The Finnish sauna is the sister of the Russian bath, their progenitor is the same log hut, heated in black. In recent years, in our country, it has become fashionable and prestigious to visit such institutions, enjoy the steam, pouring hot stones on the fire, and then rush into a snowdrift or a pool with cold water... Construction of a bath Finnish technology is a rather complex task that requires certain material costs and time. Before starting construction, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to get in the end.
To begin with, I would like to tell the legend of where the sauna came from, according to the Finns themselves. Somehow the roof of a Finnish house leaked in a rainy autumn, and drops of water fell on the red-hot stones of the hearth. Evaporating, the water filled the house with pleasant steam, and the residents really liked it. This is how the first Finnish sauna appeared.
Sauna is a Saami and Finnish word. The tradition of visiting the sauna originated 2 thousand years ago and is deeply rooted in the national way of life. The oldest of the saunas were pits that were dug in the slopes and covered with stones heated from one side.
Over time, this technology has improved, and the sauna turned into a quadrangular wooden house with a stove without a pipe and an earthen floor, which served both as a simple living room and a bathroom. The stove was heated, as a result of which the room was filled with smoke, which soon left a special smell and eroded away.
The origin of the Finnish sauna is rural, but gradually it became a part of urban life. The first urban saunas appeared in courtyards outside the home, and then in apartment buildings and individual terraced houses. Public or public saunas began to appear in most cities as well. The sauna played a huge role in family life Finns: most women before the thirties of the last century gave birth in sterile saunas
Today there are over 2 million saunas in Finland, serving 5.3 million people. The sauna for the Finns is still a sacred place where peace reigns, here you cannot drink alcohol, sort things out and quarrel, because, according to the Finns, "the steam dissipates in anger." Finns believe that if you do not visit the sauna, you will not be clean and will not get rid of filth and vices!
A Finnish sauna is called a dry heat bath, in which the air has a high temperature of up to 90-110 degrees Celsius and a low humidity - close to 10-25%. It is because of the low level of humidity that heat is more easily tolerated than in a Russian bath and Turkish hammam. Sauna provides complete relaxation of body and mind, strengthens the immune system, improves emotional condition, increases efficiency.
The physiological mechanism of a Finnish sauna bath consists in warming up the body to profuse sweating, when, thanks to dry air and high temperature moisture actively evaporates from the surface of the skin, protecting it from overheating. The activation of this mechanism is responsible for a good therapeutic result, stimulating the work of the sweat glands and thermoregulatory functions of the body. As a result, slags are released along with sweat. And the wood from which the sauna is made only contributes to the strengthening of the therapeutic effect of the visit on human health.
After steaming in a sauna, an important and obligatory procedure is cooling the body. The most commonly used shower, natural pond or pool. A change in temperature puts the body in extreme conditions... Such "stress" increases the body's immune defenses and conducts a kind of training for the cardiovascular system. It is recommended to visit the Finnish sauna no more than once a week.
The hot air brings blood to the skin and muscles, which helps relieve depression and stress. Since the air in it is hot and dry, it is very beneficial for the lungs and bronchi. Naturally, the benefits of a sauna can only be felt if all of its benefits are used in moderation, taking into account the body's signals. Otherwise, in particular, if you spend too much time in a hot steam room or overcool too much after it, you can seriously harm yourself.
Regular visits to the Finnish sauna improve the body's metabolism and help get rid of excess weight... An adult in one visit loses 0.5 - 2 kg due to a large amount of sweat, and at the same time - its decay products, lactic acid and numerous toxins. For some diseases that are associated with disorders of blood pressure and breathing, for diseases of the osteoarticular system and kidneys, for injuries, sprains and dislocations, a visit to the bath is part of the main course of treatment.
To get the effect of visiting a Finnish sauna, you need to adhere to certain rules. The first and foremost thing to understand is a soap-free shower. Do not wet your head so as not to cause overheating. It is best to lie on the bottom shelf in the steam room, having fairly relaxed your muscles. If you are thirsty, a cup of herbal tea made from lemon balm, currants, rose hips, strawberries and hawthorn will help quench your thirst. After visiting the steam room, you should arrange at least thirty minutes of rest.
