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69-599: The awards were run by the Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong , Amnesty International Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Journalists Association . On April 25, 2022, the FCC announced the suspension of the awards citing fears of "unintentionally" violating the city's National Security Law , leading to the resignation of 8 members from the organization's Press Freedom Committee and public criticism. After

138-536: A central role in the life of an individual. Ancient Estonians believed saunas were inhabited by spirits. In folk tradition sauna was not only the place where one washed but also used as the place where brides were ceremoniously washed, where women gave birth and the place the dying made their final bed. The folk tradition related to the Estonian sauna is mostly identical to that surrounding the Finnish sauna. On New Year's Eve,

207-593: A further evolution of the sauna, including the electric sauna stove, which was introduced in 1938 by Metos Ltd in Vaasa . Although sauna culture is more or less related to Finnish and Estonian culture, the evolution of the sauna took place around the same time in Finland and Baltic countries; they all have valued the sauna, its customs and traditions until the present day. The sauna became very popular especially in Scandinavia and

276-401: A heat storage stove has a large heat (stone) capacity and can take much longer to heat. Smoke sauna (Finnish savusauna , Estonian suitsusaun , Võro savvusann ) is one of the earliest forms of the sauna. It is simply a room containing a pile of rocks, but without a chimney. A fire is lit directly under the rocks and after a while the fire is extinguished. The heat retained in the rocks, and

345-435: A higher temperature. A cold-water pool (and/or more recently a cold Jacuzzi) is almost always accompanied and towels are usually provided. Adding therapeutic or relaxing essential oils to the rocks is common. In Iran, unlike Finland, sitting in a sauna is mostly seen as part of the spa/club culture, rather than a bathing ritual. It is most usually perceived as a means for relaxation or detoxification (through perspiration). Having

414-427: A much lower temperature of around 50 °C (122 °F) to compensate. The "wet heat" would cause scalding if the temperature were set much higher. In a typical Finnish sauna, the temperature of the air, the room and the benches are above the dew point even when water is thrown on the hot stones and vaporized. Thus, they remain dry. In contrast, the sauna bathers are at about 60–80 °C (140–176 °F), which

483-443: A person exposed to them for long periods of time. Saunas overcome this problem by controlling the humidity . The hottest Finnish saunas have relatively low humidity levels in which steam is generated by pouring water on the hot stones. This allows air temperatures that could evaporate water to be tolerated and even enjoyed for longer periods of time. Steam baths, such as the hammam , where the humidity approaches 100%, will be set to

552-462: A place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these facilities. The steam and high heat make the bathers perspire. A thermometer in a sauna is typically used to measure temperature; a hygrometer can be used to measure levels of humidity or steam. Infrared therapy is often referred to as a type of sauna, but according to the Finnish sauna organizations, infrared

621-518: A result of the Industrial Revolution , the sauna evolved to use a wood-burning metal stove with rocks on top, kiuas , with a chimney. Air temperatures averaged around 75–100 °C (167–212 °F) but sometimes exceeded 110 °C (230 °F) in a traditional Finnish sauna . As the Finns migrated to other areas of the globe, they brought their sauna designs and traditions with them. This led to

690-528: A sauna located in Tampere, that was first established in 1906 by Hermanni and Maria Lahtinen. Helsinki even has a sauna built into one of the gondolas of a ferris wheel, SkyWheel Helsinki . Unlike many other countries, Finnish people usually prefer to be naked instead of wearing a swimsuit, towel, or other kind of clothing. Under many circumstances, temperatures approaching and exceeding 100 °C (212 °F) would be completely intolerable and possibly fatal to

759-474: A sauna room on private property is considered a luxury rather than a necessity. Public saunas are segregated and nudity is prohibited. In Japan , many saunas exist at sports centers and public bathhouses ( sentō ). The saunas are almost always gender separated, often required by law, and nudity is a required part of proper sauna etiquette. While right after World War II , public bathhouses were commonplace in Japan,

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828-580: A sauna would be held before midnight to cleanse the body and spirit for the upcoming year. In Lithuanian , bathhouse or sauna is pirtis ; in Latvian , it is pirts . Both countries have long bathhouse traditions, dating back to the pagan times. The 13th century bathhouses in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were mentioned in the Hypatian Codex and Chronicon terrae Prussiae , as they were practised by

