What happens to our body after visiting the sauna? Do modern people need a bath? Saunas improve the appearance of the skin

IN modern world absolutely everyone is exposed to heavy metals and toxic chemicals. And that is why regular detoxification of your body becomes extremely important. Sauna is a great way to go as it heats up your tissues quite deeply which improves metabolic processes. An increase in body temperature promotes better energy production at the cellular level, which helps to get rid of infections faster.

Why do you need a sauna?

Viruses, tumors, and toxin-affected cells cannot tolerate heat. That's why saunas are so useful, because they fight all problems through the largest organ. human body- his skin. Regular sauna sessions activate your skin through perspiration, which helps your body rid itself of heavy metals and toxic chemicals, and allows you to achieve optimal health. What's more, one 2012 study showed that sweating in a sauna is highly effective in ridding the body of harmful heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and lead.

Sauna types

While many people will find it difficult to cope with the intense heat that comes with sauna use, warming up to 60-90 degrees Celsius is necessary to induce intense sweating. Saunas are very diverse - heated by wood, electricity or gas. There are also infrared options that heat the body, but still leave the air cool. Such a sauna does not require heating in advance, which allows you to save electricity (or other source of energy) and time. There are also infrared bulbs, thanks to which you can get a warming and stimulating color therapy. Research shows that infrared saunas are the most beneficial in detoxifying the body, as the deep penetration of infrared energy allows cells to more effectively remove toxins from the body.

Saunas improve the appearance of the skin

Due to the fact that you sweat very actively in the sauna, blood circulation also improves, since the blood has to circulate closer to the surface of the skin. In turn, this has a positive effect on your skin by expelling bacteria. A visit to the sauna will allow you to get rid of dead cells of the epidermis, as well as defeat acne, blackheads and blackheads. It will also help you get rid of such an unpleasant thing as cellulite. Moreover, saunas provoke a hormonal surge, which entails a whole range of various positive effects in the fight against aging.

Improving the immune system

Many people lead a sedentary lifestyle due to the fact that they have to sit at the computer all day at work. They practically do not get up and do not move - what can we say about sweating properly. But sweating is necessary process to rid your body of unwanted substances that people are exposed to every day without even knowing it. When your body is under the influence of steam in a sauna, white blood cells are produced much faster, which helps your body defend itself against a wide variety of diseases. The lack of competent detoxification of the body can lead to the accumulation of heavy metals in the body, which, in turn, can provoke the appearance of serious illnesses up to cancer.

Relaxation and stress relief

When your body temperature rises in the sauna, endorphins, the hormone of joy, are produced by your central nervous system, allowing you to get rid of accumulated stress. Also, your muscles relax, which allows you to release the tension that accumulates in various parts of your body. The calming and relaxing properties of the sauna have also been shown to increase the quality of sleep in humans.

Conclusion

Regular visits to the sauna promote the renewal of brain cells, make the brain work faster, improve memory, attention and concentration, prevent the development of degenerative diseases, relieve anxiety and depression. As far as your body is concerned, sauna helps your muscles get bigger and stronger, increases lifespan and slows down aging, triggers massive production of growth hormone, improves immune system function, and increases insulin sensitivity.

The bath is our everything! Health, beauty, recreation, national feature, entertainment and an abyss of pleasure ... Maria TARANENKO advises both experienced and novice bath attendants to take note of 20 interesting facts about the bath

1. Right steam
First, you just need to splash hot water on the stones (this will cool them slightly). Then - a diluted infusion, and then - water again. Infusion can also be sprinkled on walls and floors. But do not water those present. Mixed with sweat, the steam will give an unpleasant odor.

2. Safety
Aromatic oils are volatile and flammable. Therefore, they should be used only in an aqueous solution (7-8 drops per bucket of water). It is prepared before entering the steam room. But not right in it.

3. Healing spirit
Eucalyptus steam contains 40 most useful components. Mint improves mood and calms nerves. Linden enhances perspiration and treats colds. Juniper improves immunity. There are lovers of beer, kvass and even tobacco steam. Cigarette smoke is unhealthy, but in the form of vapor, tobacco treats problematic skin.

