SaunaScape

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It’s time to open the reader mailbag, for this question from A:

The locker room at my gym has a sauna, a steam room, cold plunge and a hot tub. I want to use them, but this will be my first time. What order should I use them? Do I need to be naked or can I wear my sports bra & panties and wrap myself up with a towel? Can I wear slippers inside the sauna or steam room? Can I take a bottle of water with me inside the sauna or steam room?

Don’t stress A. These are a common question that many new sauna users have. The sauna, steam room and tubs are all tools to help you relax. The thing you want to remember is the basic cycle: Heat, Cool, Rest, Repeat.

If you are at the gym to work out, do that first, then use these features. The heat of the baths will help ease your muscles after your workout, and your sweat will help rid your body of metabolic wastes that could otherwise accumulate in your joints.

What to wear

Before you get started on your heat bath regimen, you should to take a few steps to prepare.

The sauna is a place of relaxation and introspection, so you want to change out of your other “uniforms,” like your workout clothes or street clothes, even your underwear into something that is a dedicated sauna “uniform.” Having your own uniform should put you into the right mindset, and allow your body to sweat freely.

We believe that enjoying a the baths naked is best, but you can also wear a towel, swimsuit or loose-fitting shorts and t-shirt depending on your personal preferences (and the policy of your sauna facility). One thing to keep in mind is that high temperatures and body oils can combine to take the color and stretchiness out of elastic fibers. If you are going to wear a swimsuit, wear an older one.

Shower

Before you enter a sauna, steam room or hot tub, you need to take a shower to clean your skin of any chemicals, dirt, oils, antiperspirants, perfumes and makeup that are on your skin or trapped in your hair. In a pool, you’ll be leaving everything on your skin in the water as what the hot tub industry refers to as “body film.” Yuck. In the heat of the sauna, scents on your skin can negatively affect other people’s’ experiences and contaminants on your skin can travel into your bloodstream via your sweat. Double yuck.

In Asia, the cleansing of your body before you sauna or soak in a tub is a ritual that cleanses your mind of stresses before you enter the hot bath. Keep this in mind as you shower. Don’t forget if you are wearing a swimsuit or other outfit to take it off while you shower.

Towel Dry

This is most important if you are going to use the sauna or steam room. Water acts as a very good insulator. If you leave a film of water on your body, it is going to slow down how quickly you heat up and really start to sweat.

Heat

Now is the time to apply heat: This the purpose of the saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs. Which one you choose first is up to you. We like to start with the dry sauna on our first round, and move to the more humid baths as we spend our time there. You may like it better the other way around.

Choose your first bath and get comfortable. In the sauna or steam room, the upper benches are hotter than the lower benches. Many people find that lying down on the bench heats their body more evenly than sitting on the bench. However, for yourself and others, sit or lie on a towel. If you wore slippers or sandals into the sauna, you should leave them on the floor. This will keep them cool, and prevent you from transferring anything that was on the floor to the benches.

You can definitely bring in a water bottle with you into the steam room or even place it next to the hot tub. If the temperature is mild, you might want to stay in for a long time, and in the sauna you can always splash some of the water onto the rocks to make what the Finns call löyly to enhance the experience.

As you sit in the heat, you will feel the heat of your body rising, then you should break out into a full body sweat. Try to stay in the room until this happens. Most people find it takes about 5-20 minutes before this happens, but there are far too many things that can influence this to make any hard and fast rules.

When you have had enough or if you aren’t comfortable, listen to your body and leave. If you have lain down, allow a minute or so for your blood pressure to equalize before you stand up.

Cool Down

When you leave the heat, you should feel that warmth throughout your body, your heart pounding like you just sprinted a mile and have sweat pouring out of your skin. Now you need to cool down to get that excess heat out of your body.

You can cool down rapidly by jumping into a cold pool, taking a cold shower, rolling in the snow, or even jumping through a hole in the ice. This has the effect on your body like a blacksmith dunking a hot horseshoe into water: It hardens you sending your circulatory system into overdrive.

