Who Should Not Use a Sauna?
Saunas are not for everyone. But the deciding factors on who should make use of a sauna frequently are dependent on if the person is using their own sauna at home or if they are going to a spa or health club to use theirs. These places have fairly strict rules on who should and who should not be allowed to use the saunas.
If you are using your own in your home or at a friend’s there are still some common sense rules on who should use a sauna. Seniors who suffer from respiratory or cardiac conditions are recommended not to use a sauna unless they have been given the go ahead from their health care provider. People who suffer from low blood pressure should stay away from saunas. High blood pressure sufferers will find that some believe the sauna is safe while others feel it is a bad idea. In Finland the people are notorious for enjoying saunas often and this includes those with high blood pressure.
Most health care providers will recommend men who are involved in trying to conceive a child with their partner refrain from using the sauna until they have a confirmed pregnancy. Since the sauna does usually have some sort of rise in body temperature this can affect the quantity and quality of sperm. Pregnant woman are also advised not to use the sauna, as there is some proof that the extreme heat can cause deformities. If you want to take your young child in a sauna keep the sessions very short and have them sit on the lower benches as it will be less hot down there.
If a person has consumed more than a couple of alcoholic drinks they should not have a sauna. Especially in older people the alcohol and high temperature mix are known to lower blood pressure, sometimes dangerously so. Anyone who has a fever should not go in the sauna. If you have taken medication that may affect your ability to sweat, diminish it in any way, a sauna could be dangerous.
If you are a member of a health spa or private club they will usually not allow anyone under eighteen into the saunas. They ban anyone with a contagious disease, understandable as they have guests to protect or anyone who appears to have been drinking. They will not let you in if you are wearing jewelry of any kind, as it will heat up and could burn you severely. These places also will not allow an obviously pregnant woman into the sauna. They will request that all those who want to enjoy a sauna shower first, if not they will not allow you to enter. Anyone trying to enter wearing excessive amounts of clothing will be denied access. Although many of these may seem excessive they are rules to protect the many people who communally share the use of a sauna when visiting a spa or high-end gym. The other rules are suggestions to keep people who use their own saunas at home or a friend’s safe and healthy.