How to take a steam bath in the bath: experienced, experienced bath attendants advise. How to steam in the bath: detailed instructions for visiting the steam room

For those who came to the baths for the first time

1. Steam first, then wash.
2. It will be useful to take a warm shower (2-3 minutes) before the steam room.
3. Do not wet your head, but it is advisable to moisten the hat with cold water.
4. Enter the steam room only in a hat, preferably a felt and wide-brimmed one, or make a turban out of a towel.
5. Choose shorter, fluffier and lighter brooms - two are better.
6. Ordinary mittens help a lot to keep palms from being scuffed with brooms.
7. On the first entry into the steam room, first warm up without a broom for 5-7 minutes. Then drink hot tea to improve the warming "from the inside".
8. Serve only with boiling water; try to give in small portions and only in the hottest place of the stove (the water in such a place will seem to "pop" or "explode") from this the steam will be dry, and therefore "light" or "soft".
9. Rest after the steam room without getting cold, avoid drafts.
10. The duration of the bath procedure is determined by your condition, but you should not abuse the steam room.
11. A very good principle for a bath is gradualness and moderation.
12. If you are physically ready and decide to swim in the snow or plunge into the font with ice water. You came to the baths and already went to the steam room a couple of times. Now you can try - first warm up hard in the steam room, then with a bullet in the snow / water and again with a bullet in the steam room, steam well with brooms.

Unwritten laws (rules)
When meeting at the door of the bathhouse (soap, steam room), the advantage is given to the incoming person, regardless of age.
At the request of the elderly, sick, pregnant women, give way and provide the necessary assistance: bring in or take out of the washing room, steam room, bring water, etc.
It is strictly forbidden to bring any glass objects into the washing or steam room. It is forbidden to enter the steam room with soap or wash in it.
It is forbidden to smoke in the sauna building.
Never refuse an elderly person's request to steam them with a broom.
Do not use other people's items: soap, scissors, washcloth, broom, pumice stone, comb, etc.
Do not bring sharp objects into the soap compartment: razor blades, etc.
A person who feels unwell in the steam room or soap department, immediately take him to the dressing room and help him.
Do not enter into conflict conversations, try to prevent quarrels.
You should not be in the bath for more than 2.5 hours.

How to use the bath

Steam - don't get burned
give in - do not fall down,
don't fall off the shelf.

Those who are not initiated into the art of the bath procedure will be skeptical about the question: "Do you know how to use the bath?" Without hesitation, he will answer: "What's so difficult here? At the beginning I'll take a steam bath, and then I'll wash myself in the shower - and I'm ready." True lovers of the bath will not say so.
The art of the bathing procedure consists of many components: the preparation of optimal heat, the creation of the necessary air humidity and pleasant smells in the steam room, the correctly selected and specially prepared broom and the ability to whip it, the timely use of contrasting effects and many other points on which your mood and health will depend .

Broom selection

For more heat and pleasure, steam lovers have long used various devices. So, for example, the Mexican Indians used fragrant high-growing herbs for this purpose, which were injected with hot steam, and then applied to the body, thereby creating a thermal compress. The ancient Slavic tribes used quilting over the body with birch, maple, and oak branches. How widespread and valuable this custom was is evidenced by the fact that one tribe paid tribute to another with birch brooms.
Although the ancient Slavic custom of bathing with birch or oak brooms has its roots in ancient times, it cannot be said that it belongs entirely to that past. On the contrary, now broom lashing is carried out in a scientific way and there is evidence of the benefits of its use. The broom doubles the effect of the bath. Therefore, a broom is an integral part of the bathing procedure. It is no coincidence that the old Russian sayings say: “In the bath, a broom is a master”, “In a bath, a broom is more expensive than money”, “A bathhouse without a broom is like a samovar without a pipe.”
What kind of broom do you prefer? You probably noticed that when buying it, some prefer birch, while others prefer oak. Often there is a dispute about the advantage of one or another type of broom.

Birch broom.
An old riddle says: “There is a tree, the color is green, in this tree there are four lands: the first is for the sick to health, the second is a well for people, the third is light from darkness, and the fourth is swaddling.” What is this tree? Of course, birch. Bathe in a bathhouse with a birch broom, prepare medicines from buds and leaves - “sick for health”; quench thirst with birch sap - “a well for people”; illuminate the dwelling with a torch, bake with hot birch firewood - “light from darkness”; tie broken pots with birch bark, repair baskets, baskets - “decrepit swaddling”. Yes, since time immemorial people have kept love for this wonderful tree, our good white-trunked beauty.
Chemical analysis of birch leaves showed that they contain a lot of essential oil, there are tannins, vitamin C, provitamin A. Buds, sap and birch bark have healing properties. That is why from time immemorial birch has been loved not only in Russia, but also in other countries.
Birch brooms were harvested in central Russia in July. Most sauna lovers believe that the best fan is made from soft, flexible birch branches, which, after steaming, emit a delicate aroma that lasts up to 5-7 hours on the skin.
But not all types of birch are suitable for a broom. Only curly birch and subspecies of silver birch are most suitable for a bath broom, as it is well preserved and has abundant foliage. If these species are not available, white birch can be used. Birch sap is a refreshing, tasty, healthy drink that quenches thirst well. Therefore, after a hot bath, it is useful to drink a glass of cool birch sap.

Oak broom.
Few trees enjoy such love and respect among different peoples as the oak. Slavs, ancient Greeks, Romans at the dawn of their history worshiped this mighty tree, whose age often exceeded 1000-1500 years. They attributed miraculous properties to it, composed myths, legends, songs and epics about it. In Greece, the oak branch was the emblem of strength, power and nobility. Oak brooms were awarded to warriors who performed outstanding feats.
Like the Greeks and Romans, the Slavs also considered the oak to be one of the holy trees.
But not only with its longevity and majestic beauty, the oak won the love and appreciation of millions of people. The benefit brought by this giant to mankind is great.
Oak leaves, for example, contain large amounts of tannins. Oak decoction is used for some skin diseases (weeping eczema), severe sweating of the feet. For many centuries, oak branches have been used in the bath as a broom for the purpose of deep heating and treatment.
A broom made of oak branches is durable: if they were prepared on time and skillfully stored, then it is enough for 2-3 baths. The leaves of even a well-steamed broom are always moderately dry, which facilitates the procedure and does not burn the body too much.
Oak brooms should be harvested in August.
Eucalyptus broom. This broom is most often used in the Caucasus. Its disadvantage is that its branches are too thin, flexible, and the leaves are long. It is very difficult to control such a broom while lashing in the steam room, you have to spend extra energy on waving. And in the bath you need to save your strength. In addition, it is almost impossible to rub over the body with a eucalyptus broom. Real bathers usually prefer a combined broom. For example, 3-4 branches of eucalyptus are added to birch or oak, or oak is combined with birch, or 2-3 branches of wormwood or currant are added to birch, etc.
Eucalyptus leaves contain from one to three percent of the essential oil, with which the main medicinal properties are associated. The best broom for a bath will be the one that was harvested in August-September, and the most healing leaf for infusion is the one collected in late autumn, November-December. Eucalyptus infusion is used in the steam room as an antiseptic, as an inhalation for diseases of the larynx, trachea, bronchi.
Eucalyptus oil contains various chemicals that make it an antiseptic (disinfectant) and pain reliever. This oil in combination with turpentine is recommended to be rubbed after the bath procedure for those suffering from neuralgia, myositis (muscle inflammation), as well as for bruises, sprains and pain in the joints.

