You are here: Home / Blog

Its ok to be a wood (burning) snob.

August 11, 2011 By Glenn 1 Comment

If you see a wood pile, can you walk over and identify the species?  Are you in tune to how different wood burns?  Folks with saunas and wood burning fireplaces in cold climates like Alaska, Minnesota, Canada are in tune.  These folks have to be in tune.  Proper BTU management is pretty critical.  Burn crappy wood, be cold.  Burn good wood, stay warm.

My Favorite Wood to Burn:

  1. Birch – burns fairly fast, but hot.  BONUS:  birch bark is nature’s gasoline.
  2. Red Oak – a great winter burning wood.  Long lasting, compact fire, clean hot burn.
  3. Maple – not as intense as oak, yet similar properties.
  4. 2nd LAST PLACE: Jack Pine – takes up space in the fire box and emits little in return.
  5. 1st LAST PLACE: Wet wood, or unseasoned wood, or dried out lifeless wood.

What is your Favorite Wood to Burn in Sauna?:

Filed Under: Philosophy, Sauna how to

Can Sauna Improve Your Personality?

July 20, 2011 By Stephen 2 Comments

Ever meet somebody and tell them you’re into sauna to which they respond, “I just don’t like to sweat.” Ever wonder what that’s all about? Ever wonder if their dislike of sweating reflects their uptight, neurotic personality style?

Recent research supports that those with higher neurotic personality traits have greater difficulty coping with heat stress (LeBlanc, Ducharme, Pasto, & Tompson, 2003).

LeBlanc, Ducharme, Pasto, and Tompson (2003) investigated the relationship of personality traits to people’s responses to warm and cold environments with 20 young healthy adults. The personality measure used was the Big Five Personality Inventory. Higher scores on each of the five scales are related to higher self-reported levels of Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism and Openness.

For both the cold and the hot environments, the researchers found that people who scored high for Neuroticism (tendency to be anxious, fearful, sensitive, & self-critical) had both a higher discomfort rate and a lower autonomic nervous system (ANS) response.

In other words, when in the cold environment (10º C) they reported it to be highly uncomfortable and shivered less than normals. In the hot environment (40º C), they found it highly uncomfortable and sweated less.

So now the big question is: Do people with more stabile personalities gravitate toward sauna or does sauna help promote a more solid personality? My guess is it’s a little of both.

Reference

LeBlanc, J. Ducharme, M.B., Pasto, L. and Thompson, M. (2003). Response to thermal stress and personality. Physiology and Behavior, 80, (1) 69-74.

 

Filed Under: Health and wellness, Sweat Therapy Tagged With:

Sauna Burns Fat

July 7, 2011 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Researchers from Poland and Japan teamed up to investigate the effects of sauna on fat metabolism in young women. Twenty women exposed to repeated Finnish sauna sessions resulted in decreases to bad cholesterol and increases to good cholesterol. The researchers concluded that regular sauna use may prevent cardiovascular disease. SEE FULL ARTICLE.

Filed Under: Health and wellness Tagged With:

Do Traditional Saunas Raise Core Body Temperature?

June 27, 2011 By Clint 2 Comments

Of course they do. Unfortunately, infrared dealers love to tell everyone that they don’t. They tell you that an infrared room raises your core temperature 3 degrees, and that you derive many health benefits from that. Then they say, “Can’t do that in a hot, uncomfortable traditional sauna!” Gimme a break.

Before you watch the video, let me say that I rarely think about the health benefits when I’m in the sauna. I just do it because it feels great. Now, if you are into the health benefits, traditional saunas are just as good, if not better, than infrared rooms. Mainly because you get both the heat benefits and the surge of negative ions. But…that’s another post. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Health and wellness Tagged With:

How much water should I toss on the sauna rocks?

June 23, 2011 By Glenn Leave a Comment

Just as Minnesota Fats, the famous pool player, would advise that there are two ways to hit a pool shot – soft and softer, there are two ways to toss water on sauna rocks: start with a little water, then add a little more.

You can always toss more water as you go.letting loyly hit your skin

As Clint points out, all sauna stoves are made to take water.  Rocks on sauna stoves are a thermal mass of heat energy.  That heat is transferred to steam, as water gets tossed on rocks.  That steam then gets transferred to your body as it comes in contact with your skin.

You can toss a liter of water on the rocks and try to “ride it out” but this macho ploy is best reserved for the art of reverse cycling.

