Benefits for body and mind. Bath instruction. Advice how to behave in bath.

Heat and steam.
We can characterize a bath with words “heat and steam”:

• the heat can change from 50 up to 130 °C 
• man’s body temperature in bath rises up to 38-40 °C 
• air humidity – up to 100 proc.

Due to such unusual microclimate there appears a specific influence of bath upon human health.

Benefits for organism
Skin: due to heat the skin pores open and are cleaned, dead cells are removed from skin with sweat. With the improvement of blood circulation nutrient materials, water and oxygen are ingested quicker, metabolism is boosted. The breathing through skin and its regeneration are activated. After a bath the skin is red, soft, but more sensitive.

Any cosmetic procedures are 2-3 times more effective if they are done in bath. They should be done after the last round to steam-room, so that cosmetic means would not wash with sweat.

Hart and blood circulation: with the increase of heat the heart activity also increases and the pulse quickens (up to 100-130 beats per minute) – it is a good training for the heart, that is why those who like going to bath seldom suffer from heart diseases. The higher is a temperature in bath the more intensive is heart activity.
Nevertheless, people suffering from heart diseases should not enjoy too high heat, spend more time lying and put on the heart a towel moisten with cool water.

Nerve system: new environment, contrast temperature refreshes the nerve system balance of worry and depression. Due to this the attention, memory and mental activity improve. A proper bath procedure relieves insomnia, irritability and stress.

Muscles: after too big load during the sport activities you can feel ache in your muscles – it is a lactic acid, which accumulates in muscles and causes this unpleasant feeling of ache. A Bath heat quickens the process of its reduction, so you will feel yourself much better after a bath.

The heat is especially effective in curing of joints and muscles. The body relaxes and the blood rushes from internal organs. Active blood circulation and high temperature kills the ache, activates processes of healing.

Other organs:
Kidneys: they rest in the bath – the organism clears itself through the skin and even after 15 minutes of staying in bath the kidneys begin working on their minimal intensity (except for the cases when alcohol is being drunk).

Lungs: the lungs alveoli widen and the breathing improves in 1,5 times (it is especially felt when coming in the pre-bath). The breathing becomes easier, the amount of lung fluid (and mucus) decreases. Those who regularly go to bath seldom suffer from lungs diseases.

Upper air passages: people suffering from the running nose are recommended to breathe deeply through nose and to keep the air for a while before breathing-out. We sweat in the bath, our organism relieves liquid and that cures a running nose and is a kind of preventive means against a cold. It is obvious that regular bath visitors adapt more quickly to weather changes.

Metabolism: during the bath procedures the metabolism is boosted up to 30 proc.

Bath and lose of weight.
People usually believe that a bath helps to be slim – if you stand on the scale after a good bath your weight will be 450-500 g less (sometimes even 1 kg). Nevertheless, whatever effect would bath have upon the whole tonus of organism, if you want to lose some weight, bath is not the best decision – almost all weight lost during the bath procedures consists of body fluid, which is very quickly stabilized while drinking water.

Bath does not have any long-term effect upon the weight except for the temporary boosted metabolism.

How much time to spend in bath?
The whole procedure lasts for 3 hours; however, you should not spend more than 40 minutes (all together) in steam room.

The process of bathing consists of “rounds” to the steam room. Staying there must not last more than 7 minutes (if you stay there more than 7 minutes that can overload your heart and the risk of overheating appears), after that you should rest for 10-20 minutes in a cool pre-bath or cool yourself off by taking a contrast shower or affusion, water hole.

The first round – just a warm-up when you sweat slightly
The second round – you need steam and can take venik (leafy, fragrant bundle of birch twigs) with you, you may begin bathing, massage yourself, do frolement and other procedures.

The number of rounds is not limited (usually from 2 up to 7); the only indicator is your well-being. You must cool yourself off using cold water only after you have warmed-up enough (the earliest – after the second round).
The last round – relax yourself and do not do any procedures.

Bathing instruction
The most suitable time for it is the second and the third rounds to the steaming-room.

Before the bathing you must prepare your venik: leave it in the cold water for 15-20 minutes and then put in the hot water for 1-2 minutes. Such venik will be fragrant, soft and its leaves will not fall. A properly prepared venik release dozens of useful biologically active substances which influence our airways and skin through air and direct contact.

A proper bathing is like an aroma-therapeutic massage, and too intensive lashing is nothing better than a beating.

1. Stroking (back)
   • begin from feet: press venik against feet and in one long gentle move draw it from toes to neck and back, repeat 2-3 times.
   • warm venik (rise it up to the ceiling – there the temperature is higher, gather the heat), put it firmly on the shoulders and press; than warm venik again and put it on the waist, warn venik again and put it on the knee joints and feet.
   The procedure of stroking-warming is repeated 3-4 times, so that your body will get used to the venik and relax.
2. Lashing (back):
   • lash the body quickly, but not hard with the tips of leaves. Begin with neck and go down to feet. The procedure lasts for 1 minute
   • quickly draw venik from feet to neck and back, repeat 2-3 times. 
   Stroking and lashing are repeated for the front part of the body (lie on the back).
   Stroking and lashing are repeated for the back part of the body (lie face-down).

After a really good bath rest yourself in the pre-bath for 10-20 minutes, do not jump in the cold water.

Advice:

• do not stand in the bath. It is better to lie or at least sit putting legs on the bench (washed) 
• if you do not like heat, throw water rarely on heated stones 
• if you feel yourself weak relax in pre-bath 
• the best drink in bath is tea 
• beer may be drunk only after bath 
• you will feel the influence of bath on your health going to it weekly (not more) 
• venik looses its curing features after one bath 
• after bath rest in bed or at the fireplace drinking tea.

Enjoy the bath in “Alaušo Slėnis”. Reserve now.