Author Archives: Christina Mantoura

The Christmas sauna is very much a Finnish tradition – and a great way to get the most out of your sauna during the festive period. This is the time of year when we all start to slow down a little, look for opportunities to relax but also when our bodies can be hit with a barrage of germs and toxins. The Christmas sauna can be a great way to enjoy the season and also navigate it healthily.

• Follow the Finnish routine. Around Christmas itself the Finns tend to use the sauna twice a day. A morning session is a lovely way to find some peace at the start of what can often be an incredibly busy day. Using the sauna in the evening can help to cleanse the system and increase the appetite ready to go back and enjoy more food. The Finns traditionally have a cooling off in between sauna sessions, turning this into a whole experience. If you don’t have snow to roll in like the Finns do between their sauna sessions then you can have a cold shower or take a dip in a cold pool instead. This is a great opportunity to bring some festive food into the routine too (outside the sauna), from hot chocolate and gingerbread to cold roast potatoes.
• Make your sauna a festive space. The Finns tend to decorate their saunas around this time of year, filling the space in and around it with festive cheer. That could be seasonal flowers and leaves, candles and anything soft that will create a lovely soothing experience. Don’t forget to make sure that you’ve got everything ready for when you get out of the sauna, whether that’s festive robes and slippers or party hats.
• The Finns use the sauna for quietness and also for connection. A sauna can be a really sociable space where you catch up with family and friends over the Christmas period. Everyone loves to come together and chat and this is a healthy activity that everyone can enjoy while engaging with each other. However, a sauna can also be a profound place of solitude – and this is something the Finns recognise too. So, don’t be afraid to spend some time alone contemplating the year that has just gone and detoxifying all the indulgences from the month you’ve just had.
• Enjoy all the benefits. Spending some time in your sauna over Christmas can help give your body a boost in terms of detoxifying and improving immune defence. To get the most out of all the benefits make sure you drink plenty of water before and after you’ve been in the sauna. The Finns never take alcohol into the sauna for obvious reasons – bear in mind the dehydrating effect of the sauna if your day also involves alcohol. If you tend to have trouble sleeping during the Christmas period then try a sauna before bed for a really restful night.

These are just some of the ways that you can enjoy Christmas saunas like the Finns this year. With a range of traditional and soft options as a modular sauna that allows you to customise the shape, size and design of your sauna and a large variety of ready-made saunas we are sure that we can find the right model for you. Get in touch with a member of our expert team today to discuss our 0% APR Finance options and for more information about our extensive range of saunas and steam rooms.

Winter is a wonderful time to have access to an outdoor sauna. Not only can your sauna be instrumental in helping to encourage relaxation during stressful times but it has some great health and wellness benefits too. At this time of year, conditions can sometimes be challenging so it’s vital that you have good maintenance habits in place when it comes to your outdoor sauna in winter.

• Make sure you prepare your outdoor sauna exterior for the winter months. The exterior of the sauna provides a protective shell so it’s crucial that you look after it well. That could include treating the wood with a wood penetrating oil to sustain the natural look, pressure washing to remove dirt and debris and treating the windows and doors to avoid deformation.
• Prepare your outdoor sauna for the first use in winter. When you warm up the sauna for the first time in winter it’s a good idea to treat it as a trial run and not use it. This is especially important if the sauna is brand new. Start getting used to ventilating the sauna after every use so that you don’t get mould or unpleasant odours forming.
• Get into a monthly cleaning routine. You only need to spend 15 minutes a month cleaning your sauna to help extend its life. The cleaning routine should include sweeping out dirt and dust, using a fine sandpaper to tackle and scuff marks, mopping the floors and wiping the interior over with a soft cloth. It’s important to avoid any harsh, chemical cleaners as this can damage the sauna. Instead, opt for a mix of baking soda and warm water or white vinegar and water.
• Take care of the wood inside the sauna. It’s the wood that has a big part to play in creating the right experience for the sauna, as well as ensuring that you get the most from it. If you live in a hard water area then you might want to avoid using water from the tap as this can create a lot of limescale build up. Don’t ever stain or treat the interior of the sauna – this is for the outside only. It’s also vital not to eat or drink in the sauna, as this can ruin your investment if it is spilled.
• Create the right routine for sauna care every time you use it:
  • Before getting into the sauna, wash your feet so that you don’t take dirt and debris inside with you. It can also be useful to have a quick shower.
  • Keep plenty of fresh towels handy to soak up sweat and water and avoid stains. Don’t forget to remove these when you’re done.
  • When you’ve finished your sauna, wipe down benches to remove moisture, drain the water bucket and leave the door open so that moisture can clear from the sauna.

It’s a real luxury to have an outdoor sauna in winter and this is the kind of maintenance that will ensure you can continue to enjoy yours.

With a range of traditional and soft options as a modular sauna that allows you to customise the shape, size and design of your sauna and a large variety of ready-made saunas we are sure that we can find the right model for you. Get in touch with a member of our expert team today to discuss our 0% APR Finance options and for more information about our extensive range of saunas and steam rooms.

Even though the recent weather has been unseasonably warm, we all know that Winter is coming. The clocks have changed and we’re set for darker evenings, shorter days as well as that inevitable temperature drop. There are lots of ways to prepare yourself, physically and mentally, for this kind of change – and integrating a sauna into your routine in Winter 2022 is one of the most effective. These are some of the key benefits of doing this.

• Spending time in a sauna can boost your mood. This is the time of year when it can become really challenging to stay cheerful, especially if you’re someone who struggles with the loss of natural light or something like Seasonal Affective Disorder. When you regularly schedule in some sauna time you can help to minimise the impact of this – the effect of the sauna will be to release endorphins into your system, which is the body’s happy hormone. This can boost your mood and help you to switch off and relax. If you struggle with energy at this time of year the sauna can be beneficial there too, as people who regularly use a sauna tend to notice that their energy levels are higher.
• A general boost to overall wellbeing. It can feel harder to look after ourselves in the winter, as there is less motivation to go outside and exercise and plenty of temptation around when it comes to party season food and drink. Although a sauna is never going to be a replacement for a lifestyle that is built on healthy levels of activity and a varied diet, it can certainly help you to stay on track where general wellbeing is concerned. That’s because the sauna will make you sweat. Sweating will help to remove any toxins from your system and make you feel refreshed. It also boosts your circulation, which can have a very positive impact on your heart and general wellbeing. So, as part of a healthy routine, a sauna can be a great way to give your wellbeing the boost it needs in Winter 2022.
• Minimising the seasonal challenges. This is the time of year when many of us suffer with colds, flu and generally feeling rundown. Regular time in a sauna has been found to strengthen the immune system so it can actually protect against getting sick in the first place. If you do find yourself unwell then a sauna can help provide some relief. The high temperature in the sauna will clear the sinuses and make it easier to breathe. Plus, the heat can also help to slow down the progression of viruses and give your body a break. So, using a sauna this winter could help you enjoy a better seasonal experience and recover more easily if you do get sick.

From improved mood to a boosted immune system, easier recovery and better overall wellbeing, using a sauna in Winter 2022 has many benefits. With a range of traditional and soft options as a modular sauna that allows you to customise the shape, size and design of your sauna and a large variety of ready-made saunas we are sure that we can find the right model for you. Get in touch with a member of our expert team today to discuss our 0% APR Finance options and for more information about our extensive range of saunas and steam rooms.

We are entering what can be a very busy and stressful time of year for many. Whether you find your body struggles with the clocks going forward, or the run up to Christmas is especially busy for you, it’s vital to be able to find a way to relax your body and mind. Steam rooms offer a simple and effective way to do this. Spending some time in a steam room a few times a week can have a really transformative impact where relaxation is concerned. Here’s how:

• A great way to release tension. The impact of being in a steam room is to soothe the body. Nerves are calmed and your muscles will naturally relax, helping to release the tension from all over your body. Spending time in a steam room can also help to reduce joint pain and has even been found to release the pressure of tension headaches.

