Sauna Precautions

Site Contents | Search | All about digital imaging | Favorite Projects | Sweat
The Sword of Heaven | County Fair | Portfolio | Links | Your Comments

Return to main Sweat page

MEDITERRANEAN BATHS

Visiting the modern Hammam in Ankara and lstanbul
Early Greek and Roman Batths
Mass Bathing in the Balnea and Thermae
The Islamic Hammam is Born
The "'Turkish Bath" Visits Europe and
America
Private Sweat Bathing Cubicles

FINNISH SAUNA

A Visit in the Dead of Winter
History of the Nordic Bath
Sauna in Europe
Sauna in Japan
Sauna in America

NATIVE AMERICAN SWEAT LODGE

Joining Running Foot in a Navajo Sweat
Lodge
A Guest at an Oglala Sun Dance Ceremony
History of Sweat Lodges
Hot Rock Sweat Lodge
Direct Fire Sweat Lodge
Sweating Without a Sweat Lodge
Origin of the Temescal
The Temescal Today
The Sweat Lodge Joins the Modern World

RUSSIAN BANIA

A Boisterous Bath in Leningrad
History of the Great Russian Bath
Bannik, the Spirit of the Bania
The Birth Bania
The Wedding Bania
The Death Bania
Health & the Bania
The Bania after the Russian Revolution
The Spreading Influence of the Russian Steam Bath

SAUNA & HEALTH

Sauna & Health
Sweating
Skin
Heating & Cooling the Inner Body
Positive Effects of Negative Ions
Spirits of the Sweat
Social Sweating

USING THE SAUNA/ SWEAT BATH

SAUNA/SWEAT SPICES

PRECAUTIONS

SPECIAL SAUNA CONCERNS FOR WOMEN

BUILD YOUR OWN

Sauna Precautions

©1998 Mikkel Aaland All Rights Reserved

Accidents in the sweat bath are rare and can usually be attributed to a lapse of common sense. The most usual mishaps are hot stove burns or bruises from a slip on a wet floor or bench. Mind your footing and see that good duckboards and a guard rail are installed.

•Remove jewelry and glasses before entering the sweat room. Metal gets burning hot, and heat causes capillaries and skin to swell making rings and tight bracelets constricting. Contact lenses may dry and provoke eye irritation–pop them out before sweat bathing. Glassware, bottles, or cups–don't belong in the bathing area.

•Too strong a loyly can scorch skin and lungs. Go easy with the dipper.

•Eating before sweat bathing puts a strain on the circulatory system. As before swimming, wait an hour or two after a large meal before entering a sweat bath. Also, it is best not to bathe on an empty stomach. Sweat bathing, like any exercise, uses energy and some people in a depleted condition may experience nausea or even fainting. Settle for lower temperatures and shorter bathing sessions. It is also sensible to avoid sweat bathing when you are physically exhausted or after a long illness. (After a strenuous two-day drive to Minneapolis, I hopped into a YMCA sauna and nearly passed out. This wouldn't have happened if I had given myself a few hours rest beforehand.) Mental exhaustion is not included in this caution. Finnish students traditionally recuperate in the sauna after the year's final exam.

Acclimatization

Everyone reacts differently to heat. Learn your limits by beginning with lower temperatures and raising them gradually. Let your body tell you when it wants out–don't force it to endure uncomfortable heat. The body adapts with repeated exposure to heat. Sweat will flow more readily and the cardiovascular system functions and cools more efficiently.

People not acclimated to heat may feel nauseous or faint. Nose bleeds or other injury to blood vessels may also occur. If treated properly there is little danger. Nausea is induced by a lack of blood to the parasympathetic nervous system and is a sign of impending fainting. This can result from bathing on an empty stomach when your blood sugar is low. A poorly vented sweat room can also cause nausea. Leave the room if you feel nauseous, lie down and have someone bring you fruit juice. Its sugar will help dispel your discomfort.

Fainting may also occur if you stand up abruptly in the sweat room. Blood vessels are relaxed during bathing and when you stand suddenly, blood rushed down, depriving the head of blood. Move slowly in the sweat room.

Injury to blood vessels sometimes occurs with the sudden dilation of weak vein walls. If this happens, stanch the bleeding with a compress, leave the sweat room and lie down. Next time, try lower temperatures.

IF YOU SUFFER FROM A SERIOUS ILLNESS OR HAVE AN ACUTE HEART, CIRCULATORY OR RESPIRATORY PROBLEM, CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SWEAT BATHING.

