How to use a traditional Finnish sauna
•Posted on January 09 2023
According to the North American Sauna Society, you should give yourself plenty of time to enjoy a traditional Finnish sauna. These are the steps they recommend you take:
Before you enter the sauna, drink one to two glasses of water and rinse off in a shower
Warm yourself in a dry sauna for up to 10 minutes without adding humidity.
Exit and rinse off in a second quick shower.
Allow your body to continue to cool down by drinking something refreshing, such as water.
Re-enter the sauna for another 10 minutes or so. For this second visit, you can add steam by ladling water onto the sauna rocks.
You can also use a traditional whisk made of tree twigs to gently beat or massage the skin. This whisk is called a vihta in Finnish. It’s often made from eucalyptus, birch, or oak. Using a vihta is thought to help reduce muscle aches and soften skin.
Exit and wash your body thoroughly; cool down again with a glass of water.
Re-enter the sauna for your final visit of approximately 10 minutes.
Cool down in a cold outdoor pool or by rolling in snow. You can also use a cool-to-cold indoor shower.
Lie down and relax for as long as you need to.
Drink at least one full glass of water, accompanied by a light snack.
Once your body feels completely cooled down and has stopped perspiring, you can dress and exit the saunaroom.
Before you enter the sauna, drink one to two glasses of water and rinse off in a shower
Warm yourself in a dry sauna for up to 10 minutes without adding humidity.
Exit and rinse off in a second quick shower.
Allow your body to continue to cool down by drinking something refreshing, such as water.
Re-enter the sauna for another 10 minutes or so. For this second visit, you can add steam by ladling water onto the sauna rocks.
You can also use a traditional whisk made of tree twigs to gently beat or massage the skin. This whisk is called a vihta in Finnish. It’s often made from eucalyptus, birch, or oak. Using a vihta is thought to help reduce muscle aches and soften skin.
Exit and wash your body thoroughly; cool down again with a glass of water.
Re-enter the sauna for your final visit of approximately 10 minutes.
Cool down in a cold outdoor pool or by rolling in snow. You can also use a cool-to-cold indoor shower.
Lie down and relax for as long as you need to.
Drink at least one full glass of water, accompanied by a light snack.
Once your body feels completely cooled down and has stopped perspiring, you can dress and exit the saunaroom.
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