It can become addictive.
I think that's a good thing.