And so, even with centuries of history behind them, these rooms can inspire sweatier palms than foreheads. Luckily, editors Scott and Rebecca are here to help. According to Scott, many guys try and prove their toughness by staying in as long as possible or trying to outlast their friends in the sauna. First off—this goes against the chief principle of sauna-ing: relaxing and letting go. And nobody looks tough when they're dehydrated or passed out.

There is nothing more Finnish than sauna, and many Finns think you can not grasp Finland or its culture without bathing in a sauna. However, Finns understand that foreigners have certain inhibitions and concerns when it comes to stepping in a heated box with no clothes on. Have a look at our tips below and you need to worry no more. Full of interesting contrasts, such as the four seasons, the Midnight Sun and winter darkness, urban and rural, East and West. Sauna is good for everybody. Only newborn babies and people with serious conditions like open wounds or heart problems should avoid sauna.

If you've been following instructions, then you've read the previous six pages completely naked. If you're actually Finnish, there's a good chance you went the extra mile and read them on your iPhone whilst ladling water on the kiuas. But all this leads to the inevitable question: How naked do you need to be in the sauna? Obviously, for a comfortable, effective sauna experience, you'll need to be as naked as possible. From there, everything breaks down into whatever the accepted local sauna culture happens to be.

You see, unlike in the UK, saunas in the land of windmills and tulips operate a no-swimwear policy. My boyfriend warned me, worried that I might get distracted by other men, that the one faux pas you can commit is to ogle other bodies. The thought of swimming and saunering completely starkers with strangers with filled me with a slight dread but I was willing to investigate, as I love saunas and needed of a bit of relaxation. We ventured to Sauna Ridderrode, which is around a minute drive from Amsterdam and called on the way to make a reservation. After stripping off in the mixed changing room, I donned my robe and wandered into the sauna area.