897-565: A sauna. Therapeutic sauna sessions are often carried out in conjunction with physiotherapy or hydrotherapy ; these are gentle exercises that do not exacerbate symptoms. There has been widespread research into the health benefits and risks that come from sauna usage; most studies have focused on the Finnish sauna specifically. Sauna bathing leads to mild heat stress , which activates heat shock proteins responsible for repairing misfolded proteins , promoting longevity as well as protection against muscle atrophy and chronic illness. There

966-642: A temperature of −110 °C (−166 °F), the user is in the sauna for a period of only about 3 minutes. According to the Guinness Book of World Records , the world's largest sauna is the Koi Sauna in the Thermen & Badewelt Sinsheim , Germany. It measures 166 square meters, holds 150 people and sports a koi aquarium. The title may now belong to Cape East Spa in Haparanda , Sweden , which also holds 150 people but

1035-410: A towel has been found to reduce the perception of heat. Some may wish to put an additional towel or a special cap over the head to avoid dryness. Few people can sit directly in front of the stove without feeling too hot from the radiant heat, but this may not be reflected in their overall body temperature. As the person's body is often the coolest object in a sauna room, steam will condense into water on

1104-499: A type now called savusauna ; "smoke sauna". These differed from present-day saunas in that they were operated by heating a pile of rocks called a kiuas by burning large amounts of wood for about 6 to 8 hours and then letting out the smoke before enjoying the löyly , a Finnish term meaning, collectively, both the steam and the heat of a sauna (same term in Estonian is leili - you can see similarities with Finnish word). A properly heated "savusauna" yields heat for up to 12 hours. As

1173-409: A wide variety of sauna options. Heat sources include wood, electricity, gas and other more unconventional methods such as solar power. There are wet saunas, dry saunas, infrared saunas , smoke saunas, and steam saunas. There are two main types of stoves: continuous heating and heat storage type. Continuously heating stoves have a small heat capacity and can be heated up on a fast on-demand basis, whereas

1242-399: Is an ancient Finnish word referring to both the traditional Finnish bath and to the bathhouse itself. In Finnic languages other than Finnish and Estonian, sauna and cognates do not necessarily mean a building or space built for bathing. It can also mean a small cabin or cottage, such as a cabin for a fisherman. The word is the best known Finnicism in many languages. The sauna known in

1311-541: Is associated with a reduced risk and symptom relief from the symptoms of respiratory illness . Weight loss in obese people and improvement of appetite loss present with normal body weight can also be achievable with sauna bathing. Evidence for the use of sauna for depression or skin disorders is insufficient, but the frequency of sauna sessions is correlated with a diminished risk of developing psychosis , and it might be beneficial for psoriasis . Sauna bathing coupled with alcohol consumption or dehydration increases

1380-533: Is available in every village. Many women apply yogurt or a paste blend based on tamarind on their skin as a beauty treatment. The sauna is always heated by wood fire and herbs are added either directly to the boiling water or steam jet in the room. The sitting lounge is mix gender but the steam rooms are gender separated. Bael fruit tea known in lao as muktam tea is usually served. In Australia and Canada , saunas are found mainly in hotels, swimming pools, and health clubs and if used by both men and women, nudity

1449-478: Is below the dew point, so that water is condensed on the bathers' skin. This process releases heat and makes the steam feel hot. Finer control over the perceived temperature can be achieved by choosing a higher-level bench for those wishing for a hotter experience, or a lower-level bench for a more moderate temperature. A good sauna has a relatively small temperature gradient between the various seating levels. Doors need to be kept closed and used quickly to maintain

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1518-439: Is considered good practice to take a few moments after exiting a sauna before entering a cold plunge, and to enter a plunge pool or a lake by stepping into it gradually, rather than immediately immersing oneself fully. In summer, a session is often started with a cool shower. In some countries the closest and most convenient access to a sauna is at a gymnasium . Some public pools, major sports centers and resorts also contain

1587-481: Is evidence that long-term exposure to Finnish-style sauna is correlated with a reduced risk of sudden cardiac death ; and that risk reduction increases with duration and frequency of use; this reduction is more pronounced when sauna bathing is combined with exercise, compared with either of these practices alone. Tentative evidence supports that the heat stress from saunas is associated with reduced blood pressure and arterial stiffness , and therefore also decrease

1656-511: Is generally lower, making it more tolerable for people who cannot withstand the high temperatures of traditional saunas. Infrared heat penetrates more deeply into fat and the neuromuscular system resulting in a more vigorous sweat at lower temperature than traditional saunas. These effects are favorable for the neuromuscular system to recover from maximal endurance exercise . Many cultures have sweat baths, though some have more spiritual uses while others are purely secular. In Ancient Rome there

