Did you know that in Finland there are more saunas than cars and it may never have crossed your mind before to add a sauna to your home. Although it’s a significant expenditure, once constructed, a sauna adds considerable value to the home, requires minimal maintenance and can provide a great deal of health benefits.

Whether you purchase a pre-cut sauna package or a pre-built, free-standing sauna, your sauna will take up a lot of space in your home. At-home saunas are generally anywhere from 3×4 feet to 8×10 feet, so in all likelihood, you will have to relocate some of your furniture to an attic, basement or storage unit. The easiest option would be to install a summer house and use this for converting into a family sauna. For Summer Houses In Northern Ireland, visit http://www.morrowsectionalbuildings.com/summer_houses.

Thankfully, unlike swimming pools and hot tubs, saunas rarely require maintenance. Aside from the occasional need to clean the floor, you can leave saunas alone entirely. All types of sauna heaters – electric, gas and wood don’t have many moving parts and rarely break down.

So what are the health benefits and should you get one:

• Saunas are a great way of detoxing and act as a natural way to expel impurities. While taking a sauna, the body sweats out harmful toxins, such as nicotine, lead and mercury leaving you feeling fresher and not so toxic!
• Saunas are a fantastic way of soothing sore and tired muscles as they temporarily relax muscles and can even relieve arthritic pain.
• Saunas help you de-stress and cause your body to release endorphins, which help reduce stress and increase your energy level.
• Maintaining healthy skin is another benefit of a sauna as they open skin pores, relax facial tension and promote new cellular growth by drawing out nutrients to the epidermis.
• Circulation problems can also be eased by using a sauna as the heat brings blood closer to the skin and increases blood flow to the body’s extremities.
• If you want to increase your metabolism then you can with a sauna. With regular sauna use, you can burn hundreds of calories per session which will increase your metabolic rate over time. Don’t think that you can use a sauna for weight loss though as almost all weight lost in the sauna comes from water retention, which quickly returns.
• If you suffer from sinus problems then saunas can offer temporary relief from the symptoms of the common cold, including sinus congestion and throat ailments.

A medical study on middle-aged Finnish men found that those who visited a sauna regularly were less likely to die over a period of two decades. So if you’re a middle-aged man, the good news is the more often you go to the sauna, the longer you’ll live. And if there’s one in your back garden then it’s an easy hobby to keep up.

There are some precautions that everyone should take when using a sauna and these include the following:

• Don’t stay in too long. Little and often is the key to avoid dehydration and heat stroke.
• Make sure you properly hydrate before using the sauna, especially if you live in a dry climate
• Never use your sauna under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Suffering from heart disease or abnormal blood pressure can mean it’s potentially dangerous to use a sauna so don’t risk it.
• Pregnant women should seek medical advice before using saunas.
• Children under the age of 5 should not use saunas.