How to Sauna Like a Finn

Saunas have been a part of traditional Finnish cultural for centuries. A warm, steamy respite from the cold climate and frigid winters, the sauna has also been used for multiple purposes throughout the years: bathing, relaxation, birthing and medicinal purposes. Though sauna designs have changed over the years, Finns and Finnish Americans still hold true to the traditional sauna practices.

Instructions

1. Locate a traditional hot rock sauna. Modern saunas tend to be powered by electric or gas energy sources, but traditional Finnish saunas involve hot rocks. Traditional saunas are easy to identify: inside, a bin of rocks will be visible, with a furnace door on the outside. Hot-rock saunas can be found in small Finnish towns, or in areas of the United States with large populations of Finnish descendants. Northern Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan have the largest percentages of Finnish descendants.

2. Heat the rocks. Build a fire in the furnace. Start at least an hour before you wish to enter the sauna to allow time to create coals and heat the rocks thoroughly. Check your fire often, and add logs whenever it seems to be burning down.

3. Use plenty of steam. When the sauna rocks are hot enough, water poured on them will sizzle and turn into steam. Gather buckets of water and bring them into the sauna. To create steam, throw water onto the hot rocks. Be careful not to stand too close to the rocks, as steam can cause serious burns. Beware also of accidentally sitting on the edge of the rock bin, or allowing an arm or leg to brush up against it.

4. Leave your clothes outside. In a traditional Finnish sauna, clothing is not optional: it is prohibited. In public saunas, men and women generally sauna separately, thus reducing potential for discomfort. Without clothing or a towel, your body can sweat in the steam, releasing toxins and increasing the cleansing power of the sauna. Leave your body anxieties behind: the sauna is not a place of judgment.

5. Sit on the top bench. For maximum steam, sit on the top bench. Finns pride themselves on being tough and resilient, and often regard sauna-goers on the bottom bench with some skepticism. Be careful not to breathe deeply when the steam is first created to avoid burns to the throat or lungs.

6. Jump into a lake. Sit in the steamy sauna until your body is heated throughout and can no longer take the heat. If your sauna is near a body of water, organize your fellow sauna-mates, count down, run outside and jump in the lake. This is a particularly effective exercise if the weather and water are cold; the water will be refreshing and the return to the sauna will be welcome. If there is no lake nearby or if it is winter, you can jump in a snowbank for the same effect. Be careful to avoid icy banks, as they can cause severe scratching.