Nettle broom.
In recent years, in the cities you will not see people steaming with a nettle broom. A lot of people just don't know how to do it right.
Bath lovers spoke of the fragrant nettle broom with great love. Those who are not experienced in the bathing business will say: “How can you bathe with stinging nettles, sometimes you accidentally touch your hand, and then it burns - you won’t find a place for four hours. And if you whip on the body, then you will get sick ... ”Yes, indeed, you can get sick, because when a person is burned with nettles, blisters appear on the skin of a person. The general body temperature rises and other unpleasant sensations arise.
But if you prepare a nettle broom according to the rules, as experts do, then such a medicinal broom will take first place. He will be especially grateful to those who often have pain in the lower back, “ache” joints, tormented by rheumatism, etc.
Nettle broom is knitted small, before quilting it is placed in hot water for 1-2 minutes, and then in cold water for 3-4 minutes (the procedure is repeated 1-2 times), after which you can whip.
If it is necessary that the nettle “burns”, and such a broom is loved by older people whose skin is less sensitive, it is necessary to warm up such parts of the body as the lower back, the area of ​​​​the shoulder blades, the soles of the feet, then in this case the nettle broom is dipped in boiling water for 1-3 seconds , after which you can steam. But for this, you must first go to the steam room and stay there for 5-7 minutes, and it is better if you also fasten for 2-4 minutes with a birch or oak broom. By doing this, you will prepare the skin for the stronger effect that the nettle broom has. They need to quilt easily, as if specifically “stinging” the skin, then it gives a greater effect.

Coniferous broom.
Such a broom is brewed for 10-15 minutes in boiling water, and as soon as it becomes soft, you can start steaming. But at the same time, we must not forget that in the first run they do not bathe, you can injure the skin, and then there will be itching. Steaming with a coniferous broom should be when the skin warms up well and becomes elastic. It is not recommended to bathe with pine needles and for those who have very delicate skin.
In areas where birch and oak do not grow, many other broad-leaved species, such as maple, walnut, mountain ash, etc., can be used to make brooms.

Steaming a broom.
If the broom is fresh, they are steamed immediately. A steamed fresh broom becomes “limp”, heavy. In addition, it quickly “heats up”, and the skin does not withstand burning.
A dry broom should be dipped in cold water for 15-20 minutes, and then in hot water for 1-3 minutes. A too dry broom should be steamed in boiling water for 10-15 minutes, or it should be moistened with cold water 10-15 hours before the bath and wrapped in a damp rag, or it can be dipped in a bucket of cold water. Such a broom is no longer brewed with boiling water before steaming. A broom prepared according to this method will always be dry, fragrant, soft, leaves will never fall off it and last for 2-3 baths (with proper use in the steam room and storage).
After the broom is steamed, the water (infusion) becomes dark and looks more like green tea. The infusion is diluted with boiling water and poured onto hot stones or poured over the walls, it saturates the steam room with a pleasant aroma. It is useful to wash your hair with the same infusion at the end of the bath procedure, it strengthens the hair roots, and the existing dandruff decreases after 6-9 procedures.
Well, what if there is no time, and the broom is too dry, why not leave the bath because of this without lashing? There is a cooking method for this case. Take a basin of hot water, dip a broom in it and place it on the stones in the oven for 1-3 seconds. At the same time, rotate and shake the broom so that it does not burn, but steams evenly. Repeat 2-3 times. This procedure takes 1-2 minutes.

Procedures before the steam room

Before going to the steam room, you need to take care of a place where you can leave soap, brooms, etc. On the same bench you will have to rest after the steam room, as well as wash and massage. The bench must be chosen in such a place that it is warm, there is a lot of air and there are no drafts. The bench is poured with hot water until it is hot. Then boiling water is poured into one basin and brooms are lowered into it, and covered with another.
It is especially important to prepare your body for a meeting with hot steam for those who do not immediately adapt to high temperatures, as well as for beginners, the elderly, patients with blood pressure disorders (if the steam room is not contraindicated for them) and vegetative-vascular neuroses. For such people, it is helpful to take a hot shower or hot foot bath first. After that, you can go to the steam room. How quickly we develop adaptive mechanisms to the high temperature of the steam room depends not only on the correct use of it, but also on the state of the organism.
Academician V.P. Kaznacheev found that in response to various influences (including thermal procedures), people react differently. Some quickly achieve stability, high temperature tolerance, while others get used slowly. Therefore, one should not take an example from others and rush to increase the time spent in the steam room, increase the air temperature in it. This is especially important for beginners.
Before going to the steam room, you need to wash yourself under a warm shower (35-38 degrees) for 2-3 minutes, but do not wet your head: this will make it easier to endure the high temperature in the steam room. Before the steam room, it is not recommended to wash with soap: it removes fat from the body, which protects the skin from burning during a visit to the steam room, especially if you whip with a broom. Wash with soap after you finish steaming. After taking a shower, they put on a hat, preferably with large brim (it kind of creates a microclimate and protects the head from overheating), you can also tie your head with a towel in the form of a turban. The hat can be wetted with cold water, this procedure reduces the heart rate, and improves overall well-being.
When using hats (turbans, etc.), you also need to know a few simple, but very important rules. In no case should the cap squeeze the head, it was light and at the same time quite loose.
A tight cap can cause malaise, headaches, poor steam tolerance, etc.
The steam room should be both moderately dry, and well ventilated, and clean. If, upon entering the steam room, you feel an unpleasant smell of sweat, muddy leaves from brooms, do not start steaming. Such a steam room must at least be ventilated.
The best time to visit the bath is in the morning. Connoisseurs of bathing heat say: you need to go to the “first”. In the bath, where there is a pool, it is useful to swim for 15-20 minutes, but before visiting the steam room. We did not make a reservation: we recommend just swimming, and not swimming. After swimming, you should “feel” your muscles, they will “fill up” and be in good shape. Naturally, the pulse rate should not increase too much.
Swimming is especially useful for people who are overweight, lead a sedentary lifestyle, as well as to relax and relieve tension after physical work, running, athletic gymnastics, etc. The water temperature in the pool should be at least 20 degrees. After swimming take a shower (36-38 C) for 1-3 minutes. This will prepare the body and make it easier to bear the heat in the steam room.
After a short rest (and it is determined individually - from 10 to 20 minutes), you can go to steam. Pour boiling water into the basin (with the addition of aromatic infusion to the water) and pour 100-200 ml on hot stones until the desired temperature is obtained (if you steam with a broom, then moisten more) and air humidity. Be aware that pouring small portions of boiling water over the stones allows you to “make” the steam less wet. They say about this: “light”, “soft”. The secret here is simple: when water is added in large portions, it does not have time to completely evaporate (besides, the stones cool down) and settles down with heavy water vapor. As a result, the steam burns, additionally loads the cardiovascular system, the person feels tired. They say about such a pair: “raw”, “heavy”. Connoisseurs pour water on the stones in small portions, trying to find the hottest place (when the water seems to explode with a loud bang, falling on the stones) in order to make the steam dry and not flood the stones.
In dry air baths (for example, saunas), where the air temperature is 90-120 degrees, excessive dryness irritates the nasopharyngeal mucosa. For the purpose of moistening, pour hot water over the walls and ceiling. In a dry bath, the leaves of the broom instantly twist, break and crumble. To prevent this from happening, take a basin of hot water into the steam room and periodically dip a broom into it.

