For Russian people, the bathhouse has always been not only one of the ways to maintain personal hygiene and cleanliness, but a place for relaxation and calm, a temple of body and soul. The popularity of the bathhouse and its modern version, the sauna, is only growing. How to go to the bathhouse correctly so as not to harm your health, but only get benefits and a good mood? We will talk about this in the article.
The effect of bath procedures on the body
First of all, the bathhouse is loved for its benefits and assistance in normalizing the functioning of individual body systems and improving the health of the body as a whole. Let's take a closer look:
- The cardiovascular system. When the body warms up, all blood vessels dilate, facilitating and accelerating blood flow. Metabolism improves, stagnant processes in tissues are eliminated. The composition of the blood changes for the better by increasing the number of leukocytes and saturating tissues with oxygen. Contrast dousing, rubbing with snow and simply a fresh cool breeze after steaming relieves vascular spasm. All this has a positive effect on the symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia, alleviating them and training capillary blood circulation.
- Digestive system. Exposure to high temperatures dilutes the acidity of gastric juice. This helps relieve the symptoms of gastritis and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Excretory system. Under the influence of steam, all our pores open up and active sweating occurs. Sebum, toxins - everything is removed from the body. Huge aesthetic benefits for the skin itself.
- Muscular system. Removal of toxins and salts, improvement of blood circulation - everything leads to a visual tightening of all our folds. Excess lactic acid, which interferes with the conduction of nerve impulses, is also removed through the pores. There is a feeling of relaxation and painlessness in the muscles.
As a result, we receive benefits for the whole body. How to go to the bathhouse correctly, who can and who can’t - read below.
Contraindications to visiting the bathhouse
Taking into account the advice of both doctors and Russian steam room lovers, the following points can be highlighted:
- Do not visit the sauna or take a steam bath if you feel unwell or have a fever. Steam is akin to a thermal catalyst - it accelerates all processes in the body. Here we can include high blood pressure, suspicion of peritonitis or appendicitis, acute respiratory infections and other types of colds, including sore throat. When inhaling, all pathogens from the surface of the tonsils spread to all respiratory tracts. Beginning bronchitis or tracheitis will be provided. You should not go with a cough in the midst of the disease. You can provoke an exacerbation when copious sputum production is simply harmful.
- If we consider simply physical fatigue, then bath procedures will not bring pleasure, and therefore no benefit. High temperatures require endurance and strength. If they are not there, you should not strain your already strained muscles, just sit, warm up a little and rinse off.
- You need to go to the bathhouse before meals or an hour after eating. But you shouldn't starve either. Have something light to eat.
That's all. If you do not have chronic diseases and can tolerate hot air well, then you are ready for bath procedures.
How often can you go to the bathhouse?
Bath day is not just a figure of speech. This day has become a tradition, an occasion for relatives and friends to gather, relax and socialize. Usually such a day is postponed to the weekend, when all work is done.
I grew up in a village, and our bath day was always on Saturday or Sunday. More often in summer. Then it was a given, and only when I began to be interested in health and natural care did I really fall in love with bath days. Now, unfortunately, it is not often possible to get into the bathhouse.
To maintain health, it is recommended to go to a steam bath at least once a week. You can do it twice if possible. But not more often.
At the dawn of history
Since ancient times, since the times of the sages of Ancient Greece, public baths have been the concentration of giants of thought and the fathers of democracy there. It was there that, in addition to the adoption of hygienic and general health procedures, heated and, at times, fierce disputes arose regarding the meaning of existence and the essence of the mortal world.
There, great discoveries in the fields of arithmetic, physics and geometry were often born. The good initiative of the Greeks was picked up by no less great Rome. The Romans gradually began to introduce mass baths for citizens of the empire. The famous city baths of Diocletian were able to simultaneously accommodate about 3,000 people.
In addition to the bath areas themselves, there were lecture halls, gymnastics, playgrounds and other useful bonuses. Not bad at this time, isn’t it?
The water supply system, advanced at that time, was provided by the abundant flow of aqueducts and included almost full-fledged water supply and sewerage. The benefits of ancient Roman civilization were successfully destroyed by the barbarians in 537, who considered such achievements unnecessary. From this time on, the decline of the classical Roman bath began.
It was remembered only in 1856, when the Irish doctor Richard Barter, in collaboration with the famous popularizer of Turkish baths in the British Isles, David Urquhart, built classic Roman baths, but somewhat modernized, on the Irish hills near Blarney.
Due to the introduction into the design of elements of Irish dry-air baths with their perfect air supply and ventilation systems, and stoves heated by inexpensive, but extremely high-calorie fuel - British Cardiff coal.
The public liked the baths so much that they immediately moved from the islands to the continent and from there began their triumphal march across Europe.
