Had you known? – Test your knowledge about sauna
The days are getting shorter, the leaves are changing color, and the first chilly autumn winds foreshadow it: the cold days are coming. We long for comfort and warmth. Our European neighbors the Finns are showing us the way. The whole world is busy emulating them – off to the sauna. In Germany alone, around 30 million people sweat voluntarily.
Still wrong tips around the sauna hold themselves. Here it is important to separate the facts from the errors. We reveal. Giving tips for sauna!
Sauna misconceptions
1. Sauna helps to lose weight 2. Taking a sauna prevents colds 3. Frequent sauna visits strengthen the immune system 4. Sauna dries out the skin and hair 5. Sauna detoxifies the body
#1 The sauna helps to lose weight
Probably the most persistent sauna misconception revolves around weight loss after a sauna session. If a few kilos less stand on the scales after the Saunieren, the joy is short. The rapid and comparatively simple weight loss is due to the lack of water in the body caused by sweating.
Fat burning during sauna is therefore nothing but a stubborn myth. Effects on a diet. Have your health. When losing weight, only a healthy diet and exercise will help!
#2 Taking a sauna is so healthy and prevents colds
Especially in the cold seasons, the question arises: Can you simply sweat out a cold in the sauna and who should not take a sauna??
Basically: If the infection is already pronounced, sauna should be avoided. In this phase the body tries to heal itself and therefore needs all its energy to fight the viruses. A hot sweat bath with fragrant sauna infusions can be compared to a round of jogging. In this condition, an unnecessary burden for the ailing body. If you already have a cold, you should get as much rest as possible and better avoid changes between heat and cold, so as not to put additional strain on the cardiovascular system.
If a cold is slowly developing with cough, cold and sore throat, a steam sauna should be chosen, as this has somewhat lower temperatures. There the mucous membranes are not so strongly loaded and less dried out. Also on the cold shower after the Saunieren should be renounced. It is better to give the body the opportunity to cool down slowly. If you have a fever, you should in any case prefer to go to bed rather than to the sauna.
It is important to listen to your own body and refrain from using the sauna if you feel unwell. There is no universal answer to this question. Under certain circumstances the effect depends strongly on the individual condition.
#3 Frequent saunas are healthy
Correct! Visiting a sauna can have a positive effect on our health if we sauna regularly. A Finnish study showed that the risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases decreases if you go to the sauna more than once a week. Nevertheless applies:
Sweating means hard work for our body, With stress on the cardiovascular system. Especially as a sauna beginner, sauna sessions should be enjoyed in moderation. How long does sauna last? One session should not last longer than 15 minutes. Do not include more than three sauna sessions in a row. It is important to take restful breaks between sweaty sessions.
Less with caution, is more. Adjust the frequency of your sauna visits to your feeling. If it doesn't feel right, you'd better not do it either.
#4 In the sauna dry out the skin and hair
The amption that a visit to the sauna dries the skin or harms the hair is unfounded. On the contrary! Studies have shown that going to the sauna increases the moisture content of the skin. The heat promotes blood circulation. Contributes to beautiful skin. Creams, oils and makeup should be removed before taking a sauna, as the substances in essential oils or the ingredients in creams can cause great stress to the skin if the heat is too intense. Showering before taking a sauna is therefore necessary not only for hygienic reasons.
Hair is not necessarily at risk of drying out if you sauna regularly.
It is recommended to wash the hair with a mild shampoo before the first sauna session and to apply a hair mask after the visit to the sauna or steam bath, as this can penetrate the hair structure particularly well.
It depends on the correct sequence of care products.
#5 Sauna detoxifies the body
Unfortunately only a myth. In the sauna our body can not sweat out pollutants or so-called slags. Metabolic waste products or other harmful substances in the body are utilized by the kidneys and liver and are by no means sweated out during saunas. Detoxing by sauna belongs to the realm of legends. But a grain of truth can be found even in this myth. Besides water and minerals, our sweat also contains minimal traces of other substances. However, these quantities are so small that one cannot speak of detoxification in the sauna.
The loss of fluids should be compensated for by drinking plenty of fluids. Refrain from alcohol and coffee and rather reach abundantly for (infused) water cold tea or juice spritzers.
Can I go to the sauna despite Corona?? What do I have to consider when taking a sauna?
Observing distance and hygiene rules, as well as following the instructions of the respective sauna operator, is strictly recommended.
Visitors with acute illnesses of the respiratory tract should for health reasons, and with consideration for the other sauna guests, with strong coughs and colds in principle not visit public sauna baths.
All information about the Helios Bordeklinik
The Helios Borde Clinic
Originating from two hospitals founded in 1894, the Borde Clinic is now one of the most modern clinics in Saxony-Anhalt. Since 2014, the basic care clinic has belonged to Helios.