4. Until the seventh
Sweat cools our skin. If it does not appear, body temperature and blood pressure rise. Is that bad. To activate sweating, the skin is massaged with a mitten or towel. Exfoliating procedures help (pre-peeling in the shower, etc.), as well as diaphoretic teas. Honey works well. Fruit acids in its composition exfoliate the skin and free the pores.

5. Toxins
With sweat, more than a hundred harmful substances are excreted from the body. Therefore, it is better not to wipe it, but to clean it off with a special scraper so that the toxins are not absorbed back.

6. Remove excess
Before entering the steam room, you need to thoroughly cleanse the skin. Remove makeup, shower without soap, and rinse your face (due to the heat, the remaining cleansing milk will irritate the skin). For a shower, you need to stock up on a natural washcloth or brush (synthetic ones leave microcracks on the skin and poorly polish its surface). It is also worth removing the varnish from the nails (the heat will destroy it anyway) and combing the hair thoroughly to remove the styling products.

7. By oil
Oils are just made for the bath. Unlike creams, they contain few chemical additives that break down at high temperatures. Therefore, the oil can be safely applied to the skin, especially if it is prone to dryness. The oil is also rubbed into the hair and nails. It will strengthen, nourish and protect them from overheating, preventing moisture loss.

8. Rules of conduct
In the steam room, you can spend a total of no more than 35 minutes, regardless of the number of visits. Before each of them you need to rest 10-20 minutes.
The body in the steam room must be dry, otherwise you can spoil the heat and harm your health. Wet skin makes the steam heavy.
When entering the steam room, close your eyes: if you can’t determine where the stove is (warmly enveloping, not puffing from one side), you are in luck.
All synthetic materials (hats, towels, swimwear) in the bath are contraindicated. Ready-made cosmetics are not needed here either (their preservatives decompose in the heat, damaging the skin).

9. Under your feet
The legs should be at the same level as the head or higher. This will ensure even blood circulation, muscle relaxation and removal of toxins. On the shelves you can often find special "corners" under the legs, on which many unknowingly put their heads. Sitting is better not to bathe - this leads to stagnation of blood and edema. You need to start from the bottom shelf, gradually rising higher.

10. Drink too much
In the bath you need to drink a lot. But only mineral water or herbal tea. Then all the incoming fluid will come out, picking up toxins. It is better to refuse black tea and coffee: they excite the nervous system, which is useless for a relaxed body. Beer is also despised by experienced bath attendants: alcohol and the heavy wort of this drink increase dehydration and block the removal of toxins.

11. Caution
The biggest bathing mistake is to endure to the last. So that the bath does not bring harm instead of benefit, it is necessary to leave it at the slightest sign of discomfort. On the first run, it is better not to climb high and stay in the steam room for a short time. The body will gradually adapt to the heat without harm to blood vessels and nervous system. Sensitive natures should take a damp cool towel with them. At the slightest sign of dizziness, apply it to the forehead, to the back of the head or to the region of the heart. And carefully leave the steam room.

12. Dream bouquet
Creating a lush, light, fragrant broom is a whole art. Branches for him are cut on certain days, in dry weather. In the villages, this used to be done in accordance with religious holidays, and during the collection, special prayers and conspiracies were read. Brooms are dried in the shade, in the breeze. Then they don't lose healing properties over time and do not fly around even after a dozen visits.

13. Preparatory process
In the bath, the broom is “steamed”: it is placed in hot water for several minutes. You don't need to leave it for a long time - the aroma will go away. You can hold a wet broom over the stones of the steam room - the steam from wet leaves permeates the bath with a healing spirit. But it is better not to shake it at the same time: the leaves that have fallen on the heater will burn and give an unpleasant smell.

14. Pretend to be a broom
Birch broom contains essential oils, vitamins C and A, prolonging the youthfulness of the skin. Its leaves adhere well to the body and absorb sweat like a sponge.
An oak broom does not absorb sweat so well, but it pumps steam.
Eucalyptus broom helps with colds and lung diseases, bruises, sprains and joint pain. The disadvantage of the eucalyptus broom is that the branches are too thin. It is better to add 2-3 eucalyptus twigs to a birch or oak "bouquet".
Coniferous broom - fir, spruce, cedar, juniper. He drives out any disease. Despite the fact that after processing the needles become softer, this pleasure is not for everyone.
Nettle broom - salvation for a sore lower back and joints. Before you start steaming, shift it a couple of times from hot water in the cold, holding in each for 2-3 minutes. Then there will be no burns.

