Dictionary
a Finnish steam bath steam is produced by pouring water over heated rocks
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Wikipedia
mergefrom Finnish sauna , in Karlsborg Municipality.]]A sauna, the wet version also called steam bath, is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet/dry heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities, or the act of using a sauna. Taking a sauna is usually a social affair in which the participants disrobe and sit or recline in temperatures of over 80 °CelsiusC. This induces relaxation and promotes sweating. It is believed by some that heavy sweating helps to remove 'toxins' from the body. It is also believed that exposure of the skin to heat stimulates the production of white blood cells andstrengthens the immune system. The Finnish sauna (generally 70-90 degrees Celsius, but can vary from 60 to 120 degrees) is the most widely known, but many cultures have close equivalents, such as the North American First Nations sweat lodge, the TurkeyTurkish hammam, Ancient RomeRoman thermae, Aztec or Maya civilizationMaya temazcal and RussiaRussian banya (sauna)banya. Public bathhouses that often contained a steam room were common in the 18th century1700s, 19th century1800s and early 20th century1900s and were inexpensive places to go to wash when private facilities were not generally available. Most North American college/university physical education complexes and many public sports centers include sauna facilities. They may also be present in a public swimming pool. This may be a separate area where swimming wear is taken off or a smaller facility in the swimming pool area where one should keep the swimming wear on. Under many circumstances, temperatures approaching and exceeding 100 °C would be completely intolerable. Saunas overcome this problem by controlling the humidity. The hottest FinlandFinnish and SwedenSwedish saunas have very low humidity levels, which allows temperatures that could boil water to be tolerated and even enjoyed for short periods of time. Other types of sauna, such as the hammam where the humidity approaches 100%, will be set to a much lower temperature of around 40 °C to compensate. The "wet heat" would cause scaldscalding if the temperature were set much higher. Finer control over the temperature experienced can be achieved by choosing a higher level bench for those wishing a hotter experience or a lower level bench for a more moderate temperature. EtiquetteGood manners requires that the door to a sauna not be kept open so long that it cools the sauna for those that are already in it. A draft, even if at 100 °C, may still be unwelcome.Infrared saunas are growing in popularity, using far infrared rays emitted by infrared heaters to create warmth.The sauna can be so soothing that hyperthermiaheat prostration or the even more serious hyperthermia (heat stroke) can result. The cool shower or plunge afterwards always results in a great increase in blood pressure, so careful moderation is advised for those with a history of stroke or hypertension (high blood pressure). In Finland sauna is thought as a healing refreshment and has been used to cure people from many diseases through the times. There is even a saying: "Jos ei viina, terva tai sauna auta, tauti on kuolemaksi." (If a disease can't be cured by booze, tar, or the sauna, it is fatal.)Alcoholic drinks are usually not used in the sauna, as the effects of heat and alcoholic_beveragealcohol are cumulative, although in the Finnish sauna culture a beer afterwards is thought to be refreshing and relaxing. Pouring a few centiliters of beer into the water that is poured on the hot stones releases the odor of the grain used to brew the beer, and can bring a wonderful smell of freshly baked bread into the air.Social and mixed gender nudity with adults and children is quite common in the conventional sauna, with a strict prohibition of any form of sexual activity. In fact the sauna is considered not only a sex-free, but also almost a gender-free zone. It may also be noted that practicing sex in an environment where the temperature approaches 100 °C would be impractical at the least. In the dry sauna and on chairs one sometimes sits on a towel for hygiene and comfort; in the steam bath the towel is left outside. Sometimes draping the towel around the waist is required in the restaurant area.As an additional facility a sauna may have one or more Swimming pool#Jacuzzijacuzzis.