If that sounds too harsh or you have any health risks, you can also cool down more gently by taking a warm shower, going for a dip in the pool or even wrapping yourself in a blanket, towel or robe and letting the heat slowly come out of you.

You can cool down the same way every time, or mix it up. It is your choice.

Rest

After you cool down, your body needs some time for its temperature to equalize and for your pulse rate and blood pressure to come back to normal, especially if you used one of the more extreme methods to cool down. Use this time to drink some water, get a massage or body scrub, or just sit and think happy thoughts. Hopefully, your gym has a lounge area where you can sit.

Repeat

One trip through the heat baths is never enough. Most people recommend two to three rounds. The cycling of your body through the heat and cold is an exercise for your skin and circulatory system. Just remember to cool down and rest and stay hydrated before you start your next round.

Finnish and Russians folklore both say that if you take more than three rounds, the spirits of the sauna will become upset with you. If you are superstitious, keep this in mind.

Finishing up

When you have had your fill, you should leave at the end of the rest phase. Let your body finish cooling down and let your sweating stop. Some people like to take a full shower with soap and shampoo to help them finish cooling down and get ready to return to society. Others believe in just a quick rinse as the oils your body releases into your skin and hair are better than any lotion or conditioner.

If you were wearing a swimsuit or clothing any, you should give it a good rinse at this point and wring the water out of it before putting it away. When you get home, hang it up and let it air dry. This is enough to keep it clean. If you feel you need to wash it, use some vinegar or a baby detergent, as the foaming agents, scents and fabric conditioners in most detergents will come out the next time you bathe.

