Category Archives: Sauna & Steam

If you’ve had your home sauna for a while, it might be time to think about rejuvenating it. Giving it a good clean and following our top tips can help your sauna to be good as new, and mean that you can get years more use by keeping it properly maintained. It also means it’s much more enjoyable to use since you know it’s in top condition all the time. Here are our top tips if you’re not sure where to start:

Maintain the natural elements

You might think that the natural elements of your sauna, like the natural wood, would degrade over time. However tempting it might be to paint or varnish over it, it’s much better to leave it natural! It will maintain the quality of the wood much more, and the original design will provide the best possible finish. Instead of painting or varnishing, the best thing to do to revitalise your original sauna wood is to lightly sand it down, particularly on the benches where there has been the most use and wear over time.

Regular cleaning processes

Regular cleaning after day-to-day use can help to extend the life of your sauna. This doesn’t mean a huge effort or difficult maintenance – in fact, simply giving the surfaces within the sauna a brush with cold water after each use could make a world of difference. Just a couple of minutes to clean your sauna after use makes it much nicer and more hygienic for yourself and your friends and family to use each time.

Spot checks for longer life

Your sauna may be in the best possible condition, so spot checking it can be useful to ensure that this high quality remains. For example staining of the wood can happen from use, and mould can occur if not dried out properly. This is easily solved by leaving the door open to aerate after use, and using a brush and warm water to remove any stains easily. Floors will be walked on all the time so simply mopping them, and cleaning glass as you would any other glass, can keep your sauna in pristine condition.

Sauna care kept simple

A few simple things like the above can make a huge difference to the time that your sauna remains in a condition that is almost as good as new. This means that sauna owners can enjoy their saunas completely stress-free.

For further sauna maintenance tips or advice, get in touch with The Hot Tub and Swim Spa Company today on 0208 300 4003.

We all know the strain that we can put on our bodies with the incredible amount of work we have to do every day to survive in today’s fast paced and competitive world we live in. Science has shown us the incredible benefits that a sauna can have on not just tired and sore muscles, but also on the stress we deal with.

High blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease and stroke are all part of the effects that this amount of stress can cause if we are not vigilant and aware of what our bodies are saying to us every day. And these are only a few of the concerns that can pop up over time.

One of the best ways to combat these and other ailments is to take advantage of what the sauna can offer and to do so in the proper way. The best way to use a sauna to maximize the benefits is to ensure that you are following a regimen of heading in for a 20 minute cycle and then taking a cool dip in a pool or a cool shower, followed by a hot tub soak of about the same length. Then, repeat this process a couple of times for a minimum sauna experience of about two hours or so. Of course, if you do not have that much time, you can spend as long as able and still reap incredible benefits.

Be absolutely certain to leave all the devices and distractions at the door when entering the sauna, not only for their protection from the soothing and stress relieving steam, but also to reap the full benefits of the mentally freeing time that you spend rejuvenating your mind, body and spirit!

Many countries have extolled the benefits of the sauna for centuries. Scandinavian countries in particular have understood the benefits of heat therapy that the sauna offers for many years and endorse the use of them for people of all ages.

As people age, they often struggle with ailments, such as arthritis that can have a debilitating effect. There is also the possibility that as we age, we encounter problems relating to heart health. In the past, it was generally accepted that using a sauna was not advised for people suffering from heart issues. Recent studies have shown that the heat therapy offered by a sauna can actually be quite beneficial to those suffering from heart ailments.

Of course, as with any medical condition, you should always consult with your personal physician to make absolutely certain that you are okay to participate in using a sauna for heat therapy.

While heart health is one of the many ailments that can be helped by heat therapy, the most common ailment suffered by seniors is typically arthritis.

The benefits of heat therapy on arthritis sufferers is greatly and widely understood and accepted. The circulation of the blood is greatly improved by heat therapy and can contribute to the easing of pain and the alleviation of the stiffening of joints that arthritis sufferers are subjected to.

Many people are now turning to infrared saunas to help increase overall circulation in the body and reap the benefits that increased circulation can offer from cardio vascular benefits to improved function in the extremities.

Do some research and find out if a sauna can help your ailment and then give it a try. You will soon realize the benefits and be a true convert!

As we know, cardiac health is of great importance. Many individuals are becoming proactive in doing many different things to help themselves to stay heart healthy. Research shows that dry saunas can actually help the heart and be as beneficial to it as some types of exercise.

What they have found is that the sauna helps those that have a risk of developing heart disease. It also helps those that are at risk for high cholesterol levels, as well as high blood pressure and diabetes. In addition to this, there are further indications that it can also be beneficial for individuals that already have developed some heart problems.