Finnish sauna customs - Saunas are nowadays an integral part of the way of life in Finland. They are found everywhere: in private apartments, corporate headquarters and even in the Parliament of FinlandParliament. The sauna tradition is so strong that even Finns abroad enjoy a good sauna, probably the reason why the Finnish Church in Rotherhithe, London has its own sauna. Finnish soldiers on peacekeeping missions are famous for their saunas; even on the UNMEE mission in Eritrea, a sauna was one of the first buildings to be erected. (A second world war-era Finnish military field manual states that a rest of eight hours is all that is required for a battalion to build saunas, warm them and bathe in them.)The best saunas, however, are located on the shores of Finland's 187,888 lakelakes. The sauna is an important part of the national identity and those who have the opportunity usually take a sauna at least once a week.Taking a sauna begins by sitting in the hot room, typically warmed to 80-90 degrees Celsius (175-195 degrees Fahrenheit), for some time. Water is thrown on the hot stones topping the ''kiuas'', a special stove used to warm up the sauna. This produces steam, known as ''löyly'', which makes the sauna feel even hotter. Occasionally one uses leafy, fragrant boughs of silver birch to gently beat oneself. The boughs are called ''vihta'' or ''vasta''. This has a relaxing effect on the muscles and also helps in calming the effects of mosquito stings. When the heat begins to feel uncomfortable it is customary to jump into a lake, sea, or a swimming pool. In the winter rolling in the snow or even swimming in a hole cut in the ice, an avanto is sometimes used as a substitute. Then one usually sits down in the dressing room or the porch of the sauna to enjoy a makkara, or Finnish sausage, along with beer or soft drinksoft drinks.After cooling one goes back to the hot room and begins the cycle again. One cycle usually has no noticeable effect. Usually one takes at least two or three cycles, lasting between one half to two hours. In Finland's numerous summer cottages taking sauna might go on well into the night if the company is good. This is especially true in the summer when there is virtually no darkness. For many Finns, the sauna is almost a sacred place. Thorough washing will end the session of sauna. Conversation should be relaxed and arguments and controversial topics should be avoided. It is also rare to use titles or other honorifics in the sauna.Sometimes men and women go to the sauna together, sometimes not. For someone brought up in Finland, the rules are instinctive but they are difficult to put into words. Depending on the size, composition, relationships, and the age structure of the group three basic patterns can emerge: Everyone can go to sauna at the same time, Sex segregationmen and women may take sauna separately, or each family can go to sauna separately. Mixed saunas with non-familymembers are most common with young people and are quite rare with older people and on more formal occasions. It's common for teenagerteenagers to stop going to sauna with their parents at some point.In the sauna it is a faux pas to wear clothing in the hot room, although it is acceptable to sit on a small towel or ''pefletti'', a disposable tissue designed to endure heat and humidity (it can be mandatory in a public sauna, such as one in a swimming hall). While cooling off it is quite common to wrap a towel around your body. Though mixed saunas are quite common, the sauna, for a typical Finn, is a completely non-sexual place. In Finland "sauna" means only a sauna, not a brothel, sex club, or such. In public saunas one also sees signs prohibiting the wearing of swimming suits in the hot room. There are some hygienic reasons for this. Also, in some indoor swimming pools chlorine is added to the water for hygiene reasons. If swimwear used in such water is brought to the hot room, the chlorine will vaporize and cause breathing problems for people with relevant disorders (asthma, allergyallergies).Foreign visitors in Finland often get invited into the sauna. This may even happen after business negotiations and other such events. In these occasions it is possible to refuse, although it may not impress your Finnish hosts. Such an invitation (in a business setting) may in fact indicate that the negotiations have gone well and a joint business effort is seen probable - hence the invitation. In private homes or summer residences sauna is usually warmed to honour the guest and refusal may be more difficult. However, Finns will not typically be offended by declining a sauna bath.The ''savusauna'' (smoke sauna) is a special type of sauna without a chimney. Wood is burned on a particularly large stove and the smoke fills the room. When the sauna is hot enough, the fire is allowed to die and the smoke is ventilated out. The residual heat of the stove is enough for the duration of the sauna. This represents the ancestral type of sauna, since chimneys are a later addition. Smoke saunas have experienced great revival in recent years since they are considered superior by the connoisseurs. They are not, however, likely to replace all or even most of the regular saunas because more skill and effort is needed for the heating process.The sauna in Finland is such an old phenomenon that it is impossible to trace its roots. Hundreds of years ago, when bathing was something to be done only rarely or never at all, Finns were cleaning themselves in saunas at least once a week. One reason why sauna culture has always flourished and is so highly honored in Finland is the many uses of the sauna. When people were moving the first thing they did was build a sauna. You could live in it, make food in the stove, take care of your personal hygiene and most importantly, give birth in an almost sterile environment. One thing that has also affected the spreading of the sauna is the almost endless resources of wood to burn. Another reason is that in such a cold climate, the sauna allows people to feel warm at least for a short period of time. It is just as popular in the summer as in the winter, though.
