Which essential oil is best to use in the sauna?

Are you tired of cold weather, fog, heavy winter meals, slow metabolism and the downbeat mood? Are you getting frustrated because you hardly see the sun and feel that you’re too exhausted to do anything?

Nice lights, silence and warmth to refresh body and soul

You can choose the superbly skin-kind steam room or opt for the infra-sauna – but my favourite is still the original Finnish sauna.

The reason: it helps me relax, chill out and turn my attention inside. In the very first minutes my body starts to respond to the hot air that envelops it – and I can almost see the impurities being squeezed out of my body by perspiration. I can feel my shoulders become lighter as I let go of all woes and troubling thoughts. Quite often, sitting in the baking hot room amounts to a meditation session, it’s just so amazingly mind-clearing.

One of my articles last year gave you details on how to make the most out of a sauna session. Now, it’s time to give you some tips as to which essential oils will give you the perfect sauna experience. Warning, essential oils may be ‘addictive’!

There’s a variety of essential oils you can use in the sauna. Here are my favourites:

• lemon, sweet orange, bergamot and cinnamon –to refresh and invigorate
• eucalyptus, tea tree and rosemary essential oils – for relief and a clear mind
• lavender essential oil – to relax and unwind

You may not use any of those undiluted. Instead, fill a 500 ml bottle with water and add 4-5 drops of essential oil. In the sauna, splash or sprinkle a bit of the mix onto the hot rocks – but mind the sauna etiquette at all times.

Feel free to mix the essential oils, these are the main tips:

1. Citrusy essential oils go very well together and with other essential oils. I’d recommend these mostly for morning use
2. The mixture of water, 2 drops of rosemary and 3 drops of lavender essential oil will refresh and relieve at the same time. It’s the best choice after swimming or any other training session.
3. Avoid strong, exciting essential oils in the evening – instead of citrusy scents use lavender or rosemary.

(Some essential oils, e.g. rosemary, may trigger epileptic seizures in those who have a tendency or are susceptible to it. Many people are intolerant to essential oils. Therefore, before you use essential oil(s) ask the sauna staff and other people in the sauna if it’s OK to do so.)