1725-582: Is generally safe, as long as their condition is stable. However, sauna bathing is contraindicated in persons with unstable angina and severe aortic stenosis . A one-year study in Finland showed that only 67 (2.6%) of sudden deaths in saunas were non-accidental, mostly due to coronary heart disease . Pregnant women can use saunas as long as their core temperature does not exceed 39.0 °C (102.2 °F), as this may be teratogenic . One study has found that genital heat stress from frequent sauna sessions could cause male infertility . Today there are

1794-470: Is more spacious. However, in Czeladz, south Poland, there is now a sauna for 300 people, sporting light shows, theatre and needing several sauna masters. A modern sauna with an electric stove usually takes about 15–30 minutes to heat up. Some users prefer taking a shower beforehand to speed up perspiration in the sauna. When in the sauna, people often sit on a towel for hygiene and put a towel over their heads if

1863-757: Is not a sauna. Areas such as the rocky Orkney islands of Scotland have many ancient stone structures for normal habitation, some of which incorporate areas for fire and bathing. It is possible some of these structures also incorporated the use of steam in a way similar to the sauna, but this is a matter of speculation. The sites are from the Neolithic age, dating to approximately 4000 B.C.E. Archaeological sites in Greenland and Newfoundland have uncovered structures very similar to traditional Scandinavian farm saunas, some with bathing platforms and "enormous quantities of badly scorched stones". The traditional Korean sauna, called

1932-416: Is often forbidden, even if implicitly. In gyms or health clubs with separate male and female change rooms, nudity is permitted; however, members are usually asked to shower before using the sauna and to sit on a towel. In Canada, saunas have increasingly become a fixture of cottage culture, which shares many similarities with its Finnish counterpart (mökki). A sauna session can be a social affair in which

2001-450: Is reduced. Depending on size of the stove and the airing time, the temperature may be low, about 60 °C (140 °F), while the humidity is relatively high. The tradition almost died out in Finland, but was revived by enthusiasts in the 1980s. These are still used in present-day Finland by some enthusiasts, but usually only on special occasions such as Christmas, New Year's, Easter, and juhannus ( Midsummer ). Smoke saunas are popular in

2070-412: Is thrown on the rocks, which creates an immediate blast of steam. Combustibles on, or near the stove have been known to cause fires. Contact lenses dry out in the heat. Jewelry or anything metallic, including glasses, will get hot in the sauna and can cause discomfort or burning. The temperature on different parts of the body can be adjusted by shielding one's body with a towel. Shielding the face with

2139-898: The hanjeungmak , is a domed structure constructed of stone that was first mentioned in the Sejong Sillok of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty in the 15th century. Supported by Sejong the Great , the hanjeungmak was touted for its health benefits and used to treat illnesses. In the early 15th century, Buddhist monks maintained hanjeungmak clinics, called hanjeungso , to treat sick poor people; these clinics maintained separate facilities for men and women due to high demand. Korean sauna culture and kiln saunas are still popular today, and Korean saunas are ubiquitous. Western saunas originated in Finland where

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2208-670: The Estonian saun (almost identical to the Finnish sauna), Russian banya , Latvian pirts , the European Jews ' shvitz , and the Swedish bastu . In Asia the Japanese Mushi-Buro and the Korean jjimjilbang . The Karo people of Indonesia have the oukup . In some parts of Africa there is the sifutu . Although cultures in all corners of the world have imported and adapted

2277-679: The Lithuanian dukes . Livonian Chronicle of Henry describes a bathhouse built around 1196 near the pier on the bank of Daugava river. The chronicle also mentions the year 1215 baths of the Latgalian ruler Tālivaldis which were built in Trikāta . These baths are also mentioned in the Livonian Rhymed Chronicle . Sauna had a considerable role in the pagan traditions of the Baltic people . In

2346-770: The Old Dairy Farm Depot at the top of Ice House Street , one of the few remaining colonial buildings in the Central district. The Club was founded in Chongqing in 1943 and moved to Hong Kong from Shanghai , where it was set up on 23 June or 25 June 1949. The Club has been located in several buildings since its inception in Hong Kong. It has occupied the North Block of the Old Dairy Farm Depot since 1982. On 14 August 2018,

2415-545: The 17th century, Matthäus Prätorius described various rituals the Baltic people practiced in sauna. For example, sauna was a primary place for women to give birth and rites would be performed for the Baltic goddess Laima . At that time, sauna traditions were similar in Aukštaitija , Samogitia , Latgale , Semigallia as well as some West Slavic lands. In 1536, Vilnius gained a royal privilege to build public bathhouses and by

