Saunas have been common for 1000’s of years, but for some people, they are a whole new event. The sauna rage has overtaken the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa, with millions of people finding the health and social benefits of frequent sauna baths. However what Joe calls ’sauna’ Josephine may call ’steam bath’ and Jocelyn may well call ‘Turkish bath’. Is there a significant difference? This article will examine the meaning of the distinct terms associated with this soothing and beneficial kind of bathing.

The Sauna

The sauna is an important part of Finnish and Swedish culture. Most houses have a sauna and most individuals use the sauna several times a week. These saunas make a dry heat between 70 and 100 degrees Celsius. From time to time water is thrown on heated stones to develop a huge cloud of steam that makes the sauna feel warmer. After spending about 10 to 30 minutes in the sauna the majority of people take a cool shower or swim in the lake. During winter, some people even roll in the snow.

Finnish and Swedish saunas are social events and may include family members, close friends or business associates. They will almost always be taken in the nude. Whether or not men and women take a sauna together with each other depends on their relationships and to some extent, their age. Public saunas however are typically single-sex.

Swedish saunas have become well-known in North America and are part of the services of many community swimming pools. Each swimming pool sets its own regulations on nudity. A number of pools have certain intervals for single-sex use when nude swimming and nude saunas are the norm. At different times bathing suits may be mandatory in the sauna.

The Turkish Bath

The Turkish bath is also referred to as hamam. It is a sort of steam bath and the heat is much lower than in Finnish or Swedish sauna. The steam would scald the skin if it was extremely hot, so steam baths are held at approximately 40 degrees Celsius.

Classic Turkish baths are substantial buildings and serve as social gathering spots nearly as much as places to get clean. There are separate rooms for males and females, and the bath building is divided into three areas - hot, warm, and cool.

The Steam Bath

Steam baths have a constant humidity level roughly 100%. They are maintained about 40 degrees Celsius. Many people opt for steam baths over saunas because the high humidity is easier to breathe and has beneficial influences on the respiratory system.

The Hot Tub

There are 3 types of hot tubs - wooden barrels, fibreglass whirlpools or bathtub spas.

The first type is made from wooden slats and has a water pump and filtering system to circulate and clean the water. It is usually set up outdoors and has seats around the perimeter so that folks can soak in comfort with their heads just above water level.

The second type has high pressure ‘jets’ that create a whirlpool effect. The jets are valuable for water massage or hydrotherapy. They are generally installed at public swimming pools or health clubs. These are know as ‘Jacuzzis’ after the organization that popularized them.

The third type is often set up in individual homes as a alternative for the common bathtub. It is equivalent in size to a old fashioned bathtub but has more jets for circulating the water.

The terms ’spa’ ‘hot tub’ and ‘Jacuzzi’ are often interchanged and can refer to the same thing - a tub of water for 1 or more people that provides circulating water and/or water jets.

A spa may also be a resort where you receive body treatments such as massage and hydrotherapy. Numerous spas have ’spas’ - sauna facilities including steam baths, hot tubs and Jacuzzis.

For more information about the health benefits of a sauna be sure to visit www.the-home-sauna-center.com/