The top 10 Precautions when using a sauna

• Anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol should stay clear from the Sauna.  Alcohol dehydrates the body and using the Sauna would dehydrate even more. Also you are not using your best judgment when under the influence.

• Persons with low blood pressure or heart disease should exercise caution. The heat of the Sauna causes the capillaries in the skin to dilate, which in effect lowers blood pressure. Heartbeat increases to keep blood pressure normal. Use caution and pay attention to how you feel before and after a Sauna.

• Children should be supervised in the Sauna. Children in Finland start enjoying the Sauna at a very young age. It is best to start a child at a lower temperature or have them sit on the lower bench where it is cooler.

• Sauna is a wonderful and relaxing experience of cleansing the body and can be enjoyed by most people. Again, it is best to check with a physician if you have any medical conditions or feel any adverse effects. Most of all, the Sauna is a matter of common sense. Your body will let you know when it is time to exit the Sauna if you get too hot. Remember to drink plenty of water or other fluids after the Sauna to replace what you have lost.

• Remove jewelry and glasses before entering the sauna. Metal will get burning hot, and heat causes capillaries and skin to swell making rings and tight bracelets constricting. Contact lenses may dry and provoke eye irritation–pop them out before sweat bathing. 

• Eating before sweat bathing puts a strain on the circulatory system. If one had a heavy meal, do not have a sauna session for at least 4 hours.

• As before swimming, wait an hour or two after a large meal before entering a sweat bath. Also, it is best not to bathe on an empty stomach. Sauna session, like any exercise, uses energy and some people in a depleted condition may experience nausea or even fainting. Settle for lower temperatures and shorter bathing sessions. It is also sensible to avoid sweat bathing when you are physically exhausted or after a long illness. Mental exhaustion is not included in this caution. Finnish students traditionally recuperate in the sauna after the year's final exam.

• Do NOT use the sauna if you are undergoing medical attention, without the prior consent of your doctor.

• Do NOT use the sauna if you are pregnant, suffering from a heart disorder, have abnormal blood pressure or circulatory problems, are a diabetic, suffer from excess fluid retention, have a skin disorder that may be aggravated by heat or humidity, are suffering from a skin infection, have an open wound or have a respiratory disorder {e.g. cough, cold or flu}, unless otherwise advised by your doctor.

• Do NOT stay in the sauna for more than 10 minutes. If you wish to return to the sauna, allow a suitable rest period of at least 5 minutes. Total time in the sauna should not exceed 25 minutes – 10 minutes in the sauna, 5 minutes rest, 10 minutes in the sauna.