How to make steam

From time immemorial in Russia, there were traditions that were borrowed by many peoples, how to cook fragrant steam. When creating it, special recipes were used. This steam also had healing properties. For example, in the book “The True Path to Health and Life Extension - Russian Steam Bath”, published in Moscow in 1904, many herbal infusions, balms and rubbings are recommended for use in the bath. It is not easy to prepare “delicious” steam, it requires a lot of practice or expert advice. And many people keep steam cooking a secret.
Before you start preparing fragrant steam, you need to make sure that at an average height of the steam room the temperature and humidity of the air are quite similar, that is, they do not burn or dry the nasopharynx.
Now take boiling water and add various aromatic or healing substances, infusions, etc. to it. Usually add (based on 3 liters): 50 g of kvass or beer, or half a teaspoon of honey, or one piece of sawn sugar, or half a teaspoon of dry mustard (having previously roasted it well), or 7-10 menthol or mint drops, or half a teaspoon of eucalyptus oil, or two tablespoons of the same infusion, or one teaspoon of instant coffee, or an infusion of spruce needles, or an infusion of lime flowers, or fragrant tea, or mint infusion.
Useful and infusion of chamomile - a wild plant with healing properties.
A good therapeutic effect is obtained by adding coniferous extract to the water - liquid or in the form of briquettes (previously diluted in boiling water). Both are sold in a pharmacy or infused at home. Pouring the solution on the stones fills the steam room with the aroma of pine needles, which well relieves fatigue after tiring physical or mental work.
The smell not only contributes to a certain mood, but also has a healing effect. Let's say you are constantly worried about a dry cough and even endless colds. To harden the respiratory organs, you need to buy the appropriate herbs at the pharmacy, for example, marshmallow, elecampane, etc. The prepared composition of the infusion does not have to be poured onto stones, you can spray it on the walls, even if they are tiled. Aromatic substances, penetrating through the skin and upper respiratory tract, have a beneficial effect on the central nervous system and other organs.
Coniferous extract is recommended as a sedative for functional disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system, cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension (in the initial stages, i.e. when the doctor is not forbidden to visit the bath), as well as overwork.
Useful and steam, prepared with an infusion of thyme. If someone has a disturbed sleep, then try to go to the bath at about 16-18 hours and take a steam bath with an infusion of thyme. And you will see that your sleep has become better. The procedure must be repeated constantly until your condition stabilizes. Here one involuntarily wants to recall the ancients again. So, for example, the Slavs, for a better night's sleep, instead of down pillows, lay down on pillows stuffed with thyme grass. Previously, this could not be explained, but now everything has been solved. It turns out that the plant contains a fragrant essential oil, which has a beneficial effect on the centers responsible for sleep. Such a bath increases the general tone of the body, improves mood and performance.
It is no coincidence that in the old days they said: “Spicy smells and tastes naturally enliven and approve the bodily feelings of healthy and disease-obsessed people.” In the Urals, an infusion of kalufer, sweet clover and other aromatic herbs is added to the water. Often grass for smell is placed on the shelves. A steamed eucalyptus broom gives a particularly good effect. In the steam room, they press it to the face and breathe through the nose for 4-5 minutes.
The smells of some infusions stimulate human activity and create a certain mood. Medical scientists came to such conclusions long ago. Already today, Japanese physiologists have established that, for example, the smell of jasmine noticeably excites the activity of the brain. The smell of lavender also gives a tonic effect.
But in general, the recommendations are as follows: tonic infusions, oils should be used in the morning, when you need to invigorate the body. In the evening, on the contrary, you need to use aromas that soothe and promote sound sleep.

About the benefits of sweating

So, the wig is ready. You can also steam. However, do not rush to go to the topmost shelves, because your body is not yet prepared for high temperatures. First you need to warm up at a low air temperature in order to cause the necessary expansion of skin vessels and the onset of sweating. For this purpose, it is enough to visit the bottom (or on the middle shelf) of the pair department.
We have already mentioned that people differ from each other in individual characteristics: some begin to sweat (ceteris paribus) at the 4th minute, and others at the 10-12th minute. Therefore, without exception, after 5-7 minutes of staying in the steam room, everyone needs to go to the soap compartment and sit. And the expected drops of sweat will appear in 3-5 minutes.
It is recommended for a beginner to enter the steam room once - to lie down below, i.e. in the comfort zone, for no more than 5 minutes. Whipping with a broom is better to postpone until the next time. If after the bath you feel cheerful, then next time you can increase the visit to the steam room by 1 minute and gradually move on to 2-3 visits, bringing the total amount of time in the steam room to 15-35 minutes (depending on age, well-being, temperature conditions in the steam room and other conditions). In general, the entire bathing procedure should not take more than 2-3 hours, and in the steam room you can spend no more than 35 minutes, regardless of the number of visits. And here it must be emphasized that the duration of the bath procedure is determined not by the clock, but by the state of the person, everyone feels when he should leave the steam room. It is advisable for experienced bathers to first lie down on the middle shelf so that the head and legs are at the same level. It is even better that the legs are a little higher (in modern steam rooms there is a special footrest in the form of a rail for this). This position creates a natural outflow of blood and lymph from the underlying areas of the body, and thus facilitates the work of the heart. If it is not possible to lie down, it is necessary to sit down, but so that the legs are at the same height with the body.
In a standing position, you put yourself at risk of heat stroke, because the air temperature at the level of the head is higher (15-20 C) compared to the body.
In order to evenly warm up all areas of the body, change position more often, that is, first lie on your side, then on your back, on the other side and on your stomach.
In the steam room, you should always breathe through your nose: at the same time, hot air is cooled, and too dry air is humidified.
After warming up for 5-7 minutes, do not stand up abruptly: you risk losing your balance for a moment. And although this phenomenon in itself is not dangerous, you can fall and hurt yourself badly. A minute before leaving the steam room, if you were lying down, sit down to prepare the circulatory system for a standing position.
When leaving the steam room (this applies to everyone), you should not immediately go to bed to rest, you need to walk for 2-3 minutes. In this case, it is useful to raise your hands up and take deep breaths, after which it is recommended to rinse under a warm shower. Do the same before entering the steam room again.
Before each subsequent visit to the steam room, you need to have a good rest for 15-20 minutes (5-7 minutes in the soap department, and then in the locker room, well covered with a sheet or wearing a bathrobe). Both in the soap department and in the dressing room there should be no drafts, it is cold.
To keep warm and continue sweating, you can drink hot tea or other fortified drink. Do not drink in one gulp, preferably in small sips.
Depending on the condition and purpose, the steam room can be visited 3-4 times. After each subsequent session, rest in the soapy room or dressing room should be increased.
If you decide to take a steam bath with a broom, then this is done after the first or second entry, when the body is ready for stronger temperature effects. Contrasting procedures are taken between visits to the steam room. But for those who want to lose weight, it is important to remember that any cooling immediately stops sweating reflexively, and this prevents further weight loss.
It is very useful to carry out massage or self-massage in the bath. Do it immediately after leaving the steam room. Before the massage, in no case should you cool down, even go out into a cool room. Do not drink cold drinks either. Hot tea or milk is drunk slowly, in small sips and no more than a glass. The total massage time in the bath after the steam room is 25-35 minutes (up to 15 minutes are allotted for self-massage). Each massage is repeated 3-4 times. The procedure can be interrupted by visiting the steam room (for 3-5 minutes). If you are not tired, then it is useful to whip yourself with a broom all over your body.
After the massage (self-massage) take a warm shower (1-2 minutes) and start washing. Before leaving the soap department, it will be useful to go to the steam room for 1-2 minutes, and then under a warm shower and into the dressing room. Do not put on underwear if you are not cold and continue to sweat.
Before leaving the bath, it is not recommended to swim in a cool pool, douse yourself with cold water, and wipe yourself with snow. These procedures are always interspersed with visits to the steam room. And before going outside, especially in winter, you need to relax a bit in a cool room.
It should be remembered that the bath is a means of strengthening health. Therefore, no "records" are inappropriate here. A record long stay in a steam room and a record high temperature are unjustified risk factors that can make a healthy person sick.
For those who find it difficult to withstand the bath load, you can follow this procedure. First, wash your head, hands, feet. After that, rinse and relax in the soap compartment, if it is not stuffy in it. It is better to go to the locker room and, covered with a sheet, sit for 7-10 minutes. Then wash yourself with hot water and go to steam. In the steam room, choose the temperature that suits you and take a steam bath while sitting. Well, the best option is when you lie down, and you will be steamed. After that, having rested in the soap compartment, you can wash yourself.
in baths with high relative humidity (up to 90-100%), the temperature should not exceed 70 C (for the elderly and weak people - 45-55 C). At a humidity of 30-40%, the temperature can rise to 90 C, and at 5-15% - up to 110 C.
The stated technique of the bathing procedure concerns dry-air and damp baths. In the case when they bathe without a broom, then, lying on a shelf, it is necessary to turn around from time to time. This will help to more evenly steam all parts of the body.
Do not expect a miracle by going to the bathhouse once. If you use it regularly and correctly, then in the near future you will notice that you have become more active at work, you are less tired, nervous, and if you skip the bath procedure, you will immediately feel, as they say, “not at ease” ..

