You’ve probably been in those health club public saunas were the day’s (or yesterday’s) newspaper is strewn about  all over the benches.  Mixed feelings or what?  half of you thinks, “cool, I can read as I sweat” other half of you thinks “how gross is this, the paper feels like some lard ass dripped sweat all over it.”  Good news:  when you have your own sauna you can:

1. read what you want, when you want
2. sweat where you want on what you want

but don’t get too freaked out, unlike steam showers where bacteria and grossness build, saunas produce dry heat and no living organism can coagulate and propagate.*  So grab that newspaper and read away, guilt free.

magazines:  the glue starts separating the pages.. stick to newspapers.  Better yet, see “writing in a sauna” post.

* I”m not a microbiologist, I can only attest to this from 25 years of taking saunas.  No animals or organisms have reproduced in my saunas.

Lighting in a sauna… put some thought into this.  I have a few bright ideas that may help you.

dimmer: every sauna i’ve ever built has a light in it.  Every light is switched via a dimmer, just outside the sauna door on the changing room wall.  WHY? soft light is most preferred in a sauna.  the softer the better.  I like to nude up in a sauna and if i’m taking a sauna with guys, I don’t want the lighting to make me feel like i’m in a doctor’s office. get it?  A dimmer light allows for brighter light when reading in a sauna, and a brighter light is good when looking for a bottle opener or some product you lost under the bench.

candle: I have a good friend who has built saunas in remote areas, sans electricity.  Build your sauna with a window on the wall to the changing room (instead of a window in your sauna door).  The window sill in the changing room is a great spot to mount a candle holder.  The soft light from the candle casts a wonderful glow in your sauna room (and doesn’t melt the candle!).

window: a lot of hard core sauna nuts don’t like any light in their sauna, just a window facing the lapping shoreline on their pristine lake.  Who wouldn’t like that!!?  I have that gig at my lake sauna, and it’s priceless.  But indoor or an urban environment, a window to the changing room is the best gig.  Just imagine you’re at the lake!

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This is a way interesting sauna.  The only major issue that I see with the barrel sauna is that you step right out from your ‘hot room’ to the outdoors.  If you go with one of these, and you live in a colder climate, be sure to position the barrel sauna so the door opens away from the prevailing winds.  Nothing worse than being in a 180 degree sauna, and someone opens the door to say hi, and ice cold 5 degree winter wind comes blowing on your sweaty face!  A cool look, but I prefer the conventional free standing stick frame 8×12 ’shed’ type sauna.  8×12 is an awesome dimension as:

1. 8×12 = 96 square feet, and under any building code restrictions i’ve ever heard of.  (Some municipalities require permits for structures larger than 100 or 120 square feet).
2. 8×12 allows for an ample size sauna room, say 6′x8′, as well as a 6′x8′ nice sized changing room.
3. An outbuilding can be customized to match your house: same siding, pitch, roof, even a cool out-patio for chilling out.
4. The 6′x8′ changing room can double as a home office, party space, or doghouse (figuratively) away from your primary residence.

There are three types of sauna stoves out there.  I happen to be a nut for the wood stoves, you can pick whichever ones are best for you but here’s my list.

1. Wood – wood stoves are more “green” especially the efficient ones.
2. Electric – A relatively new development, great for indoor: small areas or in basements.
3. Infared – Reminds me of when Joe Strummer of the Clash first went into the recording studio.  The band members began setting up their instruments as usual, and the sound engineer comes barging in, insisting the band members set up instead in separate rooms.  Joe asks why, and the sound engineer responds something about needing separation.  Joe responds: “I don’t know what separation is, but I don’t like it.”  This is my opinion exactly: I know nothing about infared saunas and don’t like them.

Some like quiet and tranquility, especially Scandinavians.  Some like quiet conversation.  Either way, I think many like some music while taking a sauna,  but what is the right kind of music while relaxing in a sauna?  Let’s get a list going:

No: Bon Jovi, Emerson Lake & Palmer.

Yes: Toumani Diabati, Thievery Corporation.

What do you like to listen to, while in the sauna?