Who invented the bathhouse is a question that experts in human history still cannot give a precise answer to. One version says that the first bathhouses appeared during the times of Ancient Rome, and in them people not only washed and communicated, but also read books. There is also a version that washing with water and hot steam was invented in Arab countries. And, of course, it is widely believed that the first bathhouses were built in Rus' – the oldest mention of a Russian bathhouse dates back to 1113. In a Russian bathhouse, the air temperature reaches 60-90 degrees Celsius, and experienced bathhouse attendants heat it up to 120 degrees. When it is 30 degrees outside, we feel very bad, but in a hot bathhouse we enjoy it. What do you think this is connected with?
A hot sauna is more enjoyable than hot weather. Why is that? Image source: horosho.info
Contents
- 1 What is a sauna good for
- 2 What happens to a person in a sauna
- 3 Why is the heat outside harmful
- 4 Who shouldn't go to a sauna
What is a sauna good for
You may have heard that a sauna relieves stress, improves your mood, and even helps cure some illnesses. It may seem like sauna lovers are over-praising it, but it really is beneficial — there is scientific evidence to prove it.
In 2018, a systematic analysis of the results of studies on the effect of the sauna on human health was conducted. It was found that visiting a sauna can strengthen the cardiovascular system, as well as improve the condition of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Scientists also learned that the sauna helps with allergic rhinitis and mild depression.
A sauna with a broom improves your skin condition. Photo source: dzen.ru
A 2006 study showed that visiting a bathhouse helps relieve joint pain and headaches. And in 2019, evidence emerged that a bathhouse reduces the risk of sudden death from cardiac arrest. And every resident of Russia could experience the relaxing and calming effect of a bathhouse.
Read also: Our grandmothers were right – kombucha helps you lose weight and is good for your health
What happens to a person in a bathhouse
It is always hot in a good sauna – as was said, the air temperature in it sometimes rises to 90 degrees Celsius. Experts believe that heat significantly accelerates metabolism in tissues, which leads to muscle relaxation. Relaxation, in turn, leads to relief from spasms and clamps, and any pain becomes less pronounced or disappears altogether.
The most important thing in a bathhouse is not to fall asleep, because it can end in death. Photo source: dzen.ru
When a person sits in a hot bath, the body tries in every way to maintain body temperature at 36.6 degrees Celsius. When the thermoregulation mechanism is working, the person's vascular system is actively working, he breathes often and sweats profusely. For the vascular system, being in the heat is physical exercise, and a kind of training that improves the tone of the cardiovascular system.
Also in the bathhouse people use a broom, and can also open bottles with essential oils. They can have a positive effect on the respiratory system, and also have a calming effect.
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Why is the heat outside harmful?
Now we will answer the most important question: why do we feel bad in 30-degree heat outside, but good in an 80-degree bathhouse?
The reason is that we don't sit in the bathhouse for long. Three minutes is enough for beginners to experience pleasure, while regulars can endure about 10 minutes or even more. With short-term heating, the thermoregulation mechanism works in an intensive mode, many processes occur in the body at once, including the release of hormones of happiness. As soon as a person understands that he has had enough, he goes out into the warm dressing room.
The beauty of a bathhouse is that you can leave it at any time. Photo source: murmansk.mk.ru
But when it's 30 degrees outside, we gradually begin to languish from the heat and you can't hide from it in the changing room. Staying in the heat for a long time is exhausting, worsens the functioning of the brain and slowly destroys the body. This is an uncontrollable process, while during a visit to the bathhouse we choose for ourselves at what temperature we steam and when we need to leave.
Everyone should know this: Why you want to sleep in extreme heat and how to deal with it
Who should not go to the bathhouse
Some people are strictly forbidden to go to the bathhouse, because you need to consult a doctor before going.
In short, here is a list of diseases with which you should not go to the bathhouse:
- hypertension;
- mental illnesses;
- chronic inflammatory diseases;
- oncological diseases;
- heart failure;
- thyroid problems;
- infectious diseases;
- parasitic diseases.
Many people are interested in whether it is possible to go to the bathhouse with a fever. The answer is unambiguous: if the body temperature is above 37 degrees, steaming is strictly prohibited. The thing is that heat in the body and high air temperature put increased strain on the heart.
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