A steamy love affair

Whether it’s a steam room or sauna, Filipinos can’t seem to get enough of heated rooms. One foreigner wondered, "Why, can’t the locals get enough of the warm and humid environment?"

One reason they’re hot is that at present, both steam and sauna are regular fixtures of health clubs, apartment buildings, country clubs, and day spas.

What are the real benefits of being in the steam room or sauna? How long should you stay? What are the precautions? How often should you go? These are common questions that some people are afraid to ask because they might be laughed at and tagged as naive.

Made In Finland

Sauna is the only Finnish word to make it to the dictionary. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, America’s favorite doctor, you pronounce it sow-na (as in cow) and not saw-na. While Finland is the home of "the connoisseurs of perspiratory entertainment" since about 90 percent of its small population are sauna users, the ritual of sweating for health, relaxation, and cleanliness takes place in other cultures.

There are the Turkish bath or the hamman, the Russian bania, the sweat lodge of the Eskimos and American Indians, and the temescal of Mexico. A Russian bath is actually a steam-filled sauna. On the other hand, in the Turkish hamman, the heat is supplied by dry air, not steam.

It was the Finnish tradition though that stuck perhaps because of the passions by which the Finns practiced and promoted their sauna. Hence, the Finnish-style sauna is the most common modern steam bath.

The sauna was initially intended for locations close to the water (sea, lake or river) but now, it is located near the shower rooms. The real sauna is heated with a wood fire. The savusauna, the most traditional type, is a smoke sauna from burning wood.

The modern electric saunas are strictly for city apartments, health clubs and country clubs. Though some say that sweat is sweat, no matter the cause, any Finn will argue that the heat from an electric stove is dry and lacks the character of steam coming from a wood-fired stove. They also claim that the preparation and pungency of the wood fire are essential aspects of the ritual.

A Holistic Doctor’s View

Dr. Andrew Weil, a licensed doctor who successfully blended medicine and alternative modalities, discusses his views on the matter in his website: "To me, the benefits far outweigh any hazards. If you’re in reasonable health, the benefits of a sauna or steam bath are great. If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, saunas may be good for you, but you’ll want to be cautious; check with your physician first, and go easy. And with either of these conditions, it’s not a good idea to jump right into cold water afterward, as Finns always do."

He further states, "When you take a sauna, the heat pumps up blood circulation near the skin and stimulates sweating. The Finns say a proper sauna elicits about a quart of sweat per hour. I generally encourage sweating. It helps the body rid itself of unwanted materials and improves general circulation. In medieval times, healers relied on saunas to cure illnesses, and priests used their heat to chase away evil spirits."

Dr. Weil explains, "Even if you’re in a very hot steam bath or sauna, it’s mostly the temperature of the surface of your body that goes up. As it increases, blood vessels dilate, and circulation in the skin climbs. As resistance to blood flow through your veins and capillaries drops, your blood pressure goes down. Then your heartbeat increases to keep blood pressure normal."

But the good doctor warns, "Finns always follow a sauna with a plunge into cold water. I find this incredibly refreshing and enjoyable, and healthy as well. Then you relax afterwards. The main risk of a sauna is staying in too long and fainting from overheating. People who are most susceptible to this are those with heart disease or who have been using drugs or alcohol. It really isn’t a good idea to combine drinking or other drugs with a sauna or hot tub. Children should not use saunas without supervision. Also, be sure you drink plenty of water, to replace the water you’re losing."

He also cautions against pregnant women taking steam baths or saunas. "A study published four years ago in the Journal of the American Medical Association found some association between neural-tube defects and heat exposure from saunas, hot tubs, and fever during the first three months of pregnancy. (Neural-tube defects include anencephaly and spina bifida, both disastrous abnormalities.) The biggest problem was hot tubs, which pregnant women should approach cautiously," Dr. Weil adds.

Sweet Perspiration?

Opinions vary on the tangible medical benefits of steam and sauna. Experts believe though that keeping the body temperature as close as possible to 37 degrees Centigrade helps to expel wastes. The more obvious benefit is relaxation that creates for some a near-spiritual trance.

Dr. Craig Horswill of the Gatorade Exercise Physiology Laboratory cites several physiological benefits derived from sitting in a sauna, whirlpool or steam room. These include an increase in metabolic rate, cleansing of pores, burning of body fat, and purifying the body. He debunked all of these much-touted benefits except a slight rise in metabolic rate.

