If you're looking for a way to relax and unwind, consider signing up for a session at the sauna. Not only does it give you a good sweat, but it's also loaded with many health benefits.

Sauna users often report feeling a sense of peace and calmness after their sauna session.

People who go to saunas are often looking for relaxation or a healthier lifestyle. There are many people around the world who choose to have a sauna at least once a week, and enjoy the health benefits that come with it.

What are the different types of sauna?

Everyone’s body is different, so it’s important to find the kind of sauna that’s best for you. Some are designed to help release stress in tense situations and calm you down, while others are for common conditions and physical health benefits.

Whether you decide to use hot rocks, steam or infrared saunas, they all benefit the body in one way or another. Here are the main types of sauna available:

  • Finnish Sauna – Traditionally constructed with a wood-lined interior. Inside, there is a collection of heated rocks, a bucket of water and a ladle. To control the humidity and temperature inside the sauna, all you have to do is add more water on the stones. The hotter it gets in the sauna, the more humid it will become.
  • Dry Sauna – A dry sauna is not as hot as a Traditional Finnish Sauna. It has heated rocks inside but does not use water. The dry sauna can be found in many gyms, and uses lower humidity.
  • Steam Bath – This type of sauna is around 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) built with tiles, glass or acrylic inside of a sealed space. A steam bath has a lower temperature than the first two, but with 100% humidity it feels much hotter.
  • Infrared Sauna – Your body temperature is the most important thing when it comes to a sauna and an infrared sauna can handle that while others struggle. They work by using infrared heat lamps to transfer the heat directly to your body. This quickly heats your body up,, with no humidity whatsoever.

What are the top sauna benefits?

With all the stress we face in our lives, it’s important to be able to unwind and relax. Sauna bathing is a great way to do this because it’s a very relaxing experience. Sauna users often report feeling a sense of peace and calmness after their sauna session.

The sauna is good for your skin and helps to eliminate dead skin cells, toxins, and pollutants from the body. The light from infrared saunas can also help reduce signs of ageing. You'll feel healthier, look younger, and have less stretch marks and cellulite after you hop in the sauna on a regular basis.

Sauna therapy is an effective and low impact way to achieve weight loss. Due to the dry heat and increased heart rate, one session in a sauna bath can burn over 500 calories. It's a great method for maintaining weight, as the body's metabolism gets a boost similar to that of an intense workout.

Another major benefit of the sauna is to build a stronger immune system. Sauna sessions help produce white blood cells which are the body’s medium to fight against attacking infections. As regular sauna users have higher counts of white blood cells, they stay healthier and if illnesses do occur, they recover faster.

Finally, there’s a good reason why most gyms now have a sauna. Saunas are highly effective ways to recover from workouts and metabolic wastes produced when exercising are eliminated while sweating in a sauna. The increased blood flow to tired and strained muscles helps aid recovery and speeds up the process of relaxing the muscles.

Top tips for getting the most out of your sauna session

Showering before a sauna enables your pores to open and helps you sweat freely, giving you the full restorative benefit of a sauna experience. Sauna users typically remain in the sauna for about 10-15 minutes before taking a break to cool down. Some relax by dipping in a short cool shower and then head right back in for another round.

Others will take a very short break, maybe indulge in a quick dip in cool water, and then return to the sauna area to continue relaxing for a few more minutes. It all depends on the user and what kind of experience he or she is interested in having.

The average person will lose about 1 pint of water during a brief sauna session, so it’s important to rehydrate quickly by drinking 3-4 glasses of water immediately afterwards. 

The benefits of taking a sauna are endless, so give it a try and see what all the hype is about!