Loyly supports the rubber band theory of sauna, great for your skin and breathing.

Steam from water being tossed on sauna rocks, Loyly, is a spiritual thing, involving negative ions.  Fire (sauna stove), Earth (sauna rocks), and Water (via loyly) create an aura akin to water falls and rainbows, something beyond this writer’s ability to put into words without any mind altering assistance.

BONUS: Starting with a little water, then adding more doesn’t shock your sauna stove, so in theory, you stove will suffer less fatigue.

OTHER BONUS: Rocks will be less depleted of thermal mass and respond quicker to more water with a smile and a sizzle.

MISNOMER: The temperature in a sauna does not go up when you toss water on sauna rocks.  It just feels hotter because heat is transferred via water vapor onto your skin.

JAB: Infrared is NOT a sauna.

Filed Under: Sauna how to Tagged With: , , , ,

Sauna Timers Are Worthless

June 22, 2011 By Clint 3 Comments

“How long should I stay in the sauna?”

I get this question a lot and here is the answer:

“Until pouring ice cold water over your head is the best idea you’ve ever heard.”

There are far too many factors that negate a specified time, such as:

  1. When you last ate.
  2. Your body weight.
  3. Your level of hydration.
  4. Your individual tolerance of extreme temperatures.

If anything, I would argue that timers can be dangerous, so don’t use them at all. Wait until pouring ice cold water over your head is the best idea you’ve ever heard.

Note: substitute a jump in the lake or a roll in the snow when applicable.

Cheers!

Filed Under: Sauna how to

All Sauna Stoves Are Made To Take Water

June 21, 2011 By Clint 1 Comment

If it has rocks on it, it takes water. There is no such thing as a “dry sauna.” Regardless of what the sign at the hotel says, where there are rocks, there should be water. No company in the world makes a sauna stove that is intended to be dry.

There. Now you can confidently sneak a large bottle of water into the sauna at your hotel so you can have a proper Finnish sauna.

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Le Scandinave Spa in the forest of Whistler, BC restores faith in public sauna

June 12, 2011 By Glenn 1 Comment

Yours truly got a little critical critiquing Spa Palace in New York, so it’s only fair to project a different vibe towards Scandinave Spa Whistler.  The compelling difference can be summed up by one word: nature.  Scandinave Spa: “20,000-square feet of Scandinavian baths artfully concealed in the forest” reports Michael McCarthy, for The Province, “your online source for news in British Columbia.”

Michael relates his romantic off season weekend experience in Whistler: hiking, spa, relaxing, great food & wine.  This is the kind of place and environment where sauna fits so well. For sauna complements well unhurried, amongst nature.

Reminds me of a friend, who was dragged along by his wife, redeeming their anniversary present for his and her massage:  “how long is this going to take, honey?  I promised Jim i’d come over after and hang some sheet rock.”

Have you been to Scandinave Spa?

Filed Under: Product reviews Tagged With: , ,

A hot sauna on a hot day?

June 7, 2011 By Clint 1 Comment

It’s 102 in Minneapolis, MN today and I’ve mentioned to several people that I’ll be taking a sauna later, in case they’d like to join me.

“What? Are you crazy? It’s 102 today!”

Exactly. It’s 102. Just as some runners use saunas to train for hot weather running, I use saunas to tolerate hot weather in general. It works remarkably well.

When you’re first introduced to the sauna, your inclination is to head for the hills when the steam comes barreling toward you. After a few sessions you start to realize that, not only is it quite tolerable, but it actually feels gooooooooood! When the steam hits, you learn to just let it in.

And so it is when I walk out of my 73 degree air conditioned house into 102 degrees…

I just let it in.

Filed Under: Health and wellness, Weather Tagged With: ,

Portable Bike Sauna Is Incredible

May 31, 2011 By Clint Leave a Comment

I’ve drooled over every mobile sauna online for longer than I care to admit. A mobile sauna provides opportunities for a community gather like no other; if I had room in my yard to store one I’d already own one.

Then I see this incredible unit! A portable bike sauna! Are you kidding me? Look at that design too. Elegant, simple, and effective. Just like saunas should be. There is no end to the places I could bring this thing in Minneapolis, MN in the summer.

Kudos to the Czech design team at H3T Architects for designing this amazing mobile sauna powered by the eagerness in your own legs to pull up next to a lake and throw an impromptu sauna party. Splendid!

Filed Under: Types of saunas Tagged With: ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »