Lifestyle / Need To Let Off Steam? Here’s Why Sweat Lodges and Saunas are Hot Ways to Connect with Your Health in 2022

Need To Let Off Steam? Here’s Why Sweat Lodges and Saunas are Hot Ways to Connect with Your Health in 2022

Lifestyle Feb 01, 2022

by Rachna Sethi

There’s nothing like letting off some solid steam. And doing just that has become one of the biggest wellness trends out there. And that’s why the spending time in traditional sweat lodges, dry saunas and infrared saunas are boasting big benefits for the mind body and soul. What are there? What do they do? Here are all the details on why you should schedule some steam time one of these ways.

From traditional sweat lodges to dry saunas, infrared saunas and newer sauna blankets, immersing ourselves in heat continues to gain popularity as a way to help relax the mind, detox the body, relax the muscles and more. With lots of options, to sweat it out, it may be hard to choose which ones (if any), are for you but don’t sweat (just yet), we’ve got you covered in our simple summaries below:

Sweat Lodges

The sweat lodge continues to gain popularity as a wellness trend and it’s important to clarify, sweat lodges aren’t new – the practice has origins from some Indigenous Cultures and are considered to be a sacred ceremonial practice that supports spiritual, mental and physical healing while cultivating a deeper connection with the earth. A traditional ceremony has guidelines, some of which include not charging a large amount of money and should be led by or offered in collaboration with an Indigenous guide (a lodge leader).

When following tradition, a sweat lodge is a man-made structure that looks like a dome shaped dwelling with a wooden structure (made from tree branches). To generate heat, hot rocks are placed in a dug pit with water poured over them to generate the steam. A water pourer is considered to be a sacred role in which the designated pourer maintains an intention to maintain a sacred, safe environment within the lodge to support the healing of each person while honoring the spirit of the land.

Need To Let Off Steam? Here's Why Sweat Lodges and Saunas are Hot Ways to Connect with Your Health in 2022 — Need To Let Off Steam? Here’s Why Sweat Lodges and Saunas are Hot Ways to Connect with Your Health in 2022: The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto added a sweat lodge and firepit in 2016 to offer Indigenous healing ceremonies as part of their support offerings and treatments. Photo Credit: Chris Young, The Canadian Press

Fortunately, this is a beautiful, powerful experience that can be a deeply spiritual experience with added mental and physical benefits. Unfortunately, this sacred, Indigenous ritual has begun to emerge as a “wellness trend” so we recommend doing a bit of your own research to find a ceremony that honors the Indigenous origins and guidelines – it’s a moving experience with benefits that can last long after all your sweat has been showered off.

Dry Saunas

Often found in gyms and spas, a part of some condo building amenities and sometimes in private homes, the exact origins of these saunas are unknown but often credited to Finland. What started off as man-made caves with fireplaces designed to keep people safe and warm during cold winter months have evolved to be a year-around, leisurely activity enclosed rooms (or stand-alone structures), that some consider a way to help relax the mind, body and spirit.

Dry and hot, these temperature controlled saunas generally have temperatures between 176 – 212 degrees F, (80-100 degrees C) and usually 5-20 minutes is spent inside (but it can be longer based on the person). Heart rates can rise up to 120 – 150 beats per minute and some studies show that benefits can include a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease, headaches, lung issues and arthritis. Relaxation of the mind are also considered to be benefits with a study in Japan demonstrating that spending time in a sauna can help reduce mild depression and others advocating it may lead to decreased feelings of anxiety and support better sleep. Add all those mental health benefits to the relaxing impact saunas can have on our muscles, they can be a great form of all around self-care.

Infrared Sauna

An evolution of the dry sauna, instead of heating the air around you, an infrared sauna use electronic magnetic radiation generated from heat lamps to warm your body. A bit of a lower temperature then the dry sauna, they tend to go from 120-140 degrees F but some advocates state because they warm the body directly, heat penetrates into the body more (time range can vary from 15 – 45 minutes). Though there’s not a huge range of studies around the benefits of infrared sauna use, some small studies have revealed they also offer benefits which can include detoxifying the body, relaxation, improved circulation, a boast in mood and more.

Though infrared saunas themselves are newer, they too have already evolved! Designed to make the benefits of sauna more accessible to sweat lovers at-home infrared sauna blankets are the newest trend in this space with some boasting that they help build immunity (in addition to all the added benefits already mentioned above).

So What’s The Verdict — Should You Sweat It Out?

If you don’t have any current health issues (such as cardiovascular disease), and/or are not pregnant, there’s generally no harm in participating in a sweat session (though we always recommend clearing it with your doctor first). With a wide range of potential benefits, exploring one of the methods above may be worth a try – especially with the increase of mental health challenges the past two years (an impact of the global pandemic).

If you do try it out (or already do them regularly), ensure you drink lots of water to stay hydrated. We are fans of the experience of sweating it out in these safe spaces but only you know what’s best for you; listen to your body throughout the experience – it should be a bit challenging but if at any time it becomes painful or highly uncomfortable, take a break and grab some fresh air.

Main Image Photo Credit: www.unsplash.com

Rachna Sethi

Author

Rachna (@thesassyspiritual) is a graduate of the Applied Mindfulness Meditation program from the University of Toronto, a certified Educator with two bachelor degrees and a diploma in Art Therapy. She's dedicated to living with a compassionate approach. Committed to helping people integrate Mindfuln...

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Need To Let Off Steam? Here’s Why Sweat Lodges and Saunas are Hot Ways to Connect with Your Health in 2022

by Rachna Sethi

Rachna Sethi

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