I was asked to write a short story about the benefits of a sauna and thought the best way to start would be to explain a little about my first sauna experience. I was not raised a naturist and had never been a part of the naturist scene. I had often gone to a gym when I was younger and was not unfamiliar with locker rooms and nudity in them. But I was not accustomed to coed nudity with strangers which made my decision to attend a sauna a little scary … and a little exciting.

I moved to Germany for work and the house I rented had a Finnish sauna in the basement. I never really thought of using it until the weather turned cold and I was working outside most of the day. I came home with a chill and wanted to warm up so I turned on the sauna, stripped down and proceeded to relax.

At first, the heat took some time to get use to. Once I found a good temperature for me, I found the experience to be wonderful. The heat chased away my chill, soothed my muscles and was very relaxing. I enjoyed it so much that I regularly used the sauna at home. I discovered when I used the sauna regularly, the cold outdoor temperatures didn’t bother me and my immune system seemed to get a boost. I wondered what else the sauna was doing for me; what other benefits were there that I have yet to realize? Was it safe?

I began researching and was surprised at the plethora of information available on the topic. It turns out saunas have been used for over 2000 years. The ancient Greeks and Romans were known to use saunas way back then. In modern times, they are used around the world. I also found the benefits don’t stop at just relaxation and a better immune system. Saunas are reported to help cleanse the skin, aid in circulation, reduce stress and it helps me with weight loss/maintenance. Regular visits into the heat lessened my appetite and make me increase my water intake which helps flush out toxins and promote weight loss. As long as we sauna properly, we can safely make it a part of our daily health regimen. I started to sauna regularly!

When working away from home I missed relaxing in the pleasant heat of the sauna. I heard the hotel had a sauna for it’s guests and researched proper sauna etiquette. I decided to be brave and to venture forth into the “public” coed sauna. At first there were no others there, but to be honest I was more than a little nervous. After all, anyone, male or female, could just walk in. Was I doing it right? Would I be embarrassed by my flaws? Heaven forbid if I were to get an erection, I would be mortified!

I really don’t remember the first time someone else showed up. You would think that it would be memorable. But in reality it was no big deal. As is so often the case, I was worrying about nothing. People did eventually show up and they acted like nudity was a natural thing. Couples, men, single women, old and young, everyone was pleasant, humble, respectful and kind. The experience was very enlightening as well as pleasant. I felt silly to ever have been nervous. I even spoke to several people who told me that if I enjoyed the hotel sauna, I should go the public swimming pools with saunas.

Back in my room, I looked up the local schwimbad, and found they were very common. No matter where I went I was within easy driving distance to one. I researched the etiquette again and decided to go. I had my two towels, a bath robe and shower shoes. I reviewed the rules of etiquette to avoid any social faux pas: always sit on a towel in a dry sauna; no bottles or glass in the sauna; do not stare, be respectful; shower off before entering; people with open wounds or heart conditions should avoid the sauna; and the sauna is a family oriented activity so no public displays of affection and most importantly NO CLOTHES ALLOWED.

When I arrived at the public sauna, I found it to be like a big amusement park with water slides, thermal heated pools, several different rooms with varying degrees of heat and humidity and many, many nude people. Young and old, perfect bodies and flawed, males and females. Entire families, couples, single people and even groups of coworkers and friends. All stripping down like it was natural. You would think they were born naked, pardon my pun!

Needless to say, after my first visit I fell in love with the public swimming pools and saunas. Every time I worked away from home I tried to stop by a different location just to see what types of rooms they had; Himalayan salt sauna, ice rooms, 100c, 90c, 85c, 70c, sleeping rooms, thermally heated pools for skinny dipping, Jacuzzis, water massages, the aufguss, salt rubs, ice rubs, yogurt rubs, sugar rubs, the different fragrances, soft lights, music. The sensory experience was so wonderfully pleasant.

Now I live in Kansas. I must admit the thing I miss most is not having a sauna. After looking, I found few options outside of owning my own. One option is the rustic fire-heated sauna at Lake Edun. Nestled just a few feet from a beautiful ten acre lake sporting walking trails lined with benches is a sauna big enough to sit up to about ten people at a time. I found my fellow sauna enthusiasts were a pleasant, friendly and welcoming group of which several had been frequenting Lake Edun for more than ten years.

I have to say that based upon my experience abroad, as well as at Lake Edun, I encourage people to contact Lake Edun to find out when the next sauna will occur and then just come out and experience it for yourself. And of course, if you are ever lucky enough to find yourself in Germany, be sure not to miss out on the experience!