As you get dressed again, you’ll feel the pressures of everyday life returning to you. Hopefully, the time you spent will help you better face what remains of the day, or help you get a good night’s sleep that night.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] It's time to open the reader mailbag, for this question from A: The locker room at my gym has a sauna, a steam room, cold plunge and a hot tub. I want to use them, but this will be my first time. What order should I use them? Do I need to be naked or can I wear my sports bra & panties and wrap myself up with a towel? Can I wear slippers inside the sauna or steam room? Can I take a bottle of water with me inside the sauna or steam room? Don't stress A. These are a common question that many new sauna users have. The sauna, steam room and tubs are all tools to help you relax. The thing you want to remember is the basic cycle: Heat, Cool, Rest, Repeat. If you are at the gym to work out, do that first, then use these features. The heat of the baths will help ease your muscles after your workout, and your sweat will help rid your body of metabolic wastes that could otherwise accumulate in your joints. What to wear Before you get started on your heat bath regimen, you should to take a few steps to prepare. The sauna is a place of relaxation and introspection, so you want to change out of your other "uniforms," like your workout clothes or street clothes, even your underwear into something that is a dedicated sauna "uniform." Having your own uniform should put you into the right mindset, and allow your body to sweat freely. We believe that enjoying a the baths naked is best, but you can also wear a towel, swimsuit or loose-fitting shorts and t-shirt depending on your personal preferences (and the policy of your sauna facility). One thing to keep in mind is that high temperatures and body oils can combine to take the color and stretchiness out of elastic fibers. If you are going to wear a swimsuit, wear an older one. Shower Before you enter a sauna, steam room or hot tub, you need to take a shower to clean your skin of any chemicals, dirt, oils, antiperspirants, perfumes and makeup that are on your skin or trapped in your hair. In a pool, you'll be leaving everything on your skin in the water as what the hot tub industry refers to as "body film." Yuck. In the heat of the sauna, scents on your skin can negatively affect other people's' experiences and contaminants on your skin can travel into your bloodstream via your sweat. Double yuck. In Asia, the cleansing of your body before you sauna or soak in a tub is a ritual that cleanses your mind of stresses before you enter the hot bath. Keep this in mind as you shower. Don't forget if you are wearing a swimsuit or other outfit to take it off while you shower. Towel Dry This is most important if you are going to use the sauna or steam room. Water acts as a very good insulator. If you leave a film of water on your body, it is going to slow down how quickly you heat up and really start to sweat. Heat Now is the time to apply heat: This the purpose of the saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs. Which one you choose first is up to you. We like to start with the dry sauna on our first round, and move to the more humid baths as we spend our time there. You may like it better the other way around. Choose your first bath and get comfortable. In the sauna or steam room, the upper benches are hotter than the lower benches. Many people find that lying down on the bench heats their body more evenly than sitting on the bench. However, for yourself and others, sit or lie on a towel. If you wore slippers or sandals into the sauna, you should leave them on the floor. This will keep them cool, and prevent you from transferring anything that was on the floor to the benches. You can definitely bring in a water bottle with you into the steam room or even place it next to the hot tub. If the temperature is mild, you might want to stay in for a long time, and in the sauna you can always splash some of the water onto the rocks to make what the Finns call löyly to enhance the experience. As you sit in the heat, you will feel the heat of your body rising, then you should break out into a full body sweat. Try to stay in the room until this happens. Most people find it takes about 5-20 minutes before this happens, but there are far too many things that can influence this to make any hard and fast rules. When you have had enough or if you aren't comfortable, listen to your body and leave. If you have lain down, allow a minute or so for your blood pressure to equalize before you stand up. Cool Down When you leave the heat, you should feel that warmth throughout your body, your heart pounding like you just sprinted a mile and have sweat pouring out of your skin. Now you need to cool down to get that excess heat out of your body. You can cool down rapidly by jumping into a cold pool, taking a cold shower, rolling in the snow, or even jumping through a hole in the ice. This has the effect on your body like a blacksmith dunking a hot horseshoe into water: It hardens you sending your circulatory system into overdrive. If that sounds too harsh or you have any health risks, you can also cool down more gently by taking a warm shower, going for a dip in the pool or even wrapping yourself in a blanket, towel or robe and letting the heat slowly come out of you. You can cool down the same way every time, or mix it up. It is your choice. Rest After you cool down, your body needs some time for its temperature to equalize and for your pulse rate and blood pressure to come back to normal, especially if you used one of the more extreme methods to cool down. Use this time to drink some water, get a massage or body scrub, or just sit and think happy thoughts. Hopefully, your gym has a lounge area where you can sit. Repeat One trip through the heat baths is never enough. Most people recommend two to three rounds. The cycling of your body through the heat and cold is an exercise for your skin and circulatory system. Just remember to cool down and rest and stay hydrated before you start your next round. Finnish and Russians folklore both say that if you take more than three rounds, the spirits of the sauna will become upset with you. If you are superstitious, keep this in mind. Finishing up When you have had your fill, you should leave at the end of the rest phase. Let your body finish cooling down and let your sweating stop. Some people like to take a full shower with soap and shampoo to help them finish cooling down and get ready to return to society. Others believe in just a quick rinse as the oils your body releases into your skin and hair are better than any lotion or conditioner. If you were wearing a swimsuit or clothing any, you should give it a good rinse at this point and wring the water out of it before putting it away. When you get home, hang it up and let it air dry. This is enough to keep it clean. If you feel you need to wash it, use some vinegar or a baby detergent, as the foaming agents, scents and fabric conditioners in most detergents will come out the next time you bathe. As you get dressed again, you'll feel the pressures of everyday life returning to you. Hopefully, the time you spent will help you better face what remains of the day, or help you get a good night's sleep that night.

Sweat print in the sauna. Photo by Venlala

A reader sent us this question:

In a dry sauna, does the 175°F (79°C) or higher temperature kill bacteria and viruses that some one else has brought into the public sauna? Are there other cautions that you would have for the public sauna?

The short answer is no.

