As part of NASS’s Ambassador Project, we ask our correspondents to write something sauna related. Views and opinions are writers’, so they don’t have to reflect the views of NASS. The first text is from our dear friend, Steve Leppälä, from the Midwest.
I am a Sauna Snob but I try being one in a kind and constructive way. (For the most part.) I grew up taking saunas and have been in many varieties over my life. While I’m pleased by the recent surge in sauna popularity, I’m also disheartened by some of the structures and uses of what some refer to as a sauna.
Infrared cabins are one of the exceptions where I am not so kind or constructive. In Germany, they cannot legally be called saunas, yet sellers often associate them with the same health benefits as traditional saunas, benefits they have not been shown to provide. As my friend, super sauna enthusiast and builder, Glenn Auerbach, once said, the only thing good about an infrared “sauna” is if it’s used as a gateway to a real sauna.
When discussing sauna design or construction, I aim to offer guidance that supports an excellent sauna experience, sound structure, easy maintenance and longevity. I get into kinds of insulation to use and avoid, types of wood to consider, bench design options, lighting, heaters, ventilation (with emphasis on why it’s needed), and some clever carpentry hacks for tongue in groove installation.
One of the most common flaws in North American saunas, according to Finnish experts, is poor ventilation. While it may seem counterintuitive to vent a hot room, ventilation is about circulating heat, introducing fresh air and expelling CO2. Without it, CO2 levels can rise, reducing available oxygen and causing lightheadedness often mistaken for heat exhaustion. Ventilation needs also differ between wood-fired and electric saunas. There are numerous videos available that cover sauna ventilation.
Bench and ceiling design are also critical. I’ve been in many saunas with benches that were too low or ceilings too high. Raising my own benches by eight inches dramatically improved the sauna experience by placing my body, including my feet, within the hottest zone, meeting the “Law of Löyly”. I had been missing out on much of the good heat and löyly (sauna steam) that was up by the ceiling.
Ceilings should be flat, not vaulted or sloped toward unused space. Heat belongs where the bathers are.
Finally, sauna bathing shouldn’t be reduced to a single timed session. Take rounds: sit, throw steam, cool down, hydrate, and repeat as desired. Comfort, not endurance, should guide you. Also, never sauna on a full stomach because digestion requires significant energy and blood flow, which competes with the body’s need to regulate temperature in the heat. It’s better to wait an hour or two for a sauna after a big meal. Cooling can be simple or adventurous, from resting outdoors to cold plunges or rolling in soft snow, all of which can be invigorating. Occasionally, after several good rounds, you may even experience a lingering “sauna high” when high heat triggers the release of beta-endorphins which are natural opioids which reduce pain and increase feelings of pleasure. The final step is washing up in a shower or with a bucket. You will REALLY feel clean washing up after a sauna.