Raise your hands if you have never been cuddle at the thermal baths, if you never went to the sauna to relax yourself or if you never surrendered yourself
inside a hydromassage tub!
What are the differences between sauna, steam room and Spa?
Let’s discover the origins of what we consider like the real regenerating therapies,
Wellbeing treatments and proper beauty rituals
ORIGINS OF SAUNA
Sauna is an ancient Finnish word related to the meaning of winter mansion.
With the Scandinavian cold weather, a stronger heating was generated from the steam produced throwing water on hot stones.
In the first sauna, the stones were heated by a wood fire and needed several hours to become really hot; the smoke, called savu in Finnish, gradually invaded the room.
(Today it is known as “sauna of steam” or “savu sauna“)
All this heat allowed the temperature to rise sufficiently up and so people could enjoy staying there… Necked! The temperatures near to 100 degrees kept people from using clothes.
The first type of sauna was mainly used like a winter mansion but from the XII century, we can notice documents describing the separation between sauna and mansion even if they can still be found in Finland.
Nowadays, sauna indicates an isolated room, usually made of wood, where the temperature is between 80 and 100°C in a completely dry environment which allows the generation of important skin transpiration.
ORIGINS OF HAMMAM OR STEAM ROOM (TURKISH BATH)
The Steam Room has got ancient origins. Egyptians were the ones to discover the virtues of steam. Arabs borrowed the use of steam bath and created the steam room, which don’t only have a function of physical and mind relaxation but also a religious meaning.
It is the place where Muslims used to execute the purification; the body cleansing was made maximum 5 times a day and it was addressed to both men and women in separated Hammam. The Steam Bath goes on through the Apodyterium (changing room), the Tiepidarium (preparation room with temperature between 30-35°C) and the Calidarium (proper room with temperature between 40-45°C and 95% humidity)
Immediately out of the room, you will be very hot and you should end up the treatment with a cold bath. The benefits? In addition to the mind relaxation, the steam and the heat purify both skin and organism.
Now, that atmosphere full of humidity is not only considered like a steam bath but also like an encounter and resting place often associated to massages.
According to the Moroccan tradition, the use of the black soap is very important. It is a dark paste made of olives and mineral salts, which is applied all over the body during the tepidarium. Thanks to its purifying and exfoliating properties, your skin will be left soft. It’s a moment of pure goodness in perfect peace!
SPA
Inredible but truth, the word SPA comes from a small Belgian village called Spa, who became famous thanks to the peculiar properties of its waters.
Located in the district of Liege, Spa had the privilege to welcome in its sources rich of minerals famous historical people like Victor Hugo or the Russian tsar Peter the Great.
Actually, it’s a real wellbeing centre where are done treatments using water.
It never lacks of :
- The hydro massage tubs where air bubbles and water flux together compress and decompress tissues promoting blood and lymph circulation.
- The Kneipp path coming from the German Sebastian Kneipp who, almost two hundred years ago, designed this technique alternated of cold and hot water in order to improve the circulation.
What about the THERMAL BATH?
Whenever the SPA exploits the virtue thermal waters coming from the underground, it is called Thermal bath.
The first thermal baths took their origins where it was possible to take advantage of natural sources of hot waters rich of particular healing gifts. They used to represent one of the main meeting points during the ancient Rome uniting at the thermal baths, theatres, libraries, study rooms and even shops.
The several thermal baths were then a place where you could keep in contact with others or relax and in dedicated rooms and time whether you are a man or a woman you could take your bath completely necked.
Who needs some relax and quiet time?
I gave you an idea…
It’s your task to turn it into reality
Just allow you a wholesome and deserved rest!
It’s a good idea always to do something relaxing prior to making an important decision in your life.
(Paulo Coelho)
Writer, Blogger, Podcaster e Social Media Strategist.
Multipotenziale dalla nascita trovo la mia strada sul web, la mia passione insieme a viaggiare. Qualcos’altro su di me? Vieni su Instagram, mi racconto day by day.