The most common disease that can be transmitted by contact with an surface that has been contaminated by someone is the Hepatitis virus. Research shows that Hepatitis can survive for more than 10 hours at temperatures as high as 140°F (60°C), and as long as six months at lower temperatures. To kill hepatitis, you need to bathe it in steam for two minutes at 250°F (121°C) or for four minutes in dry heat at 320°F (160°C). Complete sterilization to kill all pathogens requires 15 minutes in steam or two hours in dry heat.

Inside that sauna, the thermometer may read a high temperature, but that thermometer is usually placed near the ceiling. As you know, heat rises, so the temperature near the ceiling can be much hotter than the temperature at the benches or floor. Human skin will burn after contact with a surface at 130°F (54°C) for 30 seconds, and in less time at higher temperatures. So if you can walk unprotected on the sauna floor or sit on that sauna bench, you know that the temperature can not be hot enough to kill germs.

Steam rooms and hot tubs can be more dangerous, since these operate at lower temperatures. Hot tubs especially, which operate at close to body temperature, can become breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria if not properly maintained. For instance, the ideal conditions for bacteria like the ones that can cause Legionnaires Disease are temperatures from 95-115°F (35-46°C), which is the usual temperature range for most hot tubs and steam rooms.

So how can you protect yourself from germs in a sauna?

The proper technique for using a towel in the sauna in Germany.

The easiest way is to put a barrier between yourself and others by always sitting on a towel. In Germany, proper sauna etiquette says that you should drape a large enough towel to prevent any part of your body from touching the wood of the sauna benches or walls. However, even sitting on a small gym towel will protect the most sensitive areas of your body from what has been left behind by others.

The sauna should be kept clean. Regularly washing the inside of the sauna with water and a disinfecting detergent is essential to keep it safe. The wood must be scrubbed to get any build up out of the cracks and crevices of the wood.

Steam rooms must be cleaned more regularly and vigorously with disinfectants, since there is more danger. Hot tubs need to have their chemistry checked regularly and daily water changes to keep them safe.

The smoke sauna or black banya is the cleanest of the saunas. This hard to find sauna bath that had an open stove had a natural disinfectant in the wood smoke and ash that covered all the surfaces inside of the sauna. Every time the sauna was heated, it got a full cleaning and disinfecting. Modern sealed or electric stoves do not have this same advantage.

Of course, as we have reported if you are sick, you should stay out of the sauna. If you get into the sauna and see someone hacking up a lung, it might be better to give them a few minutes by themselves.

Will I get sick in the sauna?

Even though the sauna does not kill germs, it is not a place that is known for causing illnesses. As we have reported before, people who use the sauna regularly are less likely to catch a cold. Millions of people use saunas every day, and it is very rare to find someone who was infected with a disease from using a sauna.

To be sure, rely on your senses. If the facility does not look clean or well maintained, it probably isn’t. If there are signs of mold or mildew, that should be a warning sign to find a different place. If they aren’t taking the time to clean the place, are they also taking shortcuts on other safety precautions like temperature controls or electrical connections? Those types of problems are more likely to hurt you than a disease.

Of course, if your immune system is compromised for any reason, you should discuss whether using a public sauna is right for you with a doctor.