15. spring-cleaning
Steaming with a broom stimulates blood circulation, increasing perspiration, and energizes. The movements should be soft, and at first the broom should only lightly touch the body, pumping up the heat. The intensity of the action determines the temperature in the steam room. If it is high, they whip gently, if not very - sweepingly. They usually start with stroking movements from the feet to the hips, abdomen, chest and neck. Then vigorously fasten in the same order. They finish by rubbing: with one hand they hold the handle of the broom, with the other they press the foliage to the body. You need to inhale its aroma more often, it will become a kind of massage for the lungs.

16. Actions after
A font, an ice-hole, a snowdrift, a pool - contrast procedures have an excellent effect on the heart, blood vessels, increase immunity and rejuvenate the skin. But many, on the contrary, like to enjoy the steamed-blissful state and meditate wrapped in a towel. Everyone chooses for themselves. It is important that the bath is enjoyable. If you have a massage, you should not supercool: the muscles relaxed by the heat will again enter into tone and it will be more difficult to knead them.

17. Masquerade
Bath - expanse for masks. Face, body, hair, hands, feet - any steamed part of our body will gratefully accept the components of these products, the activity of which doubles.
Masks and oils for hair should be left for the maximum possible period, hiding the hair under a felt cap. No plastic caps! At high temperatures, they release harmful substances.
After the first call, a cleansing mask is applied to the face, and after the second or third - moisturizing or tightening.
After all the rituals, a cream must be applied to the skin. Better with rich texture. It will not allow steamed skin to part with the resulting moisture.

18. Wouldn't be bad
After a single visit to the bath, we lose up to 2 liters of water. But the weight reduced in this way, alas, is compensated in a day. On the other hand, the body spends a lot of energy on sweating, which leads to weight loss. To maximize this process, you must:

* Go to the steam room often, sit for a short time, and then wrap yourself in a sheet and wait for the sweating to stop on its own.
* Avoid contrast procedures. The temperature difference trains the vessels and the immune system, but also causes the pores to close and the sweating to stop, which consumes extra calories. After all, the body spends a lot of energy on the production and evaporation of sweat.
* Drink hot drinks that stimulate perspiration.
* Steam lying down, in a not very wet steam room.
* He who bathes on an empty stomach loses weight, and on a full stomach he becomes fat.

19. Early in the morning
In the East, it is customary to go to the bathhouse in the morning. It is believed that after sunset, the body accumulates fatigue and is less willing to part with illnesses. Morning bath really energizes and gives ease of thinking.

20. Big difference
Along with the Russian bath, the popularity of its foreign "relatives" has also increased. Hammam should ideally be built on the principle of a palm, where each finger is a bath niche. The air temperature in them gradually rises from 70 to 100 ˚С, which allows you to choose best option. Humidity in the hammam is 90%, and there are no problems with perspiration. Sauna Dry heat reigns in it (up to -140 ˚С - with a humidity of 5-15%). There is no need to splash water on the stones here: due to the high temperature and poor ventilation, the steam turns out to be “heavy”, harmful to health and skin. You can only lightly spray the stones and walls with water with a fragrant tincture. Hammam is contraindicated for people with poor circulation and lung problems, and the sauna is contraindicated for those suffering from tachycardia or claustrophobia. For inflammatory or oncological diseases bathing is generally not recommended.

Sweating has long been known for its useful properties. Studies by Harvard scientists have shown that the Mayan people had special buildings for thermal procedures as early as 3,000 years ago. In Finland, the tradition of steaming in the sauna goes back 1000 years. Russia is also known for its love of banya.

Why are baths and saunas so popular and do not give up their positions to this day? Despite the fact that thermal procedures have a number of limitations and even contraindications, in general, the sauna is beneficial for the body.