Steam with a broom correctly

A broom in a bath is not used for exotic, with its help a more effective effect on all organs and systems of the human body is carried out.
“Broom massage” enhances blood circulation not only in the skin, but also in deep-lying tissues, which contributes to a better redistribution of blood, lymph and interstitial fluid throughout the body. As a result, sweating increases significantly, products that are unnecessary to the body are removed, and skin respiration increases. All this contributes to a more enhanced metabolism.
Any broom, no matter what you use in the steam room, releases medicinal substances - phytoncides, which have a bactericidal effect. In addition, the essential oils contained in the leaves and branches, getting on the skin, improve its metabolism, increase its tone, prevent premature aging and aging of the skin. The skin after quilting with a broom acquires a healthy color. It is no coincidence that in the old days people said: "Which day you take a steam bath, that day you do not grow old."
It is better to bathe together, taking turns whipping each other with a broom. The most rational position of the body for the one who is hovering is lying on a shelf (bench). Firstly, the temperature thus affects all parts of the body equally. For even in the most well-equipped steam rooms, the difference in air temperature at the level of the legs and head (if you bathe while standing) is up to 20 C. This adversely affects heat regulation, besides, the head overheats excessively, which is harmful.
Secondly, when lying down, the best conditions are created for a more complete relaxation of all parts of the body. But if it is not possible to lie down, it is better to bathe in a sitting position, and the legs should not hang down, they should be raised to the level of the body (i.e. put on the shelves, bench). Studies have shown that in the supine position, the pulse is on average 8-10 beats / min less often, therefore, the load on the cardiovascular system is reduced. This is especially important for those who bathe for the first time or after an illness (if the doctor has allowed to bathe).
We have already said that the broom should be light, the handles should be thin, neatly wrapped with a bandage or other soft cloth. If you do not follow this rule, then even the strongest and roughest hands become covered with water calluses (which is why mittens are also recommended). In addition, a light broom more carefully “works out” both muscles and joints.
It is necessary to soar each other with a broom “according to science”, because you often have to see how one literally tortures another with a beating.
First, take a fancy to the shelves with the air temperature suitable for you and lie down on your stomach, stretching your arms along the body. Then the partner with two brooms should make a light stroke from the feet to the head. In the opposite direction, one broom slides along one side, and the other along the other, then along the lateral parts of the pelvis, thighs and calf muscles to the feet - so 2-3 times. Next, the brooms need to be lifted up, trying to capture hotter air with them, lower them on the lower back and press them with your hand for 1-3 seconds. The same movements are carried out in the area of ​​​​the shoulder blades, on the knee joints. The whole complex is repeated 3-4 times. At the same time, attention should be paid to the fact that the brooms do not move through the air, but must touch the body. If the air temperature in the steam room is too high and the skin cannot withstand the heat, the brooms should be moved slowly, without lifting them up. The burning of the skin is eliminated with a broom, which is first dipped in cool water.
In baths, where the temperature and humidity are optimal, brooms should not be soaked in water, otherwise they will lose their ability to pump heat. In addition, they stick together and become heavy. A dry light broom well collects evaporated from the surface of the body and evenly distributes the more warmed air of the environment over it.
The air temperature in the steam room is set individually in each case. For example, in a dry-air (Finnish, Russian) bath, the air temperature is in the range of 90-120 C, relative humidity is 10-25%, and in a damp one - 50-70 C and humidity up to 100%. These are the optimal norms for whipping with a broom. But there are fans for whom this is not enough. Strengthening the effect of heat on the human body can be achieved by quickly moving brooms from one part of the body to another and periodically, now at the feet, then at the head, raise them higher, as if pumping hotter air, which creates the necessary heat.
The next soaring technique is lashing, which is performed with fast lashing movements, the end part of the broom. At first, it is done on the back with light “strokes” in all directions. Then - on the lower back, pelvis, thighs, calf muscles and feet. This process takes up to 1 minute. They finish it with stroking, but the movements are already done much faster than initially. Duration - up to 1 min.
Next, the partner lies on his back. All techniques are performed in the same sequence as lying on the stomach. Then they turn back up again. First, the first two steps are repeated: stroking and quilting, which should not take more than 2 minutes.
Then they proceed to the main method - whipping (it is stronger) in combination with a broom compress. Start from the back. The broom is lifted up (they capture hot steam) and make 2-3 whips on the latissimus dorsi, and then press it with your hand - this will be a compress. The same is done on the lower back, gluteal muscles, outer thighs, lower legs, on the feet (excluding the popliteal fossae, where the skin is very sensitive). When it is necessary to deeply warm the knee joint in order to increase its elasticity or restore impaired functions, a broom is placed on it, and the lower leg is bent with careful springy movements until the heel touches the pelvis.
The compress is especially useful for injuries, muscle pain (after heavy physical exertion), radiculitis, myositis, muscle inflammation, gout and some other ailments.
After that, the brooms are placed on the lower back and at the same time spread them apart: one broom is advanced to the head, and the other to the feet. This technique is called “stretching” and is recommended for various pains in the sacro-lumbar region. Stretching is carried out 4-6 times and ends with a general stroking of the whole body.
If in the second (third) run they intend to bathe with brooms, then the whole procedure is repeated, but for the first two steps (stroking, lashing) and the total time is reduced. at the end of soaring, a rubbing technique is used, which is performed as follows: with one hand (most often with the left), the broom is taken by the handle, and with the palm of the other, slightly pressing on the leafy part, they rub the back, lower back, pelvic area, etc. The trunk can be rubbed in all directions, and the limbs along. Rubbing can be done with strokes or circular motions.
If, after visiting the steam room, you will not conduct a self-massage or massage session, then in this case you should more vigorously do broom massage in the steam room (energetic whipping and rubbing), especially in the back, lower back, chest and hips. If you visit the bath together, the three of you, then it is more effective to conduct a mutual massage. Then take a 1-2 minute warm shower and start washing.
You can also steam yourself. If possible, you need to lie on your back and start soaring first one leg, then the other, for which they stroke them in the direction from the foot up to the pelvis. Brooms should slide evenly either along the front of the legs, then along the back, 3-4 times. If the air temperature in the steam room is high, the brooms should be moved slowly and not removed from the body so as not to build up the heat. At normal air temperature in the steam room, you can increase its influence by quickly moving the brooms from one

By the power and comprehensiveness of the impact on the body, a visit to the steam room has no competition among any wellness procedures. But to get the maximum positive effect, you need to follow certain rules.

In general, it is better to set aside 4-6 hours for a bath, in the afternoon. At this time, you need to turn off the phones, leave all the problems “overboard”. And the second half of the day is considered the best, because after a properly performed bath procedure, a person will not be able to engage in any type of activity that requires at least a slight concentration of attention.

To achieve the effect of a wellness procedure in a bath, certain rules are followed.

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A simple rule says: "If you could get to the steam room, then you can bathe." But there are exceptions to the rule. A priori, doctors forbid visiting the bath:

• cancer patients;
• with exacerbation of chronic heart disease;
• patients with high fever;
• chronic hypertension;
• with dermatological diseases.

There is an element of reinsurance here. It is easier for a doctor to forbid than to scrupulously monitor the dynamics of changes in a patient's health. And an experienced bath attendant has his own approach to each client.

Therefore, when going to the bath, always focus on your condition.

How to prepare?

Ideally, before the bath, a person should be:

The bath is visited only when sober

1. Sober. Alcohol and a bath are incompatible!
2. Not hungry, but not full either. You can’t eat for 3-4 hours before the bath.
3. Sleepy. If you have not slept for more than a day, then the load on the body can be critical.

The general condition should be like that of an athlete before the start: cheerful, provocative, daring.

But this is the ideal state. In reality, a person can get tired after work or study, but simply after household chores. This is not an absolute limitation, simply: focus on your well-being.

It is quite possible that a tired person will reduce the number of visits to the steam room. But the benefits to the body will be colossal.

The first two paragraphs are mandatory.

What to bring to the bath

We will omit hygiene items, but without the accessories listed below, going to the bathhouse can be considered useless:

Strong green tea sugarless:

• increases the intensity of respiratory exchange;
• expands skin pores;
• enhances sweating;
• cleans pores at the biochemical level;
• lowers blood pressure in hypertensive patients (tea leaf catechins are responsible for this).

To get the maximum effect, green tea must be properly brewed. Follow two rules:

- double the amount of tea leaves, against the usual volume;

- Pour into the teapot not boiling water, but hot water at a temperature of 93-98˚C. At this temperature, the water becomes milky white.

