Banya (Russian: баня [ˈbanjə]) in Russian can refer to any kind of steam bath, but usually to the Russian type of sauna.
Saunas are great for your body. They help you sweat out toxins as well as relax your muscles, and when a friend told me about a sauna spa that was only $30 for the whole day, I had to check it out!
What a great experience! There were multiple types of saunas, both wet and dry. The wet saunas are somewhat humid whereas the dry saunas, as you've probably guessed, are dry heat and have no moisture. I loved the Russian Wet sauna... you take a bucket of cold water and splash it over you to cool off while inside the sauna. There was another version where you take a cold shower or jump into a cold pool after coming out of the sauna. In that one, people would bring large branches in and waft the hot, humid air down to their body to intensify the effect. There's also a great woodsy, herbal smell from the branches and cedar benches.
The spa that I went to also had a steam room, jacuzzi, lap pool, meditation room, and juice bar. I really look forward to going back. At the end of just a few hours spent there, my mind and body felt relaxed, and my skin looked fantastic!
A couple words of advice before you go:
1) Bring water and drink lots while you're there! Getting dehydrated is not good for anyone! You might also want to bring some salty snacks to keep your electrolytes balanced.
2) If you start to feel like you're going to fall asleep, it's time to leave the sauna and take a break.
3) Keep your hair covered while in the sauna. Some people use small hats like this:
Otherwise, your hair can become very brittle.
Feel free to cycle in and out of the saunas as long as you'd like, but be sure to listen to your body.
What a great (and affordable!) way to treat yourself during the holidays!
http://www.brc-spa.com/
1 comment:
You're welcome! :D
Looking to go in early January.. will keep you updated.
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