Sauna types

IN different countries baths and saunas are different from each other. Usually this is a room or a separate building, where the temperature rises to 70-100 degrees with the help of a wood-burning or electric stove. Body temperature can rise up to 40 degrees.

Traditional Finnish saunas- dry, and Turkish hammam and Russian bath - wet.

There are also infrared saunas, which can often be found in fitness centers or set up at home. In them, the air does not heat up, and the thermal effect is carried out on a person using infrared lamps.

Benefit for health

Regardless of the type of sauna, the effect on the body is almost the same with a few exceptions. When the body is heated, the heart rate increases, the vessels expand, blood circulation improves and blood pressure normalizes. Not only this, but also stress reduction affects the improvement of cardiac activity. The Finns have an expression "you go into the sauna and close the door to the rest of the world." Going to the sauna is like meditation. Of course, we are not talking about the Russian tradition of bathing with beer and salty snacks. You need to bathe in a calm, relaxed state, while drinking enough water, only then you can get real benefits.

A large-scale study in Finland, which lasted 20 years, showed that visiting the sauna 4-7 times a week by 63%, and 2-3 times a week by 22% reduces the risk of unexpected death from cardiovascular diseases.

Another Finnish study showed that there is an association between regular sauna use and a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia. There is no definite evidence for this yet, but statistics show that the sauna has a beneficial effect on brain health.

Pain relief

A visit to the steam room relaxes the muscles and relieves pain/discomfort in the joints. In the sauna, we release endorphins, which are natural painkillers. Improved blood circulation contributes to the rapid healing of injuries and muscle recovery. After serious physical exertion, visiting the sauna is undesirable, but taking a steam bath the next day will not only be pleasant, but also useful in order to put the muscles in order.

Slimming in the bath

Contrary to popular belief, sauna does not burn fat. But regular visits to the sauna really contribute to weight loss, as blood circulation and metabolism improve. Together with sweat, decay products are excreted, which prevent the body from functioning qualitatively. In addition, in the bath we lose a lot of fluid, and consequently, a certain number of kilograms.

Improved skin condition

If you regularly bathe, you will soon notice that the condition of the skin has improved significantly. This is facilitated by the improvement of blood circulation in general, the removal of toxins from sweat, relaxation, cleansing of the pores and the use of cosmetics intended for the bath. Before you go to steam, you should thoroughly cleanse the skin. After the first visit, you can use a peeling or scrub, and after the second - a clay-based cleansing mask. Such masks are not only for the face, but also for the body. After the sauna, do not forget to thoroughly moisturize the skin.

The Russian bath often involves a "massage" with brooms. This ritual not only improves blood circulation, but also helps to increase the movement of lymph, as well as cleanse the skin.

Safety

Studies in Finland, Canada and Japan have shown that 15 minutes in the sauna in most cases does not harm even those who have heart problems. If you can walk for 30 minutes or go up to the 3rd or 4th floor without stopping, then you can safely go steaming. But if in doubt, it is better to consult with a cardiologist.

If your pressure jumps, there is a strong arrhythmia, you have had a heart attack or heart surgery, it is better to refuse to visit the bath.

Drinking alcohol should be avoided before and during sauna visits. To avoid vascular problems, it's best not to experiment with an ice font or jumping into the snow. Many nations have these traditions, but cardiologists believe that for health of cardio-vascular system a contrast shower is better than such a sharp stress. Steam for no longer than 15-20 minutes, drink clean water or weak tea, and after the sauna, be sure to rest.

Bath is a wonderful place where many people go with great pleasure - families or friendly companies, just on a day off or to celebrate a solemn event. Why is a bath so useful that this procedure has been popular since ancient times to this day? In fact, the merits of a real Russian bath can hardly be overestimated. Taking a bath or shower will never give the same feeling of lightness, cleanliness and renewal as visiting a steam room. The bath, of course, is useful for both physical and moral health, it is a great place to pay attention to yourself and your body, improve your health and improve your mood.

In order for the effect of the procedures to be maximum, it is worth visiting the bath about once a week. For hygiene purposes, you should take rubber slippers or slates, a bath mat on a bench and a personal basin with you. In order not to spoil the hair and not overheat the head, it will not be superfluous to purchase a special hat.

