Our service will make sure that you feel comfortable and learn the secrets of proper sauna bathing. You can prepare for your first visit by reading the following text.
How often should you use the sauna and how long should you stay in it?
Regardless of the type of sauna you can use at a given location, you should remember that a sauna session is a relaxation treatment. The basic criterion for assessing how long you should stay in the sauna should therefore be the criterion of pleasure. As a guideline, for most people, a 10-15 minute stay in a Finnish sauna is sufficient. We emphasize that the temperature in our banya is 10-20°C lower than in a classic Finnish sauna, which allows you to spend 15-30 minutes in it. However, it should be remembered that the time spent in the sauna should be adjusted to the individual capabilities of each organism. The length of time spent in the sauna depends on the person’s fitness level, general fatigue and specialized training for high temperatures. More specifically, “sauna bathing” can be trained like any other sport. Over time, a higher dose will be needed.
The manuals indicate 1-3 sauna sessions per week as the optimal dose. However, in this case, the individual capabilities of the body are also crucial.
You should start your visit to the sauna by sitting on the lowest bench. As your body gets used to the high temperature, you can sit higher up. Remember that the higher up you sit, the hotter it gets in the sauna.
Each visit to the sauna should consist of a cycle of:
- heating
- cooling down
- drinking fluids and resting
It is said that you should spend at least as much time resting as you did in the sauna. We are advocates of paying close attention and looking inside yourself. Each of us is different, so listen to what your body is telling you.
After each cycle of heating and cooling, it is recommended to dry yourself off after entering the tub.
The body should be optimally warmed up and cooled down. The body should be cooled down carefully and gradually, starting from the feet and working towards the heart.
Please do not use the tub alone. Having someone watch you is enough to significantly improve your safety. After dark, do not go into the water alone, even if you can swim well.
After only a short time using the tub, beneficial changes in the body are noticeable, such as increased immunity, greater physical endurance, smoother skin, calmer and longer sleep, a return of vitality, etc.
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the tub
How do you get into the tub?
Before entering the tub, wash thoroughly with soap, preferably natural soap, and dry your body.
On the day of the tub, it would be beneficial for your health not to use cosmetics with a complex composition; avoid those containing paraffin (found in many liquid soaps).
In the banya, the skin pores dilate under the influence of high temperature and the sweat glands start to work more actively.
The body can sweat several liters of sweat during several cycles of entering the banya. The boards in the banya are not impregnated, so you should put a towel under your whole body, feet and back. This is hygienic and necessary for the place to serve others for a long time. Feet can only be placed freely on the floor.
When having a bubble bath, it is best to have a sheet or a hammam towel (these materials are thin, so their insulating power will be lower). Take them in sufficient quantity to cover all parts of the body. Remember to bring a towel to dry yourself off after the bath.
What can you take into the sauna and what should you leave outside?
You should enter the sauna without a swimsuit. You can cover your body with natural materials that can withstand the high temperatures (cotton, terry cloth, tetra, felt). To optimize the benefits of sauna, it is recommended to expose as much of your body as possible.
To protect your head from possible overheating, you can wear a felt cap;
You should go in the suction without shoes, in other (cool) places you can wear flip-flops;
Do not bring bottles, cups, glasses, watches, metal jewelry or other plastic items into the banya – they can burn you or release harmful fumes when exposed to high temperatures. Why is this so important? Artificial materials contain plastic additives that can burn you when exposed to high temperatures and poison you with their fumes. For your own and other people’s sake, leave them out of the bath!
A zone of peace and quiet
Szeptunka and its immediate surroundings are a zone of peace and quiet – keeping your voice down when talking will allow other guests to rest. The exceptions are banya sessions, rituals or banya parties, where the rules are set by the Saunamistrz (sauna master) and the time you are in the banya exclusively.
No recording devices.
Would you like to take a souvenir photo? Let the staff know and we will make sure that it does not bother other people.
Food and drinks
It is not advisable to use the sauna immediately after a meal or on an empty stomach. Make sure you drink enough water, herbal teas or other liquids to stay hydrated. Look for liquids rich in minerals, e.g. silicon water, kvass, craft beer, freshly squeezed juice.