But let's move on to the construction and arrangement of the Finnish sauna. The construction of a building is a responsible task that does not tolerate savings on building materials and needs a serious approach. If you want to build this building durable and of high quality, then be sure to follow the rules described below.
A real Finnish sauna has a small size, as evidenced by a photo of a Finnish sauna. This is due to national traditions - to come to the steam room by a small company of up to 3 people or individually. Even large Finnish families bathe in the sauna separately, not together: men separate from women. Therefore, the steam room is being erected with an area of 5-10 square meters. And the whole bathhouse occupies about 30-40 square meters. Distinctive feature Finnish saunas have low ceilings: in standard designs, a height of only 2.1 meters is provided, so standard door sizes can be used.
But the Finnish bathhouse has a Russian adaptation, so most often the steam room is performed a little more - about 15 square meters. Moreover, a shower or washing room is made of a minimum size - about 5 square meters, but it is customary to combine the rest room with a dressing room, a vestibule and a dressing room. To useful area baths take even less, it is necessary to install an electric stove heater.
Building a Finnish bath with your own hands is a very scrupulous business. Walls can be made of brick, wood or stone. But from the choice of wood species for interior cladding literally depends on your health. For example, pine cladding of a space with a planed board without creating a layer of vapor barrier will be harmful to health, because vacationers will inhale resin fumes. Ideal option the wall timber is the Finnish polar spruce.
For cladding the walls of the sauna, it is customary to use deciduous lining - birch, aspen and linden. The main advantage of this material is the ability to withstand high temperatures perfectly. Do not cover the walls with plastic under any circumstances! Such material can be severely affected by heat. MDF panels will not work either, because they are also not able to withstand high temperatures. And for the equipment of the dressing room, any wood species is suitable.
Since the Finnish sauna is a small structure, the foundation for it can be made of almost any material, from reinforced concrete to rubble stone on cement. Also, the foundation can be made of stone or brick pillars that are located in the corners of the sauna. If the Finnish bath project contains big size buildings, it is customary to lay additional pillars between the corners of the building.
Speaking about the construction of the walls of the sauna, it should be noted that they can be made from beams or made by the frame method. It is advisable to overlap the outer wall cladding so that the room is reliably protected from moisture and wind, and, consequently, from the formation of fungus. Before installing the frame and wall cladding, determine the location of the heater. It is recommended to place a mount under it, so this procedure is necessary.
The frame of a Finnish sauna must necessarily be strong, because the high temperature can destroy the structure. For this purpose, you can vertically install the beam at a distance of half a meter from each other. The frame is connected with self-tapping screws. Insulation is inserted into the crate cells, which serve as mineral slabs or mineral wool. These materials do not require additional fastening, so their use saves money and time. A heat-reflecting foil is fixed on top of this layer.
The ceiling of a Finnish sauna steam room is made of beams, which have a cross section of 60-80 millimeters, together with linden board filing. Beams are cut into the crown of the log house and the frame strapping. The permissible distance between the beams is about 60-100 centimeters. When starting the construction of a sauna, it is worth remembering about thermal insulation, since the arrangement of such rooms should provide for the maximum possible tightness with optimal air exchange. The upper ceiling is vaporized, and the thermal insulation layer of the ceiling should be one and a half times larger than on the sauna walls, because the temperature is always higher at the top of the sauna.
The floor serves as the coldest spot in the sauna. Wooden floors always remain wet, which makes the beam slippery over time, giving off a damp smell. Therefore, it is more advisable to equip a concrete floor with a coating in the Finnish bath ceramic tiles... Lay a layer of bitumen felt under the screed as insulation. To prevent the bather's legs from getting too cold during the procedures, it is customary to lay on the floor wooden flooring or thick mats.
Make shelves and benches from aspen or birch. Fasten the strips with a slight gap together using stainless screws or nails. Their caps are sunk into a tree to a depth of 5-7 millimeters to prevent burns from vacationers.
