For Russians, bath procedures have long ceased to be just a way to cleanse the body. Today they are perceived more as a combination of measures to improve the body, elevate mood, improve skin condition, and also as a pleasant pastime. Many consider going to the bath one of the the best options recreation.
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At the same time, there are few real connoisseurs of bath procedures. Most people steam incorrectly, at best, nullifying the benefits of the bath, and at worst, even harming their own health. The reason is the widespread misconceptions about the Russian bath. Consider the most famous of them.
The higher the temperature in the steam room, the more useful the procedure.
For bath procedures, the optimum temperature is about 60 ° C at 60% humidity. It is this microclimate of the steam room that allows the body to warm up evenly, gradually removing toxins with sweat. At higher temperatures there is a risk of burning the respiratory tract.
The longer you steam, the better
The perception of bathing heat is different for everyone. It is worth bathing only if the procedure does not cause discomfort. Trying to endure discomfort and compete with more resilient people in this regard is unwise and unsafe for health.
The maximum allowable period of stay in the steam room depends on the age of the person, the presence of chronic diseases, the characteristics of well-being and other individual factors. An adult who decides to visit a bath for the first time is recommended to limit himself to one visit to the steam room for no more than 7 minutes. With normal tolerance, each subsequent call can be increased by 1 minute. Experienced vapers eventually accustom themselves to two or three visits. total duration from 15 to 35 minutes.
Before going to the bath you need to eat well
In fact, steaming on a full stomach is very harmful. The break between eating and going to the bath should be at least 3 hours. It is better to include vegetable and fruit dishes, sour-milk and cereal products, as well as some fish and eggs in the meal before the bath. It is not recommended to eat meat, smoked meats, canned food and fast food. Before going to the steam room, forget about carbonated drinks, legumes, and foods rich in flavors and containing animal fats. Their processing, combined with the temperature effect on the body, overloads the liver, which leads to disruption of the digestive system.
You need to go to the bath once a week
Experts believe that going to the bathhouse once a week provides the minimum necessary therapeutic and cosmetic effect on the body, but no one says that this should not be done more often. Bath lovers who bathe 2-3 times a week do not notice any negative consequences.
Bath procedures are dangerous for pregnant women
In Russia, future mothers visited the bathhouse without restrictions. Women not only steamed until the very birth, but often even gave birth in steam rooms. Babies were taken to the bath from the first months of life. The bath will not harm pregnant women and modern world. It is only important to observe reasonable moderation: do not overheat and do not take excessively long procedures that can become stressful for the body.
A bath broom needs to be beaten on the skin
Brooms in the bath are used for two purposes: firstly, they “adjust” hot air to the skin and gently massage its surface, and secondly, they get water extracts of biologically active substances, which are then sprinkled on hot stones to create healing steam . For soaring, brooms are usually used from branches of deciduous trees: birch, oak, linden, eucalyptus, aspen, as well as medicinal herbs. For inhalations, brooms from coniferous plants are also steamed.
It is completely useless to whip the body with a broom, and it is not safe, since you can injure the surface layer of the skin, softened by heat.
To quench thirst in the bath is better with cold water
A visit to the bath is accompanied by strong sweating. It is necessary to replenish the loss of fluid, but cold water is not suitable for this purpose. It is good to drink herbal teas in the bath, berry fruit drinks, dried fruit compotes. Warm boiled water will do. Use carbonated drinks (including sweet ones) and fruit juices to quench your thirst industrial production undesirable.
It is good to drink beer in the bath
Drinking alcohol in the bath is very dangerous. This doubles the stress experienced by the cardiovascular system, with the existing predisposition increasing the risk of stroke or myocardial infarction. Unfortunately, many Russians, realizing this, still do not deny themselves the pleasure of drinking a couple of mugs of beer and even claim that it is useful, because supposedly a foamy drink quenches thirst well, and there is not much alcohol in it.
In fact, in the bath you can not use any product containing alcohol. especially dangerous in this respect energy drinks and stimulants are considered; spirits, wine and beer should also be included in the prohibited list.
Nourishing skin masks should be applied between visits to the steam room
The basis of almost all nourishing masks is fat. They create a film on the skin that closes the pores, so it is impossible to apply masks on the body and face before visiting the steam room: sweating is disturbed. In addition, cosmetics of this kind contain aromatic substances that create extraneous odors in the steam room.
Before taking bath procedures, you need to rinse with warm water in the shower and wipe the skin dry with a towel. In the steam room, you can use only peeling products to facilitate exfoliation of dead skin particles. The process can be enhanced with the help of honey: it has not only cleansing, but also nourishing properties. It is permissible to apply the rest of cosmetics on the face and body only at the end of the bath procedures.
Red spots on the skin after a steam room are a sign of good vascular condition
Leather healthy person after the steam room acquires an even pink tint. When uneven red spots appear in some places, you should be wary: their appearance indicates either a violation of peripheral circulation or severe overheating. The last circumstance is easy to check: it is enough to measure the pulse after a visit to the steam room. If it is 140 beats per minute or more, then you need to steam at a more moderate temperature.