Additionally, it would be very nice if you have a timer with an audible signal. It will allow you to control the time spent in the steam room.

The scenario of visiting the bath

Upon arrival in the bath, you should steam the broom. To do this, it is first dipped for 1-2 minutes in cold water, then for the same time in very hot water. After that, pour 1-2 cm of hot water into a basin, put a broom there and cover with a bowl on top. After about a quarter of an hour, the broom will acquire the desired condition. Take it out of the water and shake it to fluff it up.

General information

There is no one method of visiting the bath. Each bath attendant supplements the general recommendations with something, and displays his own scenario for going to the bathhouse. It can be compared to karate. Although the martial art has one name, but there are many different schools, and it is impossible to determine which one is the best.

We will describe our technique, which is suitable for any healthy person. All these time and temperature norms have been repeatedly tested, and although they seem extreme, in fact, this is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Remember the number 120. This is the sum of the combined indicators of temperature and humidity. A value of 120 is optimal.

For example, a temperature of 50 ˚C and a humidity of 70% add up to 120. The effect will be the same as when entering a steam room where, at a temperature of 80 ˚C, the humidity is only 40%.

This parameter is not critical, but you should strive to comply with it. You can use the rule of thumb: “If the broom leaves stick to the body, then the humidity is more than 60%. If the sheet rustles, then the humidity is less than 40% ".

At the same time, air temperature affects the chemical composition of sweat. At temperatures up to 60 ˚C, the pores are open, and the released sweat contains the maximum amount of waste and toxins.

If the temperature exceeds 60 ˚C, then the pores close, and interstitial fluid begins to stand out on the surface of the skin. It no longer contains toxins, but such sweat washes electrolytes and trace elements from the body.

From this fact follows the conclusion: "Hotter doesn't mean better".

1. The number and duration of visits to the steam room is regulated by the formula 1 + 3. Where 1 is the warm-up run (warm-up) and 3 is the number of target runs.

The duration of each target run is 9 minutes, and the warm-up run is 12. For more scrupulous observance of time intervals, set a timer for this period and leave it outside the steam room.

Steamed in a horizontal position with slightly raised legs

1. Body position. The only correct position of the body in the steam room is horizontal, with slightly raised legs. In this position, the same temperature acts on the body. In any other position, the legs will be in a colder atmosphere, and the head, on the contrary, will experience overheating. This approach completely detracts from the golden rule: "Keep your feet warm and your head cold".
2. Of course, if you do not have a personal steamer, then when working with a broom, the position of the body must be changed. But still, even if not lying down, then try to be in the steam room at least sitting, raising your legs on the shelves.
3. Rest duration. Between each visit to the bath, a rest is required, which is twice the time spent in the steam room, i.e., 18 minutes. After the warm-up run, the rest should be less, 12-15 minutes.
4. Quenching thirst. After leaving the steam room, you can drink tea.

You can't swallow tea like a rabbit boa constrictor. Once in the gastrointestinal tract, tea is affected by digestive enzymes, and its biochemical activity changes significantly. The best option is the resorption of tea infusion in the mouth. With this method, the infusion is absorbed into the blood through the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, and immediately enters the bloodstream.

Take small boluses of green tea in your mouth and rub it on your palate with your tongue. Literally in a minute, your body will be covered with large hailstones of sweat.

ATTENTION: learn to distinguish bitterness from astringency. Green tea is tart, but not bitter. If you clearly feel bitterness, most likely the tea was not brewed correctly (too hot water).

warm up

When you first enter the steam room, you can not climb to the very top, where it is hotter. In such a place it will be difficult to breathe, and the skin will burn.

When warming up, you need to lie on the bottom shelf, rest your feet against the wall (or put on a slight elevation) and lie down calmly. Breathe deeply, evenly. The optimal temperature for a warm-up entry is 40-45 ˚C.

Remove protruding drops of sweat with a scraper.

A couple of minutes before going out, take an upright position. This will avoid dizziness due to orthostatic collapse.

The purpose of this entry is to prepare the body for real temperature loads (draw an analogy with the warm-up for athletes).

After leaving the steam room, you need to rinse under a warm shower and wrap yourself in a towel or sheet. This entry the body was only warming up, and the heat did not penetrate deeply. The sudden cooling will close the pores and sweating will stop.

Target visits to the steam room

The following visits to the steam room follow the same scenario, and this time you will need a broom. The first one and a half to two minutes the body gets used to the temperature. Then you can climb to the top shelf.

The intensity of touches with a broom increases in the process of parka

It is necessary to work with a broom with an understanding of the essence of the park process.

At the beginning, hot air is drawn from above with a broom. Whipping yourself is not necessary yet, the body should warm up.

You can do this while lying down, with your legs slightly elevated on the wall.

Then you can already whip yourself a little with a broom. Touches should be light, with gradually increasing intensity.

Soar themselves with a broom, starting from the legs, and gradually moving towards the head. This is due to the flow of lymph, it moves from the limbs to the thoracic duct. Each next pass should be a little more intense. First, a broom, lowering hot air from above, slightly touches the body. The next pass, the touches are a little more tangible, and with each circle, the force of the patting increases.

If in the first circles the body warms up more, then gradually the broom begins to lightly massage the skin. Microvibrations occur in the body after each blow with a broom. These vibrations eliminate congestion in small capillaries and improve the dynamics of lymph movement.

At the signal of the timer set for 9 minutes, it is recommended to steam your chest a little and immediately after leaving the steam room, plunge into ice water.

Contrast water treatments

If you do not plunge into ice water after the steam room, then the effect of visiting the bath will not be the same. Rapid immersion in cold water causes a sharp constriction of all vessels and capillaries, which are located closer to the surface of the body. The warmth that has managed to saturate the blood with its life-giving force is, as it were, locked inside. And if during the stay in the steam room only the surface of the body was heated, then after the contrast bath, the heat goes deep into the body.

As a result, the temperature in the depth of the body increases by 1-1.5 ˚C. The vast majority of pathogenic bacteria and viruses die in the body.

Stay in ice water should be no more than 10 seconds! If you stay in such water for longer, then the process of addiction (adaptation) begins.

Getting used to cold water also has its advantages, but a sharp effect of cold on the body leads to powerful stress. A large amount of hormones are sequentially released into the blood.

VERIFIED: testosterone levels after such stress, short-term increases by 25-30%.

Relaxation

Between visits to the steam room, you should rest while sitting, not lying down. It is better if the legs are placed on a raised platform, so that they are raised.

Sip and suck green tea in small boluses.

TIP: If you have some kind of chronic injury, or just a chronic disease of the musculoskeletal system, then rub honey on the target area while resting.

Honey and salt scrub cleanses the skin well

Remember the duration of the rest, do not linger in the dressing room.

Final entry to the steam room

It differs only in that, in addition to the broom, you will also need a washcloth.

After the timer signal, using a washcloth as a scrub, carefully scrape the skin. While the epidermis is steamed, it easily rolls off and peels off.

After leaving the steam room, first rinse under a warm shower, and only then plunge into the ice water.

After such a procedure, soap will only harm.

Rest after bath

Approximately within 45-60 minutes after the last entry into the steam room, it is recommended to lie quietly in a warm dressing room. During this time, the body will give off excess heat and sweat residue. Therefore, it is best to wrap yourself in a sheet for this time and sweat.

Before dressing, go back to the washroom and rinse your body under a slightly cool shower.

After the bath drink green tea

Only then, you can get dressed and sit down at the table.

IMPORTANT: alcohol is not allowed even after the bath!

At the table, do not lean on heavy dishes. Considering that the body has just been cleansed of toxins and toxins, give the stomach a chance to rest. If the appetite has been played out in earnest, then eat something light, quickly digestible.

Try not to drink a lot of liquid. Do not swallow drinks, but dissolve them in your mouth. So it is much easier to quench thirst, and in general this is the best way to make up for the lack of electrolyte in the body.

Ideally, after the bath, you should sit at the table for an hour and a half, drink tea, then go to bed. The next morning you will feel reborn.

