The word ‘sauna’ is an ancient Finnish word which means the traditional Finnish bath as well as the bathhouse itself.

The oldest known saunas were pits dug into a slope or hill and used as homes during the winter. The Finns used the sauna as a place to cleanse themselves, rejuvenate and refresh the spirit, prepare the dead for burial, and – because it was usually the cleanest structure and had water available – as a place to give birth. The sauna is still an important part of daily family life in Finland and most homes have a sauna.

Saunas can be found in most cultures: Finland, the Baltic countries, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, the UK, Southern Europe, Central America, the US, Africa, Japan, Australia, and Korea.

Legacy offers a sauna course series.

There is a physical test and the results are plugged into a formula, which determines how long one can stay in the sauna and at what temperature. In addition, we discuss the physical, mental, and emotional benefits from starting a regular sauna practice.

Then, we take our students to the sauna!

Benefits of Sauna

Sweating in the sauna is good and can benefit the heart and the brain, according to the People’s Pharmacy and two studies from Finland..

A decades-long study of more than 2,000 middle-aged men found that those who spent more time in the sauna were less likely to have a fatal heart attack. (JAMA Internal Medicine, April 2015). In addition, men visiting a sauna four times a week were less likely to develop dementia than those who went only once a week. (Age and Ageing, Dec. 8, 2016).

Those conducting these studies note that blood pressure and heart function improve after a sauna. Relaxation, improved blood-vessel-flexibility and lower inflammation may account for the heart and brain benefits.

Other benefits of a regular sauna practice include:
1. Saunas relieve stress.
2. Saunas relax muscles and soothe aches/pains in both muscles and joints.
3. Saunas flush toxins. Profound sweating is a highly effective way to remove toxins from the body.
4. Sauna cleanses the skin.
5. Saunas can induce a deeper sleep.
6. Saunas can help fight illness by strengthening the immune system. Sauna sessions help the body produce white blood cells.
7. Saunas can help in weight loss. Scientific calibrations suggest that a 20-minute session at around 170 degrees Fahrenheit burns over 500 calories
8. Saunas make hair look great. Sauna time activates the sebaceous gland on our scalp, which helps condition and moisturize our hair.
9. Saunas improve performance during endurance sports and help to recover from workouts. Regular saunas increase the heat tolerance threshold, which leads to significant improvements in endurance sports. Metabolic wastes are eliminated while sweating with increased blood flow to tired, strained muscles.
10. Saunas promote social interaction.