I’m writing this subsequently a 20-minute session inwards the infrared sauna inwards my gym. The infrared plant inwards a pinch, but I prefer a hot sauna.
Speaking of infrared vs. oestrus saunas, that’s non the entirely distinction. There are many dissimilar types of saunas based on a multifariousness of categories. This article breaks it all downwards into detail.
FYI, I’ve been an avid sauna-goer for to a greater extent than than 25 years. I drib dead 2 to vi times per calendar week together with lead hold tried every type of sauna imaginable (including 100+ yr onetime wood-burning sauna huts inwards Sweden together with a exertion gild inwards Canada).
Sauna is the entirely Finnish give-and-take that’s included inwards the English linguistic communication dictionary. Meaning “bath” together with “bathhouse,” it’s derived from the Finnish word savuna which agency “in smoke.” For over 2000 years, saunas lead hold drib dead a component subdivision of life for the Fins who were originally a nomadic people.
The first tape of the sauna appeared inwards 1112. The Fins believed therefore much inwards its cleansing, restorative, together with wellness benefits that they considered it “the pitiable man’s pharmacy.” It’s also the identify for childbirth together with for women’s purification ritual earlier marriage. The sauna tradition remains strong inwards Republic of Finland where it’s dwelling to a population of five 1000000 people together with virtually 2 1000000 saunas.
Table of Contents
Related: Sauna dimensions together with layouts (diagram)
A. Five Main Sauna Types
I’m kicking off the commencement batch of sauna options distinguished past times heating source.
1. Dry Heat Sauna amongst Electric Heater
Electrically heated saunas are really common. These are truly fifty-fifty simpler to usage than wood-burning sauna heaters because you lot don’t lead hold to occupation yourself amongst supplying woods into the unit of measurement inwards monastic enjoin to maintain things heated. Once you lot lead hold everything wired inwards properly, all you lot volition lead hold to exercise is force a clit together with your sauna room volition oestrus to the desired temperature. There are quite a few benefits of these sauna room types equally well.
The biggest exercise goodness that people taste virtually electrically heated saunas is that they allow you lot to a greater extent than command over the temperature of the room. It tin go a flake to a greater extent than hard to command the temperature of the room when using a wood-burning sauna heater. You tin go really precise when using electrical heat, equally it volition lead hold buttons for you lot to push, together with you lot tin programme the desired temperature manually. You volition also unwrap that many of these units volition come upward amongst a remote command therefore that you lot don’t lead hold to acquire upward just to arrange the temperature.
These electrically heated saunas are quite energy-efficient equally well. You won’t lead hold to worry virtually them negatively impacting your powerfulness nib also much, equally they are made to adhere to strict loose energy standards. The to a greater extent than modern your electrically heated sauna is, the improve it volition go at loose energy conservation, inwards all likelihood. This makes deciding to purchase i of these types of saunas a much easier decision.
Electrically heated saunas are used inwards some spas, although they aren’t quite equally mutual equally steam rooms. These are really desirable saunas that lead hold a reputation for beingness able to assist people relax conveniently. If you lot wishing to lead hold the easiest fourth dimension possible amongst your sauna experience, therefore at that topographic point is some merit to purchasing this type instead of others. Electrically heated saunas together with infrared saunas are similarly slow to laid up, therefore those are your ii simplest options.
2. Wet Sauna (Just Add Water)
A slight twist on the dry out oestrus sauna is what’s called a moisture sauna. This is a fancy way of terming a sauna that you lot tin toss H2O onto the heating element. When H2O hits the hot rocks, it turns to steam making the room humid together with hot. This type of sauna speeds upward the sweating process. It’s my favorite type of sauna.
Please notation that a moisture sauna is dissimilar than a steam room. H5N1 steam room is i where steam is emitted into the room. H5N1 moisture sauna uses a heating chemical constituent which produces hot humid air past times splashing H2O on the heating element.
Unfortunately, most commercial saunas exercise non permit splashing H2O on the rocks because it’s an electrical heater. Water ordinarily ends upward damaging the element, peculiarly when some people drib dead nuts together with pour an entire bucket of H2O on it at i time. If people applied a piddling H2O at a time, at that topographic point wouldn’t go whatever problems, but sadly this isn’t the case.
You volition exertion profusely patch inwards this really hot together with humid space. The temperatures tin attain upward to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, inwards some cases, therefore you lot tin empathise why you lot volition exertion therefore much. The exertion is released inwards an endeavor to cool your torso down, together with your pump charge per unit of measurement volition growth equally your torso continues to essay to cool down. As a result, you lot have some of the benefits of exercising rigorously without having to exercise anything but sit down there.
