Dry Sauna
By Anna Lynn Sibal
When you encounter the words dry sauna, what comes to your mind?
People have mixed perceptions of what the dry sauna is. Sauna and spa enthusiasts say that the dry sauna provides just about the best sauna experience there is.
However, those who are not initiated into the mysteries of the sauna are apprehensive about it because of some misplaced notions or misconceptions.
Dry sauna actually refers to the traditional sauna as practiced in Finland and in other Scandinavian countries. A cabin or a room is set up with a wood stove to heat the place up. Most of the time, a set of heat-absorbing stones is used to increase the temperature in the room. The heat produced here is dry – thus, the term "dry sauna" – because temperatures are high and the humidity is low.
The Difference between Wet and Dry Sauna
Another characteristic of the dry sauna is that the room or cabin is usually made of wood. Wood has heat-retaining properties that will keep the temperature high inside the sauna area. The temperature inside a dry sauna can get up to 100 C or more.
So, what makes the dry sauna different from the wet sauna?
In dry sauna, it is the air itself that is heated with the use of the firewood in the wooden stove or the heating stones. Steam is not used and is only produced when water is poured over the stones. It can feel very hot inside a dry sauna room but the low humidity makes this heat tolerable enough for bathers to stay inside the room for hours if that is what they want.
On the other hand, steam is what makes the room hot in wet saunas. Steam generators are responsible for this. The steam increases the humidity in the room. Although it can feel a lot hotter inside a steam sauna, the temperature here actually reaches only 40 C. If the temperature gets any hotter than that, the steam can scald the skin and cause injuries to the bather. It only feels hotter because the steam does not evaporate from the skin due to humidity.
Steam sauna rooms are also fitted with ceramic tiles instead of wood. Wood absorbs moisture far too well and can rot over time. By contrast, ceramic tiles are not only unaffected by moisture but can also contain the moisture inside the sauna room.
The Benefits of the Dry Sauna
Both the wet and the dry sauna have the same benefits. In general, they make the bather feel relaxed and rejuvenated after a session in the sauna. The heat in the sauna loosens up the kinks in the muscles and expands blood vessels so that the blood will flow more quickly and more freely.
This results in increased blood flow to the individual cells of the body. With increased blood flow, the cells are fed with their much-needed nutrients and are also detoxified as the blood flow takes away the waste materials from the cells. These waste materials are flushed out of the body through sweating.
It is also said that the heat in the dry sauna can cause the body to become feverish. However, this is a good kind of fever because it encourages the immune system to become more active and vigilant in fighting disease-causing bacteria and viruses.
The benefit that makes the dry sauna so attractive to so many people is the proven fact that it can help in losing weight. Studies have shown that twenty minutes spent inside a dry sauna room can help a person sweat out 300 calories. This is equivalent to the amount of calories you can burn while jogging or walking briskly for the same amount of time.
As you can see, the dry sauna is a health regimen in itself. You should make it a habit that you indulge in at least once a week. If you are a sauna virgin, you should try it for yourself at least once.
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