Enjoy the cool down, and keep the Octoberfest.

The cool down is often even more enjoyable than the heat up.

Once folks start feeling this, I recognize either:

1.       #1.  Their saunas are located in places of great repose.
2.       #2.  They are in tune to the rubber band theory – expanding of the mind, body, spirit.

Regarding #1:  Though not everybody is fortunate enough to own lakefront property, or be able to build their health wellness retreat along the banks of a babbling brook, I want to encourage everybody to create their own slice of outdoor repose.  A simple deck with a few patio chairs, maybe a fire pit.  Introduce some native greenery – birches and pines perhaps.  Also, adjacent to the hot room door, the changing room should be more than just a place to dump your clothes.  It is wonderfully important to establish a place where one can enjoy their time between sauna rounds.  Do you have a sauna in your basement?  Next sauna, go outside and hang out for a few minutes.  Even if your sauna is next to your laundry room, bring down a tall plant, carve out a corner to hang out between sauna rounds.

Regarding #2:  Once above is in place, now I encourage all sauna users to apply a simple practice (not a rule, but a practice).  At least equal time cooling down as heating up.  It is critical to allow enough time, in a cool environment, for the body to cool down.  The mind will play tricks on your body in cold weather.  You will feel icy cold air against your hot skin and your mind will say “get back in the sauna!”.  Don’t give into this.  It is like a hot chick at the high school party saying:  “bet you can’t chug that half bottle of vodka”.  You can do it, but you’ve just shortened your enjoyment.

Listen to the core of your body.  

Listen not to the hot chick, nor your mind, nor the ice cold against your skin.  Your body is like a radiator.  Mass holding heat.  As your body cools, great things happen.  Allow the time to experience it.

Here are two knuckleheads enjoying the cool down between sauna rounds: