Prepare your body
Start with a warm shower and dry yourself well. Cold feet? Sit by the warm foot bath first to gently come up to temperature.
A first visit to the sauna can take some getting used to. What should you bring? How long do you stay in a sauna? And what does a good sauna round actually look like?
At Saré we believe in the traditional way of sauna. No rush and no tour of as many facilities as possible, but consciously taking time for warmth, cooling and rest. A simple rhythm that forms the basis of Scandinavian sauna tradition.
There is no fixed programme you must follow. Listen to your body, take your time and discover what feels right for you.
If you go to the sauna regularly, you probably recognise it immediately. That satisfied feeling after a good sauna round. Your body feels relaxed, your mind is calm and at the same time you have new energy.
During a sauna session your body is working hard. Your heart rate rises, you perspire and your body responds to the heat. Then come fresh outdoor air, cold water and finally rest.
The feeling is sometimes like the moment after strenuous exercise. Not because sauna is the same as sport, but because your body has experienced many different sensations in a short time. Heat. Perspiration. Fresh air. Cold water. Rest.
It is precisely that alternation that brings attention from your head back to your body. Energised and satisfied at once. That, for us, is the true sauna feeling.
The basis of a sauna round is simple: warm up, cool down and recover. A full round takes on average 1.5 to 2 hours. That does not mean you sit in the sauna all that time. The time between heat sessions is part of the experience.
A sauna and steam bath both use heat, but feel very different. In a sauna the air is warm and relatively dry. Pouring water on the hot stones creates löyly: the warm steam and heat wave that spreads through the cabin.
A steam bath has high humidity and a lower temperature. Because of the moist air, the heat can still feel intense. Try both and discover what your body needs at that moment.
For some guests, it is not the heat but the idea of going to the sauna without swimwear that is the most daunting part of a first visit. Often reality is very different from what you imagined beforehand.
During a wellness day you are covered most of the time. You walk around in your robe or with a towel wrapped around you, and while resting or eating you wear your robe. Only when using a sauna, bath or other facility are you without swimwear.
We often hear from guests who were apprehensive beforehand that it was much less awkward than expected. They are often surprised by how little attention there actually is to nudity. Everyone comes with the same goal: to relax.
Give yourself time to get used to it. You only take off your robe when entering a facility and afterwards wrap your towel again or put your robe back on.
The hottest sauna is not automatically the best. Start mild and discover how your body responds.
Staying longer does not mean you get more from the sauna. Go outside when your body asks you to.
Heat and cooling belong together. After each sauna session, take enough time to cool down.
The moments between sauna sessions are at least as important as the heat itself.
You lose fluid through perspiration. Drink water regularly throughout the day.
During an aufguss, water and scents are used on the sauna stove and the sauna master spreads the warm air through the cabin. Choose a spot on the lower bench near the exit so you can leave easily if you wish.
You don't need much for a wellness day. Bring a robe, slippers and enough towels. In the sauna always lay a towel fully under your body so your feet do not touch the wooden benches either.
Phones, smartwatches and other electronic devices are not allowed in the wellness area. If you want to be truly offline, leave your phone and smartwatch at home. Together we protect the calm and privacy of our guests.
There is no perfect wellness day. Maybe you mainly enjoy the heat of a sauna. Maybe you discover how pleasant alternating with cold water can be. Or maybe you prefer to spend much of the day with a book by the fireplace without external stimuli.
Take your time. Try different facilities and discover what works for you. Wellness according to Saré is ultimately about something very simple: heat, cooling and rest. Sometimes the body has to work a little before the mind truly comes to rest.