Even though there are already days again when the sun beats down and we groan about the heat, the cold months were not that long ago. The flu wave kept Germany very busy during the first third of the year. More people than ever before were affected by the nasty viruses, and yet there are also those who escaped the illness. Many take preventive measures with a good lemon-ginger tea or regular exercise to keep their immune systems strong.
Regular sauna sessions can strengthen the immune system and help your mind and body relax, especially after a stressful day at work. A sauna session is also pure relaxation after a visit to the gym and can loosen tired muscles.
Saunas know no boundaries
As a soothing practice, sweating has been around since ancient times and is cross-cultural. Native Americans used sweat lodges, the Inuit used their igloos to work up a sweat, and the Romans sweated in their steam baths, just as the Turks did in their hammams. The Finns built wooden huts with stoves and called them saunas, while the Russians had the same idea with their banyas.
But there are also people who simply find a conventional sauna too hot.
They would love to enjoy this relaxation and treat their bodies to a wellness day, but their circulation cannot handle it. They are overcome by dizziness and shortness of breath tightens their throats. That is certainly not how a sauna session should feel.
The bio sauna comes to the rescue
For everyone who can relate: salvation comes in a wooden casing: the bio sauna. The name can be misleading, but it is not (or not exclusively) a special organic wood that the sauna is made from. The name refers to the lower temperature in a bio sauna.
The following explains the benefits of a bio sauna and how it differs from the Finnish version. It also explains what you can do to make your visit to a bio sauna even gentler, so that you feel completely comfortable.
What is a bio sauna?
A bio sauna is a gentler version of a Finnish sauna. The room temperature is between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius and is more comfortable for many people than the high room temperatures of 80 to 100 degrees Celsius found in Finnish sweat cabins.
Unlike other saunas, however, the bio sauna has higher humidity, at 40 to 55%. As a result, you usually sweat even more in a bio sauna than in other types of sauna. The air also feels less dry, which helps make the sauna experience gentler.
Can you have a sauna infusion in a bio sauna?
If you have ever been in a sauna that had been switched off for about 20 minutes, you know that pouring water over the “lukewarm” stones would do nothing but make them wet. As a sauna-goer, you want the lovely steam and pleasant fragrance that you can soak up with every pore.
Since the temperatures in a bio sauna are only mild, an infusion would not have the desired effect. Instead, in a bio sauna, try essential oils – and the selection is huge. Choose an essential oil according to the effect you want, then put it in a special container in the sauna cabin, or fill special containers and place them among the sauna stones. Herbs can also create a pleasant, relaxing fragrance. Hang them over the sauna heater in a container of diluted water and let them release their aroma. The most effective way to naturally fragrance the sauna with herbs is to use a special bio sauna steam generator equipped with an herb sieve, which lets the herbs release their aromas as they are steamed.
This fills the room with a pleasant fragrance. For actual rays of light in the bio sauna, you can use special lighting. Light has a special effect on us, and different colors can also influence our mood. Combined with gentle sounds, you can truly relax and enjoy yourself in the bio sauna.
Who can use a bio sauna?
Thanks to its mild temperatures, the bio sauna is an excellent choice for anyone with circulatory problems or breathing difficulties. The high humidity relaxes the lungs and bronchi, making it easier to breathe.
Sauna beginners and children (aged 6 and up) are also welcome in a bio sauna. This makes it a great sauna experience for families. However, consult your doctor or pediatrician before using a sauna. Better safe than sorry.
If you like, you can stay in the bio sauna longer than the usual 15 minutes. Up to 30 minutes is recommended, but of course, the best guide is your body. If you start to feel unwell, you should leave the sauna immediately.
Why is a bio sauna considered healthy?
The health benefits of a visit to a bio sauna are quite similar to those of a Finnish sauna, but they develop more slowly. The mild room temperature warms the body gradually. However, the heat penetrates more deeply than in a Finnish sauna. The strain on the body is considerably lower.
All that sweating flushes waste products out of the body. These waste products come from the food we eat as well as various pollutants in the environment.
In addition, regular visits to a bio sauna (twice a week, according to a study) lower high blood pressure. The heat dilates the blood vessels, improving circulation. Cholesterol levels also tend to improve with regular bio sauna sessions.
The immune system is generally strengthened and better prepared to fight unpleasant cold viruses. However, if you are already experiencing cold symptoms, you should avoid using a sauna. The intense strain could further weaken your already weakened body.
To get the most positive effects from a sauna session, read these rules for proper sauna bathing.
How does a bio sauna work?
Like a classic Finnish sauna, a bio sauna is made of wood and has a heater and a ventilation system. The difference is that both the room and air temperatures can be adjusted, allowing you to experiment with different climate zones. Depending on how you feel and what you prefer, you can choose from several options:
-
Aromatherapy: Set the room temperature to 40 - 45 degrees Celsius and the humidity to 40 - 55%. Choose your favorite herbs and fill the herb sieve with them, or add an essential oil to a suitable fragrance bowl (or combine several) and put on some soft music. Since the temperature is very mild, you can fully immerse yourself in the fragrances and simply relax.
-
Sauna Light: This time, choose a temperature between 45 and 60 degrees Celsius with the humidity kept steady (30 - 50%). This is the ideal form of sauna bathing for those who want a particularly gentle experience. The body warms up very slowly, and the humidity makes breathing comfortable.
-
Warm-air bath: This time, keep the room temperature at 45 - 60 degrees Celsius and the humidity at 20 - 30%. This type of sauna is especially good for tired muscles, although the low humidity can make breathing more difficult.
-
Tropical bath: If you want to simulate a trip to the tropics, raise the room temperature to 50 - 70 degrees Celsius and increase the humidity to 20 - 50%.
- Finnish sauna: You can even turn the bio sauna into a classic sauna by raising the temperature to 70-100 degrees Celsius and reducing the humidity to 3%. Simply select Finnish sauna again using the controls. By the way, you can also vary the bathing mode using the controls as you wish.
Conclusion
You can’t go wrong with a bio sauna, especially if you have circulatory or breathing problems in conventional saunas. A bio sauna is also an excellent, gentle alternative for people with high blood pressure, rheumatic complaints, or elevated cholesterol. This means you no longer have to miss out on the valuable sauna experience.
Now that the sun is warming the air again and outdoor temperatures are climbing, a bio sauna can also be a welcome alternative to the hot Finnish sauna.
Even sauna-goers who prefer traditional saunas can enjoy the benefits of both options with a bio sauna and switch between them depending on how they feel and what they need.
Combined with herbs and essential oils, you can enhance your sauna session with aromas and sounds.