Saunas and sex - In some countries there are adult-only saunas that have different rules and customs, the term "sauna" being used for a bath-house or "health club", sometimes with facilities like a standard sauna, but where people go to find sexual partners and have sex on the premises (however not in the sauna itself). Some such saunas rent out small rooms for this purpose: others are deceptiondisguised prostitutionbrothels. This euphemismeuphemistic usage generally applies to establishments that advertise themselves as being a sauna rather than those that have a sauna on the premises. This generally happens more frequently in inner-city areas in the United StatesUS and the United KingdomUK than in Continental Europe where a sauna is generally seen as a family or social event. Several urban legends exist on what the Scandinavians, and particularly the Finns, do in the saunas that are a part of many or most homes and summer houses. However, there exists no taboo against sex in a sauna. While saunas in modern apartments as a rule are too small, saunas of old farm houses are separate buildings. Such a cabin offered privacy when living in confined quarters – and comfortable temperature after finished bathing. In Finland and Northern Scandinavia, many teenagers and young adults have sauna parties. Mixed-sex bathing occurs (in finnish ''sekasauna''), but there is seldom a sexual intent. Covering towels may be optional or may alternatively be considered prudish. Regardless of whether the participants are completely nude or not, unwelcome sexual advances in the sauna are considered to be a major social blunder. Like at other social gatherings, pairs inclined for sex usually retreat away from the group.''See also: gay bathhouse''
Modern sauna culture around the world - Public perception of saunas, sauna "etiquette" and sauna customs vary hugely from country to country. In many countries sauna going is a recent fashion and attitudes towards saunas are changing, while in others traditions have survived over generations. In Finland and Russia sauna going plays a central social role. These countries boast the hottest saunas and the tradition of beating fellow sauna goers with birch branches. In Russia public saunas are strictly single sex while in Finland both types occur.Benelux and Scandinavian countries, where public saunas have been around for a long time too, generally have a moderate, "live and let live" attitude towards sauna going with few traditions to speak of. Levels of nudity vary, single sex saunas are as common as mixed sex saunas and people tend to socialise. In Germany and Austria on the other hand nudity is strictly enforced in public saunas, as is the covering of benches with towels. Single sex saunas are rare. Loud conversation is not usually tolerated as the sauna is seen as a place of healing rather than socialising. Cold showers or baths shortly after a sauna are considered a must.In much of southern Europe, France and the United KingdomUK nudity is strictly forbidden, a cause of confusion and argument when nationals of these nations cross the border to Germany and Austria or vice versa. Sauna sessions tend to be shorter and cold showers are shunned by most. In the United KingdomUK, where public saunas are becoming increasingly fashionable, the practice of alternating between the sauna and the Swimming pool#Jacuzzijacuzzi in short seatings (considered a ''Faux pasfaux pas'' in Northern Europe) has emerged.HungaryHungarians see the sauna a part of a wider spa culture. Here too attitudes are less liberal, mixed-gender people are together and they wear swimsuits. Single-sex saunas are rare, as well as those which tolerate nudity.In South America saunas are an exclusively upper class affair. As in Africa on the whole, saunas are kept at a much lower temperature than in Europe, and nudity is forbidden.In Japan, many saunas exist at sports centers and public bathhouses (sentos). The saunas are almost always gender separated, often required by law, and nudity is a required part of proper sauna etiquette. While right after World War II, public bathhouses were commonplace in Japan, the number of customers have dwindled as more people were able to afford houses and apartments equipped with their own private baths as the nation became wealthier. As a result many sentos have added more features such as saunas in order to survive.Unfortunately for sauna enthusiasts in the United States, sauna culture is hopelessly underdeveloped. While sauna facilities are often provided at health clubs and at hotels, they frequently remain unheated because of disuse. Apparently for the purpose of avoiding liability, those saunas which are operating are doing so at only moderate tempertures and pouring water on the rocks is usually not allowed. Sauna users enter and exit the sauna as they please, alternately nude, fully dressed in workout clothes, or dripping wet in swimsuits. In some health clubs, the sauna gets more use from patrons drying wet clothing than for taking a sauna. Proper saunas in the United States are either private or are businesses serving a particular ethnic group with a more developed sauna culture.
