What is the Sauna? What does the sauna do?

 The sauna is an ancient form of bath, as old as the northern man
himself. A bath unlike any other in the world - based on the principle
of inducing perspiration through a combination of heat and humidity.
It has been a typically Finnish institution for at least a thousand
years, maybe more. Its beginnings shrouded in the haze of early
history, the sauna has remained unchanged, a way of life to the Finn,
to this day.

Originally a log fire, covered with rocks which would retain and
radiate dry heat in an underground dugout, the sauna has evolved over
the ages to its present form, consisting of the hot-room, a washroom
and a dressing area, perhaps fronted by a porch where the bathers cool
off and relax after a bath. Such an area has always been the first to
be erected by Finnish settlers, to be lived in until the house itself
was built. Many a newborn saw his first light of the day there. Today,
most every Finnish farm and country home has a sauna, the urban house
owner usually has one in his basement, and the apartment dweller
generally uses a public sauna. From basement to roof-top, saunas are
featured in modern office buildings, hotels, and apartment
developments in Finland today. There are more saunas in Finland than
there are cars.

A Finn takes his sauna for granted. Like food and drink, it is
indispensable to him. He finds its 190 degree heat with 17-32%
humidity, alternated with plunges into a cool lake or shower, both
soothing and invigorating and, because it gives him enjoyment, he
shares it with others, welcoming guests to his home for a sauna and
refreshments, much like we invite our friends to dinner.

Uniquely Finnish, the sauna has been for a long time familiar to the
inhabitants of other Scandinavian and Northern European countries.
With the exception of its use by Finnish settlers, it remained
practically unknown in the United States until the middle of the last
century.

Enjoyed regularly, it builds up the body's natural resistance to
stress. It relaxes one after a hard day's work — physical or mental —
better than anything else. It induces sound, drug-free sleep,
eliminating insomnia caused by tension and worry, and it's a sure-fire
cure for that "morning after" feeling.

The rock heater is the most important feature of any sauna, indeed the
very heart of it.

Known as kivas (pronounced kew'us) in Finnish. Its purpose is to heat
the rocks, piled on top, which then retain and radiate the heat in the
sauna room producing loyly (pronounced low'Iou), the sauna vapor, when
"hit" with a scoopful of water. It is the rocks, heated by the kivas
and "hit" with water to produce loyly that make the sauna the true,
authentic and enjoyable bath that it is. Any other method such as hot
boxes, fanned stoves, hot water pipes - are but poor imitations 

 Individual sauna habits vary from one bather to the next but the
general procedure has changed very little over the centuries: after
undressing, enter the hot-room and either sit or lie down on one of
the benches, remembering that the higher you go the hotter it is.
Since the heat is what you're after, the top bench is the best. Soon
the dim light of the sauna, the fragrance of the wood-lined walls and
the soothing heat, penetrating to your very marrow, will give you a
pleasant feeling of relaxation.

After five minutes or so, your pores open up and perspiration starts
to flow. Enjoy the heat awhile, but don't forget that the sauna is a
bath. Get out for a thorough washing and rubdown with mild soap and a
good bath brush or loofa, to get rid of accumulations in your open
pores. Having rinsed yourself and cooled off a bit, you're ready to go
back into the hot-room for another session.

This time the procedure is about the same, except, as you start to
perspire freely, pour some water over the hot rocks on top of the
heating unit, first a little, then as much as you like or can stand.
The water, hitting the rocks, evaporates and humidifies the dry hot
air. This makes your body tingle all over and promotes further profuse
perspiration. It is at this point that the Finns enjoy swishing
themselves with a whisk of young birch leaves to stimulate
circulation. It's not the same, but brisk rubbing with a long-handled
bath brush or loofa will produce similar results for you. A few more
scoopfuls of water hitting the stones and you are ready to jump into a
cool lake or perhaps, even roll in the snow, but a shower will do
nicely.

In any case, take a shower — as cool as you like it and enjoy the
feeling of exhilaration it will give you. For best enjoyment of the
sauna, relaxation for at least five to fifteen minutes is a must, only
to be followed, after cooling off, with another session in the
hot-room (the third is always the best).

After the last session — three or four is enough- wait a while before
toweling off to retain the afterglow of the sauna, then rub yourself
briskly and take another five to fifteen minutes to relax and cool off
completely before dressing. The whole procedure should take about an
hour — but don't be a clock-watcher. Time does not belong in the
sauna.