Physical and emotional sensory experience 

Biological process are cool – but what about your sixth sense? It has just come to light for me, other people don’t live with in their feelings. Its rare but sometimes I wish I could be like that, until I remember that scene in fight club where the boys are running around the leaky Paper Street house reading books about Jack and Janes organs. This was a turning point for me in listening to my biology as if they were another sense. That was the first day Monaya’s liver was pissed off, it was also the first day when I meditated, I went to a place a human being cannot go. The mitochondria of a skin cell.

Wall of heat : open the door of the sauna. 

When you enter a sauna, your body goes through a series of physiological changes that can impact your organs. These changes occur in response to the heat and humidity of the sauna environment. Its up to you to notice the very small nuances that happen with your experience. Below I have noted a time line of biological processes. If you are fortunate enough to have the time and bandwidth to experiment with a mind exercise, note the processes below, when you experience them, try to shift your attention to how to you feel emotionally. 

Biological / Emotional : Body: Sweat – Mind: Tears

As soon as you enter the sauna, your body begins to sweat. Sweating is your body’s way of cooling itself down, as the evaporation of sweat from your skin takes heat away from your body. This is why saunas are hot and humid environments, as they encourage sweating. The sweating can feel like iching in the pits, it can be in weird places like your wrists or ankles, you might feel it inbetween your hair strands on your head. Notice where you feel it, how you feel it, what it feels like, what temperature it is… Get granular with your experience. This a safespace. 

Your Heart is a force – apply heat. 

As you continue to sweat, your heart rate increases. This is because your heart is working harder to pump blood to your skin, where it can be cooled by the evaporation of sweat. In fact, your heart rate can increase by as much as 30% during a sauna session (Scoon et al., 2007). When you notice your heart rate increasing, shift your mind. Again notice the memories that come up, the experiences you replay while you are fairing the heat. Does your heart rate go up or down when you shift to different thoughts?

The heat of the sauna also causes your blood vessels to dilate, or widen. This allows more blood to flow to your skin, where it can be cooled by the evaporation of sweat. This increased blood flow can also help to improve circulation throughout your body.
Notice where you are feeling the flow. Usually where we have more sensation or where our body can feel heavy (sort of like after we eat) there is more blood pumping through. 

You starting to feel woosey? 

As you sweat, your body is also losing electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Electrolytes are important for maintaining proper fluid balance in your body, and they are essential for proper organ function. To replace these electrolytes, it is important to drink plenty of fluids, such as water or a sports drink, before and after your sauna session. This is a feeling that is very apparent, if you are shaking, if your muscles are shaking, get some salt now. If you are at this stage, please help yourself now. As you recover, pay attention to the “neutral” sensation that comes over as salt assimimlates. Take a snap shot of that to replay later when you are in the field. 

As you continue to sweat, your body is also releasing toxins through your skin. These toxins can include heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, as well as environmental pollutants, such as pesticides and chemicals from household products (Crinnion, 2011). Sweating is an important way for your body to eliminate these toxins and maintain overall health. This can be itchy. 

One of the most significant impacts of the sauna on your organs is its effect on the kidneys. The heat and humidity of the sauna can cause your kidneys to produce more urine, which helps to flush out toxins and waste products from your body. In fact, some studies have shown that sauna use can help to reduce the risk of kidney disease and other kidney-related problems (Laukkanen et al., 2015). When you start to really heat up or push through to the next level (about an hour and ten minutes for me at the point.) You will really have to pee. Snapshot that urgency. 

In addition to its effects on the kidneys, sauna use has also been shown to have positive effects on the liver. The heat and humidity of the sauna can help to improve liver function by increasing blood flow to the liver and promoting the elimination of toxins (Sutinen et al., 2002). I find this sensation post sauna. Turning a spinal twist in your office chair will squeeze the hell out of your purged liver. 

The sauna will come on strong

Its up to you to decipher and analyze the experience to extract the most valuable part of sauna – its effects on our mentality towards life after sauna. The sensory experience of a sauna can boil up emotions, sensations, and memories. Use the cues from your skin, organs, and headspace to move energy around your body, leave it in the sauna, or in take it for later.  Overall, the sauna can have a number of positive effects on your organs, from improving circulation and kidney function to promoting the elimination of toxins. However, it is important to stay hydrated and be present in the sauna, listen to your body, and every single communication it is sending. And Please – it is important to consult with your doctor before starting any new health regimen, including sauna use.

References:

Crinnion, W. J. (2011). Sauna as a valuable clinical tool for cardiovascular, autoimmune, toxicant- induced and other chronic health problems. Alternative Medicine Review, 16(3), 215-225.

Laukkanen, T., Kunutsor, S. K., Kauhanen, J., & Laukkanen, J. A. (2015). Sauna bathing is inversely associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in middle-aged Finnish men. Age and Ageing, 44(2), 249-252.

Scoon, G. S., Hopkins, W. G., Mayhew, S., & Cotter, J. D. (2007). Effect of post-exercise sauna bathing on the endurance performance of competitive