2484-477: The Club hosted a lunch talk which pro-independence activist Andy Chan gave a speech. Beijing had tried to block the talk, but the club did not change the plan on ground of freedom of speech. As retaliation, Victor Mallet , the vice-president of FCC, was denied renewal of his visa. In 2022, the government added a new national security clause to the club's lease "to safeguard national security and to sufficiently protect

2553-482: The FCC announcement, US-based nonprofit The Campaign for Hong Kong 's President Samuel Chu announced his organization would step in to honor the 2022 winners in a virtual ceremony on May 10, 2022. Past recipients have been from all over the world, have worked for various international media organizations, and have covered various countries, mostly in Southeast Asia and China . These include local journalists from

2622-726: The German-speaking regions of Europe after the Second World War. German soldiers had experienced Finnish saunas during their fight against the Soviet Union during the Continuation War , where they fought on the same side. Saunas were so important to Finnish soldiers that they built them not only in mobile tents but even in bunkers. After the war, the German soldiers brought the custom back to Germany and Austria, where it became popular in

2691-624: The Government's rights and interests." The FCC has the following membership categories: The membership of the FCC (which totals around 2,400) includes foreign correspondents, reporters and members of the business and diplomatic community. The majority of members (around 1,600) are in the associate membership category. Previously it also included the Chief Executive of Hong Kong , but no Chief Executive since Donald Tsang has accepted an offer of membership. When prominent international figures from

2760-579: The South China Morning Post, regional media like Radio Free Asia and The Far Eastern Economic Review, and international media like the Wall Street Journal. Works are not restricted to those from or about Hong Kong , though the awards do emphasize Hong Kong's place as a model of free speech in the area. Guests speakers have included activists like John Kamm , who works with China to improve its human rights record, and Cardinal Joseph Zen,

2829-491: The air via advection, making the sauna warmer. Perspiration is the result of autonomic responses trying to cool the body. Users are advised to leave the sauna if the heat becomes unbearable, or if they feel faint or ill. Some saunas have a thermostat to adjust the temperature, but the owner of the sauna and the other bathers expect to be consulted before changes are made. The sauna stove and rocks are very hot—one must stay well clear of them to avoid burns, particularly when water

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2898-426: The broadband-connected facilities to prepare their articles, and a small but well-equipped Health Club with fitness equipment, a sauna and a steam room . 22°16′49.1″N 114°9′21.5″E  /  22.280306°N 114.155972°E  / 22.280306; 114.155972 Sauna A sauna ( / ˈ s ɔː n ə , ˈ s aʊ n ə / , Finnish: [ˈsɑu̯nɑ] ) is a room or building designed as

2967-401: The earlier fire, becomes the main source for heating the sauna. Following this process, the ashes and embers are removed from the hearth, the benches and floor are cleaned, and the room is allowed to air out and freshen for a period of time. The smoke deposits a layer of soot on every surface, so if the benches and back-rests can be removed while the fire is alight the amount of cleaning necessary

3036-485: The elaborate jjimjilbang . The word "sauna" is used a lot for its 'English appeal'; however, it does not strictly refer to the original Fennoscandian steam rooms that have become popular throughout the world. The konglish word sauna (사우나) usually refers to bathhouses with Jacuzzis, hot tubs, showers, steam rooms, and related facilities. In Laos , herbal steam sauna or hom yaa in Lao , is very popular especially with women and

3105-436: The end of the 16th century, the city already had 60 of them with a countless number of private ones. In Latvian lands, bathhouses became particularly popular in the 19th century. The contemporary Baltic sauna is similar to others in the north-eastern part of Europe: it varies according to personal preference, but is typically around 55–70 °C (131–158 °F), humidity 60–90%, with steam being generated by pouring water on

3174-444: The face feels too hot but the body feels comfortable. In Russia, a felt " banya hat" may be worn to shield the head from the heat; this allows the wearer to increase the heat on the rest of the body. The temperature of one's bath can be controlled via: The heat is greatest closest to the stove. Heating from the air is lower on the lower benches as the hot air rises. The heat given by the steam can be very different in different parts of

3243-480: The form of maintaining the fire during bathing; the fire can also be seen as a hazard. Fire-heated saunas are common in cottages, where the extra work of maintaining the fire is not a problem. The most common modern sauna types are those with electric stoves. The stones are heated up and kept on temperature using electric heating elements. There is a thermostat and a timer (typically with eight hours' maximum delay time, followed by one hour's continuous heating time) on

