For centuries, saunas have been used to relax and rejuvenate the body and mind as well as provide a wide variety of health benefits. In recent years, the use of saunas have increased significantly with new sauna technologies being developed such as the infrared sauna which has provided even more health benefits. To understand how the sauna developed, it is helpful to know its origination and evolution.
Historical documentation shows that around 2000 years ago, the Finnish were avid users of the sauna. They were a primitive sauna that consisted of pits in the ground where people sat during the cold winters for warmth. There was a fireplace where stones were placed and then heated until they were red hot.
People would sit naked and relax in the heat. They were also used as a type of bathing method. It was not until the 19th century that more advanced saunas were built in Finland. These advance saunas had wooden log walls, a roof, and a door. Originally known as Savusauna (smoke sauna), they produced smoke which escaped through vents and thereby did not harm sauna users. Although difficult to clean and a potential risk of fire, these ground smoke saunas were the foundation for future saunas. These saunas were also used as a place to give birth and care for the sick. Eventually, sauna users began drizzling water over the stones which caused steamed to be produced.
In late 1800's, another type of sauna was developed. With this type of sauna, a metal top covered the stones and it was affixed to a chimney where the smoke was dispersed outdoors. The temperature of the sauna was controlled by closing and opening a small door. As well, the amount of rocks used and the intensity of the fire helped control the temperature. The benefits of using this type of sauna became widely known with many being installed on the property of homeowners. By late 1920's, urban areas began building saunas for the community to use. World War II saw an even bigger increase in the construction of saunas.
As technology advanced, electrical stoves began to be used in saunas in Finland in the mid-20th century. It became popular because it was convenient and fewer trees wasted. Stones were still heated and water was still sprinkled over the stones to produce steam. Over time, as people became more aware of the health benefits of maintaining proper hygiene, saunas were improved. Throughout the years and in different cultures, there were a variety of different types of saunas used. For instance, the Turkish hammam or steam bath, Native American inipi or sweat lodge, Russian banya, and the Roman thermae or public bath, were used.
Today, innovations in technology have resulted in the development of infrared heat therapy saunas. The infrared sauna has had a remarkable positive impact on the sauna industry. People can now find traditional steam saunas and infrared saunas in such places as homes, health clubs, fitness centers, spas, clinics, rehabilitation centers, sports clinics, hotels, and luxury resorts. The price of saunas has decreased significantly in recent years which has resulted people from all walks of life using them instead of just the wealthy.Outdoor saunas in particular have gained in popularity recently. It is now used for relaxation and stress reduction, and improving one's physical health and well being. People across the globe enjoy the benefits of an ancient tradition.
After a tough workout, enjoy time in a sauna to relax and burn some additional calories. Saunas are great for your skin and many people use them daily.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Beauty Therapy
If you ever heard anybody talk about how nice a pedicure or facial mask might be after they had a long stressful day at the office, and you already have an idea of what beauty therapy is.
Sure it's true that a lot of people "pamper themselves" because they like the way that skin and hair treatments make them look, but there's another, much more therapeutic side to the beautification of your own body.
The fact is that any time you do something for yourself that makes you feel like a more beautiful person, especially if it's not something you're able to do that often, it goes a long way to making you feel better about yourself as a whole.
Everything about the experience, from the mood music you usually find in a day spa, to the relaxing vibrations of receiving a pedicure, makes beauty therapy feel more like a vacation than anything else.
If you know that when you leave the beauty parlor you'll have better looking nails, better looking hair, or possibly a clearer complexion, you're going to be filled with a renewed type of confidence that you might not have known otherwise.
It has been said that self-improvement is one of the highest forms of therapy, and the nature of beauty therapy appeals to what many would consider to be the basis of societal needs; in other words, beauty therapy helps to give a person recognition from other people.
If you've just spent hours changing up your look, the best feeling in the world is walking down the street and getting compliments on how nice to look from friends and strangers alike.
In that sense, beauty therapy is less about the actual transformation, and more about the confidence and good feelings about one's own life that come about when people whose opinions matter to them take notice.
Sometimes there may be particular things about the way a person looks that they don't like. Perhaps they have a bad case of acne, or they are self-conscious about some other minor feature about themselves that they think other people can easily notice.
In that case, beauty therapy that is targeted at masking these perceived stigmas helps a person to feel new again. Acne treatment, for example, has come a long way and there are many methods that are very effective at giving a person a clear complexion.
Not only is the exfoliating mask you might receive a relaxing experience in and of itself, but you're able to leave with the knowledge that you have done something to benefit you as a person. A lot of people think that too much beauty therapy is an indication that a person has vanity, but the truth is that beauty therapy allows a person to think less about themselves, and flaws about their own personal appearance, and more about the world outside.
Beautiful people are often much more confident, happy, and productive members of society. Beauty therapy simply helps everyone to discover the inner beauty within themselves.
Sure it's true that a lot of people "pamper themselves" because they like the way that skin and hair treatments make them look, but there's another, much more therapeutic side to the beautification of your own body.
The fact is that any time you do something for yourself that makes you feel like a more beautiful person, especially if it's not something you're able to do that often, it goes a long way to making you feel better about yourself as a whole.
Everything about the experience, from the mood music you usually find in a day spa, to the relaxing vibrations of receiving a pedicure, makes beauty therapy feel more like a vacation than anything else.
If you know that when you leave the beauty parlor you'll have better looking nails, better looking hair, or possibly a clearer complexion, you're going to be filled with a renewed type of confidence that you might not have known otherwise.
It has been said that self-improvement is one of the highest forms of therapy, and the nature of beauty therapy appeals to what many would consider to be the basis of societal needs; in other words, beauty therapy helps to give a person recognition from other people.
If you've just spent hours changing up your look, the best feeling in the world is walking down the street and getting compliments on how nice to look from friends and strangers alike.
In that sense, beauty therapy is less about the actual transformation, and more about the confidence and good feelings about one's own life that come about when people whose opinions matter to them take notice.
Sometimes there may be particular things about the way a person looks that they don't like. Perhaps they have a bad case of acne, or they are self-conscious about some other minor feature about themselves that they think other people can easily notice.
In that case, beauty therapy that is targeted at masking these perceived stigmas helps a person to feel new again. Acne treatment, for example, has come a long way and there are many methods that are very effective at giving a person a clear complexion.
Not only is the exfoliating mask you might receive a relaxing experience in and of itself, but you're able to leave with the knowledge that you have done something to benefit you as a person. A lot of people think that too much beauty therapy is an indication that a person has vanity, but the truth is that beauty therapy allows a person to think less about themselves, and flaws about their own personal appearance, and more about the world outside.
Beautiful people are often much more confident, happy, and productive members of society. Beauty therapy simply helps everyone to discover the inner beauty within themselves.
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