There has been some research to show that people who have suffered severe heart failure that have been treated with sauna therapy have had their symptoms improved substantially. It is believed that sauna treatments on a regularly basis helps to improve the blood vessels and the function of the heart for those that suffer with chronic heart failure.

The treatment that they have used for this type of thermal therapy is using a sauna that has been set at 140& a rule, most saunas that are used in social settings and gyms are set between 175 to 210&e low heat saunas have been more beneficial for the treatment when it comes to the coronary issues outlined. What the research is showing is that a two week period of repeated once a day sauna use was able to increase the blood vessel function by about 40% in those patients that displayed the coronary risk factors. It is most important to realize that the temperature reading is kept around 140&

Aside from the cardiac health that sauna use can offer, many find it a great way of relaxing and helping to sooth sore and tight muscles. Athletes are beginning to use the sauna on a more frequent basis and combine this with their exercise regime. There are variations in saunas ranging from dry to moist heat.

A lot of people are beginning to look for more natural ways to improve their health rather than having to rely on traditional treatments, such as medications. One of the alternative ways people are treating themselves is through sauna therapy.

Many individuals like to use their sauna year round as they have found that their are many benefits. People use them for different reasons, such as improving relaxation, while some use it for pure enjoyment throughout the year and cold winter months. In addition to this, there are the many health benefits that have been accredited to saunas, such as helping with cold symptoms, reducing stress and pain relief. Many athletes find that it is a great way to help improve their performance.

When it comes to which type of sauna is a best for the home, there are several choices. There is the dry sauna, infrared sauna, and even steam rooms. The biggest differences between the different types of saunas is the differences in breathing dry sauna air versus wet steam air.

In the steam room the humidity is much greater and many people that have respiratory problems or colds find that this increased humidity really helps with breathing. For those that are focusing on raising their core body temperature and inducing sweating, they tend to go for the dry saunas.

One of the most important factors about saunas no matter which is chosen is that they help to detoxify the body, which helps to strengthen the immune system. Saunas have also been proven to help improve the health of the heart, while helping to reduce inflammation that can often be created from sports activity.

Many individuals that are suffering from different types of muscular pain or injury have turned to saunas for relief. Those that have fibromyalgia and arthritis will often say that they find that the benefits that the sauna brings them far supersedes anything else that they may be doing for these conditions.

Saunas have been around for a great many years and with the modern day technology, the advancements that have been made in these is significant. The most common uses for the sauna is for relaxation, to detox the body, and for the treatment of many different types of common ailments.

Athletes have learned that the use of a sauna can help lead them to much better performance. The sauna has the ability to increase the core temperature of an individual for a short period of time, which helps to improve athletic performance. This is typically called hypothermic conditioning.

Hypothermic conditioning is being researched further for its potential ability to stimulate the growth of new brain cells, as well as having positive effects on the body in general. Being able to increase one’s level of endurance in any sport usually acts as a great bonus. Most often, the athletes exercise at a high intensity, while using this as their main way to build their endurance. When doing this, it usually will increase the body temperature during the session.

Wen an individual is acclimatizing to the heat in the sauna, it helps the body adapt quicker during body temperature elevation. This is normal heat stress, which creates some positive affects in the body. There was a study done where individuals were subjected to a 30 minute sauna session twice a week for a period of three weeks after they had completed their workouts. The end results indicated that there increase in time to run until they reached their exhausted level was increased by 30%.

There is further research being done in regards to the possibility of a sauna being able to produce a mass release in the human growth hormone. A reduction in the HGH usually comes with age and being able to increase these levels tends to make one healthier and stronger.

Aside from athletes, many others find that the benefits that the sauna offers by way of relaxation and reducing muscle soreness in itself is a great benefit.

Most people who enjoy sitting in the sauna or steam room for a little bit understand that it is beneficial for their long-term health, but have little real understanding regarding how the health benefits are realized. Fewer still recognize or understand the differences between the uses of steam rooms as opposed to the dry heat of a sauna.

Both have the same basic function of raising the heart rate and inducing the person to sweat to release of toxins from the body. The main difference between the dry heat of a sauna and the 100% humidity of a steam room is that steam adds dramatic benefits to the overall health of the respiratory system. The way both of these work is to cause the blood vessels in your body to fully dilate, which allows the blood in your body to flow much more freely. This and the toxin releasing sweat has profound effects on the body.

