Are you new to Aufguss? The word Aufguss is German, defined by Collins dictionary as ‘pouring of water onto hot coals’. This pleasurable sauna ritual is also known under its Finnish name of löyly and is a real must-try! We organise a variety of Aufguss sessions in our public baths daily, which you can take part in for free. Read on to find out what exactly happens during an Aufguss session and what its many positive health benefits are.
What happens during an Aufguss session?
The Aufguss master joins you in the sauna and pours water with essential oils onto the hot stones. He or she can also use ice balls with essential oils, which are placed on the stones and broken up so they melt more quickly. The effect is the same: the humidity and temperature shoot up. This makes you feel hotter, and a protective layer of sweat forms around your body.
The Aufguss master then walks around in the sauna, flapping a towel or fan, wafting bursts of hot air over your body. This hot air blows away the protective layer, giving you an adrenaline kick in the process. A unique experience! It is incredibly relaxing and energising at the same time.
What are the health benefits of an Aufguss session?
The high temperature in the sauna causes your body to overheat, inducing an artificial fever, if you like. Your body responds by sweating to try to regulate your body temperature. The sweat evaporates on your skin, which cools you down.
-
An Aufguss session improves circulation
The sauna heat makes your blood vessels widen, accelerating blood flow. Added bonus? Faster delivery of oxygen and nutrients around your body, while waste products are also removed more quickly.
-
An Aufguss session detoxifies your body
During an Aufguss session, you begin to sweat. Sweat consists of water and salt, but also contains toxins and electrolytes. So, sweating helps balance the moisture and salt levels in your body, meaning less strain on your kidneys. What’s more, it also stimulates your lymph glands, allowing for a more efficient elimination of waste products. And, when you sweat, your pores open, so that dirt and excess oil can be removed more quickly. Finally, your circulation accelerates, which speeds up the delivery of oxygen around your body, as well as the removal of waste products.
Remember to drink enough fluids during your sauna day to help maintain your moisture balance!
-
During an Aufguss session, your muscles relax
A boost in circulation increases blood flow to your muscles. That means more oxygen and nutrients are delivered to your muscles, which helps alleviate aching muscles. Because of the heat, there will also be fewer muscle contractions and as a result, less muscle tension and stiffness.
What’s more, heat increases the production of elastin and collagen. This helps keep your muscles and connective tissues supple. But that’s not all; it also promotes the release of endorphins, your body’s natural painkillers.
Another benefit of heat: it dulls the pain receptors in your muscles, meaning fewer muscles aches or stiffness.
-
An Aufguss session opens your airways
During an Aufguss session, we use different essential oils that are good for your airways. The Aufguss masters pour water infused with essential oils on the hot stones or place ice balls with essential oils on them. The effect is the same: humidity and temperature rise!
Some essential oils have an antibacterial effect, others help you relax or relieve pain, for instance.
Our Aufguss masters like to surprise you with a different blend of essential oils every Aufguss session. Some of the oils they use are:
- Eucalyptus: this helps to thin out mucus, allowing you to breathe more easily. It also has antibacterial properties i.e. it kills off those pesky bacteria in your airways. Finally, it has a relaxing and pain-relieving effect, making it a real allrounder!
- Mint: this is anti-inflammatory, alleviating swollen or irritated airways. Mint also contains the natural compound menthol, which helps you relax, further reducing the tension in your airways.
- Orange: orange oil is another very popular oil for its varied uses within aromatherapy: it is antiseptic, it relaxes, it is a natural antidepressant, it stimulates your lymph glands and has a disinfectant effect, for instance, when you have a cold.
- Pine: pine is also a great oil for your airways. It kills off bacteria and stimulates your immune system. It is refreshing, gives clarity and has a pain-relieving effect.
- Opium: is mostly relaxing and calming, but is also a powerful natural painkiller!
- Rose quartz: has a calming effect, including on your airways. It also boosts feelings of self-love.
- Green mandarin: is a refreshing oil that has a calming effect and promotes inner peace and clarity. It is also an air purifier.
- Hô wood: is the perfect oil if you suffer from problems with your airways. It has a sweet scent and eases mental weariness. What’s more, it stimulates your immune system and has a pain-relieving effect.
- Birch: birch oil is another oil that has been used for centuries for its many health promoting properties. It has a healing effect, stimulates circulation, alleviates muscle aches and pains, provides clarity of mind, and boosts your wellbeing.
-
An Aufguss session improves your immune system
The alternate exposure to hot and cold helps train your body, as it were. The rise in body temperature stimulates your body to produce more white blood cells, among other things. They are your allies in the fight against infections and inflammation.
Heat also promotes the release of endorphins, your feelgood hormones, and reduces the levels of cortisol in your body, making you more stress resilient.
And, as mentioned before, heat boosts your lymphatic system, resulting in a more efficient processing of waste products in your body.
Because of the heat, your body produces more antioxidants, giving it better protection against free radicals that you are exposed to on a daily basis.
Having saunas helps you fall asleep faster and also promotes a deeper sleep. Better sleep quality in turn ensures that your body is able to repair itself more quickly and your immune system is improved.
-
An Aufguss session helps you sleep better
You already know that your body temperature rises in the sauna, but did you know that the cooldown helps you sleep better too? A drop in body temperature makes your body believe that it is bedtime, allowing you to fall asleep faster and enjoy a deeper sleep.
The heat also activates your parasympathetic nervous system. This system ensures that your body is able to rest and repair itself. It also lowers your heart rate and your blood pressure, among other things. All of this helps you fall asleep more quickly.
Because of the drop in the stress hormone cortisol (as a result of the heat in the sauna), your body and mind are able to relax more easily, helping you drift off more quickly and enjoy a deeper sleep.
Muscle tension and pain are also reduced through the sauna heat and relaxed muscles ensure that you are able to fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply.
-
An Aufguss session reduces stress
Obviously, a sauna day with an Aufguss session is relaxing. Did you know that this is not just a feeling, but that your stress levels actually drop? When you are stressed, your body releases the hormone cortisol. The heat of the sauna causes this to go down again, making you feel less stressed.
The sauna heat also makes your body produce more endorphins, creating a feeling of happiness i.e. less stress.
Your circulation improves, which means you experience less muscle tension and this, too, has a positive effect on how stressed you feel.
Did you know that you can take part in various Aufguss sessions for free every day?
Every day, our Aufguss masters organise an extensive, varied wellness programme with several Aufguss, scrubbing and relaxation sessions. As our sauna guest, you can take part in these sessions free of charge. For more information, ask our reception staff at check-in or have a look at our TV screens which display the programme of the day. In between the various sessions, our Aufguss masters also walk around in the public baths, so feel free to address them and ask them any questions you may have. They will be more than happy to help!
You may also like to read the following blogposts about Aufguss sessions.
Do also check out our FAQs about the sauna experience.