Add a comment

For some reason, it is believed that native Russians absorb the ability to bathe with their mother's milk. This opinion is not entirely correct. Steaming with benefit is not very difficult, but there are certain rules, ignoring which can cause damage to the body. Even many of the avid vapers do not know how to properly prepare a bath, they do not know how to take a steam bath in a Russian bath correctly, they simply harm their health instead of strengthening it.

The bathing procedure is a real art, which consists of a combination of many parameters. This includes a correctly selected and high-quality steamed broom, and the optimal selection of humidity and temperature, and the choice of pleasant aromas for the steam room, and the correct preparation for contrasting effects. All these bath components affect the health of the bather, his mood and enjoyment of the washing procedure.

Some useful secrets

It has been experimentally established that the minimum time spent on high-quality bath procedures should be at least 2 hours. You should not run into the bath for half an hour, there will be no benefit from this. The best time to go for a health hike is in the evening. The ideal option assumes that after a bath, a person immediately goes to bed so that the wellness procedures adequately end with a healthy sleep, which is especially strong and sweet after a steam room.

Taking a steam bath is especially useful after serious physical exertion, if the body is very exhausted and you need to restore its strength in a short time.

On the way to good health, it is enough to strictly observe only two rules:

• You need to go to the bath regularly. Once every week (it is possible once every two weeks, but not less often), you should set aside time for a bath in your schedule, even if it is very busy and has no gaps. An unsystematic, occasional visit to the steam room is ineffective, it will not bring harm, but there will be practically no benefit either.
• No need to test the strength of your body, trying to sit in the steam room for as long as possible. It won't add health. It is much more important to know and follow the sequence of procedures, to use them correctly.

Preliminary preparation

Anyone who goes to "purgatory" for health must forever abolish the "syndrome" of the bath party. A visit to the bath should not be associated with a cultural event, with alcohol flowing like a river and tables filled with dishes.

You need to clearly understand that the bath is not at all a restaurant with a steam room. You need to go there absolutely sober and not with a full stomach. It is not necessary to starve, you just need to have a bite to eat an hour and a half before going to the bathhouse. It is recommended to take only herbal tea with you, which perfectly quenches your thirst after visiting the steam room. Other non-alcoholic drinks are also suitable: kvass, fruit drink, regular tea. Just don't let them be ice cold.

Bath fees

People usually don't go to the Russian bathhouse empty-handed. You need to have a suitable bag with you, in which you will have:

• change of linen;
• clean sheet;
• bathrobe or wide towel;
• ordinary narrow towel;
• wool cap;
• light shoes, such as flip-flops;
• shampoo, washcloth, soap;
• The most important bath accessory is a broom.

broom preparation

Before starting the steaming procedure, it is necessary to steam the broom in accordance with all the rules, if it is dry, fresh is allowed into the business without steaming. First, the broom is dipped in cold water for 15 minutes, and then in hot water for 3 minutes. Cold water will change color, becoming like green tea. You can add boiling water to it and pour over hot stones. The steam room will be filled with a pleasant aroma.

How to take a steam bath in a Russian bath: the first entry into the steam room

While the broom is steaming, you can start the bath procedure. To learn how to take a steam bath in the baths, it is better to go with knowledgeable people. If this is not possible, we read the article further with double attention.

First of all, you need to stand under a warm shower for a couple of minutes. You don't need to wet your head. After the shower, a direct road to the steam room. In this case, a hat should be put on the head. Warming up should begin from the lower shelves. The optimum temperature for initial heating is around 60˚C. Then you can climb higher and lie down on the top shelf.

It is desirable that the legs are slightly higher than the head. In this position, the work of the heart is facilitated. If it is impossible to lie down, then you can sit down, but the legs should be positioned so that they are on the same level with the body.

For the first call, 5 minutes will be enough. This is enough to sweat and adjust the body. After the first entry, you need to relax, drink some hot tea infused with herbs.

Subsequent visits to the steam room

After rest, you can go to the steam room for the second time. The broom is already ready, and it can be put into operation. In order to raise the temperature, you need to splash water several times on hot stones in small portions. The stones will shoot with powerful jets of hot air, and fill the steam room with dry fragrant heat. Small portions of hot water will not quickly cool the stones, allowing you to succumb again and again until the temperature is comfortable for the bather.

It is best to bathe with a broom together. One lays down on the shelves with his back up and relaxes. The second one first blows hot air onto it with a broom. Then he begins to whip the soaring person with gentle blows with a gradual increase in blows. In conclusion, you can rub the body with a broom, but you should not forget that this can not be done with every broom. The procedure is repeated, turning the soaring person on his back.

Having understood how to bathe, you can safely go to the baths. But it is advisable to visit the steam room together for safety reasons: two people can monitor each other's condition and help to leave the hot room in case someone becomes ill. The steam room is a source of quite a serious load on the body, and the body may not withstand it.

Completion of the vaping procedure

Soaring should end according to the sensations. When it gets hot and a feeling of fatigue appears, this is a signal that it is time to go to rest. Almost any person 10 minutes in the steam room will be enough. After leaving the steam room, you need to lie down in the coolness of the rest room. You need to rest the longer, the more visits were made. But it is not recommended to go to bed right away.

First, it is advisable to walk a little, raising your hands up and taking deep breaths, then rinse your body under a warm shower, and only after that you can take a horizontal position. During rest, hot tea or a vitamin drink, which is drunk in small sips, will help maintain heat.

Proper rest

In terms of time, the break between visits to the steam room should not be less than the soaring procedure. After 3-4 visits to the steam room, it is advisable to give yourself a massage with a hard mitten, and before the last one, it would be nice to apply a scrub on the body. Then it remains only to wait for a profuse sweat, which will take 8-10 minutes, and then wash off all the "excesses".

Cooling down after the steam room

In total, 5-7 visits to the steam room are usually made during the bathing cycle. More is not desirable, less may not be enough. After each visit to the steam room, you need to immediately cool down. For this, a pool with cold water, a river or a pond, snow is perfect. Leaving the steam room, you must first wash off the sweat under the shower, and then rush into the hole. You should not just overdo it - contact with ice water should be half a minute, no more.

Not everyone, especially beginners, is ready for such a cold blow. There is no need to reach out for others, showing bravado, it is better to take a moderately cold shower, and postpone swimming in the snow for the next visits to the bathhouse.

Temperature contrast

When, after the next entry into the steam room, there is a feeling of readiness for swimming in the snow or in icy water, you must first warm up thoroughly. After that, a “bullet” into the water or snow - and run back to the steam room. Again, you need to steam well with a broom, while the pleasure a person receives is completely indescribable.

The end of the bath

After the end of the soaring procedure and visiting the washing room, it is advisable to sit a little more in a cool dressing room. To dry properly. Drying yourself with a towel is not necessary, because this will only lead to a new wave of sweating.

Having learned how to take a steam bath, do not forget that this is an excellent tool to promote health, but excessive bravado can be harmful. High temperature is a risk factor that, if used incorrectly, can make even a healthy person sick.

If, after entering the steam room, there is a feeling of dizziness, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, nausea and lethargy, then it is better not to go to the steam room anymore, because the consequences can be unpredictable and very serious.

To quench your thirst after a bath, you should drink kvass, juices, herbal infusions, mineral water. Useful tea. But beer, on the contrary, is not healthy, like any other alcohol, because it creates an additional burden on the heart.

The Russian bath is characterized by a combination of relatively low temperature (about 50-70 o C) and high humidity (about 45-65%). Such conditions allow you to deeply warm the bones and muscles, get rid of many diseases and cleanse the skin.

Regular visits to the Russian bath can save you from the need to visit the gym: one visit to the steam room is equivalent in calories to a couple of hours of work on simulators. But not everyone can withstand such loads.

Typically, a Russian bath has at least two rooms: a steam room with a high temperature and a dressing room or washing room, where the temperature is much lower. In the steam room there is a stove on which stones are heated. As soon as they are heated, specially prepared herbal infusions are poured onto them.

But the main feature of the Russian bath is a massage with a broom. from young shoots of different types of trees. All of them have their purpose and effect.

