Winter can give you a hard time. Snow, temperatures way below zero, freezing wind, and short, dark days can spoil your mood. Lack of sunlight and vitamin D3, a general air of malaise. Complaining about it, unfortunately, doesn’t make things any better. Finnish people know this all too well. So, they decided to seek comfort in saunas.
The Finnish method for good mood
A wooden room, heated with a stove with hot stones, was the warmest spot in a typical, Finnish house. It was there that entire families gathered to warm up, ease their minds, and relax their bodies. Finns have been practicing “the art of sauna” for ages, considering it not only enjoyable, but also having health benefits. They very likely may have discovered the correlation between sauna sessions, taking ice-cold baths or rubbing in snow onto the body afterwards, and tempering of the human organism. Those sauna sessions with interwoven activities aimed at lowering the body temperature became customary in Finnish homes, and quickly reached other parts of the world. Beautiful sauna facilities, housing multiple saunas, cold water showers, and ice buckets have become popular in Poland as well.
Saunas in Pomorskie: an element of the SPA & Wellness industry
Saunas have been receiving more and more attention. They have become an important part not only of hotel infrastructure, but also water parks and SPA & Wellness facilities. Why do we like them so much? Because a steaming hot sauna provides deep relaxation and multiple health benefits. Those who visit saunas regularly are not only healthier physically, but also mentally. We choose relaxation combined with thermotherapy treatments more often, not only when staying in a hotel or a leisure centre. We go to sauna after work, we take our families for the weekend, or meet with friends in the evenings. Sauna sessions are frequently combined with swimming or winter swimming.
Saunas in Pomorskie: beneficial warmth for health & beauty
Sauna is one of the most popular natural methods of strengthening the immune system. It has positive influence on both physical and mental health, stimulates circulatory and respiratory systems. It also boosts metabolism, relieves muscle stress, helps in combating infections and reducing muscle stiffness and swelling. Last, but not least, it helps in regeneration, and through sweating – facilitates body detox. A single sauna session helps relax the body, regenerate it after exercise, boost metabolism, and facilitate weight loss. The effects of it can also be seen on the skin, which becomes firm and flexible.
Heat is undoubtedly an excellent remedy for many health issues. However, in certain cases it may be harmful. Using sauna is strongly discouraged in case of certain conditions, so before you decide to take a sauna session, you should take a look at the list of medical contraindications.
Dry heat sauna, wet sauna, and steam room – the difference
No two saunas are the same. There are at least 4 main types, which differ in temperature levels, climate, and humidity. The classic type, Finnish or dry sauna. It’s characterized by high temperature that can reach up to 120 degrees Celsius, and a low humidity level of about 10%. In this type of sauna, you don’t throw water on stones, and sessions should be short, up to 10 minutes. In a wet sauna, water is poured on hot stones, generating steam and increasing humidity, which can reach up to 40%. The temperature, on the other hand, is relatively low, about 80 degrees. Infrared sauna is another one worth discussing. Instead of a stove, it is equipped with infrared emitters. The temperature oscillates around 50 degrees Celsius, and humidity – around 25%. This allows for longer sessions compared to the two previous sauna types that can extend up to 30 minutes. The temperature in a steam room (or steam bath) reaches around 45-60 degrees, and humidity – up to 100%. Because of that, seats in a steam bath aren’t wooden but ceramic.
The least intense saunas are aromatic steam saunas that use herbs or essential oils. Genuine, dried herbs as well as eucalyptus or mint essential oils are sprayed using ultrasound aroma diffusers and allow for sessions up to 30 minutes. These are considered natural medical treatments. Before using a sauna, study its properties. An information board should be placed in front of the entrance, with such characteristics as temperature, humidity, and a list of benefits and recommendations. It’s important to choose a sauna according to your own preferences and, above all, any conditions you might have as well as overall health.
A healthy dose of relaxation
The sauna should be used carefully, not only when it comes to time, i.e., controlling session length, but also the etiquette. Sauna is a place for deep relaxation. Instead of the sound of lively conversations, you’ll hear soothing music, or sounds of nature. You enter the sauna covered with a towel or a cotton cloth. Natural fabrics do a better job absorbing sweat and protecting vulnerable parts of the body. Synthetic fabrics, such as swimsuits, can cause friction burn or skin irritation. Out of respect to other people, you shouldn’t enter the sauna without covering yourself. The naked body is considered taboo in our culture and can cause embarrassment in others. In many places, saunarium is a place that doesn’t allow children, and sets the lower age limit to 16 years. We don’t recommend a sauna session if you’ve just had a big meal or drank alcohol. However, you should drink at least a litre of water.
Saunas in Pomorskie: where to go?
There are many places in Tri-City to enjoy a sauna session. In Gdańsk, you should try Aquastacja. There, you will be able to peacefully relax after a swimming training session. There are three types of saunas available: a steam room, a dry sauna, and a laconium, as well as a sensational shower, heated benches with foot bowls, as well as spots to cool your body down.
The Sopot-based Aquapark offers a wide range of saunas. There are eight different saunas to choose from: Serail Bath, Laconium, Sauna Nordic, Sauna Finnish, Aroma Sauna, Biosauna, Steam Bath, Caldarium. All of them are connected to the SPA and pool zones.
There are quite interesting saunas on the Sopot beach, near the M15 restaurant (entrance no. 15). These are seasonal, stand-alone constructions built for the autumn-winter season. The complex of wooden buildings includes two, fully equipped saunas with changing rooms, showers, and bathrooms. One of their greatest assets is the wide, panoramic windows, which allow you to simultaneously enjoy the heat and the view of the sea. The beach saunas offer aroma therapeutic sessions that use natural oils, as well as sauna nights led by a sauna master, and other special events. This is an ideal option for those who enjoy winter swimming.
If you’d like to take advantage of the deluxe offer, you should try Quadrille hotel in Gdynia, which offers two facilities: a Finnish sauna and a steam room. In the SPA zone, you can enjoy the sauna service combined with an aroma therapeutic session. Fragrant concentrates, filled up on demand by the staff, have a deeply therapeutic effect. They help relieve stress and soothe your mind.
Another interesting sauna offer comes from the 4-star hotel, Gwiazda Morza Resort Spa &Sport, located in Władysławowo. The saunarium, located near the swimming pool, comprises a heating and cooling zones. In the former, there are five saunas to choose from. The Finnish sauna (dry sauna) offers sauna ceremonies to up to 30 people. In the herbal sauna, you can enjoy aromatic sessions inspired by nature, and the Aroma sauna – feel the therapeutic effect fragrance has on the entire body. Thanks to the aromas, music, and ambient lighting, the steam room allows you to experience the Orient. The Infrared sauna, equipped with infrared emitters, helps alleviate muscle, back, and joint pain. The cooling zone lets you cool off your body in a shower with a polar mist, tropical or refreshing cold rain, or rub ice flakes onto your body.
Selecting regular sessions will provide almost immediate effects. While sauna sessions have many advantages, remember to use them wisely!
