Getting Great Skin Complexion With Sauna Therapy!

One word in Finnish, strictly connected to sauna, is löyly. It is a bit difficult to translate, but basically it means the heat of the sauna room, especially the heat you get when you throw water on the hot stones of the sauna oven. Originally this word meant spirit or life. In many languages which are related to Finnish, there is a word corresponding to löyly. An example would be lil in Ostyak, which means soul, or leil in Estonian. All this also hints to the sauna's old, spiritual essence.

Health Benefits of A Steam Sauna

The health benefits of steam saunas have been recognized for centuries, beginning with sweat lodges, traditional Finnish saunas, and other methods of heating the body and producing perspiration that cleanses the cells and pores. Typically, a heat source such as a wood, electric or gas sauna stove is used to produce the heat in a sauna.

1. Releases the natural chemicals in your body that erase pain, helping you to combat pain, even arthritis pain. Many people find that one of the most exciting sauna health benefits is a temporary relief from even stubborn pain.

2. Improves skin. After a sauna, your skin will look rosy. Dull, lifeless skin becomes a thing of the past for many people who enjoy saunas.

3. Reduction of toxins and gentle boosting of the immune system. Many people who use a sauna regularly report that one of the sauna health benefits they enjoy is fewer colds and illnesses.

4. Provides a general well being. After a sauna, you will feel great. Invigorated and soothed, you will feel ready to face whatever life throws your way with new enthusiasm and vim.

Some Other Benefits of A Steam Bath

1. Relief from the pain and stiffness of arthritis.

2. Steam is an excellent treatment for respiratory problems, such as; chest congestion, bronchitis, laryngitis and sinusitis.

3. Revives tired and strained muscles after physical exertion.

4. The cleansing effect of profuse perspiration helps provide healthy skin and a clear complexion.Under many circumstances, temperatures approaching and exceeding 100 °C (212 °F) would be completely intolerable. Saunas overcome this problem by controlling the humidity.

The hottest Finnish saunas have very low humidity levels, which allows air temperatures that could boil water to be tolerated and even enjoyed for long 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 (104 °F) to compensate. The "wet heat" would cause scalding if the temperature were set much higher. The inner temperature rise also affects the function of important endocrine glands, the pituitary in particular. Located in the bottom center of the brain, the pituitary is known as the master gland because its hormones regulate both metabolism and the activity of other glands such as the thyroid, adrenal, ovaries and testes. Urged by the heat, the pituitary accelerates the body's metabolism and affects the interplay of several of the body's hormones.

Some people have gone as far to say that sex drive is increased and growth stimulated in the sauna bath.