The origin of the sauna

THE ORIGIN OF THE SAUNA

Western saunas originated in Finland, where the oldest known saunas were made from pits dug into slopes in the ground and used primarily as winter shelters. The sauna features a fireplace where stones are heated to a high temperature. Water was poured over the hot stones to create steam and give the sensation of increased heat. This raises the apparent temperature to the point where people can take off their clothes. The earliest Finnish saunas were of the type now known as savusauna. "smoky sauna." These saunas differed from today's saunas in that they were operated by heating a pile of rocks called kiuas, burning large quantities of wood for about 6 to 8 hours, and then releasing smoke before enjoying the löyly, a Finnish term meaning steam and heat of the sauna. Properly heated "savusauna" can produce heat for up to 12 hours. 

As a result of the Industrial Revolution, saunas evolved to use wood-burning metal stoves (kiuas) with rocky tops and chimneys. The average temperature in a traditional Finnish sauna is around 75-100 °C (167-212 °F), but sometimes exceeds 110 °C (230 °F). When Finns migrated to other parts of the world, they brought sauna designs and traditions with them. This led to the further development of saunas.

Far infrared sauna

Far-infrared saunas are a modern variant of traditional saunas that utilize infrared light to generate heat. Unlike traditional saunas, which heat the body indirectly by conduction through the air or heated surfaces, far-infrared saunas use infrared panels or other methods,  to emit far-infrared light that is absorbed by the surface of the object Skin. Far-infrared saunas generally produce lower heat, making them more tolerable for people who cannot tolerate the high temperatures of traditional saunas.Far infrared rays stimulate our sweat glands through direct heat to produce a deep detoxifying sweat. This process is facilitated by mobilizing specific toxins nearly three inches below the surface of the skin. Rather than simply heating the air to remove toxins, far infrared rays are used to heat the body from the inside in order to remove toxins from deep within the skin. There are also benefits such as promoting healthy weight loss and muscle relaxation.