You can cool the body in the pool after each soar
Contrasting bath procedures (immersion in cold water or snow rubdowns, alternating with visits to the steam room) are very useful for the nervous system: they perfectly relieve stress. However, for other purposes, they may be redundant. If the meaning of the procedures is to restore strength after an illness, you should abandon temperature contrasts and take a hot shower between visits to the steam room.
But even when contrast procedures are indicated, experts recommend dipping into cold water only after the third soar, when the body is already evenly warmed up.
When cooling after a steam room, the hair must be kept dry
This is a very common and harmful misconception. After the steam room, you must definitely plunge with your head.
As a result of strong heating in the steam room, the vessels of the head and body are in an expanded state. Immersion in cold water leads to their instant narrowing. When the vessels of the head remain dilated, pressure can rise sharply in them, which is fraught with backfire: the most common lethargy, drowsiness, difficulty with speech. Some consider such sensations to be evidence of the qualitative effects of bath procedures, but in fact these are symptoms of a deterioration in cerebral circulation.
In the bath it is enough to take one broom
Experienced vapers never do this. They usually have two or three brooms of different plants. For example, the following combination is very popular: birch, oak and juniper. A birch broom is used at the beginning of a steam bath to open pores, an oak broom is used to increase sweating and improve skin condition, a juniper broom is used for a gentle massage that improves blood circulation and creates a healing steam with a wonderful coniferous aroma.
Any Banya broom needs pre-treatment. Connoisseurs recommend steaming the branches in boiling water for 5 minutes, and then keeping them for the same amount in cold water.
In the bath you need to wash with soap
Soap removes the protective fatty layer from the surface of the skin, thereby drying it greatly. It is undesirable to combine a similar effect with intense heating. It is better to wash with soap the day before visiting the bath, and use only a hot shower and exfoliating products in it. By the way, it is not at all necessary to use industrial scrubs and peels: masks made from clay, cornmeal or oatmeal, as well as bee products, are suitable for cleansing the skin.
You can have sex in the bath
Men are more likely to suffer from the consequences of this delusion. For a person who has just taken bath procedures, sex can be dangerous. The fact is that after the steam room, blood circulation is activated, the load on the vessels increases. The release of a large amount of sex hormones into the blood against such a background can lead to a heart attack and a hypertensive crisis.
The bathing tradition in Russia has long history. The rules for visiting the steam room were formed a long time ago, they have been tested by many generations of our ancestors. Steaming in the bath, neglecting these rules, is not only pointless, but also dangerous. In addition, visiting the bath has a number of medical restrictions, which are also useful to familiarize yourself with. A competent approach will help to avoid possible complications and get the most out of this pleasant activity.
Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:
Russian bath is a unique place where people from ancient times come to relax and improve their physical and mental health.
This tradition is gaining more and more popularity over time, because it is not in vain that there is a saying “I washed in the bath - I was born again”.
For several centuries, the rules and customs of behavior in Russian bath: when to go to the bath, how to take a steam bath, when to prepare brooms, what to bring with you to the bath, etc. If you want to visit a Russian bath in Kyiv, it is important for you to know what it is and how it differs from other baths.
Firstly, the bath itself should ideally be made of wood and the thicker the walls, the better. The tree knows how to accumulate heat well, and then gradually give it away, so it was not for nothing that in the old days all houses were built from a log house.
Secondly, stove in Russian bath, should be made of bricks. Thanks to the massive Russian stove, good steam is obtained. In a real Russian bath, he envelops you with his warmth and at the same time breathes easily. The stove is heated only with wood, they give the perfect heat in order to warm up the stones in the heater. Do not forget that their weight can reach 500 kg. And if they warm up well, then you can soak in the bath for several hours.
Thirdly, the air temperature in the steam room is + 45 + 55C with a humidity of 60-70%. This is the optimal ratio at which the whole body warms up well. All the pores of the body open, through which our body begins to get rid of harmful substances and toxins. Any person will be comfortable in such a steam room, regardless of age.
Fourth Always cover your head before entering the steam room. Heat stroke can spoil all the pleasure of visiting a Russian bath.
Fifth if you decide go to the Russian bath, remember that the body needs to be stroked more with a broom than to beat with all your might. With the help of a broom, heat is driven onto the body and it is not surprising that in this Russian bath a person often falls asleep, because he is comfortable, blows with a broom do not bring pain, velvet warmth relaxes and soothes.
You need to be able to share with you all the useful qualities. First, the broom is dipped into cold water so that the dry leaves are saturated with moisture, and then it must be held over the steam. Never lower a dry broom into hot water, so you just brew it like tea and there is no benefit from such a broom.
At sixth, you need to ventilate the steam room after each call. In this Russian bath there is always a window that is opened for 2-3 minutes. This helps to freshen up the room, and the temperature and humidity will quickly recover with the right stove.
A visit to the bathhouse is always a holiday for a person, because Russian bath gives the mind - clarity, the body - vivacity, and the soul - harmony.
The Russian banya is considered the wettest, as it warms up to high temperatures (60 C and above) at 100% humidity. Because of this, the pulse reaches up to 200 beats per minute, the pressure rises, and you should not stay in the steam room for more than 5-7 minutes.