See also - Hot tub Jacuzzi Spa
References - groups.msn.com - Finland Travel Club sauna factswasauna.com - Infrared Sauna FAQcankar.org - The Finnish Saunasauna.fi - The Finnish Sauna !SocietyCategory:RecreationCate gory:Finnish? cultureCategory:English words of foreign !origincs:Saunada:Saunade:Sauna el:Σάουναeo:Saŭnofr:Sau nahu:Szaunanl:Saunaja:サウ 風呂pl:Saunafi:Saunasv:Bast u
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Besuchen Sie unsere Website! http://www.museums-und-ferienhof.de/
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Thermal Effect Physiotherm
Nel primo Centro di competenza d’Italia è possibile conoscere e verificare sulla propria pelle gli effetti benefici della speciale tecnologia con sabbia di lava applicata alle cabine a infrarossi Physiotherm.
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Estetica, massaggi, solarium, sauna, bagno turco, vasca idromassaggio....vi offriamo una vasta scelta di occasioni per farvi raggiungere SALUTE, RELAX e BENESSERE.
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http://www.finnmade.fi
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Gaestehaus Fecht in Aurich Nordseeküste, Niedersachsen. Alle Zimmer mit Bad und WC. Sauna, Solarium, Swimmingpool.
http://www.gaestehaus-fecht.de/
Ihr Mallorca-Urlaubs-Portal
Auf Mallorcahola.de finden Sie alles fuer Ihren Individualurlaub auf Mallorca. Spezialangebote fuer Fincas und Haeuser.
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Poolhaus Dänemark / Ferienhaus in Henne Strand / Dänemark. Swimmingpool, Whirlpool
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Naturprodukte , Allergiker und Naturkosmetik , ätherische Öle , Ökologische <br> Haushaltsmittel , Geschenkartikel, Hobbythekprodukte, Vista HDTV<br> Technisat Satellitenanlagen und Fernsehen
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Intreal
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http://www.jk-archides.de
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Exceptional facilities, outstanding service and elegant accommodations characterize this luxury hotel. Featuring a selection of fine restaurants (Glat Kosher), a health club with large indoor heated pool, plus large landscaped outdoor pool, luxurious guest rooms and suites, meeting halls and accoutrements of a world class establishment likely to exceed expectations. The most flexible complex in Jerusalem, featuring a 1000 square meter Grand Ballroom, plus 13 additional halls, theater style accommodation up to 1700 guests, and banquets up to 1000 guests in one hall. The hotel is situated in a very convenient location, near the entrance to the city and easily accessible to nearly every section of Jerusalem. It is within easy walking distance of the Israel Museum, Supreme Court, the Knesset and other places of interest. A business center is available to accommodate your professional office requirements. The hotel offers a high level of comfort and service to make a visit more enjoyable.
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/JRSRN
Senamiesčio svečių namai - Old Town Guesthouse
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Suomen Saunaseura ry
Seuran toimintaa ja historiaa, saunojen aukioloajat ja aiheeseen liittyviä linkkejä.
http://www.sauna.fi/
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