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The old A-frame in the garden, a hut solidly constructed in the 1960s of fragrant Canadian cedar, blocking the view. Now thick, solid planks neatly stacked in a shed. Fragrant planks which will star as a sauna on wheels, or maybe two or three. A new lease of life to heat people and bring them together, with better physical, mental and spiritual health.
A fitting change of life for trees that grew in Canada, in the last century and the one before. Meet Cedar Hus sauna.
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Bathing, sweat bathing, so cherished in many places all around Europe – surprising joy in discovering how much better a sauna makes you feel.
A beverage is nice after a sauna. Water is best, or herbal tea or maybe zero alcohol beer. Just remember to rehydrate after all the sweating.
Body positivity – everyone has a body, and saunas help each to cherish the vehicle that moves them through life. Doesn’t matter what they look like. Wear swimwear.
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Conversations with friends. Catch-ups, chat. Sauna can be great for chewing the fat, and chilling/heating with pals. In the early years of having children – this was even more pronounced, as an escape from the everyday and time to collect myself.
Canadian Cedar. Reclaimed Canadian Cedar. This is a fantastic wood for sauna, because it smells nice and it doesn’t heat up too much.
Cedar Hus is supporting Borders Children’s Charity, an amazing small charity has been supporting children in the Scottish Borders for over 50 years. It eases financial hardship, increases inclusion and improves resilience through its direct support activities. If you’d like to donate and feel great, consider giving to, or raising money for, the Borders Children’s Charity.
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A dip into water after a session in the sauna can be exhilarating and increases the thermal bathing intensity. Wimhof likes extremes and suggests our bodies do too, though not everyone agrees, and best to consider what suits you best.
Sauna can be good for your heart, and for blood pressure, though check with your doctor if you have any underlying medical conditions.
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Sauna is a great equaliser, a way for everyone to de-stress from their own hectic lives, not exclusive or expensive, but open to all. But in the Borders, there is limited opportunity outside of spa hotels, so this is a chance to make sure people can reach the benefits of sauna near their work, home or play. Locals and visitors alike.
Etiquette – before ladling on more water, check that your sauna pals are happy with the additional steam (löyly) this will create – this makes the sauna feel hotter, and it the best bit of the sauna experience for many.
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Fire. Sauna stove and stones.
Firewood is from well seasoned, and mainly from managed woodlands on our farm. Dealing with windfall, planned felling and maintaining a vibrant, biodiverse set of woods for nature and landscape. Making sure we are putting back more than we are taking.
Finland 5.5 million people and 3 million saunas.
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Grateful – for having had the chance to sauna, and to realise it is absolutely the norm for many people in many countries. There is time for our small northern country adopt and adapt this culture for ourselves and join each other for heat bathing in the name of health and happiness.
Good for you, in so many ways.
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Heat. You choose how much. It’s not an endurance race – if it’s too hot, have a break, come back when you’re ready.
Health. There are many, wide ranging benefits regular sauna goers notice, and some excellent research available to show positive impacts on health. For example, there is evidence to show reduced incidence of cardiovascular problems including strokes; respiratory issues including asthma depression; better mental health and better sleep; and chronic pain showing improvements due to regular sauna therapy. For more information: Sauna Health Benefits | Finnmark Sauna
Happy, and relaxed. A bit sleepy. Common feelings after sauna.
Make sauna a habit – invest in your body and your mind with a regular trip.
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Ice. A icy snowball melts in the fire to provide specific aromatherapy to infuse the steam, or löyly. Or something you use after sauna to cool you down.
Iconic Borders locations.
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Joyful, uplifting. It’s not an endurance test, so just pop in and out as makes you comfortable.
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Kindling. Another input to the sauna – we need this to light the fire, to heat the sauna and make the steam. See firewood.
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Löyly. What a lovely Finnish word. Sounds like ‘lowly’, kind of. It means the steam that hits you when someone ladles a spoon of water onto the hot stones. It makes you feel the heat more intensely. It’s the key to a great sauna, though people have different preferences for it.
Ladle and pail. Before you ladle some water on the stones, it’s good etiquette to check that other sauna sharers are happy for some loyly.
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Maintenance and cleaning. There are regular maintenance duties carried out to keep the sauna running smoothly, which involve ensuring the stove is working well, the stones are in good shape (they crack over time and need to be replaced every now and again). The benches, walls and floor are thoroughly wiped down between sessions several times each day, and at the end of the day.
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Nude – or not? Germany and Austria, sauna is done in the nude – rudely nude to some as it is a specific rule. Other countries might be more relaxed and allow bathers to choose what suits them. Here we are forging our own path between comfort in the heat and comfort in company. So, please wear swimwear.
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Orange – a nice refreshment in your sauna session. Kind of like halftime in a hockey match, or a game of footie in the olden days. Reviving, sweet, refreshing, aromatic. Can’t beat an orange.
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Pail. A pail full of fresh water ready to splash on the stones. In the sauna you will also see a thermometer, and an egg timer to show time passing. It is better to listen to your body regarding how long to stay in, rather than worrying about the thermometer or timer.
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Quiet times, or quite quiet times are welcome in the sauna. Sometimes it’s about catching up, sometimes it is about stopping, looking inside, just being – no pressure to chat.
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Rivers, lochs and seas. And bathtubs. Watering cans. Showers. Splashing water from a bowl. All valid ways to cool down red skin.
Rest. Come out of the sauna when you feel too hot, and rest, have a drink and a seat. Cool down with water, or air or both. Rest, or chat, or both until you want to feel the heat again. Repeat! This is sauna.
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Sauna (Finnish), Banya (Russian), Bastu (Swedish), Pirtu (Lithuanian) – and many more names, for the many variations across the world.
Sleep comes more easily after a sauna. Feel the power of a sauna to improve the quality of your sleep.
Social. Bring your friends, bring your partner. Have a lovely chat but keep mindful of other sauna goers – nothing too taxing or personal or triggering please.
Swimwear – not optional. Please wear swimwear.
Swimming. Nice to do as part of a sauna experience. But only if you can swim, and conditions are safe – best to go with friends.
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Towel. Bring two – one to sit on in the sauna, one to dry yourself with when you’re finished.
Trailer – thoughtfully designed and built to house the best sauna we could imagine. We visited saunas in Europe and the UK, read books, watched videos, listened to podcasts, talked to experts. We picked our team carefully to design and build something that would work well in the hilly and sometimes wild Scottish Borders.
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Undervalued heat therapy – but no more! There is a sauna cultural moment happening in Scotland.
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Ventilation. A vital part of the design of the sauna is all about ventilation. We need to make sure that the air-hungry fire has plenty of oxygen, and that fresh air is abundant inside the steamy chamber.
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Water. Drink water, stay hydrated. Use water for loyly, for steam to inhale and inspire. Splash in water, shower, or dip to refresh you during and after your sauna. Water will clean the sauna between sessions.
Wood. Vital ingredient of sauna energy, providing the heat. We manage our woodlands well, and make sure we plant more than we take.
Winter – embrace it with a sauna. What a lovely way to warm up. Also works well in Scottish summers!
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eXcited about bringing luxury Nordic sauna top iconic Borders locations.
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Time for You and your wellbeing. Discover why sauna is so good for you.
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ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz for good sleep.