During construction, the Russian bath is sheathed inside with “bath” wood species, such as: birch, pine, linden, oak, which, when the bath is kindled, begin to release healing oils and resins.
In Russia, everyone went to the baths, from young to old, but in enlightened Europe they preferred to fill the aromas of the body with perfume, and not to wash.
During the stay of Peter I in Paris in 1717, by order of Tsar Peter, a bathhouse for Russian soldiers was erected right on the banks of the Seine. In it they soared, and then rushed to swim in the river. When the French asked if the soldiers would catch a cold, the tsar replied that the French air softens them, and the Russian bath makes them stronger.
Banya on black, one of the varieties of the Russian bath. It differs in that there is no chimney in the oven and the smoke goes inside the bath, settling on the walls, warming up and disinfecting them. It turns out that in the old days, children were born in just such baths, because they considered the black bath to be the most sterile place!
A broom for a bath is a primordially Russian invention. Only in the Russian bathhouse do the bathers whip each other with a broom to expel the slags.
The first public baths for citizens began to be built by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in the 18th century. They belonged to private individuals.
Experienced bath attendants do not drink beer and other alcoholic beverages: alcohol and heavy wort increase dehydration and block the removal of toxins.
Foreigners have always been surprised how Russians, after a bath, especially in winter, run out and plunge into the hole. It turns out that bathing burns up to 1000 calories.
A century ago, calling a woman a "banner" was considered a terrible insult, because before the word"banner" and "prostitute" were synonymous.
In Russia, since 1743, by a Senate decree, it was forbidden for men to wash together with women in "commercial" baths. That is why Russia avoided the syphilis epidemic that swept across Europe.
Before the wedding, there was a tradition in the villages for the bride and groom's mother to take a steam bath together. She watched how healthy and virgin the future daughter-in-law was.
After a good steam room, a person who correctly performs all bath procedures loses up to 2 kg in weight in one visit.
You can talk a lot about the benefits of the Russian Bath, but everyone knows this ..
In addition to hygiene, the bath contributes to the prevention of many diseases, helps to remove toxins and toxins.
In Russia, they called it "kicks out the sickness"
The expression "Enjoy your bath" is a greeting and a wish of good health to someone who has just taken a steam bath or washed.
There are two versions of the origin of this turnover:
1. In Russian baths, the hottest place was almost under the very ceiling, where there was a shelf-platform on which they steamed. Steam rose from hot stones poured with water. The one who went to the bath was wished for a light steam, that is, such a steam that quickly rises from the hot stones upwards.
2. In baths, steam could mix with carbon monoxide, from which people often burned out. This steam, in contrast to the light, good steam, was called heavy. Therefore, they wanted a light couple.
Let's go to the bath, a few important rules
It's no secret that the bath has a healing effect.
But how to take a steam bath in a Russian bath in such a way as to achieve desired result? Indeed, sometimes, when a person comes to the bathhouse and does not know the basics of soaring, he can harm his body with an insane simultaneous load and say forever: “no” to such a miraculous remedy as a birch or oak broom.
To avoid this, let's start with a few simple rules:
☀ Before the bath, you should not overload your body with food. To suppress your appetite, eat something light.
☀ For hygienic purposes, before starting bath procedures, take a shower, but do not wet your head, otherwise you risk causing it to overheat.
☀ Remove all accessories if possible
When entering the steam room, do not forget to put on a hat or cap on your head, which will also prevent the possibility of overheating.
☀ Best time for bath procedures individually and depends on your biological clock. However, it is believed that in the morning the body is most prepared for such procedures. Do not forget that a bath, with the right approach, can stand next to such physical activity like running and walking.
Brooms
If you decide to follow the entire procedure and achieve maximum effect - do not forget about the broom. Choosing a broom is a whole science, of course, it is better if you prepare it yourself in June-July. But if you did not have such an opportunity, you can buy it by choosing the color and size - all the quality, as they say, "on the face."
AT this moment, there are many varieties of bath brooms: linden, birch, oak, eucalyptus, coniferous ... And they all differ in their effect. For example:
Birch broom has a good effect on the skin, narrowing the pores and having a healing effect. Eucalyptus broom vapor helps to cope with colds and upper respiratory tract diseases. ETC. ETC.
☀ Having chosen a broom that suits you, do not forget to “steam” it before starting the bath procedures.
To do this, a sufficient amount of hot water is poured into the basin, where a broom is placed for soaking. Once your broom is softened, it is ready to go.
☀ Sufficient time should be allotted to the bath so that, being in the steam room, do not rush and enjoy several visits.
☀ Go to the steam room 2-3 times with short pauses, after which you definitely need a long rest.
☀ If you are unwell, it is better to postpone the bath for the next time.
☀ In the bath, the main thing is a gradual load, so you should not immediately throw half a basin of water on hot stones.
☀ If someone enjoys the contrast of temperatures, he can take a dip in the pool or rub himself in the snow.
☀ Natural drying is welcome, that is, sitting in the dressing room, without using a towel, you must dry yourself.
☀ After leaving the steam room, at least 20 minutes must pass before you go out into the fresh air. During this time, you can take your time to wash, take a shower, collect your belongings.
