Using a sauna can help provide relaxation while also refreshing you considerably because of the high heat that works on your body. There is, however, still another way in which you can make your sauna session even more beneficial.
By using essential oils during your sauna session, you can safely and comfortably spend your time and receive all the potential advantages of this combination. There are, however, certain kinds of essential oils that can serve you best during a sauna session along with some proper steps that you will need to follow.
Make sure you are also aware of certain risks involved here so that you can take the necessary precautions.
You can learn more about these details through the following guide.
Advantages of Using Essential Oils in a Sauna
There are numerous advantages involved when it comes to using essential oils in a sauna, especially since you can also combine the advantages of the sauna itself. Let’s look into some of these here.
Mood Improvement
Essential oils can be a great way for you to improve your mood if you are feeling irritable, angry, sad or even depressed. This is mainly because the scent of the essential oils can signal the olfactory system and result in the brain releasing neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.
This can then result in the stabilization and regulation of mood fluctuations that might otherwise be bothering you. Due to this kind of consequence, several psychiatric treatment options tend to make use of aromatherapy along with other forms of therapy to maintain one’s mood.
When examined among adult female cancer patients, a similar kind of comfort, rejuvenation, pleasure, care, connection and relaxation was noticed, pointing to the efficacy that essential oils in a sauna can bring about.
Better Sleep
Essential oils can help you experience better sleep. It can not only help you maintain a proper duration of sleep throughout the night but can also have a positive impact on the quality of your sleep.
In particular, essential oils like lavender and chamomile can prove to be quite effective. Based on research that reviewed different studies, such essential oils (when used in the form of aromatherapy) can reduce the levels of fatigue and can create drowsiness, resulting in better sleep.
This is also because these oils can have an impact on the levels of cortisol and melatonin, making you feel sleepier. Since a sauna can also help with thermoregulation and improve sleep quality, a combined effect of both can assure noticeable effects.
Loosening Muscles
You can expect a relaxing and loosening effect on your muscles due to the action of the essential oils in the sauna. This can be a good way to ease some of the pain that you might be feeling in your muscles and joints.
Even if you are experiencing some kind of pain, tightness or knots in certain parts, you can alleviate them significantly due to the essential oils, not to mention that the heat levels in the sauna can act on this quite a bit too.
This can also make aromatherapy with sauna use an important treatment option when it comes to various kinds of pain. Additionally, essential oils can also have an antispasmodic effect on the muscles of various tracts in the body.
Stress Alleviation
Since essential oils can help send signals to the olfactory system and act on the brain to release certain neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, you can not only experience an improvement in your mood but also in your stress levels.
In combination with the heat from the sauna, the parasympathetic nervous system in your body will kick in and reduce the release of certain stress hormones. This can help calm you down, not to mention that the muscles loosening can help bring you relief too.
Risks Involved
As beneficial as these essential oils can be within a sauna setting, it is crucial for you to note that there are also certain risks involved that can make your experience worse rather than better. These risks can also end up harming your health and well-being.
You can take note of some of these risks here so that you can take the necessary precautions and ensure that everything works well for you if you actually try these essential oils out.
- Essential oils can rust the heaters or lamp elements in the sauna.
- They can end up disintegrating surfaces in the sauna, such as the wooden seats.
- Since essential oils are quite concentrated, they can also lead to accidental fires.
As long as you use the essential oils in the right way, you can avoid these risks.
Steps and Techniques to Keep in Mind
You should dilute the oil by adding a few drops of it to the bucket of water in your sauna and then carry out the pouring and diffusion process. Different oils may have different requirements, so make sure you are aware of them.
Moreover, you might also need to make some tweaks to the process depending on the kind of sauna that you are using. You can figure this out below.
Traditional Sauna
For a traditional sauna, the process is quite simple. You might have a water bucket in the sauna that you use for pouring water over the heated rocks. Instead of simply pouring the water, you can add 2-3 drops (depending on how much water you have) of the essential oils so that they are no longer extremely concentrated.
You can then take this combination and pour it over the heated rocks. This will help safely diffuse the oils throughout the traditional sauna room.
Steam Room
Steam rooms are already highly humid, so you do not need to worry too much about diluting your essential oils since the contact with the steam will be instantaneous. Simply squeeze out multiple (15-20) drops of the essential oil over a damp cloth or towel and place the towel on the floor of the steam room.
When the steam forms in the room, it will help diffuse the oil from the towel.
Infrared Sauna
You can use any of the following ways of diffusing essential oils in an infrared sauna.
- You can form a mist by diluting a few drops of the essential oils with sufficient water. Pour this into a spray bottle, shake the bottle properly and mist it around the sauna.
- You can buy and use a cordless diffuser in which you can pour a few drops of the oil and leave it to diffuse it for you.
- Add a few drops to a moist cloth or towel that you can then use to swab your sweat.
- Directly apply a minimal number of drops to your skin, although this should be your last resort.
Which Essential Oils Should You Use?
You can use any of the following essential oils in the sauna.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus can boost your energy and relieve your stress. It can fight against colds and can also clear the air in the sauna by getting rid of germs. It can also help wounds heal quickly.
Peppermint
Peppermint can improve your mood and increase your energy levels. It can cool you down and relieve muscles in your body. It can also help reduce the levels of nausea.
Pine
Pine can improve your mood and reduce pain and fatigue, even if you are suffering from a headache. It can loosen up congestion while also having a rejuvenating impact on the skin.
Sandalwood
Sandalwood can refresh and relax your mind and body. It can also prepare your mind and awaken your senses while also helping reduce pain and inflammation. It can relieve you of nausea too.
Birch
Birch can help relieve you of pain and can have a positive impact on the skin. It can help clear the air of germs too. Birch can also act against fungi and bacteria.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon can help freshen the air and make the sauna room aromatic. It can help relax the muscles, reduce pain, improve your mood, stimulate your metabolism and reduce fatigue and swelling.
Tea Tree
Tea tree can act against harmful bacteria, cleansing your body as well as the air. It can also act against colds or the flu. It can rejuvenate your skin and improve hair health too.
Citrus
Citrus can be energizing and can help clean the air. It can boost your mood while also reducing the levels of inflammation in the body.
Lavender
Lavender can soothe you considerably and can be great if you want to reduce stress levels. It can also lead to improved sleep and can have a healing effect on wounds.
Chamomile
Chamomile can help improve your sleep quality and have a soothing effect. It can also improve your mood and reduce pain.
Summing Up
Those were some of the main things you need to know about using essential oils in a sauna. This practice can provide benefits like better sleep, improved mood, relaxed muscles and reduced stress as long as you take precautions, follow the right steps and techniques and use suitable kinds of essential oils.