Sandunovo baths - the pride of the empire
In Russia, the bath industry loudly declared itself in 1808 with the opening of the legendary Sandunovsky baths, or Sandun, in common parlance. It was there, in the floodplain of the Neglinnaya River, that an establishment was formed that has retained its main profile to this day.
Moscow poured into them, especially into the men’s and women’s “noble” departments, arranged with amenities previously unheard of in Moscow: a dressing room with a mirrored hall, with clean sheets on soft sofas, well-trained servants, experienced bath attendants and bath attendants. The dressing room became a club where the most diverse society met - everyone found here their own circle of acquaintances, and, moreover, a buffet with all kinds of drinks, from kvass to Moët and Aya champagne. Both Griboyedov's and Pushkin's Moscow visited these baths, the one that gathered in the salon of Zinaida Volkonskaya and in the English Club.
Reporter Gilyarovsky, a great connoisseur of metropolitan life, wrote in his book “Moscow and Muscovites”.
It was this circumstance, a certain club component and innovation that created the name and well-deserved fame for the Sandunov Baths.
It is worth noting the technical equipment. After reconstruction at the end of the 19th century, water was delivered by steam pumps through a separate drinking water supply from a water intake on the Moscow River and a deep artesian well. In addition, there was electric lighting, which was rare at that time. The decoration was amazing and was made by the best craftsmen from European materials. The pricing policy also remained reasonable and balanced, general departments were priced from 5 to 50 kopecks, individual rooms and apartments from 60 kopecks to a considerable 5 rubles in those well-fed times.
Age of Industrialization
In the country of victorious socialism, the city bathhouse continued to play a very important role, as an effective means of personal hygiene and simply as an iconic public platform. Few houses could boast of having not only a bathroom, but also running water and sewerage as such.
The rapidly growing industrial centers in the European part of the country required workers, but could not always provide their owners with at least some living space. Old barracks and landowner stables were also used for settlement. The dormitories under construction were also not always famous for their relative comfort. Under these conditions, factory baths came to the aid of city baths.
Bath paraphernalia: what to take with you to the steam room
A bathhouse is a place where you can not only wash yourself, but also relax and unwind. We spend some time in the bathhouse (it takes me an hour), so it’s important to take the necessary things with you:
- Tea or water. The body loses fluid in the steam room, so you always want to drink in the bathhouse. Let it be just drinking water, but it is much better if it is herbal tea.
- Broom. You can even have several different ones. Very convenient are small in size, light, collected from young fluffy branches into an oblong and round shape.
- A cap on your head , a mitten for hot food so that it doesn’t burn you when you give in to it.
- Aromatic oils or herbal decoction to give the steam more healing and aroma. I always take one essential oil with me and spray it on stones and walls.
- Scrubs, masks. How could we live without them? I don’t have a single bath without a scrub. It works best on a steamed body. Without my favorite cosmetics, I feel bored in the bathhouse). I also apply masks to my hair - they work better in a hot steam room.
How to take a bath/sauna correctly
First of all, you need to follow a few simple but mandatory rules:
- Take off all your jewelry if you plan to go to the steam room. When heated, metals can harm your skin and burn it.
- Warm up the body gradually. To rid your body of possible stress , you should take a hot shower.
- Dry your skin after showering. Water prevents sweating, which is why it is best to enter the steam room with a dry body.
- The Russian bath does not involve procedures in a swimsuit, since they may have decorative elements and fasteners made of metal; this poses a risk of burns. Also, most swimsuits are made of synthetics, which prevents the body from breathing.
- Protects delicate areas of the skin from exposure to hot steam. Before the steam room, you should smear your eyelids and chest with a rich cream - this will protect sensitive skin from possible burns.
When entering the steam room, you need to adapt your body and give it the opportunity to relax. To do this, you need to lie down on a hot wooden shelf. If you are in a public bathhouse, you should cover it with a towel.
Having warmed up and relaxed your body, you can proceed directly to the steam room with a broom. Important: before entering the steam room, you need to steam the broom in hot water for 10-15 minutes. This will make it possible to prepare a healing decoction used for rinsing hair and body after bath procedures. Then you can begin the procedure. This doesn't mean you have to be whipped like in the movies; on the contrary, a special parka technology has been thought out for beginners: starting with light pats on the back with a broom, smoothly moving to the legs, sides and shoulders. Then you should repeat what you did, but with greater force. Particular attention should be paid to the feet, because it is on them that many receptors are located that are responsible for the condition of the internal organs.
How to choose the main attribute of a Russian bath - a broom
What is a Russian bathhouse without a broom! This attribute is absent in eastern hammams and baths in other countries. One thing has been proven for a long time - the most accessible and inexpensive massage with 100% results is whipping with a bath broom. All steam lovers have their favorite broom, so I’ll tell you about the most common ones.