Note! Before entering the steam room, you should stand under warm shower or sit in the dressing room to warm up the body.

All about beneficial properties

Useful properties of the bath are in its effect on almost all organs and systems of the human body. It wonderfully restores and hardens the body, helps in improving immunity and thermoregulation.

First of all, you should visit the bathhouse at the first sign of a cold. The main thing is to sweat well in the steam room - in a well-steamed, hot bath, most of the pathogenic bacteria die, not only on the skin, but also in the internal organs. And if you splash eucalyptus, fir or birch infusion on hot stones, the rising steam will help clear your throat and nose.

Note! Bath procedures, due to the warming effect, are generally very useful for respiratory system what smokers should pay attention to.

With proper use of the bath, chronic respiratory diseases are alleviated, and in some cases even cured. In the steam room, be sure to use a broom - it pumps even more hot air, medicinal substances, evaporating from the leaves, destroy pathogenic microorganisms, and essential oils improve metabolism.

In addition, the bath is great for rheumatism, sciatica and other joint or muscle pain. Bath procedures are very useful for those who go in for sports, hard work, and experience high physical exertion. Bath as a whole improves the protective and adaptive capabilities of the body. It is useful to take a steam bath with sprains and dislocations, the bath helps the body in the regeneration of muscle tissues, dissolves salts deposited in the joints and warms up diseased bones.

The bath has a wonderful effect on the heart and blood vessels, physical performance improves. When alternating high and low temperatures the heart muscle is strengthened, which reduces the risk of a heart attack.

Note! Heart patients should always consult a doctor before going to the bath.

Bath steam improves blood circulation, because capillaries and blood vessels begin to work better, saturating the body with oxygen and nutrients: blood stasis is eliminated and excess cholesterol is removed, settling on the walls of blood vessels.

Due to increased sweating, various toxins and slags are removed from the body in the bath, edema is reduced due to the unloading of the kidneys, and the effect lasts up to six hours after visiting the steam room. However, you should be careful - in order to avoid salt imbalance, you should not bathe after intense exercise associated with increased sweating.

Contrasting douches in the bath have a positive effect on the digestive system and intestines, and also contribute to weight loss.

A good bath is also good for the health of the psyche. Many, leaving the steam room, feel refreshed and rested, as if born again. This is due to the fact that while in a heated bath, blood flow to the brain weakens, which leads to a decrease in emotional activity and mental relaxation of the body. Headache and excessive nervousness disappear, unpleasant thoughts disappear, mood improves. That is why it is good to visit the bathhouse on the weekends - it perfectly eliminates the stress that has accumulated during the working week. It is very useful during the steam room to give an infusion of valerian, mint or motherwort on hot stones - they perfectly relieve nervous tension and promote restful sleep. However, if the procedure is carried out incorrectly, for example, if you stay in an overheated bath for too long, your health, on the contrary, may worsen - there will be a feeling of anxiety, fear, general weakness, sleep will deteriorate and appetite will decrease.

In the fight for beauty

And, of course, the bath is very useful for the skin. Cosmetics and polluted air have a very bad effect on her condition. At home, the skin is cleaned only superficially. However, in the bath, the pores open up, helping the skin to cleanse itself of toxins, old dirt and harmful substances. The rush of blood to the surface of the skin helps it recover, in addition, the work of the hair follicles improves, better. Bath heat kills pathogenic bacteria on the body. In addition, it is very good to walk on steamed skin with a broom, such as birch or oak. This will help improve the condition of inflamed skin, and with regular use, even relieve sweating. In addition, when using a broom, the entire skin is massaged, and the essential oils that are released from the leaves at this time improve metabolism and saturate the skin. useful substances, regenerate and disinfect it. With the help of a broom and hot steam, the dead layer of the skin is removed, it begins to breathe and rejuvenates from the inside, it becomes firm and elastic, regardless of skin type. For example, oily skin dries out a little, while dry skin, on the contrary, receives the nutrition and hydration it needs.

