Steam Bath Basics 2025-03

Date: 2025-03-31, 20:00
Organizer : Lithuanian Bath Academy

In Northern Europe, traditional bathing practices, such as sauna use, have long played a pivotal role in helping people endure harsh winters, recover from adversity, and maintain both physical health and mental well-being. Saunas served not only as a sanctuary for warmth and relaxation but also as vital spaces for hygiene, social bonding, and even spiritual renewal. For centuries, they were indispensable for communities during times of war, famine, and other upheavals.

This ancient practice is experiencing a revival worldwide, including in regions where it had largely faded from memory. While many people associate the term "sauna" with a Finnish tradition, every culture—be it Lithuanian pirtis, Russian banya, Turkish hammam, or Japanese ofuro—has its own unique bathing customs, each shaped by its history, climate, and resources.

Modern research has underscored the health benefits of sauna bathing, including improved cardiovascular function, stress reduction, and enhanced recovery after physical exertion. However, achieving these benefits requires an understanding of proper sauna practices. Unfortunately, not everyone takes full advantage of what a sauna can offer. Do we truly know how to bathe correctly to maximize these effects?

At the Lithuanian Sauna Academy, we have dedicated 20 years to promoting the art and science of sauna use. Over this time, we have trained thousands of enthusiasts and professionals, guiding them toward healthier, more informed bathing habits. Through education, we’ve witnessed a growing awareness of the importance of proper techniques, materials, and rituals. From questions about steam quality to cultural nuances, our experience has shown that the right knowledge can transform a sauna session into a deeply restorative experience.

By rediscovering and applying these ancient traditions in modern contexts, we not only honor our heritage but also equip ourselves to face today’s challenges with resilience, warmth, and clarity.

Traditional Lithuanian pirtis (sweat bath).

Presentation Overview

In this comprehensive presentation-lecture, we will take a holistic approach to understanding the sauna, exploring it from six distinct perspectives that reflect the interconnected nature of our world. These perspectives provide a unified framework for comprehending sauna practices and principles, offering both practical insights and philosophical depth.

During this 90-minute lecture, you’ll gain a panoramic understanding of sauna processes. We will uncover the foundational laws and principles governing steam bathing, which will help you navigate the vast and sometimes contradictory information about sauna use. This presentation will empower you to develop your own thoughtful approach to sauna practice, rooted in a balance of tradition, science, and personal experience.

Why This Lecture is Essential

In today’s world, sauna knowledge often swings between the poles of dry, clinical data and poetic abstraction. While both have value, neither provides a full understanding of the sauna’s rich interconnected processes. This lecture will bridge the gap, enabling you to make sense of sauna practices in a way that resonates with both logic and intuition.
We will also address some of the most frequently asked questions about sauna design, construction, maintenance, and use—questions you may have wondered about yourself, such as:

1. What is the ideal temperature for a sauna?
2. How long should a typical sauna session last?
3. What are the health benefits and risks of thermal bathing?
4. Are saunas safe for people with health conditions like high blood pressure or asthma?
6. What is the difference between electric, wood-burning, and infrared saunas?
7. How do I properly maintain a sauna stove?
8. What type of sauna constructions exist our there?
11. What is proper sauna etiquette in different cultures (e.g., banya vs. hammam)?
12. Is it necessary to shower before and after a sauna session?
13. Should I use sauna oils, herbs, or veniks (bath brooms)?
14. Can children safely use a sauna?
15. How do sauna rituals differ across cultures (e.g., hammam exfoliation, banya venik massage)?
16. Are there benefits to using ice or cold-water plunges between sauna sessions?

What is self study?

We do offer you a possibility to get access to the video of this theme immediately after you have done registration and payment on this page.

If you  get theme „Steam bath basic“ approved before you participate in our next webinars - you will automaticaly get 5€ cachback in the form of points. Points can be used for further studies.

You will see video at the bottom of this page - your have to be logged in however!  After you wathched the video  - you may answer the questionaire of the knowledge test of this theme.

We will also send you a link to a special online consultation that will take place on 7PM GMT on February 25th  - just one hour before our webinar „Fundamentals of whisking“. You will have opportunity to talk to us and ask your questions.

Other webinars that might be interesting to you:

• „Fundamantals of whisking in sauna“ February 25th 7PM GMT
• Heat Impact on the Human Body February March 4th 7PM GMT

Theme covered

• Steam bath basics

  Theoretical theme. Contens:

  • Definition of steam bath
  • Purpose of bath procedure
  • Body reaction to heat
  • Quality factors of healthy bath
  • Correct heating and cooling
  • Safe behaviour in sauna
  • Eating and drinking in bath
  • Most comon mistakes

  This theme belongs to  Healthy steam bath ABC seminar and opens the whole course of bath mastership studies.

This event is open to everyone!

23€.

All attendees - new and returning ones registrater is right on this page.
If we detect that your e-mail is on our database (you are registred user) - you will be asked to login to our page before registering. If you fail to remember your password - use „remind password“ option on the registration window.

Thank you for participation in our first theoretical seminar. You may see the videorecording herebelow. This seminar revealed the first educational theme „Steam bath basics“. If have seen the video, you should be competent enought to take an individual quiz to eveluate you knowledge! You will find the link „quiz“down below or, alternatively, by the theme „sweat bath basic“ on the „Registrations“ page of „activity zone“ - look for the link on the right side.

Important. The quiz will be available 90 days after participation. Read more about your Learning guidelines.