It should also go noted that some people don’t consider a steam or moisture sauna to go a normal type of sauna. It differs from the other types substantially because the steam provides a moist together with humid heat. Other types of saunas volition create a dry out oestrus that volition convey virtually the same results but volition experience completely different. Steam saunas are most commonly used for the purpose of relaxation, together with this is in all probability why they are therefore popular.
3. Infrared Sauna
This is a photograph of the large infrared sauna inwards my gym inwards the Marine Building inwards downtown Vancouver, BC.
Infrared sauna – click epitome to larn more.
My gym has an infrared sauna which I usage on occasion. Far to a greater extent than oftentimes I drib dead to the community pump close my occupation solid because it has a fantastic electric-powered dry out oestrus sauna (and they maintain it hot).
I’m non a large fan of infrared saunas because you lot don’t acquire that cookin’ oestrus that makes saunas therefore great. Yes, you lot tin exertion inwards an infrared sauna, but I don’t acquire the same type or lineament of exertion equally I exercise amongst a hot sauna.
That said, infrared saunas lead hold started to drib dead to a greater extent than prevalent inwards recent years. Many people, at commencement glance, don’t fifty-fifty know what these types of saunas are. These sauna rooms usage a unique method to oestrus you lot up, together with they truly don’t fifty-fifty oestrus the room upward at all. Powerful infrared lights are used to oestrus upward your torso specifically, giving you lot the same effects that you lot would experience inwards a traditional steam sauna.
Interestingly, the infrared sauna volition non create temperatures that are nearly equally high equally other sauna types. Due to the fact that the oestrus targets your body, you lot volition nonetheless experience the exact same benefits. Whether or non you lot unwrap this type of sauna to go equally relaxing is a personal preference, but it is undeniable that the experience feels much different. You volition nonetheless create ample amounts of exertion together with tin usage it equally a way to access all of the benefits of going into a sauna.
There is a large issue of people who only don’t taste infrared saunas inwards the same way that they exercise the other types. The atmosphere is definitely dissimilar together with it doesn’t lead hold the same feeling. Purists are in all probability ever going to vastly prefer the other methods, but that doesn’t hateful that infrared saunas don’t lead hold their fans. You tin purchase dwelling saunas that brand usage of this infrared technology scientific discipline at really affordable prices, making them quite prevalent.
The affordability of these personal infrared sauna rooms makes them a skilful deal. Even if you lot would prefer to lead hold a traditional steam sauna at your home, it powerfulness non go equally economical to purchase such a unit. Everything seems to come upward downwards to money, therefore these types of saunas most definitely lead hold their place. If you lot wishing to socialize inwards your sauna area, therefore going amongst i of the other options powerfulness go a improve represent for you.
4. Wood-Burning Sauna
Since saunas lead hold been around far longer than electricity, the original oestrus source was skilful ole fire. The forcefulness out heats upward the rocks which heats upward the room. Add some H2O together with presto, you’re cookin’.
I approximate you lot could state at that topographic point are ii original types of wood-burning saunas, but they truly exercise business office the same. Here they are.
a. Traditional wood-burning sauna
b. Contemporary Wood-Burning Sauna Heater
Contemporary wood-burning sauna element. Click epitome for to a greater extent than info.
If you lot similar the wood-burning source for heat, you lot tin to a greater extent than contemporary units that volition powerfulness together with oestrus a sauna similar the i above. Because it’s wood-burning, you lot tin toss H2O on the rocks without worrying virtually short-circuiting the unit.
5. Sweat lodge
A exertion gild relies on wood-burning heating source, but the rocks are heated exterior of the infinite together with brought inwards patch super hot. Water is therefore poured on the rocks which heats upward the exertion lodge.
B. By Region
Another way to categorize saunas is past times region. There are ii original regional saunas. They are the Russian Banya together with the Finnish sauna.
Russian banya vs. Finnish sauna (with photograph examples)
1. Russian Banya
A Russian Banya offers ii to 3 levels together with is fairly humid equally a termination of H2O beingness splashed on the hot rocks. Humidity levels tin attain seventy to 90%. While the top shelf temperature maxes out at 90° Celsius (less than Finnish dry out sauna), it feels hotter due to the humidity. Extreme Russian Banyas tin attain 100° amongst 100% humidity (yikes).