The shelves should be at least 60 centimeters wide and stacked on top of each other to minimize space. The last shelf is placed at a height of 105 centimeters from the ceiling, so that it fits comfortably even in a sitting position. Moreover, for even greater convenience, there are small shelves for the legs under the sun loungers. In the design of your building, you also need to provide a small window for lighting.
In a Finnish sauna, you can install a glass or wooden door. But it is best to give preference to the latter option, since the tree will make the room closed. Insulate wooden doors in the above described way. The gaps between the doors and the frame should be filled with felt. If a vestibule is provided, then the doors can be installed directly into the steam room without thermal insulation. The handle on the inside is made of wood.
If the entire area of the room is not occupied by the steam room, then windows can be made in the building by previewing the video about the Finnish bath. If the window is provided for the purpose of natural lighting or ventilation, in this case, it should not be placed very high in order to reduce heat loss. The size of such a window should not be impressive - a maximum of 500-700 millimeters.
When installing your sauna, remember to take care of ventilation. Start with the material used. For wall cladding, as mentioned above, do not use wood. conifers... Otherwise, the emitted resins will stain everything. To this end, take deciduous tree... Cover the heads of the self-tapping screws that connect the frame with putty, because you can get hurt on hot metal. Do not leave a gap between the boards.
The steam room should be performed with special ventilation to ensure that there is no risk of burning out oxygen. The air in the steam room is constantly moving, and ventilation will be optimal when the air is taken from the rest room, then it is heated in the oven and cools down in the steam room, and the discharge is organized into the rest room, into the washing room or outside.
Similar requirements for ventilation system, forcing the developer to develop a Finnish bath scheme, within which forced air circulation is created. At the same time, it is customary to install the ventilation duct in the steam room in a special way: the heated air should rise to the ceiling without hindrance, where, cooling down gradually, it descends into the exhaust duct, which is located under the lower bench, past the paired loungers. It is the circulation performed in this way that is capable of increasing the efficiency of the entire system and providing excellent heating of a steam room with different temperature levels.
If you have not foreseen ventilation, then you can make it from a corrugation with air outlet from the room and its exhaust. It is recommended to hide the electrical wiring in a metal corrugation or cable channels, and best of all - under the sheathing. The lighting must be installed on the frame before finishing the steam room. At the same time, it is worth buying lamps. closed type, not forgetting that high humidity is observed in such a room.
In the matter of choosing a stove for a heater, everything is decided exclusively by the owner's taste, his financial capabilities and preferences. You can purchase a wood-burning stove if you can regularly provide the sauna with wood, and if the size of the steam room allows it. But most developers prefer an electric heater.
Such a device is equipped with an air circulation system that ensures uniform heating of the steam room. When choosing a heater, it is recommended to proceed from the volume of the steam room. It should be remembered that one kilowatt of power is enough for high-quality heating of 1 meter of cubic space. Therefore, if the volume of the steam room is 15 cubic meters, then the power of the stove of the heater should be 12 kilowatts.
An electric heater or stove should be installed in such a way that it is located as far as possible in relation to the shelves and does not expose visitors to the danger of burns. In addition, the walls and ceiling of your sauna must be carefully insulated. It does not matter in which corner the heating element will be placed. In any case, it must be protected with a railing or a cage for additional protection.
Steam is generated in a Finnish sauna by sprinkling hot stones on the stove with water. If we take into account that the procedures require a minimum air humidity, then it should be raised solely to facilitate breathing, and the installation of a steam generator is therefore not necessary, and is performed only in situations where the steam room will periodically be transferred to the Russian bath mode.
Now you have learned how to build a Finnish bath. Recently, Finnish saunas have become increasingly popular among Russians, which have a century-old history and are considered a truly sacred place in their homeland. And this fact is easy to explain, because in such a room the air temperature easily rises to 120 degrees Celsius, which helps to cleanse the human body of toxins and toxins, and, therefore, to improve its health.
It has long been known that - one of the best health remedies... In the sauna you can improve your health, relieve stress and relax. But at the same time, a visit to the sauna is complex multi-step procedure.
Everything hardware (jewelry and watches) before the sauna you need take off otherwise they will burn the skin.