[caption id="attachment_901" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Sweat print in the sauna. Photo by Venlala"][/caption] A reader sent us this question:   In a dry sauna, does the 175°F (79°C) or higher temperature kill bacteria and viruses that some one else has brought into the public sauna? Are there other cautions that you would have for the public sauna? The short answer is no. The most common disease that can be transmitted by contact with an surface that has been contaminated by someone is the Hepatitis virus. Research shows that Hepatitis can survive for more than 10 hours at temperatures as high as 140°F (60°C), and as long as six months at lower temperatures. To kill hepatitis, you need to bathe it in steam for two minutes at 250°F (121°C) or for four minutes in dry heat at 320°F (160°C). Complete sterilization to kill all pathogens requires 15 minutes in steam or two hours in dry heat. Inside that sauna, the thermometer may read a high temperature, but that thermometer is usually placed near the ceiling. As you know, heat rises, so the temperature near the ceiling can be much hotter than the temperature at the benches or floor. Human skin will burn after contact with a surface at 130°F (54°C) for 30 seconds, and in less time at higher temperatures. So if you can walk unprotected on the sauna floor or sit on that sauna bench, you know that the temperature can not be hot enough to kill germs. Steam rooms and hot tubs can be more dangerous, since these operate at lower temperatures. Hot tubs especially, which operate at close to body temperature, can become breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria if not properly maintained. For instance, the ideal conditions for bacteria like the ones that can cause Legionnaires Disease are temperatures from 95-115°F (35-46°C), which is the usual temperature range for most hot tubs and steam rooms. So how can you protect yourself from germs in a sauna?   [caption id="attachment_902" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The proper technique for using a towel in the sauna in Germany."][/caption] The easiest way is to put a barrier between yourself and others by always sitting on a towel. In Germany, proper sauna etiquette says that you should drape a large enough towel to prevent any part of your body from touching the wood of the sauna benches or walls. However, even sitting on a small gym towel will protect the most sensitive areas of your body from what has been left behind by others.   The sauna should be kept clean. Regularly washing the inside of the sauna with water and a disinfecting detergent is essential to keep it safe. The wood must be scrubbed to get any build up out of the cracks and crevices of the wood. Steam rooms must be cleaned more regularly and vigorously with disinfectants, since there is more danger. Hot tubs need to have their chemistry checked regularly and daily water changes to keep them safe. The smoke sauna or black banya is the cleanest of the saunas. This hard to find sauna bath that had an open stove had a natural disinfectant in the wood smoke and ash that covered all the surfaces inside of the sauna. Every time the sauna was heated, it got a full cleaning and disinfecting. Modern sealed or electric stoves do not have this same advantage. Of course, as we have reported if you are sick, you should stay out of the sauna. If you get into the sauna and see someone hacking up a lung, it might be better to give them a few minutes by themselves. Will I get sick in the sauna? Even though the sauna does not kill germs, it is not a place that is known for causing illnesses. As we have reported before, people who use the sauna regularly are less likely to catch a cold. Millions of people use saunas every day, and it is very rare to find someone who was infected with a disease from using a sauna. To be sure, rely on your senses. If the facility does not look clean or well maintained, it probably isn't. If there are signs of mold or mildew, that should be a warning sign to find a different place. If they aren't taking the time to clean the place, are they also taking shortcuts on other safety precautions like temperature controls or electrical connections? Those types of problems are more likely to hurt you than a disease. Of course, if your immune system is compromised for any reason, you should discuss whether using a public sauna is right for you with a doctor.

So you’re in the woods, and looking for a place to relax in a hot tub. You’re now in an area where there are hot springs, and you left your dutchtub at home. What’s a soul to do?

Player2756 posted instructions on Instructables giving instructions on how to build a wood-fired wilderness hot tub. Going through the instructions, it’s not the most environmentally build, and definitely not something you could even think about doing without several cars handy.

Instructables via Lifehacker.

So you're in the woods, and looking for a place to relax in a hot tub. You're now in an area where there are hot springs, and you left your dutchtub at home. What's a soul to do? Player2756 posted instructions on Instructables giving instructions on how to build a wood-fired wilderness hot tub. Going through the instructions, it's not the most environmentally build, and definitely not something you could even think about doing without several cars handy. Instructables via Lifehacker.

Photo by Schwangerschaft on Flickr

The short answer is yes, in moderation.

A Canadian team published “Suggested limits to the use of the hot tub and sauna by pregnant women” in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 1981.

Other research had established that a body temperature of 38.9°C (102°F) can be teratogenic, meaning it can cause birth or developmental defects in an unborn baby. To test this, they recruited 20 women who were of child-bearing age, but not pregnant and measured the time it took for their internal temperatures to rise to this temperature.