☀ The duration of the optimal entry into the steam room at a temperature of 90 degrees and a humidity of 10 percent is 10 minutes, followed by a 10-minute rest.
☀ They take a broom with them to the second entry into the steam room.
☀ Water is poured onto the stones with a special scoop of 0.2 liters. It is important not to overdo it, because if the humidity of the air increases, it becomes difficult to breathe.
☀ Many people feel thirsty after a steam bath. Therefore, you can drink kvass, mineral water. Very useful in such cases is green tea. But those who want to lose weight should not drink liquids for 2 hours after the bath.
How to steam
Stroking, lashing, whipping with a broom is like a real massage that stimulates blood circulation, increases sweating and energizes. Movements should be soft, flexible, and the broom should lightly touch the body, only pumping up heat. It is important that it is always moist and fluffy.
The steam intensity is determined by the temperature in the steam room. If it is high, they whip it gently with a broom, if not very - sweepingly. They usually start with stroking movements from the feet to the hips and abdomen, chest and neck. Then the legs, stomach, chest and arms are vigorously whipped. They finish by rubbing: with one hand they hold the handle of the broom, with the other they press the foliage to the body. Inhale its aroma more often, it will become a true massage for the lungs.
Sweat removes from the body a maximum of unnecessary and harmful. By the way, that's why experienced attendants it is not wiped, but cleaned with special scrapers so that the sweat is not absorbed back.
And that is why you need to drink a lot in the bath: all the incoming liquid will come out, taking with it toxins, pollution and other dirt. In addition, heat relieves tension, relaxes muscles, soothes.
What and how to serve in the steam room
Herbal infusions give not only nice smell but also have a beneficial effect on the body. The heated essential molecules of plants increase their activity many times, thanks to which we leave the steam room literally saturated with benefits.
For example, eucalyptus steam contains 40 most useful components. Mint improves mood and calms nerves. Linden repeatedly increases sweating and treats colds. There are lovers of beer, kvass and even tobacco steam. Cigarette smoke is unhealthy, but brewed tobacco treats problematic skin.
First, hot water is splashed on the stones to cool them slightly. Then - a diluted infusion, and then - water again. Infusion can also be sprinkled on walls and floors. But do not water those present - mixed with sweat, it will give an unpleasant odor.
On a note
Overheating is often due to low sweating.
The fact is that sweat cools our skin, entering the so-called thermoregulation chain.
If it does not appear, body temperature and blood pressure rise sharply. And the body signals this dizziness.
To activate perspiration, massage your body with a soft mitt or towel. Honey helps too.
The fruit acids included in its composition exfoliate the skin, free the pores from impurities and facilitate perspiration.
In principle, any exfoliating procedures help (the easiest way is to do a peeling in the shower right before entering), as well as diaphoretic teas.
It is better not to drink black tea and coffee in the bath: they excite nervous system that a relaxed body is absolutely useless.
Beer is also despised by experienced bath attendants: alcohol and the heavy wort of this drink increase dehydration of the body and block the removal of toxins. In the bath, it is better to drink mineral water or herbal tea.
The history of the bath goes back to ancient times. So, the Egyptians already about 6 thousand years ago attached great importance to the cleanliness of the body and used baths everywhere. Egyptian priests washed themselves four times during the day: twice during the day and twice at night. . Because everywhere there were beautiful arranged baths available to everyone. Adherence to the bath and massage, moderation in food allowed the Egyptians to maintain a slender figure and helped to successfully fight premature aging. Egyptian doctors of that time were considered the best in the world, and their art in the treatment of various diseases almost did not do without water procedures i.e. no bath.
For 1.5 thousand years BC, the bath was widely used for hygienic and therapeutic purposes in India.
AT Ancient Greece baths first appeared among the Spartans. They represented a round room with a stone open hearth in the center.
Baths were especially popular among the ancient Romans. The cult of the bath literally existed here. Even greeting at a meeting, the Romans instead of greeting asked: “How are you sweating?” The Romans simply could not imagine life without a bath. “Bath, love and joy, we are together until old age,” such an inscription has survived to this day on the wall of one ancient building.
In the bath, the Romans not only washed, but also talked, drew, read poetry, sang, and arranged feasts. At the baths there were massage rooms, platforms for exercise and sports, libraries. Wealthy Romans visited the bath twice a day.
Both private and public Roman baths (terms) were distinguished by exceptional luxury - precious marble pools, silver and gold washstands. By the end of the 1st century BC e. 150 public baths were built in Rome.
It is curious to note that the rooms for sweating were warmed up in the same way as in modern Russian baths and Finnish saunas: in the corner there was a brazier, on a bronze grate, stones over hot coals. There were also rooms with dry and wet steam.
AT Ancient Rome baths were also valued as a remedy for many diseases. In particular, the outstanding Roman physician Asclepiades (128-56 BC) was even nicknamed the “bather” for his commitment to bath hydrotherapy. Asklepiad believed that cleanliness of the body, moderate gymnastics, sweating in the bath, massage, diet and walks on fresh air. "The most important thing," Asclepiad argued, "is to capture the patient's attention, destroy his spleen, restore healthy ideas and an optimistic attitude towards life." It was the bath that created such sensations in the patient.