Types of brooms and their impact

The popularity palm belongs to oak and birch brooms. Birch cleanses and soothes the skin, heals wounds. Oak broom has a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect, makes the skin supple and toned. Use in the bath and a broom made of juniper or fir needles. It can cure sciatica, improve the condition of the nervous system.

Bird cherry is sometimes used, which has an anti-influenza effect. Walnut broom reduces varicose manifestations, heals small ulcers on the skin, alleviates the condition of diabetes. Alder leaves adhere well to the skin, removing toxins from it, removing sputum from the lungs with bronchitis and coughing. Eucalyptus is a rather rare plant for our places, but a broom made from it will make the air in the bath even more healing, make breathing much easier and improve well-being. They also make brooms from nettles. It has been successfully used to treat high blood pressure and calm "upset" nerves, relieve pain in the joints and back.

To achieve maximum effect, brooms must be properly prepared for the bath procedure: In addition, during use, it must be immersed in hot / warm water from time to time. And you need to work with a broom wisely: you can’t hit the body hard, you can burn or injure the skin. It is necessary to lightly tap the broom on the skin, slightly “stretching” the leaves.

When and how long to steam

It has been experimentally established that the minimum time that you need to spend on bath procedures (if you want to achieve a healing effect) is 2 hours. About when it is better to go to the bath, opinions are different, often opposite. Some of the bath lovers prefer the morning, some for the evening procedure, ending with sleep.

But bath experts are unanimous: a bath and bath parties are completely different things and concepts. Going to the Russian steam room after having eaten or “warmed up” with a drink with degrees is simply dangerous for health and life. Such trips often end in strokes.

Prepare a decent-sized bag: you will need a lot of things. Required:

a bathrobe (it’s not for nothing that they call it that) or a large towel (also a bath towel);

You can also take food with you to make first, and then, and infusions of herbs in order to pour them onto the heater. They take with them: herbs brewed in a thermos, tea or mineral water without gas.

How steam works

At an ambient temperature above 36.6 °, our body begins to actively sweat, thus trying not to overheat the body. This feature is used in the bath. The fact is that when sweat is released, harmful substances accumulated in the skin and subcutaneous fat are removed, thereby cleansing and healing the body.

The higher the ambient temperature, the more sweat is released. This opens up the pores. So that the skin (and behind it the internal organs) does not overheat, blood circulation is activated, this is expressed in redness: its amount increases closer to the surface. Such an increase in blood circulation occurs with all internal organs. More blood brings more nutrients, improving the condition of the skin. At the same time, through the sweat glands, a liquid with a huge set of trace elements is released.

That is why in the bath you need to drink, and drink a lot. No need to drink a large amount of liquid in one gulp. A few small sips, a break, and again. So the liquid is not excreted by the kidneys, but is distributed to the tissues and organs, restoring what has gone with sweat.

What, then, gives diving into cold water? Instant closing of pores. At the same time, the hot blood that was in the skin is squeezed out by closing pores into the deeper layers. Having received hot blood, these layers warm up. The next time you enter the steam room, they are included in the cleansing process. And this happens with each cycle of the steam room - cold water.

Naturally, between cycles you need to take breaks for rest. During it, you need to drink healing infusions of herbs. Green tea is also useful, but you need to be careful with it: a cup of strong drink contains more caffeine than good strong coffee. And since the loads in our steam room are already considerable, there is no need to overload it unnecessarily.

Very easily, by the way, red or pink spots on the skin after visiting the steam room are explained (the skin becomes marbled, with stains or stains). It's just that the pores closed differently in different areas. After a few hours, the color will stabilize.

How to steam

The bath is a place for relaxation, and everything needs to be done here slowly. The first rule of good vaping is don't rush. Everything has its time. You should not immediately run to the steam room upon arrival. The body has not yet warmed up and relaxed. Undress, put on a broom.

First, stand under a warm shower (do not wet your head), gradually increase the temperature of the water. Having warmed up, you can go into the steam room (putting a hat on your head).

First entry to the steam room

You need to start steaming from the lower shelves. Sit or lie down, warm up. From the second or third approach, it will be possible to rise higher, but for now, do not rush.

If you lie down, your feet should be above your head. This makes it easier for the heart to work, and you will know that it is actively working by an increased pulse. The duration of the first entry into the steam room is no more than 5 minutes. Be sure to take a warm shower when you leave. With sweat, many toxins that have accumulated in the body are removed. Leave them on the skin and they will be absorbed back.

After a shower, if you want, go to the dressing room, relax, drink hot tea with herbs.

The following visits to the steam room - work with a broom

Then you can already use brooms. Now you need to splash out specially brewed infusions of herbs on hot stones several times. Hot steam will rise from the stones in powerful jets, so be careful. When you reach the required temperature and humidity, you can start working with a broom.

It is more convenient to bathe together, taking turns whipping each other with a broom. “Single” use is also possible, although the back is then poorly worked out.

First you need to lie with your back up. They begin to lightly pat the broom, moving from the legs to the shoulders. With each pass, slightly strengthening the blows.

With some brooms, you need to “stretch” the leaves a little in the final stage (the last 2-3 passes). Usually they stretch with birch, oak or alder brooms, but this can be done only if there are no damages on the skin. The procedure is repeated, turning over on the back. Keep in mind that you need to pat on the stomach much easier than on the back.

When to complete entry into the steam room and how to relax during breaks

Listen to your own feelings. As soon as you feel tired, or it becomes hot, it's time to go out and rest. For almost any person, 10 minutes in the steam room is enough. In a cool washing room or dressing room, you need to lie down, but not immediately after leaving the steam room. You need to walk around a bit, taking deep breaths with full breasts, then stand under a warm shower. Now you can lie down.

To maintain water balance and body temperature, you need to drink hot tea or herbs in small sips. The rest becomes longer, the more visits there have already been. The duration of rest cannot be less than the time spent in the steam room.

After 3-4 visits to the steam room, you can rub yourself with a hard mitten, and before the last entry, you can apply a mask to the body (preferably homemade). In the steam room, wait for the appearance of profuse sweat, then rinse everything off under a warm shower.

Total visits to the steam room 5-7. Less - it makes no sense, more - too much stress on the body.

contrast procedures

After each entry into the steam room, the body requires cooling. For seasoned bath regulars, even dipping into an ice hole or swimming in the snow will be normal.

But if you are a beginner, you should not expose the body to severe stress. It is enough for you to stand under a cool shower, or plunge into a warm pool. Not icy and cold, but warm. After a few months, as your body and circulatory system become more trained and accustomed to heat/cold swings, you will be able to experience more contrasting sensations.

How to end a trip to the bath

Every time you enter a steam room, listen to your own body. As soon as you feel dizzy or nauseous, it becomes "ill" or lethargy appears, you need to take small steps, holding on to the walls, to leave the steam room. If you have friends nearby, ask them to help. In the coolness of the dressing room, come to your senses and rest. The trip to the bath can be considered over. This time for sure. If the situation repeats, the bath should be abandoned altogether, as well as undergo a medical examination.

After the last visit to the steam room, you need to sit and cool down. Drying with a towel is not worth it - sweating will only intensify. After the body temperature and pulse have returned to normal, you can get dressed. Before, there is no point: everything will be instantly saturated with sweat.

What can be cured in the bath

It is no secret that the Russian bath cures many diseases:

• pain in joints, muscles, back;
• vegetative-vascular dystonia, migraine;
• deviations in blood pressure (not during an exacerbation);
• kidney disease;
• reduced skin tone;
• respiratory diseases.

Who should not go to the bath

Unfortunately, not everyone will benefit from visiting the bathhouse. There are also contraindications. First of all, it is any purulent disease. Even a small pimple with a purulent head will become large and sore. Not to mention more serious processes. If there is purulent inflammation somewhere, you can’t warm yourself. This is clear. So many conditions and diseases immediately disappear. In addition, going to the bathhouse is contraindicated for people suffering from the following diseases:

• heart failure;
• tumor diseases;
• epilepsy;
• acute conditions in diseases of the respiratory tract (bronchitis, pneumonia, pneumonia in the acute stage);

Do not take children under 4 years old to the steam room. There are also restrictions for the elderly. This procedure is also contraindicated for them. Doctors do not recommend visiting the steam room during pregnancy and lactation, but many neglect these recommendations.