Average core temperatures of women of childbearing age who could stay in a bath for the given time.

In hot tubs they found it took:

• 15 minutes in a 39°C (102°F) hot tub,
• 10 minutes in a 41°C (106°F) hot tub,

They then had their volunteers spend time in an 81°C (180°F) sauna. Most women left after 13 minutes, all had left by 25 minutes due to discomfort. None had their core rise to damaging temperature.

They cite a separate study where 60 men and women bathed in a sauna for as long as possible. Of these, 20% were able to remain in the sauna long enough for their core to rise above 39°C (102°F), but data on whether these were men or women was not published with the data.

So you can take hot baths or saunas while pregnant. You just need to be careful to limit your time in them, and be sure to cool down gently and fully before taking another session. Women in Finland regularly bathe in saunas throughout their pregnancy, but limit their time in the sauna to 6-12 minutes, and they stay away from hot saunas.

“But what happens if I stay in a sauna too long?” you may ask. They researched this as well:

“Among 28 dysmorphic infants exposed to hyperthermia between 4 and 14 weeks’ gestation all the survivors had mental deficiency and most had altered muscle tone, including hypotonia, with increased deep-tendon reflexes. More of those exposed to hyperthermia at 4 to 7 weeks had facial defects. In 3 of the 28 pregnancies the hyperthermia was due to a long stay in a hot tub or sauna. In one instance the pregnant woman had remained in a tub that was reported to have a water temperature of 106°F (41.1 °C) for nearly an hour”

So, the consequences can be severe if you’re not paying attention.

[Suggested limits to the use of the hot tub and sauna by pregnant women]

[caption id="attachment_312" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Photo by Schwangerschaft on Flickr"][/caption] The short answer is yes, in moderation. A Canadian team published "Suggested limits to the use of the hot tub and sauna by pregnant women" in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 1981. Other research had established that a body temperature of 38.9°C (102°F) can be teratogenic, meaning it can cause birth or developmental defects in an unborn baby. To test this, they recruited 20 women who were of child-bearing age, but not pregnant and measured the time it took for their internal temperatures to rise to this temperature. [caption id="attachment_311" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="Average core temperatures of women of childbearing age who could stay in a bath for the given time."][/caption] In hot tubs they found it took: 15 minutes in a 39°C (102°F) hot tub, 10 minutes in a 41°C (106°F) hot tub, They then had their volunteers spend time in an 81°C (180°F) sauna. Most women left after 13 minutes, all had left by 25 minutes due to discomfort. None had their core rise to damaging temperature. They cite a separate study where 60 men and women bathed in a sauna for as long as possible. Of these, 20% were able to remain in the sauna long enough for their core to rise above 39°C (102°F), but data on whether these were men or women was not published with the data. So you can take hot baths or saunas while pregnant. You just need to be careful to limit your time in them, and be sure to cool down gently and fully before taking another session. Women in Finland regularly bathe in saunas throughout their pregnancy, but limit their time in the sauna to 6-12 minutes, and they stay away from hot saunas. "But what happens if I stay in a sauna too long?" you may ask. They researched this as well: "Among 28 dysmorphic infants exposed to hyperthermia between 4 and 14 weeks' gestation all the survivors had mental deficiency and most had altered muscle tone, including hypotonia, with increased deep-tendon reflexes. More of those exposed to hyperthermia at 4 to 7 weeks had facial defects. In 3 of the 28 pregnancies the hyperthermia was due to a long stay in a hot tub or sauna. In one instance the pregnant woman had remained in a tub that was reported to have a water temperature of 106°F (41.1 °C) for nearly an hour" So, the consequences can be severe if you're not paying attention. [Suggested limits to the use of the hot tub and sauna by pregnant women]

Poll Answers
It’s time for a new poll here. This week, we’re wondering what is your favorite type of heat bath. Thanks for answering.

Poll Answers It's time for a new poll here. This week, we're wondering what is your favorite type of heat bath. Thanks for answering.