Thanks to a kind of "training" of the skin, the bath perfectly helps to fight the appearance of wrinkles and regulates the work. sebaceous glands. To strengthen the vessels after the steam room, it is good to douse with cool water. It will also have a positive effect on the scalp. Most importantly, be sure to wash yourself after visiting the steam room, otherwise all harmful substances will penetrate back into the skin. In general, while the skin is steamed, it is perfectly ready for various cosmetic procedures, which is very important for a woman. You can purchase special bath mittens, massage brushes and heel graters, apply a variety of scrubs and masks, both purchased and home cooking. By the way, anti-cellulite wraps and creams work great in the steam room. Hair, and the body, can be rinsed with water left over from steaming the broom for a better effect.

Note! Due to the improvement of metabolism, the removal of excess fluid from the body and a positive effect on gastrointestinal tract, bath procedures help to lose weight and correct the figure.

In general, visiting a steam room is useful for the female genitourinary system - a bath improves health after miscarriages and abortions, with violations of the uterus and ovaries, and other gynecological diseases. However, there are contraindications - for example, after recent operations, childbirth or in acute inflammatory processes. Before visiting the bath, be sure to consult a doctor. The bath very well alleviates the condition with menopause, removing the physical and moral disorders associated with it.

Also, the bath is useful for young girls, because with regular visits to the bath, the ligaments become more elastic, which will help during childbirth, and those who have already given birth improve lactation and relieve nervous tension. For pregnant women, a bath is useful in that it reduces swelling and improves blood circulation.

Of course, the bath is also useful for men. In addition to relieving tension and relieving pain in muscles and joints after heavy physical exertion, bath procedures perfectly help to harden and strengthen male body. Also, the bath has a positive effect on male potency, treats diseases of the genitourinary system and fights premature ejaculation. Most importantly, do not overdo it, because high temperatures negatively affect male reproductive capacity.

Some people go to the bath just to wash themselves, some love the rustic bath spirit. There are those for whom visiting the bath is a whole ritual ritual. Now baths are not only the privilege of the villagers, they are being built everywhere, even in megacities.

From time immemorial, our ancestors have used bathhouses for medicinal purposes. In the heat of the bath, metabolic processes are enhanced, blood flow and sweating are accelerated. Go to the bath no more than once or twice a week and your body's resistance to various infections will increase significantly. Many use in steam rooms, specially prepared twigs from birch, oak and other branches. Take a steam bath with a birch whisk and become many times more cheerful and active, and the oak one will remove excess toxins and harmful substances from the body.

According to original Russian traditions, spring or well water was used in the baths. Medicinal properties pure water was never in doubt. After the steam room, be sure to rinse with cool water to avoid overheating your body. Throwing yourself into icy water or a snowdrift is very dangerous for beginners, this can lead to severe illnesses.

Visiting the bath on an empty stomach, you can lose weight, but you need to do this regularly. In this case, cool down after the steam room slowly so as not to delay sweating. It is not recommended to overeat when going to the bath. A feeling of heaviness in the esophagus will ruin your mood and make you feel worse. Magical elasticity and tenderness is acquired by human skin after steam baths.

But do not overdo it, frequent bathing gatherings can adversely affect your health. Exacerbation of chronic diseases will lead to severe disorders in the body. You need to go to the bathhouse not only in winter to keep warm, but also in the heat. As a result of increased sweating, not only the water-salt metabolism in the body of each person improves, but also appetite, and even. In the summer stuffiness, after a bath, you will again feel refreshed and cheerful.

Do not take cold drinks such as mineral water, juice, or ice-cold beer. They are able to cool only the esophagus, but not the temperature of the whole body. To improve your well-being, hot herbal tea can best. The use of alcoholic beverages when visiting the steam room or bath is strictly prohibited.

Among the elderly, there is a belief that from 12 at night, dark forces come to the bathhouse to take a steam bath. At such a time, they no longer went to wash, it was necessary to have time before dark. Believe it or not, it is not clear now, but doctors do not recommend doing this late at night. The human body gets tired by the end of the day, so there will be practically no beneficial effect when taking bath procedures at such a time.

There are people with serious diseases of the cardiovascular system. Elderly people and children should always be supervised there.

The bath carries the healing power of nature and the positive energy of our ancestors. But you should not turn a visit to the bathhouse into an entertainment event, especially with unfamiliar people and drinking alcohol.