Although the idea of a sauna may seem new and unusual to us in the United States, it has been around for hundreds of years in Finland. The practice of using the sauna often has become part of Finnish culture. Today, there are over one million saunas in Finland, which averages out to nearly one sauna per household! It is extremely common to have a personal sauna in the home and family members use it often.

Archaeologists have found evidence that the Finnish sauna was created nearly 2,000 years ago. The earliest versions were not in permanent structures but instead were embankments that had been dug in the ground. Soon, however, the sauna was moved into small wooden buildings in order to contain the heat for longer. These buildings would have a large fireplace with a chimney. In order to prepare the sauna, rocks would be heated up in the fireplace until they reached the ideal temperature. Water would then be poured over the rocks, which had been placed on the ground, and the steam would be created. Once all the steam had been released, the bathers would enter the building and enjoy the heat that had remained in the air. To ready a sauna by this method would take eight hours.

The sauna remains an important part of Finnish daily life. People use it at least weekly and often even daily. Traditionally, the use of the sauna on Saturday is corporeal and the use of the sauna on Sunday is for spiritual purification. The "taking of a sauna" involves much more than just sitting in a steam room, however. It is a process and groups of friends and even business partners participate in it together. One starts in the hot room and it is common for individuals to use a group of boughs, usually silver birch, to beat oneself gently.  This practice relaxes one's muscles. Once the heat becomes uncomfortable, one takes a dip in a swimming pool or nearby lake. Once cooled, one sits on a porch near the sauna and enjoys sausages and beer before starting the process over again.

If you would like to know more about owning a personal sauna for your home, then call up Gaia Saunas today!