The steam bath in Russia (soap, movnya, mov, vlaznya) was already known among the Slavs in the 5th-6th centuries. Everyone used the bath: both princes and noble people and common people. In addition to its purely functional purpose, the bath played big role in various ceremonies. For example, a bath was considered necessary on the eve of the wedding and on the next day of the wedding, and visiting the bath was accompanied by a special ceremony.
Many foreign travelers wrote about Russian baths.
Olearius (a German scientist 1603-1671), who traveled to Muscovy and Persia in 1633-1639, wrote that the Russians firmly adhere to the custom of washing in a bathhouse ... and therefore in all cities and villages they have many public and private baths. Olearius, by the way, mentions that the Russians came to the conclusion that False Dmitry was a stranger because he did not like baths. “The Russians,” reports Olearii, “can endure intense heat, from which they turn everything red and become exhausted; that they are no longer able to stay in the bath, they run out naked into the street, both men and women, and pour themselves cold water in winter, running out of the bathhouse into the yard, they roll in the snow, rub their body with it, as if with soap, and then go back to the bathhouse.
The construction of baths was allowed to anyone who had enough land. The decree of 1649 ordered "soap houses to be built in vegetable gardens and in hollow places not close to the choir." Home baths were heated only once a week, on Saturdays, and therefore Saturdays were considered bathing days and even government offices did not work on them. Usually, whole families bathed in home baths at the same time, men and women steamed together. However, in public (“commercial”) baths, people of all ages and sex also steamed and washed together, however, women on one side, men on the other. And only in 1743, by a Senate decree, c. "commercial" baths for men to wash together with women and for the male sex over 7 years old to enter the women's bath, and female gender the same age - respectively in the male.
As written in an ancient treatise, washing gives ten benefits: clarity of mind, freshness, vigor, health, strength, beauty, youth, purity, pleasant skin color and attention. beautiful women. Note that the one who understands the steam bath, goes to the bathhouse not so much to wash, but to warm up and sweat.
Warming up leads to a beneficial change in the functional state of the organs and systems of the body, increased metabolism, promotes the development of protective and compensatory mechanisms. This is explained by the beneficial effects of heat and sweat on the cardiovascular, respiratory, thermoregulatory and endocrine systems in most people. Bath calms the nervous system, restores vigor, increases mental abilities.
Look at what the Portuguese Sanchez wrote about the Russian steam bath back in 1778, the doctor of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna (this treatise can be found in Moscow in the Lenin Library): “I do not hope that such a doctor would be found who would not recognize steam bath. Everyone clearly sees how happy society would be if it had an easy, harmless and so effective way so that they could not only maintain health, but heal or tame the diseases that so often happen. For my part, I consider only one Russian bath, properly prepared, to be capable of bringing such a great benefit to a person. When I think about the multitude of medicines from pharmacies and from chemical laboratories, coming out and brought from all over the world, how many times I wanted to see that half or three-quarters of these buildings, built everywhere at great expense, would turn into Russian baths, for the benefit of society. And at the end of his life, having left Russia, Sanchez contributed to the opening of Russian steam baths in all the capitals of Europe.
We Russians should not forget about this!
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For several years I have been helping people build real Russian baths. Over the years, I have clearly understood that in the minds of our lovers of baths there is an absolutely perverted concept of "Russian bath". The many private and commercial baths that are present everywhere in our country and work under the fashionable sign "Russian sauna on firewood" are very far from a real Russian bath. And, in fact, they are not. The monstrous misconceptions about the Russian bath, which are firmly seated in the minds of our compatriots, prompted me to write this article. The article is written in the form of an interview and is intended to answer the most typical questions about the Russian bathhouse and dispel the myth that the bathhouses that are being built everywhere in our country are the real “Russian bathhouses”. And I used to have the wrong bath. How I made the right one out of it can be read in my article "Turnkey bath conversion into a bath according to the mind"
Now the Russian wood-fired sauna has become very popular. Tell about her.
The Russian banya is one of the many types of banyas. Its closest sister is the Finnish sauna. But both the Finnish sauna and the Russian bath in a classic guise are now very rare. And those baths, which we call Russian baths, have nothing to do with this type of baths. Unfortunately, in our country there is a stable perverted stereotype of the Russian bath. Most of our bath lovers believe that the Russian bath is when the temperature is +100C and above, you can pour water on the stones and whip with brooms. This is fundamentally not true! The Russian banya is completely different, and few people know about it, even fewer had the good fortune to bathe in a real Russian banya.
How so? I also always thought that the Russian bath is when it is very hot, there is a lot of steam and you need to whip with brooms. All my friends have such baths. Some are steamed at + 120C.
It really is. The vast majority of private, commercial and public baths have just such temperature conditions. And all visitors to these baths are sure that this is the real Russian bath. But it's not. Now you can find numerous signs "Russian sauna on the wood." But behind these signs, in fact, there is not a Russian bath at all. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find a real Russian bath now. Everywhere they build and use standard baths and stubbornly, but erroneously, call them Russian.