Finally, watch a master class on soaring in Russian baths. Lots of useful information in this video.

Bath procedure is a whole science, which has its own rules. Bath relieves fatigue and stress, cleanses the skin, relaxes muscles and improves blood circulation. The bath has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and increases physical tone. Do you know how to take a steam bath in a bath so that the effect of the procedure on the body is the most effective?

You need to go to the bath no earlier than an hour and a half after eating. Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed before the start of the bath procedures. If after heavy physical exertion you need to relax a little, then after mental work you can immediately go to the steam room. When entering the bath, you must remove jewelry, glasses and preferably contact lenses. There is no need to fuss in the bath. Only a calm and unhurried atmosphere will help to relax and give rest to the nervous system. Steaming is better in the morning. In the morning, at 9-10 o'clock, your body is full of energy, so it can easily endure the load that the heart receives. The steam room is a kind of training, in some cases replacing physical activity.

What to take with you to the bath?

Going to the steam room, you need to take two terry towels, a bathrobe, a broom, shampoo, and slippers with you. One towel is needed for drying, and the second for sitting in the steam room. This is especially important if you visit a public bath or sauna. Despite the mandatory disinfection after each visit, it is not recommended to sit on the bench without putting a towel or sheet on it. In the bath, it is advisable to wear a hat that protects the head from overheating. Today, manufacturers offer special hats for baths and saunas of any design and cut. Bath mittens, which can be bought in the kit, will help to cleanse the skin of the stratum corneum.

A broom for bathing procedures deserves special attention. It is believed that massage with a broom helps the skin acquire a healthy color, relieve spasms and pain in the spine, and the resinous substances released by the broom disinfect the air in the steam room, help with bronchitis, colds and flu.

How to steam in the bath

Before starting the procedure, you need to wash, dry your skin and enter the steam room. If you are cold, you must first dip your feet into a container of warm water, gradually adding hotter water. Only after you warm up you can enter the steam room. The body needs to be prepared for the heat, so do not immediately climb to the top shelves.

It is better to start steaming at a temperature of 60 ° C. It is quite easy to adapt to this temperature, after 3-4 minutes you can increase the temperature. Since the temperature in the bath fluctuates depending on the level of the shelves, after raising the degrees, you can lower yourself to the lower bench. It is better to lie in the steam room so that the body receives an even amount of heat. After you have sweated well, you need to get out of the steam room and rinse with water. To harden the body, you can turn on a cold shower for 5-10 seconds or plunge into the pool.

On the second entry into the steam room, take a broom with you. If it is fresh, it is enough to rinse it a little, and it will be ready. A dry broom after rinsing should be put in a basin with warm water. After that, it will become soft, and a pleasant smell will appear in the steam room. If there is high humidity in the bath, the broom can be placed on the highest shelf, where it will steam itself. When using a broom, you need to force air to the body with it, and not beat it, as many do. You have to work smoothly, like a fan. You need to start from the legs: they go through the feet, legs, buttocks, back and arms, and then back. Only after the body has got used to the broom, you can lightly whip. The foliage should be tightly adjacent to the skin, for this, press it against the body.

To increase the heat in the bath, you need to splash hot water on hot stones of 200-300 grams. In a heated and dry bath, the temperature should not increase, but only the amount of steam should be added. It must be remembered that in high humidity it is more difficult to breathe, because. the air becomes heavy. It is best to maintain the optimum ratio of humidity (20-40%) and temperature (60-80 °C).

Features of soaring in the Russian bath

It is better to take a steam bath in a Russian bath together. In the steam room you need to breathe through your nose, because with nasal breathing, dry air is moistened, and hot air is cooled. Steam in the bath should be in several visits, gradually increasing the time of the steam room. Before the first entry, you need to take a shower, the temperature of which is 35-38 ° C. At the end of the procedure, you need to use soap to wash off the fat from the skin. The traditional Russian banya is, of course, a banya with a whisk.

Which broom to choose for a bath?

Oak has long been famous for its anti-inflammatory properties. It perfectly cleanses the pores, makes the skin supple and matte. An oak broom is suitable for people with problem skin. In addition, oak relieves stress, calms the nervous system, prevents an increase in blood pressure in the steam room, so it is advisable to use such a broom for people prone to hypertension.

Nettle broom is best used after physical exertion. It helps relieve muscle fatigue and joint pain. Such an action of a broom is associated with a local irritant effect of nettle. Nettle broom is dipped in hot water for a few seconds, and steamed with it only after the body is warmed up. You need to beat with light strokes, otherwise it will quickly become disheveled.

Eucalyptus broom is an excellent prevention of colds. Eucalyptus vapors treat sore throats, runny noses and coughs. Eucalyptus leaves contain 1-3% essential oil, which provides its medicinal properties. In the bath, it is recommended to press the steamed broom to your face and breathe through your nose for 5 minutes. The disadvantage of the eucalyptus broom is its shape. It has long leaves, and the branches are flexible and thin, so they are inconvenient to work with. Given the healing properties of the eucalyptus broom, it must certainly be present in the “arsenal” of a lover of bath procedures, but for frequent trips to the steam room, you can use a birch broom.

After a parka with a birch broom, the skin becomes ugly and clean. Birch accelerates wound healing, has a calming effect, cleanses problem skin. Birch broom helps to improve lung ventilation and sputum discharge. Such a broom is indispensable for smokers and asthmatics, after the first procedure it will become easier to breathe. Birch leaves are rich in essential oils, vitamin C, tannins. You can wash your hair with infusion of a broom, it will give strength to your hair and destroy dandruff.

Bath masks and essential oils

Before entering the steam room, it is useful to apply special masks. They improve perspiration, nourish and cleanse the skin.

Creamy honey mask prevents the skin from drying out. To prepare it, you will need 250 g of honey, 250 g of cream or sour cream, a pinch of salt. The mask is applied in a circular motion on the abdomen and thighs. Salt in this case acts as a scrub, cleansing the pores of pollution. After 15 minutes, the mask is washed off.

An oatmeal mask is applied to the face. For its preparation, it is necessary to soak 1 part of the flakes and mix with 1 part of sour cream. Apply for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with water.

To whiten the skin, you can prepare a mask of cottage cheese (1 tablespoon) and dry algae (1 tablespoon). You need to apply it for 10-15 minutes, rinse with water.

Hair masks show good results. The composition of many shampoos from pharmacy series includes brewer's yeast. Such a healing mixture can be prepared independently. To do this, you need 1 egg yolk, 1 tbsp. spoon of brewer's yeast, 1 teaspoon of burdock or sunflower oil. The mask is applied with massaging movements for 15 minutes, washed off with warm water.

It is useful to use essential oils in the bath. They will help improve well-being, improve mood, rejuvenate the skin. For colds, aromas of lavender, eucalyptus, coniferous pine, tea tree, peppermint, lemon are useful. They need to be applied at the rate of 2-3 drops per 5 square meters. m. It is best to put a few drops of essential oil in a bucket of water and splash it on hot stones. Such water can be poured onto the shelves, it will serve as an excellent disinfectant. You should stay in a room with a high concentration of essential oils for no more than 20 minutes.

Sandalwood and lavender oils will help calm the nervous system. Oils of rosemary, cedar, lemon, ginger, pine, juniper, lemon, nutmeg and orange have tonic properties. Essential oils of clove, cypress, lemon balm and thuja will help restore strength after physical exertion.

To disinfect the air in a bath or sauna, it is recommended to use a mixture of chamomile, eucalyptus, green tea and oregano oils.

How many times a week can you visit the bath?

It all depends on how you feel and the state of your body. For some, once every two weeks is enough, and someone gets used to visiting the steam room 2-3 times a week. Contraindications for frequent bath procedures are regular exacerbations of chronic diseases, severe vegetative disorders, hypertension, frequent headaches.

In one hour spent in the steam room, a person loses weight from 0.5 to 1.5 kg. This is due to profuse sweating, therefore, both in the bath and after the bath, you need to drink plenty of water. Together with sweat, you lose toxins, and by drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juices after a bath, you saturate the body with biologically active substances.