The relief from tension in the body, as well as the release of stress through the release of endorphins throughout the body are all benefits of using either saunas or steam rooms. The benefit often talked about is the weight loss that can be attained by “sweating off the pounds” by sitting in a sauna or a steam room. We have all seen the images of boxers and other athletes wrapped in material and sitting in a sauna in order to rapidly “cut” weight in order to be the correct weight before a fight. The other commonly talked about benefit is the positive impact on the skin.

By releasing the toxins in the body through sweating you have the added benefit of cleansing the skin by cleaning out the pores during the sweat phase. The relaxation realized post work out by sitting in the steam room or sauna is another great benefit for the body that is commonly recognized. No matter which choice you decide to go with, the benefits of the sauna or steam room are quite obvious and well recognized. The health benefits are only eclipsed by the added bonus of having a serious impact on the mental health by inducing relaxation and promoting stress free living. Both have excellent benefits and you can benefit greatly from either choice.

Many of the Nordic countries like Scandinavia and Norway have been emphasizing the virtues of saunas for many years. They have understood the benefits of using a sauna for easing muscle problems, aches and pains, as well as the benefits realized in the reduction of tension and stress.

Many serious health issues are also benefitted by regular sauna use. Arthritis sufferers have long understood and enjoyed the benefits of a regular sauna session as have sufferers of other chronic ailments, like fibromyalgia, anxiety and even depression.

While the use of saunas was once limited to those lucky enough to be able to hit the local gym or spa that housed a sauna, it is not simple to have a sauna installed in your own house or even backyard. To make sure that you choose the right sauna for your personal needs and situation, there are a few things one should keep in mind when shopping for a new sauna.

The different types of saunas makes choosing one a bit of an adventure, but the best advice is to determine exactly what type and style is right for you and for what you require it for. Do you want an indoor or outdoor model? After you have made that decision, the most important thing to do is to ensure that you are able to install that type of sauna according to local bylaws and restrictions. You may have to obtain a building permit if you are constructing a standalone model or even if you are adding one to an existing structure.

Contacting local officials to ensure compliance before you build will save you any aggravation in the long run. Another big consideration is the size of the sauna you plan to purchase. Do you plan on having friends and family over regularly for a good sweat session or do you mainly plan on using the sauna alone or with just the immediate family? Choosing the right size for your needs is essential as over or under building can become a pain that you want to avoid.

Choosing the right heat source for your sauna is another very big consideration. This again depends on what exactly you intend to use the sauna for. The traditional wood stove sauna may be perfectly fine for someone using the sauna more for pleasure as would the other available options, such as electricity or gas. However, if you are using your sauna for a specific medical ailment, the infrared sauna may be the best choice. You need to do some homework and decide which type will suit your needs the best and then check local bylaws and prices to determine if that is the right choice for you and your budget.

For sufferers of Fibromyalgia, the opportunity to experience any relief at all from the symptoms is welcomed. Studies show infrared saunas are very affective at providing relief.

One recent study took a group of Fibromyalgia sufferers who had not responded very well to traditional methods of treatment and who were experiencing high pain scores. They tested the patients with a variety of alternative therapies, such as physiotherapy and the use of an infrared sauna to see what relief they might experience. The Doctors also used a variety of cognitive behavior therapies as well to mesh different therapies together to try and get the most relief possible.

Some in the study received the combination of CBT, physiotherapy and infrared saunas, while other test subjects used only CBT and physiotherapy. This allowed the Health Care professionals to gauge whether either test group would benefit more or less depending on the treatments used. The studies clearly and optimistically showed that the patients in the control group who had the infrared sauna included in the treatment benefitted the most.

The increase in heart-rate felt during the sauna sessions allowed for decreases peripheral resistance, which means that blood can flow more easily through blood vessels. This increases both circulation and oxygen consumption, as well as increases norepinephrine, which is the stress inducing hormone released by the brain.

The therapy also stimulated the release of pain reducing beta-endorphins, as well muscle relaxation, which aided the Fibromyalgia sufferers who were part of the sauna test group. While the patients did not get to the point of being completely pain free, they scored much lower on the pain scale at the completion of sauna treatment than they had prior to the initiation of treatment. Scores lowered from the above mentioned high 7.0 to a much more manageable 4.8. While that is still a significant number, representing an existence of daily pain the treatment was considered highly successful as the patients indicated that rather than feeling hopeless and horrible, the benefits left them feeling only uncomfortable at best.

The functional capacity of the sauna test group was also significantly increased, meaning that they were able to complete more everyday tasks than they had been able to accomplish prior to the infrared sauna treatment. The study left no doubt as to the benefits of this treatment for sufferers of this debilitating disease. Hopefully, other studies will expand on the treatment of other ailments in the future.