Saunas can help you relax, can help you sweat out toxins and can, according to physician and holistic healing guru Dr. Andrew Weil, improve your circulation. They can also kill you. The proper use of a sauna is essential since the temperature in a dry sauna is usually between 160 and 175 degrees F and the human body's temperature is 98.6 F. Make sure to leave the sauna immediately if you feel light-headed or dizzy, and make sure to never doze off in the heat of the sauna. People with high blood pressure or heart disease should only use a sauna with the permission of their health care provider. Everyone else should limit saunas to 15 minutes, but if you're new to the relaxation technique start with a five-minute session.
Shower Before and After
A warm shower will prepare the skin for the sauna by moistening it and opening the pores. It will also remove any naturally occurring oils or lotions you may have applied during the day. You want your pores to be as clean and open as possible before going into the sauna so that the sweat will be able to run freely.
Then, once the sauna is over, take a cold shower to rinse the sweat off your body, bring your temperature down quickly and close the pores. In Finland, sauna users will often roll in the snow or jump into a frigid lake immediately following a sauna.
Drink Water
The high temperatures in a sauna mean that even 10 minutes in one will cause you to sweat off at least a pint of moisture, or about 2 cups of water. That fluid needs to be replaced, so drink a glass of cool water before, during and after your sauna to keep your body hydrated.
Watch the Time
Start out slowly in a sauna, allowing yourself only five minutes. An article in "Harvard Men's Health Watch" reports that the heart rate can accelerate by 30 percent and skin temperature can rise to 104 F in just a few minutes in a sauna, giving new sauna users a taste of what's to come. Gradually build up to 15 or 20 minutes tops, to get the most benefit out of the sauna. The dry heat may make you sleepy, so be sure to set an alarm or sauna with a buddy, so you don't fall asleep in the sauna. Many home saunas come with timers that will turn the heat off automatically.
Cool Down Slowly
Take your time getting dressed after a sauna experience. The experts at the At Home Sauna Center suggest resting in a chair for 15 minutes before getting dressed. You'll need to continue to replace the fluid you lost, so drink some water or a sports drink as you relax. The Finns will often eat a dill pickle after a sauna to replace the salt lost during the process.
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