Sauna Benefits: Why You Need One At Home Too!
Home Sauna Resources..
The benefits of a sauna are amazing. The most notable health benefit is, of course, to the heart. Saunas can also give tremendous relief to people suffering pain and mental health problems. Currently healthy people can reap the benefits of saunas through preventive therapy to remain healthy.
1. Burn 600 Calories In A Sauna Session! The Sauna should not, of course, be used as a weight loss aid by itself, but when used with a good diet and exercise program, a Sauna can help burn more calories. Producing one gram of sweat requires 0.586 kcal. A moderately conditioned person can easily sweat off 500 grams in a sauna, consuming nearly 300 kcal - the equivalent of running 3 to 4 miles! A heat-conditioned person can easily sweat off 600-800 kcal with no adverse effects. 2. Sauna Helps maintain Clear, Healthy Skin Increased blood flow promotes cellular growth and development by bringing important nutrients to subcutaneous and surface tissue. While taking a Sauna, blood flow to the skin increases to as high as 50-70% of cardiac output (normal is 5-10%). Sauna heat relaxes facial tension, skin pores are opened, and heat stimulates the epidermis, thus increasing circulation. Vasodilation (expansion of blood vessels) brings essential fluids to the surface, enhancing collagen production, to maintain skin elasticity and a wrinkle-free complexion. 3. Sweat Out Toxins and Impurities from Your Body The much overlooked sauna removes toxins, such as heavy metals and salts, that accumulate due to sluggish elimination. It increases the eliminative, detoxifying, and cleansing capacity of the skin by stimulating the sweat glands. Sauna is the deepest cleaning bath in the world. Perspiration induced by a Sauna opens the body’s pores and naturally expels impurities and toxins from the body. There are many detoxification programs that use the Sauna daily to rid the body of chemicals. The Sauna has been used to sweat out nicotine, pesticides, and other toxins. Skin is the largest organ of the body and 30% of body wastes exit through the skin. The Sauna elevates the body’s ability to rid itself of this waste. (See Home Sauna) 4. Sauna Increases Resistance to Illness The Finnish Medical Society, Duodecim, has conducted tests that show a 30% less chance of getting a cold when Saunas are taken regularly. Saunas have even been shown to help in preventing a cold from getting worse. Sauna heat puts the body into an artificial fever state (hyperthermia). Fever is part of the body’s natural healing process. This “fake fever” stimulates the immune system resulting in an increased production of disease fighting white blood cells and antibodies. 5. Provides a Cardiovascular Workout: Helps Condition the Heart Finnish researchers have reported that the regular use of Saunas helps maintain the blood vessels. Vessels become elastic and pliable longer due to regular dilation and contraction from the process of heating and cooling the body repeatedly. The heart rate increases in the Sauna creating a demand for more oxygen, which in turn burns calories and provides a mild workout for the heart. 6. Helps with Kidney Function Sauna bathing can augment proper kidney function. Perspiration through the skin’s pores excretes a good amount of the body’s wastes and reduces the load put on the kidneys. Sweating is such an effective detoxifier that some doctors recommend Sauna usage to supplement persons on kidney dialysis. 7. Melting Away Cellulites Some researchers also believe that sauna use may help melt and sweat out cellulite. We reserve judgment on this until we see further evidence, but it is certainly plausible - do your own research if this potential benefit is important to you! Sauna Users Are Less Likely to get Sick! The most fascinating prevention brought about by saunas was discovered in a German study in 1989. Researchers found that people who used a sauna only two times a week got half as many colds as those who didn't use saunas. They don't know exactly why, but they think that breathing in air of more than 80 degrees kills any cold and flue viruses. Obviously a home sauna can provide tremendous health benefits to you, your family, and your friends. We do urge you to find out more about the many benefits of a Sauna and do consider getting your very own personal Sauna today! One can easily get a Home sauna for less than USD100 these days. |
Making Your Own Home Sauna!
Home Sauna Kit Resources
| A sauna is a good project for a room that your finishing off or adding on to. In fact, they're pretty common in basement situations.
How Big Should Your Home Sauna Be? A sauna is essentially a room - by comparison, sizes range from a medium-sized closet to large bedroom - that is lined with wood and has a series of tiered benches along one or more walls. Saunas utilize a specially designed heating unit that actually heats a set of natural stones, raising the temperature in the room to 150 degrees or more while maintaining a very low relative humidity - typically only about 10 to 20 percent. Water can be poured onto the hot rocks to raise the humidity as desired by the individual users. The typical sauna has a ceiling height of only about 7' to trap in the heat, and users can move to higher or lower benches within the room to get more or less heat. |
| The size of the sauna is dictated primarily by how many people will be using it. As a general rule of thumb, most manufacturers recommend about 2 feet of bench space per occupant. The sauna can be placed just about anywhere - spare room, bathroom, basement, even outside.