RETURN TO TOP... NEXT CHAPTER... RETURN TO MAIN SWEAT PAGE




		Site Contents \| Search \| All about digital imaging \| Favorite Projects \| Sweat The Sword of Heaven \| County Fair \| Portfolio \| Links \| Your Comments

Return to main Sweat page MEDITERRANEAN BATHS Visiting the modern Hammam in Ankara and lstanbul Early Greek and Roman Batths Mass Bathing in the Balnea and Thermae The Islamic Hammam is Born The "'Turkish Bath" Visits Europe and America Private Sweat Bathing Cubicles FINNISH SAUNA A Visit in the Dead of Winter History of the Nordic Bath Sauna in Europe Sauna in Japan Sauna in America NATIVE AMERICAN SWEAT LODGE Joining Running Foot in a Navajo Sweat Lodge A Guest at an Oglala Sun Dance Ceremony History of Sweat Lodges Hot Rock Sweat Lodge Direct Fire Sweat Lodge Sweating Without a Sweat Lodge Origin of the Temescal The Temescal Today The Sweat Lodge Joins the Modern World RUSSIAN BANIA A Boisterous Bath in Leningrad History of the Great Russian Bath Bannik, the Spirit of the Bania The Birth Bania The Wedding Bania The Death Bania Health & the Bania The Bania after the Russian Revolution The Spreading Influence of the Russian Steam Bath SAUNA & HEALTH Sauna & Health Sweating Skin Heating & Cooling the Inner Body Positive Effects of Negative Ions Spirits of the Sweat Social Sweating USING THE SAUNA/ SWEAT BATH SAUNA/SWEAT SPICES PRECAUTIONS SPECIAL SAUNA CONCERNS FOR WOMEN BUILD YOUR OWN
	Sauna Precautions ©1998 Mikkel Aaland All Rights Reserved Accidents in the sweat bath are rare and can usually be attributed to a lapse of common sense. The most usual mishaps are hot stove burns or bruises from a slip on a wet floor or bench. Mind your footing and see that good duckboards and a guard rail are installed. •Remove jewelry and glasses before entering the sweat room. Metal gets burning hot, and heat causes capillaries and skin to swell making rings and tight bracelets constricting. Contact lenses may dry and provoke eye irritation–pop them out before sweat bathing. Glassware, bottles, or cups–don't belong in the bathing area. •Too strong a loyly can scorch skin and lungs. Go easy with the dipper. •Eating before sweat bathing puts a strain on the circulatory system. As before swimming, wait an hour or two after a large meal before entering a sweat bath. Also, it is best not to bathe on an empty stomach. Sweat bathing, like any exercise, uses energy and some people in a depleted condition may experience nausea or even fainting. Settle for lower temperatures and shorter bathing sessions. It is also sensible to avoid sweat bathing when you are physically exhausted or after a long illness. (After a strenuous two-day drive to Minneapolis, I hopped into a YMCA sauna and nearly passed out. This wouldn't have happened if I had given myself a few hours rest beforehand.) Mental exhaustion is not included in this caution. Finnish students traditionally recuperate in the sauna after the year's final exam. Acclimatization Everyone reacts differently to heat. Learn your limits by beginning with lower temperatures and raising them gradually. Let your body tell you when it wants out–don't force it to endure uncomfortable heat. The body adapts with repeated exposure to heat. Sweat will flow more readily and the cardiovascular system functions and cools more efficiently. People not acclimated to heat may feel nauseous or faint. Nose bleeds or other injury to blood vessels may also occur. If treated properly there is little danger. Nausea is induced by a lack of blood to the parasympathetic nervous system and is a sign of impending fainting. This can result from bathing on an empty stomach when your blood sugar is low. A poorly vented sweat room can also cause nausea. Leave the room if you feel nauseous, lie down and have someone bring you fruit juice. Its sugar will help dispel your discomfort. Fainting may also occur if you stand up abruptly in the sweat room. Blood vessels are relaxed during bathing and when you stand suddenly, blood rushed down, depriving the head of blood. Move slowly in the sweat room. Injury to blood vessels sometimes occurs with the sudden dilation of weak vein walls. If this happens, stanch the bleeding with a compress, leave the sweat room and lie down. Next time, try lower temperatures. IF YOU SUFFER FROM A SERIOUS ILLNESS OR HAVE AN ACUTE HEART, CIRCULATORY OR RESPIRATORY PROBLEM, CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SWEAT BATHING. RETURN TO TOP... NEXT CHAPTER... RETURN TO MAIN SWEAT PAGE