So you pre- took a shower... Your the skin must be dry, so you need to dry yourself well with a towel, not rubbing the skin too much (otherwise it will pinch)... Hair cannot be wetted. Now go to the “heart of the sauna” - the steam room.
What is the best way to accommodate? There are usually two or three shelves in the steam room. The hottest shelf is the top... If you are a beginner, or your doctor has allowed you to use the sauna with a caution clause, then lie down on the lowest shelf... If you are confident in your health, you can climb higher.
Spread out a towel and lie down so that the head was on the opposite side of the stove... Place your arms along the body, legs should be just above the head (e.g. bent knees)... This will provide blood flow to the brain. Breathe calmly with a slightly open mouth.
First run - warming up... It lasts 3-4 minutes for beginners, 5-7 minutes for regular sauna visitors. Without making any sudden movements, you need to get up, go out and take a cool shower. Relax for 15-20 minutes.
Second and subsequent visits can be made longer, but no more than 15 minutes... Overweight people and beginners are better off doing more visits to the sauna, but for a shorter duration, then the load will be easier to bear. Between calls also take a cool shower (with a subsequent decrease in water temperature) and we rest 15-20 minutes.
You can have a drink during breaks herbal tea, kvass, not cold mineral water or juice.
V total the procedure should take no more than 3 hours.
Take a shower at the end of the procedure... To combat cellulite, you can rub the skin on problem areas with a massager or brush. Finally, apply a moisturizer or milk to your skin.
To avoid harm to your health and beauty, visiting the Finnish sauna, do not make the following mistakes:
Finnish sauna has a beneficial effect on our skin Is a well-known fact. Hot steam opens pores, sweat cleans them of dirt. To cleanse the skin of dead epithelial cells, use homemade scrubs and peeling mittens.
The most affordable and popular -scrub consists from honey and salt.
Put a jar with honey closer to the stove, so that the honey is warmed up, but not very hot. Salt it is necessary to pour in as it dissolves in the honey mass. It is better to apply such a scrub after 2-3 visits to the steam room... Honey and salt combined with steam help to unblock pores, remove toxins, cleanse, restore and renew the skin.
The second most popular among sauna lovers is coffee scrub.
To make such a scrub, you will need a handful of ground coffee (or coffee grounds)... If you have dry skin, then coffee can be added olive oil or a little sour cream... The mixture is applied to the skin with light circular motions and washed off with warm water.
To copy of this article, you do not need to obtain special permission,
but active A link to our site that is not closed from search engines is MANDATORY!
Please, observe our copyright.
Today popularity of bath procedures still on top. And along with the traditional Russian, Turkish and Japanese baths, the Finnish sauna is also in demand. It is noteworthy that in translation from Finnish the word “sauna” means all the same bathhouse.
Many people wonder What is the difference between a traditional Russian bath and a Finnish sauna... There are no fundamental features in the design. Heating in both cases is done with a heater. In both cases, hot stones are sprayed with water to supply steam.
The only difference in essence is that in the Russian bath, the stones are behind a closed door and it opens only in order to douse the stones with steam, while in the Finnish sauna the stones are placed in plain sight. At first glance, the difference is insignificant, but in reality it is not at all true. In the Russian bath the steam is wet, in the Finnish it is dry.
The Finns have a funny legend about the origin of the bath. It says that the raindrops through the leaky roof fell on the hot stones of the hearth, and a pleasant heat reigned in the house. And then the enterprising Finns decided with their own hands to recreate what once happened by accident. This people consider the sauna almost a shrine and firmly believes in its healing properties.
In the Russian bath temperature regime below, therefore, it is believed that it does not have such a shock effect on the body as the Finnish steam room.Benefit
The Finnish sauna can be attributed to one of very numerous types of paired... Generally a sauna - oh dean from better ways hardening and cleansing the body, getting rid of toxins and toxins, regulating the body's homeostasis, hardening and improving mood and vitality. Constant changes in high temperatures are especially effective when influencing water-salt metabolism. In the sauna, the skin is most effectively cleansed of sweat, dirt and grease.In the Finnish sauna, not only metabolic processes are accelerated, but also the activities of the central nervous system , which allows you to qualitatively relax, effectively remove psychological blocks and clamps. The number of red blood cells in the blood rises after the sauna. If thermal procedures in the steam room become your everyday practice, you can get rid of depression and excess weight.