It turns out that by hanging a sign "Russian sauna on wood", we are deliberately deceived?
This is not entirely true. The general illiteracy of our people in bathing matters has given rise to such a situation. I can say with confidence that most owners of commercial baths, bath shops, sellers of bath products, owners of bath sites on the Internet have no idea about the types of baths, types of stoves for different types of baths, and so on. We trust them, we trust advertising, a signboard, or simply the assurances of unfortunate professionals. But their task is to sell their product or service. It is easiest for them to hang up a fashionable sign "Russian bath", but at the same time they do not understand and do not know what it is. All these "specialists" either do not go to the bathhouse at all, or, like most of our citizens, they mistakenly think that the bathhouse they visit is the real Russian bathhouse. Most of them do not even think that the service or product that they offer has nothing to do with the Russian bath.
So what is a Russian bath?
It is very difficult to define the Russian bath. What is it for a Russian person? A room for washing and steaming? Or is it a complex of wellness procedures associated with steaming, dousing, massage, herbs and teas? Or maybe this is something deeply spiritual and even sacred for a Russian person - a sacred place where not only the body, but also the soul is cleansed, illnesses disappear, strength appears? Lifestyle and a good perennial habit? Maybe this is a place for meetings with friends, intimate conversations, discussions and conversations about life? Probably all of these definitions are correct. And many more such definitions can be given. But the point is not in the definition, but in that capacious concept of "Russian bath", which is genetic level so important for the Russian people. Next, we will try to figure out what the correct Russian bath is and how it differs from other types of baths, which are also mistakenly called “Russian baths”.
Let's start with the most important thing: the conditions in the steam room of the Russian bath. Conditions are the ratio of temperature and humidity.
I always thought that only the temperature is important in the bath. The higher it is, the better the bath.
This is not true. Food without salt is absolutely not tasty. But the statement that the more salt in food, the tastier it is is also not true. The same goes for the temperature in the steam room. It's no secret that human body designed so that it is comfortable at certain temperatures. For example, it freezes at temperatures below its own +36.6C, and overheats at higher temperatures. But the degree of comfort is affected not only by temperature, but also by humidity. For example, very coldy easier to tolerate at low humidity. It feels like a frost of -30C in the northern regions is easier to tolerate than the same frost of -30C in the middle lane. It's just more humid in the middle lane than in the north. Likewise with the heat. Lower humidity makes it easier to tolerate higher temperatures. And vice versa. A person is designed in such a way that his body itself tries to regulate body temperature when it falls into conditions that are not comfortable for him. At elevated temperatures, we will sweat, which, evaporating, cools our body. The lower the humidity, the faster the sweat evaporates and the body cools more effectively. High humidity slows down the process of evaporation of sweat and, accordingly, the cooling of the body. And our body starts to feel uncomfortable.
We also know that if our body catches a virus or just catches a cold, it raises the body temperature. The critical temperature of our body is slightly above +40C. Why is he doing this? The fact is that at elevated temperatures it is easier for the body to fight harmful bacteria, all processes in the body are accelerated. From this we can conclude that a small, controlled and time-limited artificial increase in body temperature will launch the hidden healing reserves of the body, speed up blood flow, and will not be harmful, but beneficial.
Since ancient times, our ancestors have understood that it is sometimes useful to heat the body, but it is not worth overheating the body too much. This is more harmful than helpful. That is why the temperature in the Turkish hammam, Roman baths, Japanese ofuro, classic Finnish saunas and classic Russian baths was about +40-+45C. Notice, not + 100- + 120С, namely + 40- + 45С! And this temperature in baths has been used by people for thousands of years, in different cultures, countries and in different climatic zones. People have long understood that it is this temperature that has the most beneficial effect on the body and heals it.
In the Russian bath, the temperature in the steam room lies in the range of + 45- + 60C, in rare cases + 70C. This is the first truth about Russian baths. Since the majority of bath lovers believe that the temperature in the Russian bath should be no less than + 100C.
But what about humidity? In the Turkish hammam, it tends to 100%, at a temperature of + 40C. In the Russian bath, the most comfortable humidity lies in the range of 50-70%. At the lowest temperature limit of +45C, the most comfortable humidity will be approximately 65-70%. There is an opinion that the classic conditions in the Russian bath are the temperature +60C and the humidity 60%. I do not entirely agree with this, since the 60/60 condition is quite tough, and I would not recommend it to beginner bath lovers, women and children. For most non-professional bath lovers, the regime will be comfortable around + 45- + 55C, with a humidity of 60-70%. But all this is very relative, and everyone should choose the conditional regime that is closest to him. But it should be noted that if the temperature in the steam room is about 50C, and the humidity is overestimated by 80-90%, then, despite the rather low temperature, this mode will be tough and not comfortable. Low humidity at the same temperature of +50C will also give an uncomfortable mode. It will seem that the steam room is not hot enough. That is why the conditions - the correct ratio of temperature and humidity, are extremely important in the steam room of the Russian bath.
Yes, this is a real discovery for me! But somehow I can’t believe that at a temperature of only + 45- + 50С you can steam normally. Is it possible for real men to bathe at such a childish temperature?
