To steam or to sauna? Our guide to wet heat
The relationship between physical and mental relaxation is clear. When we hold tension in our body, so too do we feel stress in the mind.
Spending time in the bathhouse allows for a self-guided exploration of wellbeing. A two hour session permits for time spent idling and wandering between water, heat therapy and lounging. Your ritual for unwinding is subjective, and entirely your own, but we can provide some information on the benefits of both dry and wet heat to help inform your decision making.
The opportunity to slow down, to breathe and nourish the skin in damp, wet heat is an everyday practice in many cultures. In what is now Mexico, steam rooms were attached to ordinary homes. They were so integral to everyday life, that these ‘Aztec saunas’ were used to prepare the body for medicine, surgeries and births. The world’s oldest operational hammam is in Damascus and still serves as a place of respite.
In his book ‘Religion for Atheists’, Alain de Botton states that one of the most unexpected disasters of our modern age is our lack of capacity to integrate places of solace, to concentrate, slow down and reflect on concepts bigger than ourselves. “We flee from the idea that art should be uplifting or have an ethical mission. We don’t go on pilgrimages. We have no mechanisms for expressing gratitude. Strangers rarely sing together,” he laments.
Like a modern-day temple, the bathhouse invites people to gather, to reflect and to take time out.
Away from screens and the demands of the day-to-day, two hours can be simply dedicated to moving between the magnesium pool, the cold plunge and dry or wet steam.
For some people, dry heat is intense and challenging, whereas steam is hydrating and nourishing. Benefits of steam can also include clearing congestion and allowing for slow, easy breathing. The hammam’s warm, moist air also helps relax muscles and loosen stiff joints. While the sauna, which uses dry heat, also helps with muscle soreness, the hammam is often more a favourite for people with respiratory issues, dry skin and tired bodies.
It is dedicated time to sit and breathe without modern distractions. The lights are dim. The only sound might be someone stretching out, putting a bucket beneath a tap. The guiding principle of Sense of Self has always been about providing a gentle, communal space for wellbeing, a space for you to rest into yourself.
Steam rooms can help cleanse the skin by softening and loosening the pores to flush out debris. This can contribute to clearer, healthier-looking skin. These benefits go beyond just the face and neck, which we usually pay the most attention to. It’s easy to forget that our largest organ covers the surface of the entire body. It's the barrier between us and the outside world and requires love and maintenance. While modern beauty often focuses on the way we look, this is an invitation to focus instead on how your body feels.
Carving out this time for yourself can be amplified with a self-led ritual. Going into the hammam with one of our unique balms and scrubs increases mindfulness by inviting you to engage all the senses. Deepen the experience by applying touch, natural scents (like clay and black soap) and gentle textures.
How does it feel to pause, to stop, to take care of yourself?
We encourage you to try both the sauna and hammam and see what eases tension. Sitting in each and practising a slow body scan – taking the focus from behind your ears to beneath your toes – can help unravel what is most effective for you.
Words by Hannah Bambra.