2. Finnish Sauna
A traditional Finnish sauna offers 2 levels together with is really dry out (10 to 15% humidity). The upper shelf should go 80° to 100° Celsius. Most of the interior is wood.
Source: Artofsauna.ca
Which sauna exercise I prefer?
I prefer a Russian Banya because I dearest the hot humidity. It brings on the exertion faster together with feels hotter. However, if you’re looking for a longer sauna session, the dry out Finnish sauna is best.
C. By Design
Another way to distinguish saunas is past times design. There are types of outdoor saunas together with dissimilar indoor sauna options. Here they are.
1. Outdoor
a. Traditional
b. Barrel
Source: Amazon
There are some sauna rooms that are shaped just similar barrels. If you lot wishing to lay a sauna on your property, therefore buying i of these could definitely go a really charming option. The barrel pattern is really aesthetically pleasing, together with it evokes really nostalgic feelings of the countryside. Any belongings that has a barn would piece of work really good amongst a sauna that looks similar this.
The sauna room itself sits on top of legs, therefore it volition go slightly elevated off of the ground. It looks truly skilful similar this, together with it tin nonetheless represent indoors if that is where you lot wishing it. This sauna is sturdy plenty to go used outdoors, equally well, therefore you lot tin count on it beingness able to stand upward up to the weather. Installation is uncomplicated too, equally you lot just usage a wiring kit to acquire everything going.
Of course, this sauna isn’t all virtually just looking truly neat. It is also a fully functional sauna that tin represent upward to iv people really comfortably. If you lot wishing to lay a sauna on your belongings that volition go useful for when friends come upward over, therefore this selection is certainly i that fits the bill. You volition go able to taste a bully sauna experience amongst your friends, together with they volition certainly come upward away from the experience wanting i of their own.
This particular sauna uses an electric heater inwards monastic enjoin to create the heat. This is a truly efficient sauna unit that won’t usage to a greater extent than loose energy than is necessary. It tin create a lot of heat, therefore your sauna volition go just the correct temperature for you lot to exertion together with taste some relaxation time. This unit of measurement volition also include sauna stones together with the wiring kit that you lot volition take away to laid everything up.
If you lot wishing to acquire this sauna gear upward outside, it may go beneficial to create an enclosure for it to protect it from harsh weather. It shouldn’t lead hold a occupation standing upward to normal rainfall together with other types of storms similar that. If you lot alive inwards an surface area that has truly powerful storms or heavy snowfall, it powerfulness go best to create a roof over the top of it. Something similar a carport would piece of work really nicely to maintain your sauna protected, together with it volition allow you lot to usage it during whatever fourth dimension of the year.
2. Indoor
a. Built-in (Custom)
b. Kit box style
c. Corner design
3. Portable Personal Sauna
Source: Wayfair
When you lot recall virtually using a sauna, it isn’t ordinarily something that you lot recall virtually beingness a portable experience. Regardless, portable personal saunas exercise exist, together with many people dearest making usage of them. If you lot wishing to go able to usage a sauna just virtually anywhere, therefore buying i of these sauna units is going to brand you lot really happy. They’re incredibly uncomplicated to laid up, together with you lot volition go able to taste all of the benefits of using a sauna.
Setting upward this sauna volition entirely lead hold a few minutes, inwards most cases. You just unfold it together with identify your chair within of the unit. There is a zipped upward surface area where the portable sauna volition go heated. This is where you lot acquire inwards the unit, together with you lot tin poke your caput out therefore that you lot volition go able to breathe to a greater extent than easily.
There is a piddling steam-producing water heater that attaches to the unit of measurement itself. You lay H2O inwards the steamer together with it volition oestrus upward your portable personal sauna. The procedure is incredibly simple, together with it volition automatically closed itself off if it detects that at that topographic point is no longer whatever H2O inwards the steamer. You won’t lead hold to experience concerned virtually this beingness also complicated to use, equally it is exceedingly simple.
Once you lot are done amongst your sauna time, you lot volition go able to interruption downwards the portable sauna amongst ease. It volition crimp away therefore that you lot tin conveniently shop it inwards a purse or inwards your cupboard somewhere. This folds downwards to go small-scale plenty that you lot could potentially go amongst it. Being able to lead hold a sauna amongst you lot everywhere that you lot drib dead is a truly prissy prospect, therefore this is i type of sauna that is certainly worth looking into.
4. Single-person sauna
Source: Wayfair
Some saunas are designed specifically to go placed inwards homes. One such sauna is the one-person sauna that is linked downwards below. These one-person sauna models are really convenient for people who wishing to go able to taste the benefits of a sauna but don’t lead hold plenty infinite to install a sauna room. You tin represent this sauna inwards a smaller room, typically, therefore you lot won’t take away an abundance of infinite to brand proper usage of it.