3312-477: The general application or intended sauna experience offered within these commercial environments offering a traditional sauna and or steam shower experience. In Iran , most gyms, hotels and almost all public swimming pools have indoor saunas. It is very common for swimming pools to have two saunas which are known in Persian as سونای خشک "dry sauna" and سونای بخار "steam sauna", with the dry type customarily boasting

3381-567: The highest-ranking Catholic prelate in greater China. www.humanrightspressawards.org Foreign Correspondents%27 Club, Hong Kong The Foreign Correspondents' Club ( FCC ) in Hong Kong is a members-only club and meeting place for the media, business and diplomatic community. It is located at 2 Lower Albert Road in Central , next to the Hong Kong Fringe Club , and they both occupy

3450-569: The home sauna. There are at least 2 million saunas in Finland according to official registers. The Finnish Sauna Society believes the number can actually be as high as 3.2 million saunas (population 5.5 million). Many Finns take at least one a week, and much more when they visit their summer cottage in the countryside. Here the pattern of life tends to revolve around the sauna, and a nearby lake used for cooling off. Sauna traditions in Estonia are almost identical to Finland as saunas have traditionally held

3519-870: The hot stones. Traditionally, birch twigs ( Lithuanian : vanta ; Latvian : slota ) are the most common, but oak or linden are used too. Sauna enthusiasts also make twigs from other trees and plants, including nettle and juniper . Dry air sauna of 80–110 °C (176–230 °F) and very low humidity became popular relatively recently; despite being a misconception, it is sometimes locally described as Finnish-type . In Norway and Sweden saunas are found in many places, and are known as 'badstu' or 'bastu' (from 'badstuga' "bath cabin, bath house"). In Norway and Sweden, saunas are common in almost every public swimming pool and gym. The public saunas are generally single-sex and may or may not permit use of swimwear. Rules for swimwear and towels for sitting on or covering yourself differ between saunas. Removing body hair in

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3588-623: The media and other professions. The FCC has two restaurants on the first floor: the Main Dining Room focused primarily on western-style cuisine, and the Chinese Restaurant. In the basement is Bert's Bar, named after the late Bert Okuley, long time FCC member and jazz pianist. Bert's features live jazz several nights each week, often with the house band under the leadership of Musical Director Allen Youngblood . The basement also contains The Work Room where local and visiting members can use

3657-405: The number of customers have dwindled as more people were able to afford houses and apartments equipped with their own private baths as the nation became wealthier. As a result, many sentōs have added more features such as saunas in order to survive. In Korea , saunas are essentially public bathhouses. Various names are used to describe them, such as the smaller mogyoktang , outdoor oncheon , and

3726-423: The oldest known saunas were made from pits dug in a slope in the ground and primarily used as dwellings in winter. The sauna featured a fireplace where stones were heated to a high temperature. Water was thrown on the hot stones to produce steam and to give a sensation of increased heat. This would raise the apparent temperature so high that people could take off their clothes. The first Finnish saunas were always of

3795-432: The participants disrobe and sit or recline in temperatures typically between 70 and 100 °C (158 and 212 °F). This induces relaxation and promotes sweating . People use a bundle of birch twigs with fresh leaves ( Finnish : vihta or vasta ; Estonian : viht ), to slap the skin and create further stimulation of the pores and cells. The sauna is an important part of daily life, and families bathe together in

3864-579: The risk of cardiovascular disease . These benefits are more pronounced in persons with low cardiovascular function. Evidence exists for the benefit of sauna on people with heart failure . Frequent Finnish-style sauna usage (4-7 times per week) is associated with a decreased risk of neurovascular diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and stroke , relative to those individuals who used sauna once per week. Individuals suffering from musculoskeletal disorders could have symptomatic improvement from sauna, and it could be beneficial for glaucoma . It also

3933-445: The risk of sudden death; the use of narcotic drugs, such as cocaine , also increases the risk. Being severely obese, having high blood pressure , or being diabetic all serve as reasons to decrease the duration of sauna sessions. Individuals prone to postural hypotension or severe valvular heart disease should use sauna cautiously to reduce the risk of a drop in blood pressure. In people with cardiovascular disease, sauna usage