How else can they. Moreover, the degree of body steaming in a real Russian bath is much higher than in the so-called "Russian baths". In a real Russian bath, our body warms up very deeply, unlike superficial heating, and sometimes skin burns in baths at a temperature of + 100C and above. No wonder in Russia they said “steam to the bone”, that is, as deep as possible.
The fact is that in the steam room of the Russian bath we act on the body not with high temperature, but with steam. Naturally, this steam has a temperature much higher than + 45-50C. As an example, I will say that all lovers of elevated temperatures who have been in my bathhouse, and initially skeptical about the conditions of the Russian bath, after steaming, thought about their old preferences and asked me for advice on converting their steam rooms with temperatures from +100C and above into a real one. Russian bath. It happened like this. At the peak moment of soaring, I ask them: what, in your opinion, is the temperature in the steam room now? They always answer that +100C is definitely there. And then I usually show them the thermometer. And it's only +50C! It amuses me, and experienced lovers of baths with a long experience of soaring at temperatures above + 100C enter into a stupor from a misunderstanding of what is happening. So, under the conditions of the Russian bath, you can perfectly steam even a lover of a bath with a long experience of visiting hot steam rooms. Many will not take my word for it, but to believe it, you have to try. Or just trust our ancestors, who from time immemorial were steamed at such temperatures.
And what then are the typical baths built everywhere? From private to commercial? How to call them then and what modes are there?
Those baths that are now being built everywhere cannot be called classic Russian baths. it the new kind baths, which came to us after the revolution of 17. Already not a sauna, but still not Russian. exact name such baths have not yet been invented. As I said above, they continue to be stubbornly called Russian baths. I call such baths New Russian baths. Or dry air baths.
What are their main differences from the classic Russian bath?
First of all, the temperature in such baths usually lies in the range of + 90- + 130C. As I said above, in order for our body to withstand such temperatures, it is necessary to lower the humidity to 10-30%. Otherwise, the body will receive thermal burns or simply boil. To heat the steam room to such temperatures, metal sauna stoves with an open heater are used. The stones in them lie on a heated surface and are not covered by anything from above. Such a metal stove heats the steam room quickly enough due to air convection. That is, the air in such steam rooms constantly circulates, heating up from the stove and rising to the ceiling already very hot. And so in a constant cycle. The movement of air in such steam rooms is quite strong and does not stop throughout the bath. The walls of the metal furnace also overheat, and due to the active temperature infrared radiation, the surfaces of the steam room are constantly heated. Steaming (from the word "steam") in such baths is problematic. Rather, they just blow hot air with a broom. A fairly small amount of water 100-500g is applied to the stones. Turning into steam, due to the extremely low humidity in the steam room, it is almost instantly absorbed into the overdried wood. The amount of this pair is extremely small. But bathers still manage to capture some of this steam with a broom and catch up with themselves. And this is at such high initial temperatures, exposing your body to serious overloads, up to thermal burns of the skin or mucous membranes.
It's clear. That is, the main differences are higher temperature and lower humidity. But such baths are also good for health or not?
Here I am compelled to disappoint the inveterate vapers in the Dry Air Baths. They not only do not add health, but sometimes even take away.
Why?
Dry-air steam rooms are very high, extreme temperatures for our body. It, defending itself, begins to sweat actively. But since the humidity, nevertheless, is quite high, the more we have a tradition of pouring water on stones, the evaporation of sweat and the cooling of the body does not keep pace with the rate of its heating. The body starts to overheat very quickly. Note, do not heat up, but quickly overheat. Therefore, you can stay in Dry-air steam rooms for 5-10 minutes. No more. And, obviously, during this time the body simply does not have time to warm up deeply. Put a piece of meat in the oven for 5 minutes at a temperature of +120C. Cut it open and see how hot this piece is. It will be warm only at a depth of a few millimeters from the surface. So there is no benefit to the body from such a “warm-up”. The main meaning of the bath is crossed out - a deep warming up of the body. But our compatriots go further in torturing their bodies in the dry-air steam rooms. They actively pour water on the rocks. This significantly raises the humidity in the steam room for a short period of time. And we have already said that high temperatures with high humidity are extremely uncomfortable for our body. It starts to turn on protective functions. Sweat does not have time to evaporate and cool the body, our brain literally screams at us - run away from here! For many vapers, the whole buzz of soaring lies, to a greater extent, not in being in a steam room, but in the moment of exit, or rather running out, from it. In this they see some courage. And your body, exhausted by overloads, sees salvation from inevitable overheating.
Moreover, a sharp jump in humidity at high temperatures has a very negative effect on the mucous membrane of our body. AT extreme conditions and under a very harmful influence are the eyes, throat, lungs, nasopharynx. Often not without injury. Regular visitors to such baths often boast that they soared so cool that they burned their nose or throat. At the moment of giving to the heater, all visitors to the steam room, fleeing from the scalding wave of steam, pull their heads into their necks, bend down, quack, and frown. Some wrap themselves in towels. At the same time, thinking that they are so cool that they can experience such overloads at the limit of their body's capabilities. And they are not afraid of possible burns, dizziness, headache after bath.