(See Home Sauna) Saunas do not require any plumbing connections, but they do require a dedicated electrical circuit to operate the heater. Some smaller heaters will operate on 120 volts, but most are wired for 240. Simple switch or timer controls regulate the heat output to preset levels. Building Your Own Sauna There are many ways to build a sauna. Many companies offer easy kits that can be set up with relative ease into your apartment bathroom. At the other end of the scale, you may decide to build a sauna cottage from hand sawed timber, using stones that you gather from a nearby stream to make your heater. To give you some idea of the possible variations on the theme, there are saunas built into vans and onto floating barges. There have been tent saunas large enough for a hundred bathers during record breaking attempts. Finnish UN peace keeping forces routinely build a saunas in their permanent camps. The potential is limited only by the skills and ingeniosity of the builder. The heat and moisture make building a sauna a little more demanding than adding an extra sleeping room into your attic. If you are lucky to live near a sauna manufacturer, discuss your plans with them. You may also contact other of manufacturers and ask for brochures. Even if you decide not to buy their kits, you will have a better understanding on sauna construction. It's best to finish your framing first, and then get the dimensions you need so your boards will fit exactly. 1. Modular Sauna Packages Modular saunas are ideal for remodelers and do-it-yourselfers of just about any skill level. Much of the work is done for you, required only a moderate amount of assembly. The package assembles into a completely self-contained sauna in sizes ranging from about 4' x 5' to 12' x 12', and custom sizes are available as well. Since it assembles into a free-standing room, it can be placed just about anywhere - making it an ideal choice when you only want to utilize part of the room for the sauna - and it's easy to disassemble and take with you when you move. The modular kit is shipped with the wall and ceiling sections completely pre-assembled. Interior and exterior wood paneling is in place, and the sections are fully insulated and even partially pre-wired. All you have to do is bolt the sections together, assemble the interior benches, mount the heater and lights, and connect the pre-installed conduit to an electrical connection. The typical kit contains wall and ceiling sections with clear cedar interiors, cedar benches and interior supports, a UL-approved sauna heater of the correct size for the dimensions of the sauna you've selected, temperature controls, a complete pre-hung door assembly, slatted cedar floor panels (intended as a walking surface over a waterproof floor such as concrete or ceramic tile), and a light, back rest, dipper, and a variety of other amenities. 2. Pre-cut Kits If you'd like to save a little money by investing a little more of your time, you might want to consider a pre-cut sauna kit. Pre-cut kits are intended for use with an existing room that is already framed and drywalled, and once again, a waterproof floor is required. The sauna kit contains everything you need to convert the completed room into a beautiful and efficient sauna, in sizes that typically range from about 4' x 4' to around 8' x 12'. If you have not completed the framing for the room, your least expensive option is to order a standard size kit and frame the room to the manufacturer's specifications. If you want to convert an existing room that doesn't exactly meet the kit dimensions, you can order a kit custom-cut to your specifications - it's more expensive, but saves you money in the long run since you don't have to alter the room dimensions. The kit contains precut boards, typically western red cedar, with all of the necessary corner and ceiling trim, pre-assembled benches, heater, and all the other accessories that come with the modular kit. Options for either the modular or precut kit include a glass door and glass insert panels - which really help keep the smaller size units from feeling too closed in. A Few Precautions For Sauna Rocks Each heating of a sauna rock equals thousands of years of natural erosion. only the strongest rocks can survive constant heating and cooling, and even they will eventually crack and crumble. When this occurs, they lose their capacity to hold heat and in time they disintegrate and clog the kiuas. The best sauna rocks are those least exposed to weather. Certain quarried rocks are therefore the strongest. Glassy rocks of high quartz or iron content are not recommended. Iron is a fast conductor of heat and when water is poured on, it becomes trapped in a shell of vapor and tends to form beads. As the beads slide of the rock a weak loyly is produced. obviously, rocks that produce poisonous gases or offensive odors should not be used. 1. Testing The Rocks Exploding rocks are dangerous. Perform a simple test to guarantee their safety. Thoroughly heat a sample for two hours or more. Drop it into a pail of cold water, then look for cracks. When the rock is cool, test it further by hitting it with a hammer or against another rock. If the rock cracks or makes a soft grinding sound when rubbed against another rock, discard it and find another source. If it survives you have a safe sauna rock. A more elaborate test can be made by your local metallurgical laboratory. It costs a few dollars. 2. The Amount And Size Of Sauna Rocks The best sauna rocks are the size of large potatoes. With sufficient heat replenishment, the amount of rocks can be as little as 25-35 kilos (55-75 pounds). Heat storage kiuas, which are only heated once, need at least 120 kilos (264 pounds) of rocks. A savusauna takes anywhere from 250-500 kilos (600-ll00 pounds) of rock depending on the size of the room. 3. How Hot The Rocks Should Be? 500-800 degrees C (950-1500 degrees F). Wood burning kiuas often heat rocks until they turn brilliant red. It's not necessary to measure their temperature. If water thrown on the rocks makes a sharp crack, like the opening of a carbonated drink, and one or two seconds later an invisible loyly fills the room, they are hot enough. Water tossed on tepid rocks will bubble slowly and turn the sauna into a steamy bath. Planning Your Home Sauna 1. Size of the sweat room where the heater will be placed. Size depends on the number of bathers, the capacity of stove and bench arrangement. Specific dimensions are discussed later. 2. A provision for washing. A separate washing room is preferred, but space or budget limitations may necessitate washing inside the sweat room (a common practice in Finnish countryside saunas.) In either case, plan a means of producing hot water. 3. A dressing/relaxing room or some protection against the elements. This can be a simple placement of wind breakers or even an open porch adjoining the sweat room. 4. A clean, simple design using wood. This warm, friendly material inspires quiet socializing, meditation and a retreat from the rigors of the day. 5. Location. Since a place to cool the body after a session in the sweat room is needed, the ideal place for a sauna is near a lake, river or an ocean. However, a swimming pool or a simple shower will serve well. Be considerate of your neighbors. Locate your cooling area (where you don't want to be hampered by clothes) with discretion. 6. Orientation. Know the course of the sun and moon and plan your windows, doors and porches to catch their light. This will beautifully enhance the mood of the sauna. Due to the high level of dry heat, you should always consult with your doctor prior to using a sauna, and always follow all of the manufacturer's specific safety and operating instructions. Good luck with building your very own home sauna! |
