ThE sO-CaLLeD SauNA

It’s a festive! Happy Chinese New Year to everyone! Particularly to those who celebrate it. LOL I remember back in school when I used to be listed as ‘people who celebrated Chinese New Year’ along with few other friends because of our fair complexion and small eyes. It’s going to be holidays until Tuesday and Alhamdulillah I manage to get back home safely this evening. Along with Sis Addie departed from KL at around 10.30 am this morning and as expected, the traffic was bumper-to-bumper congested all the way from the onset of Sungai Besi Toll to Seremban. We were stuck for about an hour and half and the temperature was getting higher as the sun was setting perpendicular to our shoulder. I was sweating like hell as if I were to melt anytime. Then I remembered when Miss Que, my English lecturer asked the whole class to write a journal entry of ‘what would you do if you have a million ringgit in cold hard cash’, as a normal human being honestly I had listed quite a lot and one of it is to be a regular member in a top class spa and sauna in Malaysia because I always wanted to have a nice relaxing sauna experience. But I guess now I can simply neglect the wish, because the condition in the car was already a so-called sauna LOL. Why sauna? What’s so good about it? FYI ever since hundred years ago sauna has been considered as a part of culture in certain countries such as the Russian banya, the Native American sweat lodge or inipi, the Turkish hamam, even the Japanese onsen (hot spring).


Let’s learn a bit of Physiology!


During a 10-20 minutes sauna session, the heart rate increase by 50-75%. This provides the same metabolic result as physical exercise. The increased cardiac load is equivalent to a brisk walk. There is a nominal effect on blood pressure because the heat also causes blood vessels in skin to expand to accommodate increased in blood flow. Blood vessels become more flexible and there is increased blood circulation as high as 50-70% of cardiac output (compared to the standard 5-10%). This brings nutrients to subcutaneous and surface tissue resulting in glowing healthy skin. Saunas induce sweating to provide a comprehensive cleansing of the skin and sweat glands. Skin is the largest organ in the body; 30% of body wastes are passed through skin. Profuse sweating enhances the detoxifying capacity of the skin by opening pores and flushing impurities from body. When taking a sauna, skin temperature rises to 40 degrees and internal body temperature rises about 38 degrees. This stimulates the immune system resulting in increased production of disease fighting white blood cells and antibodies.

So overall, that’ why they say sauna is good for your skin complexion and also good in enhancing blood circulation.

P/S: Original article is adapted from SAUNAFIN Saunas & Steam baths.