This is truly skilful for a someone who doesn’t wishing to usage their sauna amongst other people. It won’t go convenient if you lot wishing to usage the sauna amongst your husband or your friends, but if it is only for your personal time, this volition piece of work out nicely. Buying a one-person sauna similar this tin go a bully way to acquire a sauna inwards your dwelling without it beingness a large hassle. You won’t lead hold to mess around amongst whatever complicated installation processes since this is an infrared unit.
You tin unwrap one-person spas that usage other heating methods equally well, but the infrared units are convenient for those who wishing a uncomplicated experience. You don’t lead hold to worry virtually equally many dissimilar factors when you’re making usage of an infrared unit, therefore it makes sense to purchase one. These saunas volition represent inwards your dwelling easily, together with the cost is really reasonable equally well. In comparing to another sauna options, this is going to go much easier to care when you lot don’t lead hold a lot of money.
This is a bully way to go able to relax inwards your dwelling patch enjoying the benefits of using a personal sauna. You volition go happy that you lot made the purchase if you lot lead hold been wanting i for a really long time. An economical, convenient sauna selection for i someone has proved to go really pop on the market. You should go able to unwrap these types of saunas anywhere that dwelling saunas are sold.
D. By Bench Tiers
I’ve been inwards single, doublt together with upward to five tiered saunas. The best are two-tiered benches because you lot remain fairly closed to the heating chemical constituent but are situated to a higher identify the oestrus (heat rises).
Single-level bench
I’m non sure why anyone would install a single-level bench sauna. You take away to go to a higher identify the oestrus inwards monastic enjoin to taste optimal effect.
Two bench levels
Three+ bench levels
E. Sauna Blanket
Click epitome for pricing.
There are some interesting products on the marketplace that are marketed equally saunas but aren’t precisely what you lot would recall of equally traditional sauna rooms. One such production is the sauna blanket that is beingness shown off here. This sauna blanket acts really similarly to a traditional sleeping bag. You acquire into the sleeping bag, together with infrared lights are used to oestrus your torso upward to really high temperatures.
As you lot lay at that topographic point within of the sauna blanket, you lot are going to go sweating profusely. Due to beingness encapsulated inwards the blanket, this tin truly experience to a greater extent than intense than a normal infrared sauna room would. You volition experience really hot together with volition definitely exertion copiously, which is the purpose of using this type of product. Your pump charge per unit of measurement volition probable spike really high when using this sauna blanket, therefore you lot volition go able to taste many of the benefits that you lot are looking for.
It’s of import to go careful when using a sauna-like this, though. You don’t wishing to fifty-fifty endeavor to usage it if you lot lead hold whatever medical conditions that powerfulness crusade you lot problems. The oestrus tin go really intense within of these sauna blankets, therefore you lot won’t wishing to acquire inwards it if you lot don’t recall your torso is upward to it. You may fifty-fifty wishing to consult your identify unit of measurement doc earlier using a production similar this.
The benefits of using a sauna are great, but you lot take away to go equally rubber equally possible. This is a truly neat production that therefore many people are using to bully effect. It’s only of import that you lot ensure that you lot are capable of using it safely earlier moving forward. There is zilch incorrect amongst exercising caution equally it tin preclude accidents from happening.
If you lot wishing to go able to taste the benefits of a sauna without having to pass much coin at all, therefore getting a sauna blanket volition assist you. This is without a incertitude the most cheap method on this list. You tin purchase i of these blankets at a really affordable price, therefore it volition go slow for you lot to taste this product. It isn’t equally relaxing or entertaining equally many of the other sauna types, but you lot can’t debate amongst the affordability factor.
F. Steam Shower
A steam shower is non a sauna at all, but some people when referencing a sauna, truly hateful a steam shower or steam room therefore I included it inwards this list.
Click epitome for pricing info.
There are going to go a issue of dissimilar people who won’t consider this to go a truthful sauna, me included. I dearest steam rooms equally good together with usage i regularly, but the entire concept together with experience is much different. You can’t remain inwards a hot steam room nearly equally long equally a sauna. Moreover, you lot start sweating almost directly upon entering a steam room. I prefer saunas because I unwrap that patch steam rooms termination inwards a bully sweat, you lot don’t create upward inner centre oestrus similar a sauna.
Source: homestratosphere.com
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