• Sweating out the toxins. When our body feels cleaner and lighter, we do too. Being in a steam room activates one of the body’s most powerful cleansing systems – sweating. Sitting in a steam room for just 20 minutes can eliminate the toxins and waste products from an entire day, leaving you feeling refreshed and ready to rest.

• Improving skin quality and removing impurities. Sweating also helps to deal with conditions like acne and can improve skin quality. It also gives circulation a boost and this can result in a healthy, rosy glow thanks to the steam alone.

• Feel good chemicals are released. When we’re in a steam room the conditions trigger the release of the body’s endorphins, which are essentially feel good chemicals that can make it easier to deal with pressure and stress. These help us minimise the impact of stress and are the reason why you’re likely to feel calmer leaving the steam room than when you went in.

• A great post-workout routine. A steam room is not only a great way to relax after you’ve completed a workout and reward yourself for that self-discipline and commitment but it will also help to aid a quicker recovery for your muscles. When muscles are relaxed like this during the recovery process they grow more quickly, which is essential for achieving those vital gains.

• Helping to shift water weight. Steam rooms can even help us with weight loss, which can significantly help to reduce stress. Although it’s no substitute for exercise and a healthy diet, spending time in a steam room can minimise the water weight that you’re carrying – which makes a real difference.

• Easing sinus problems. At this time of year, many of us suffer with our sinuses. Everything from central heating to colds and viruses can irritate the sensitive sinus area. Being in a steam room opens and thins the mucus membranes all around the body. This means you’ll instantly be able to breathe more easily and relax more.

From a physical tension release to the positive impact on sinus problems and water weight, steam rooms are a great way to improve health and wellbeing, to switch off and relax.

A sauna is a wonderfully relaxing experience and one that many people choose for themselves at home. However, it’s not just about self-care and home spa days, as your sauna also has a number of key health benefits that might surprise you. If you’re keen to make the most of your sauna in 2022 then there are lots of reasons to do it.

• Improve the quality of your sleep. There’s no getting away from how vital sleep is, especially during the winter months. A whole body of research has found that spending time in your sauna on a regular basis can help you achieve deeper sleep and relax more. This is a combination of the body’s temperature being elevated and the fact that endorphins are being released in the hours before you sleep.
• Detoxifying. You probably know that a sauna will make you sweat – and that means the opportunity to detoxify the largest organ in your body, the skin. Sweating in a sauna is more intense than anywhere else, which makes it a great opportunity to help rid your skin of toxins such as heavy metals and chemicals that have been ingested or absorbed.
• Deal differently with stress. No matter what’s going on in your life you can change the way that you deal with it by regularly using your sauna. For example, regular sauna time can help to bring down levels of cortisol in your system (cortisol is like alarm bells) and increase serotonin (happy hormones). Serotonin is also responsible for bone and skin health so your sauna can not only make you feel better – and less stressed – but ensure you’re physically healthier too.
• Better brain function. You’d probably expect much of the research on saunas to hail from Finland (where everyone has one). One local study there focused on men using their saunas for 20 years, 4-7 times a week. The research found that the sauna use was associated with a lower risk of dementia and alzheimers.
• Enhanced blood flow helps your muscles and joints. When you’re in a sauna, blood flows better throughout the circulatory system and this is highly beneficial for reducing lactic acid build up. It can even help to reduce chronic injuries and make healing faster and more efficient.
• Boosting the immune system. Exposure to the heat of a sauna can help with the creation of the white blood cells that our bodies use to fight infection and viruses. Studies have found that those who regularly use a sauna can suffer less from seasonal colds and – if they do get one it tends to be shorter and less severe.
• Burning the calories. Although a sauna is not an instant weight loss cure, the heat plus the sweat can significantly increase the number of calories burned over a period of time. It’s no substitute for healthy eating and exercise but can be a great support to them.

If you’re keen to take advantage of your sauna in 2022 these are some very good reasons to make more time for it.

With a range of traditional and soft options as a modular sauna that allows you to customise the shape, size and design of your sauna and a large variety of ready-made saunas we are sure that we can find the right model for you. Get in touch with a member of our expert team today to discuss our 0% APR Finance options and for more information about our extensive range of saunas and steam rooms.