It is a common misconception that saunas are simply rooms that are filled with steam. There are actually different sauna designs, and steaming is simply a small part of what a sauna does. Here is a brief introduction to some popular sauna designs.

The Finnish Savsauna

This sauna design is the earliest sauna design in the world. According to historians, Finnish saunas have been around for the last 2000 years. These early Finnish saunas were usually small wooden cottages that used stone fireplaces, which have no chimneys, to heat rocks and generate smoke. Once the cottage reached the desired temperature, all the smoke was released and the people would then enter the sauna. These small sauna rooms are also called Savsaunas, which means “smoke” in Finnish.

The use of saunas is now a custom in modern Finland. In fact, it is considered a sacred activity for cleansing the body. Because of its sanctity, proper etiquette should always be observed when in a Finnish sauna. Today, saunas can be found almost everywhere in Finland.

Modern Finnish saunas still use the early sauna designs which were used by their ancestors. However, these have benefited from modern technology and have been modified somewhat. Modern Finnish saunas are still made of wood but use electric stoves to heat rocks faster compared to the traditional stone fireplaces. They are heated to around 80 degrees Celsius. The use of smoke is still being practiced in modern Finnish saunas. This is because inhaling the aroma of the smoke is considered as an essential part of the purification rites of the body.

Infrared saunas

Infrared saunas have been around since the mid-1960s. These saunas use heat that is generated by ceramic heaters. This heat is then converted into infrared radiation, which is quite safe to use as it is the same wavelength as the rays of the sun. Infrared saunas use a heating process called conversion to heat objects without affecting the temperature of its atmosphere. Infrared saunas provide all the benefits of a traditional sauna without the hazards of burning or radiation exposure. Infrared saunas are the most popular type of saunas today.

Aside from them being very safe and convenient, infrared saunas also provide better health. The infrared waves that these saunas produce penetrate the skin which stimulates and heals damaged tissues in the body. This makes infrared saunas a great form of therapy for those suffering from arthritis or other tissue injuries. Aside from being a good form of therapy, the heat waves that infrared saunas produce are capable of making you sweat two to three times more than a traditional sauna. This will result in a more comprehensive cleansing of your body.