How to Make a Shower a Sauna

A hot sauna at home is one way to relax after a hard day.

Taking your regular bath or shower and temporarily transforming it into a sauna can give you the benefits of sitting in hot, moist air in your own home with virtually no cost. The heat and steam of saunas allow you to sweat toxins out of your body, relaxes your muscles, and has been said to reduce depressed feelings by Health Services at Columbia. In very little time you can make a shower a sauna and enjoy relaxing your body and mind for up to 20 minutes at a time.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Ice
• Washcloth
• Towels
• Essential oils and herbs, if desired
• Timer

Instructions

1. Fill a bowl with ice and add water. Take the bowl of ice water into the bathroom and set it next to your tub in case you become too hot. Leave a washcloth next to or in the bowl.

2. Shut all doors and windows in your bathroom and leave off bathroom fans. Roll towels, as needed, and push against the base of your door or windows to temporarily keep air from coming in or out of the room.

3. Close your shower door most of the way or pull the curtain closed partially, but leave enough room for you to sit on the side of the tub. Plug the shower drain and fill the tub with five to six inches of the hottest water the faucet can provide. Add essential oils or herbs to the water, if desired, to create a fragranced aromatherapy sauna.

4. Sit on the edge of the tub for 15 to 20 minutes, leaning over the water slightly to feel the heat rising if you can do so without discomfort. Breathe the air deeply and try to relax your body as much as possible. If you feel hot, use the washcloth and ice water to dab at your face and body to cool you off.

5. Finish the sauna by draining the tub and rinsing off under a lukewarm shower to remove sweat and decrease you body temperature.

Tips & Warnings

• If you only have a walk-in shower, then allow your shower to run with the hottest water possible for five to ten minutes until it has built up steam in the room.

• Aromatherapy stimulants include eucalyptus and rosemary while antidepressants are orange, rose, and sandalwood. Try using marjoram, chamomile or lavender for pain relief.

• Feelings of dizziness, chest pains or shortness of breath are not normal for a good sauna. If you experience any of these symptoms, then leave your bathroom and apply cold water to your face and body to cool off quickly.

References

• "Natural Healing Wisdom & Know How"; Amy Rost 2009
• GoAskAlice.columbia.edu: Benefits of sauna