In the old world, sauna use was common only in such areas as Finland and the other Baltic countries, however the modern world has embraced the use of saunas for their tremendous health benefits as well as the relief of pain and the overall analgesic properties of the steam. The modern world has spread the use of sauna cultures, and now they can be found all over the world.

In Finland, where the saunas originated, it was and still is common to use the sauna on special holidays, such as Easter, New Year’s and Christmas. Back then it took a long time to heat up a sauna and used a tremendous amount of wood, and so it was a special occasion for the entire family to enjoy a sauna together. The Finns took taking a sauna very seriously, and they began the practice of opening the pores of the body further by whipping each other with birch branches to do so. In addition, it was very common for Finnish women to give birth in the sauna, as it was warm there and mostly sterile.

Today modern saunas can be found in almost all gyms and public sports centers, whether in Russia, Western Europe, or in North America. Interestingly enough special good manners are necessary, no matter where one takes a sauna.

For instance, one is not to leave the door open to the sauna any longer than it takes to quickly enter or exit. In saunas where everyone is naked, it is considered good manners to not sit on the wood directly but use a towel to sit upon. Depending on where the sauna is located, one may find that beer is poured onto the hot stones, or eucalyptus but purists insist on birch leaves. Finnish lore maintains that the human body is at its most beautiful after a good 30 minutes in a hot sauna.