"Typical responses of our bodies to hot temperature include increasing the heart rate and the blood flow to the skin. Also, there may be a small decrease in blood pressure. With these responses, there is a slight increase in the rate of resting energy expenditure, but only burning energy stored in the body," he points out.

He also clarifies that contrary to popular belief, sweating does not "purify" the body of contaminants; rather it is the liver and kidneys that do that dirty work. A person should not stay in the steam, sauna, or whirlpool for a long period of time especially after a sweat-drenched afternoon of exercising or playing sports. That combination compounds the problem of losing much body water and electrolyte.

"The only purpose for sweating is to cool the body. In situations where the sweat rolls off the body without evaporating (e.g., in the steam room or the whirlpool), no evaporation takes place and the body continues to sweat, and eventually becomes dehydrated from the loss of water. Significant amounts of sodium can also be lost. Dehydration and sodium loss in a hot environment can lead to muscle cramps and to heat illness," Dr. Horswill warns.

I know of some people who like going to the sauna because they believe it helps them lose weight. They also do not drink water because they think it will replace the fluid they lost and they will gain the weight back. This is really a harmful practice and sauna addicts should listen to what the experts say: The weight change is temporary and in no way related to a reduction in fat.

Fluids lost during sweating should be replaced – period. Fluid consumption should start even before the workout or sauna session is finished. "For the most rapid recovery, a sports drink (e.g., Gatorade) that contains both glucose, a carbohydrate, and sodium is advisable. The presence of both glucose and sodium in a drink stimulates faster absorption of fluid compared to that of consuming water alone. In addition to speeding rehydration, both nutrients offer other benefits. The sodium replaces sodium lost in the sweat, and glucose helps restore muscle energy (glycogen) that was expended," says Dr. Horswill.

Sweaty Do’s And Dont's

Used properly, the steam or sauna can reduce physical and mental stress and boost relaxation. To get the most out of your sauna or steam bath session, observe the following guidelines as cited in the Reader’s Digest Complete Manual on Fitness & Well Being:

• Before entering the steam or sauna, bathe properly and take off your jewelry and clothing (some just wrap themselves in a towel while others wear their bathing suit). After five minutes, you will begin to perspire, take a cold shower and then re-enter the sauna. Repeat this sequence two or three times until you feel relaxed. Take a final cool shower and rest for about half an hour.

• If you suffer from a heart condition or high blood pressure, stay away from these heated rooms unless your doctor gives you the clearance. After only seven minutes in a sauna, the heart rate almost doubles, imposing a dangerous strain on a weak heart.

• Babies and young children gain and lose heat extremely rapidly because of the large ratio of their exposed skin versus their body weight. Heat therapy at such young age is not advisable.

• Elderly people should stay at the cooler lower benches or coolest portion of the steam or sauna room. They should stay no longer than five minutes.

• Never drink alcohol before or during a sauna/steam session. It leads to serious dehydration aside from the fact that you may "pass out" inside the heated chambers.

• Overheating puts a strain on the heart and subsequent prescribed cooling (like a dip in the cold pool or a cold shower) may result in a chill or respiratory problems to those not used to the practice or have weak immune systems. A brief cold shower speeds up the body’s return to normal condition. If you can’t do that, make sure you get at least 30 minutes of rest before doing anything that requires much effort.

• Get a clearance from your doctor if you are suffering from diabetes, inflammation of the nose or eyes, or any disorder that may be aggravated by extreme heat. Caution and a doctor’s opinion are also required for expectant mothers, patients with a heavy cold, flu, a heavy menstrual period, glandular obesity, low blood pressure or varicose veins.

• Cool down before you heat up. Don’t enter a hot tub or sauna immediately after exercise. Wait until you stop sweating and your pulse rate returns to normal.

• Maximum time for sauna, steam room, or hot tub is 15 minutes. Never stay too long and get out as soon as you feel uncomfortable.

• This I have to add. The steam and sauna are public facilities that all the members should be able to enjoy. Do your share in keeping it clean and hygienic. Please do not urinate inside, have sex or play with adult toys. It is already too hot, too steamy, too cramped and too public for comfort.

Despite our being in the hot tropics, it seems that steam and sauna rooms are here to stay. Literally, the heat is on!

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E-mail mylene@bender-and-strands.com for comments and questions.