The metal surfaces of the sauna stove, heated to very high temperatures, also play their negative role. They emit very hard infrared radiation that is not comfortable for our body. Our body, falling into this radiation, begins to practically fry. This is how the grill is arranged in which the chicken is fried.
But the whole benefit of the baths lies in the deep heating of the body. Here we don't get that at all. But we get harm to our organs and personal pride that we took a steam bath in such a hot steam room. Many do not like to go to the bath precisely because of these uncomfortable conditions. They say that it is very hot, stuffy, and my head hurts. Everything is correct. The body resists harmful effects. I highly recommend such people to visit a real Russian bath. And the whole bathing world in their head will turn upside down. You will understand that the bath is very pleasant, comfortable and good. No stuffiness, unbearable heat, headaches, burning wooden surfaces in a steam room. Only good for the body. In view of the fact that the very process of soaring in dry-air steam rooms, due to its extreme nature and harmful load on the body, cannot be a pleasant, relaxing and peaceful pastime. Due to the fact that in the steam room of such baths it is impossible to get the same bathing pleasure, it is replaced by billiards, karaoke, drinking and other joys of life. In good steam rooms of the Russian bath, a person enjoys the bathing process itself, and this is usually quite enough for him.
So why are everywhere just such extreme and not useful baths? How did we get them?
There are many different versions why the Russian people turned their backs on their traditional centuries-old baths in the direction of Dry-air steam rooms. I'll give my version. Transfer from traditional bath began to occur in troubled revolutionary times. Devastation and famine paid special attention to hygiene. The bathhouse began to be used as a washing and washing point. A couple of decades ago, in any public bath, you could see the mass washing of their belongings by visitors. Traditional brick ovens or baths in black required a lot of time for heating, a large amount of firewood and constant repairs. Metal stoves quickly warmed the steam room and warmed a large number of water. This is exactly what was needed at the time. Then the war began, and the bath continued to carry out its hygienic function. After the war, mass construction began. Workers had to be washed quickly and cheaply. And again, metal furnaces saved the situation. The water heated up quickly, although the temperature in the steam room rose sharply. But that didn't scare anyone. Citizens, out of habit, waved brooms, and going to the bathhouse was considered happiness. Further, in the era of total scarcity, there were a lot of craftsmen-welders who made bath stoves from a piece of steel pipe. They, due to their design, just as quickly overheated the steam room, but the generations that grew up in the heyday of the New Russian baths already considered this the norm. In the baths, they also mostly washed and washed, but a new bathing culture began to emerge. Gatherings with beer in public baths, films with scenes in baths, literature. The first books "How to build a bath yourself", of course, described furnaces from improvised materials - metal. Electricity has become cheap and affordable. There were public baths with electric metal stoves. In the villages in the north of Russia, fortunately, the bathing traditions of the Russian bath have been preserved. But in the south of Russia, metal furnaces still prevail, sharpened more to heat water than to produce steam. They are still commonly referred to there not as furnaces, but as boilers.
In the 90s, saunas began to appear en masse. It was fashionable and profitable. Nobody knew what a sauna was. They put the same metal stoves that overheated the steam room, hung a sign "sauna" and the money flowed to the owners like a river. At the same time, the opinion arose in the minds of Russians that the sauna is depravity and vice. And also the fact that in the bath (sauna) there must be a swimming pool, billiards, karaoke, beer and women. Another bath (sauna) culture was born. But the modes of the steam room remained the same: + 100C and above. Our citizens no longer perceived other regimes as a bathhouse. Now there is a mass change of signboards "Sauna" to the now fashionable signboard "Russian sauna on firewood". But the most surprising thing is that nothing changes inside such baths! The ovens remain the same. The conditions remain the same. But, judging by the sign, the type of bath has changed. It's funny, isn't it?
Private traders began to build identical baths "like everyone else", copying typical mistakes but without seeing them. The ovens for the Dry-air baths flooded the stores. True, they are sold as stoves for Russian baths, but let's leave it on the conscience and illiteracy of sellers. All craftsmen welders - do-it-yourselfers also “produce” stoves from improvised materials only for Dry-air steam rooms. The people began to massively bathe in the baths "like a neighbor's" and firmly believe that this is the real Russian bath. At the same time, exposing one's health to danger and not getting from the bath what it was invented for - a deep warming up of the body. Many build their own banya to get the regimes that they remember from childhood: the mild regimes of the Russian banya, as they were a long time ago with their grandfather in the village. But for some reason it is impossible to feel such regimes in a newly built bathhouse. Although a lot of money has been invested in the bath, the most expensive materials and a branded stove were used. This happens because all those numerous brigades that allegedly build "Russian baths" throughout the country have no idea about the real Russian bath. And they get miserable dry air steam rooms. Cheap and fast. And the mass of sites on the Internet that are ready to teach you how to build a real Russian bath are complete nonsense. Sites that provide truthful, useful and correct information about the Russian bath can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Specialists in Russian baths are generally a rarity. But they are, and real Russian baths are being built even now. But, unfortunately, there are very few of them. That is why dry-air steam rooms are massively built and operated in Russia.