Sauna has a great effect on the condition of the skin. So if the steam room is your usual place of rest and relaxation, soon your skin will look younger, will become clean, fresh, smooth and firm.
For the Finnish steam room, as well as for the Russian, herbal infusions and essential oils for air disinfection. When building saunas, wood species are used that, when heated, purify the air.
Sauna rules
The room temperature will be approximately 80-100 degrees, and the air humidity will be 25%... The head in the sauna must be covered with a special bath cap, and the body must first be washed cleanly and be sure to wipe dry.The sauna uses dry steam, so there is no need to add water or use brooms. Due to the high temperature, the broom dries out and crumbles quickly, so it will not work anyway.
Before visiting the steam room should drink a lot pure water and do not take any alcohol or fatty foods.
As mentioned above, alcohol is not your best friend in the steam room. Beer with crayfish can be put off for later, because even a small degree of intoxication can result in burns, fainting, and bruises.
Harm
Any phenomenon has back side. Finnish sauna damage is possible but if you take some precautions, it can be completely avoided. The steam room is strictly not recommended for children under 3 years old, and for babies after 3 years a more gentle temperature regime is needed. Bath procedures should be taken only sober.
It is necessary to be in a Finnish sauna no more than 10 minutes... If you decide to show others your willpower by staying in the steam room for a long time, then you are very much at risk of your health. If you stay in the sauna for too long, your skin may lose its natural moisture reserve. Prolonged stay in the steam room results in sleep disorders, headache, irritability.
Indications for visiting a Finnish sauna
Systematic thermal procedures in the steam room can get incredible benefits people suffering from chronic colds, cardiovascular problems, diseases of the respiratory, genitourinary system. In the steam room, kidneys and liver are perfectly cleansed of stones and toxins.
Contraindications
Despite all the benefits of the Finnish sauna, there are a number of diseases in which visiting the Finnish steam room is prohibited. It:
- tuberculosis;
- diabetes;
- atherosclerosis;
- upper respiratory tract diseases;
- high blood pressure;
- severe disorders of the nervous system.
A summer cottage cannot be imagined without a bath, which is usually associated not only with a place for washing, but also with a place have a nice rest and chatting with friends. However, when visiting a bath, it is important to observe safety precautions. If you have any chronic diseases and you doubt whether it is worth visiting the steam room or not, it is better consult your doctor about this.
How to steam in a Finnish sauna according to all the rules?
The recommendations of various experts and simply lovers of the bath sometimes differ radically. The fact is that the overwhelming majority of foreign publications are naturally associated with studies of the effect of a sauna on the body, since the Russian bath still remains national identity our country.
Therefore, we will talk about the procedures taken in an atmosphere with a temperature of 50 ° C to 100 ° C and a relative humidity of no more than 20%.
Such conditions are created in any facility equipped as a Finnish sauna, but they can also be maintained in a traditional Russian bath. It should be remembered that the recommendations below apply to dry air baths, since the increase in air humidity leads to other effects (sometimes exactly the opposite), which are less studied by doctors, and therefore the therapeutic aspects of a high humidity bath are not considered here.
Scientists in different countries the world is increasingly paying attention to the healing effect of dry air baths (saunas). Over the past 40 years, a lot of publications on this topic have appeared in the world. Data from various sources are studied, summarized and supplemented by scientists and specialists. The Finnish Sauna Society has the most complete recommendations on this matter.
The temperature in the sauna usually ranges from 60 ° C to 100 ° C. The air is relatively dry, but the humidity can be raised by splashing water on the stones. Steam in a Finnish sauna, contrary to popular belief, is not prohibited. The air should not be completely dry, as this can be harmful to the respiratory organs. The sauna ends with a shower or a dip in a cool pool.
