Whether you're a tourist here in Finland, an exchange student or even a native Finn, this video will guide you how to sauna and enjoy it the most. After all, sauna is almost mandatory for one to stay sane here in the North.
Did you know: Sauna is good for your health as it reduces stress, eases asthma symptoms and lowers your blood pressure. And it also FEELS good! A perfect combo.
What usually bothers foreigners is the Finnish perception of nakedness. Traditionally, Finnish sauna is a non-erotic experience where genders are mixed and nakedness is seen as a natural thing. HOWEVER, the right sauna experience is totally up to you! You can mix genders or not, you can have sauna with a towel or not, you can adjust the temperature as you like... THIS VIDEO IS INTENDED AS COMEDY AND IS FULL OF JOKES, SO YOU SHOULDN'T OBEY EVERYTHING THAT IS STATED HERE ;)
This video is a "bit" quick-paced, I'll recap some of the central things:
-"Löyly" is casually used in different contexts around Finland but actually it means the hot steam which rises from the sauna stove rocks after you've thrown water there. "Löyly" creates the sudden warm sensation in sauna.
-Many sauna items have the word "löyly" in them. Here are some:
* "löylykiulu" = the water container in sauna
* "löylykauha" = the scoop you throw water with
* "löylyvesi" = the water you throw on the sauna stove
-"Vihta" (or "vasta" as it's called in Eastern Finland) is a bunch of birch twigs that are used in sauna to spice up the experience. You gently hit your skin with the "vihta" and in fact it feels really good. Using "vihta" accelerates surface blood circulation, removes old skin cells and it produces a lovely scent in the room.
-The optimal temperature in sauna is purely based on personal preferences. Some people like it over 100 degrees, other prefer milder temperatures. My personal favorite is around 70-80 degrees.
-Sauna is best with friends and it's also good to have other people there in case you get something stuck between the bench planks (hehe)
-It's up to you whether you want to add fragrance to the "löyly" water but if you do, follow the instructions of the product (usually 5-10 drops will do the trick)
If there's still something that you want to know about this unique tradition, please feel free to fill up the comment section with lively conversation!