Birch
The most common and accessible. Helps well with muscle pain and aching joints. Birch leaves are famous for their antiseptic properties and help with various skin irritations. Also, one of the advantages of a birch broom is its help in the fight against chronic cough.
Oak
Carved, openwork. The steam disperses evenly throughout the body in a wide and hot wave. The main advantage is lowering and stabilizing blood pressure.
Lime
Has a slightly sweet smell. Good in combination with wormwood branches for headaches.
The benefits of brooms can be supplemented with essential oils of cedar, eucalyptus or fir. An orange is very harmonious for the mood. Add to broom water and enjoy.
Rules for visiting a Russian bath
The nature of the bath is wet steam, the temperature is about 65 - 70 degrees Celsius, and the humidity reaches 80% or more. The higher the humidity, the more difficult it is to tolerate the heat in the steam room. What rules are there when visiting a bathhouse, so as not to harm your health in such heat, but only get benefits?
First of all, find out if there are any contraindications for you. Don't forget to bring everything to make your stay in the bathhouse comfortable: brooms, towels, scrubs, masks, washcloths, head caps, delicious herbal tea. Remove jewelry before the sauna to avoid getting burned.
Get used to the heat gradually: don’t start steaming right away. Come into the bathhouse, sit downstairs and warm yourself up. You can go back to the dressing room to breathe. At the same time, walk calmly, without sudden movements, so as not to get a headache.
On the second run, start steaming. Work the broom from the bottom up. Before the steam room, you do not need to soap your body and head - this will interfere with maintaining the correct body temperature and you can overheat. Leave all cosmetic procedures for later. Scrubs and masks will work better on a steamed body and scalp.
After the steam room you can wash yourself. Apply the mask to your hair, and while it is working, wash your body and use a scrub. Afterwards, you can rinse the mask from your hair and wash it with shampoo.
Now you know how to go to the bathhouse correctly, but do not forget about safety precautions. We'll talk about it below.
Important nuances
For those who are visiting a sauna or bathhouse for the first time, it is important to follow a few tips. To make such a useful procedure enjoyable, the following is important:
- Enter the steam room only if you are dry . A person should wash only after taking a steam bath. This way you can get the best effect. A few minutes before steaming, it is useful to take a warm shower, but without using shower gels or soap.
- Before entering the steam room, as well as while you are there, you should not wet your hair . In this case, it is better to wet the bath cap once with ice water before the steam room and once while in it.
- When you enter the bathhouse for the first time, you first need to warm up properly . 5-7 minutes is enough for this. Afterwards you need to go out and drink green tea or kvass to warm up from the inside. Then you can start steaming using a broom.
- Do not overuse the sauna . The main rule is moderation and gradualism.
On the first run, it is better to sit on the lower bench. This will make the adjustment more comfortable.
If the temperature in the booth is about 100 degrees, then it is better not to stay in it for more than three minutes for the first time.
If you wish, you can take a dip in the pool, but it is very important to listen to your body and monitor the sensations. Any action should bring only pleasure.
While in the sauna you need to relax your body and soul as much as possible . During the breaks between soars you also need to rest. Only then will a trip to the bathhouse be as useful and effective as possible, and the person will leave healthy and happy.
It is also important to know that if you have asthma or cardiovascular diseases, visiting the steam room is strictly prohibited. If in doubt, it is best to consult your doctor.
Safety precautions in the bathhouse
For a Russian bath, it is necessary to have an open stove damper for better ignition of wood and ventilation. Without this, the smoke will spread throughout the entire bathhouse. You can simply be poisoned by combustion products.
It is desirable to have wooden handles for metal objects; if they are not there, then you should use a mitten. Don't forget it on the stove ledge next to the vat: it will just start to smolder.
People often get burned by steam when pouring water or applying steam. Be careful and don't rush. Do not open the hot water tap to full power if you are not confident in your abilities or feel weak.
First, cold water is poured into the washing basin, and then hot.
All these simple rules will allow you not to harm your health and not regret that you visited the bathhouse or sauna.
Behavior in a public bath
Generally accepted rules of behavior are structured in such a way that you do not cause any inconvenience to the people around you.
- Let's start with how you arrived: be sure to say hello to the service staff - you will not only show your upbringing, but also quickly become “one of our own.”
- In the locker room you need to behave with restraint: take off your clothes so as not to touch others and, most importantly, place your things in such a way that they do not disturb anyone.
- We choose a place for ourselves. Determine your washing area and under no circumstances touch things lying nearby, do not remove or move anything.
- Let's go to the steam room. Carefully soak the broom: do it so that hot water does not get on others or yourself. Do not pester visitors with advice and recommendations (unless, of course, you are not familiar enough).
Remember! Rules of conduct in a public bath include a ban on being naked in the waiting rooms. Do not disturb the staff, and do not use products that have strong odors.