Most Finns believe that a sauna is not a sauna without a refreshing swim in a cool lake, of which there are thousands in Finland. Some even allow themselves to plunge into the icy water of a river or pond with a temperature of about 3-5 ° C in winter. If there is a broom (vichta), you can also use it.
This time is purely individual. You need to listen to your feelings and to your body. For the first time, experts advise staying for only a few minutes, although it depends on the temperature: for example, if the latter reaches 70 - 80 ° C, then about 5 minutes, and if 100 ° C - no more than 3 minutes. After that, having cooled down a little and taking a shower, you can go for a longer time - 5-10 minutes. As soon as you feel that you need to take a break, exit immediately.
If a person is completely healthy, he can visit her as often as he wants. If you do this every day, you should use moisturizers or skin lotions to keep it dry. If you do not arrange endurance competitions and do not set records for the duration of stay in the steam room, then the sauna is absolutely safe.
Allow at least 1.5 hours for the sauna.
Leave your clothes in the changing room. Do not forget to change clean clothes to put on after sauna. Bring something to sit on (small towel, sheet). Remember to cover your head with a felt hat or wool cap. Shower or immerse yourself in the water before entering the steam room. This will pre-clean the skin and eliminate the smell of sweat in the sauna, which is completely unacceptable here.
So first take a shower. Without wiping off, they go into the sauna. After sitting for a few minutes, they wait for the moment when the pores of the skin open. After that, they move to a cool room to cool down and take a shower before a new entry, which will be longer. You need to completely relax, enjoying the warmth. People go to the sauna to get priceless minutes of peaceful relaxation.
Go to the steam room in the first circle. Recommended temperature is 80-90 ° С. The air will be relatively dry at first. To add steam, you need to splash water on the stones. It is not recommended to use a broom at the first entry, because the skin, as a rule, is not yet sufficiently steamed and it can be easily injured.
Leave the room as soon as you feel discomfort. Now you need to cool down - take a shower, swim in the pool, or just sit in the relaxation room or in the fresh air. You can drink if you feel thirsty, but remember that alcohol and sauna are incompatible.
Go to the steam room again. Now you can afford to sit longer or climb higher. The pair can also be allowed in a little more. You can also use a broom.
Cool again.
Repeat the cycle as many times as you like. The same can be said about using a broom: as long as you do not feel discomfort, you can continue. For most people, 2-3 visits are enough, while some allow themselves up to 10. All this is very individual.
Return to the steam room briefly to dry your skin. Clean up. After that, go back to the steam room (preferably at a lower temperature). Finally, cool your body in the shower or pool. Dry off with a towel or simply dry at room temperature. You can even just lie down, close your eyes and relax for a while.
After the sauna, you can have a refreshing drink and something light and salty.
Before putting on your clothes, be sure to give yourself time to cool down. Otherwise, sweating will continue. However, care must be taken not to freeze, as the body is hypersensitive after the sauna.
First of all, you should cleanse your body by going into the shower. This is both hygienic for the person himself and respectful towards others. Wipe dry after washing. Only then can you enter the steam room. On the body there should be a sheet made of natural material and a felt hat, which protects the head and hair from overheating, and the ears from being burned by hot air.
Putting on swimming trunks or a swimsuit, a person creates an additional burden on the body, since such clothes are most often sewn from synthetic materials.
There are no clearly regulated norms in this matter. It so happened that the Finnish sauna is visited mainly three times. If the body can allow it to withstand more, then no one will prohibit it.
In order not to harm your health, it is important to complete each stage correctly:
Before going to the Finnish sauna, you can have a light snack, no later than two hours in advance, so as not to overload the heart. In the steam room itself, the intake of any food, and even more so alcohol, has a detrimental effect on the state of health. After the procedure, you should not immediately run to the refrigerator either.
And you can drink, and even need to. Since there is increased sweating, the loss of fluid must be replenished so that the body does not have time to notice it. You can drink a couple of glasses of water before the procedure. At the end, the amount of liquid should be greater. It is recommended to drink non-cold water between visits, which promotes more perspiration.
A proper stay in a Finnish sauna will have an extremely beneficial effect on a person, relax him and help him feel refreshed.