4002-514: The sauna bath is started and the löyly shutter opened a soft warmth flow into the otherwise relatively cold (60 °C; 140 °F) sauna. This heat is soft and clean because, thanks to combustion, the stove stones glow red, even white-hot, and are freed of dust at the same time. When bathing the heat-storage sauna will become as hot as a continuous fire-type sauna (80–110 °C; 176–230 °F) but more humid. The stones are usually durable heatproof and heat-retaining peridotite . The upper part of

4071-677: The sauna, many of the traditional customs have not survived the journey. Today, public perception of saunas, sauna "etiquette" and sauna customs vary hugely from country to country. In many countries sauna going is a recent fashion and attitudes towards saunas are changing, while in others traditions have survived over generations. In Africa, the majority of sauna facilities are found in a more upmarket hotel, spa and health club environments and predominantly share both sauna heater technology and design concepts as applied in Europe. Even though outdoor temperatures remain warmer and more humid, this does not affect

4140-436: The sauna. As the steam rises directly upwards, it spreads across the roof and travels out towards the corners, where it is then forced downwards. Consequently, the heat of fresh steam may sometimes be felt most strongly in the furthest corners of the sauna. Users increase the duration and the heat gradually over time as they adapt to the sauna. When pouring water onto the stove, it cools down the rocks, but carries more heat into

4209-644: The second half of the 20th century. The German sauna culture also became popular in neighbouring countries such as Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Sauna culture has been registered in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under two entries: "Smoke sauna tradition in Võromaa " in 2014 and "Sauna culture in Finland" in 2020. The word sauna

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4278-438: The skin; this can be confused with perspiration. Cooling down by immersing oneself in water (in a shower, lake or pool) is a part of the sauna cycle and is as important as the heating. However, it is advisable that healthy people and heart patients alike should take some precautions if plunging into very cold water straight after coming from the hot room, as the rapid cooling of the body produces considerable circulatory stress. It

4347-482: The southern Estonia and smoke sauna tradition in Võrumaa was added into UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists in 2014. The smoke-sauna stove is also used with a sealed stone compartment and chimney (a heat storage-stove) which eliminates the smoke odour and eye irritation of the smoke sauna. A heat storage stove does not give up much heat in the sauna before bathing since the stone compartment has an insulated lid. When

4416-481: The stove is often insulated with rock wool and firebricks. Heat-storing stoves are also found with electric heating, with similar service but no need to maintain a fire. A continuous fire stove, instead of stored heat, is a relatively recent invention. There is a firebox and a smokestack, and stones are placed in a compartment directly above the firebox. It takes a shorter time to heat than the heat-storage sauna, about one hour. A fire-heated sauna requires manual labor in

4485-441: The stove. This type of heating is generally used only in urban saunas. Far-infrared saunas utilize infrared light to generate heat. Unlike traditional saunas that heat the body indirectly through the air or by conduction from heated surfaces, far-infrared saunas use infrared panels or other methods like a sauna blanket that emit far-infrared light, which is absorbed by the surface of the skin. The heat produced by far-infrared saunas

4554-444: The temperature and to keep the steam inside. Some North American , Western European , Japanese , Russian , and South African public sport center and gyms include sauna facilities. They may also be present at public and private swimming pools . As an additional facility, a sauna may have one or more jacuzzi . In some spa centers, there are the so-called special "snow rooms," also known as cold saunas or cryotherapy. Operating at

4623-466: The western world today originates from Northern Europe . In Finland, there are built-in saunas in almost every house, including communal saunas in the older apartment buildings; since the 80s, private saunas have often been built into the bathrooms of typical Finnish flats in apartment buildings, sometimes even in student housing. There are also a number of public saunas in Finland, including Rajaportin Sauna ,

4692-519: The worlds of commerce, politics or entertainment visit Hong Kong, many choose to address the FCC's speaker lunches as the best means of reaching their desired audience – both directly and through media coverage of the events. Past speakers include the former chief executive Sir Donald Tsang , former Chief Secretary Mrs Anson Chan . The heart of the FCC building is The Main Bar (on the ground floor) which maintains its reputation for colourful characters both from

4761-937: Was the thermae or balneae (from Greek βαλανεῖον balaneîon ), traits of which survive in the Turkish or Arab hammam and in the Victorian Turkish bath (which uses only hot dry air). In the Americas there is the Nahuatl (Aztec) temāzcalli Nahuatl pronunciation: [temaːsˈkalːi] , Maya zumpul-ché , and the Mixtec Ñihi ; in Canada and the United States, a number of First Nations and Native American cultures have various kinds of spiritual sweat lodges ( Lakota : inipi , Anishinaabemowin madoodiswan ). In Europe we find

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