Traditional saunas are the ancient bath houses nowadays. Here the most important thing is to heat the stones very well, so that the air was enough hot but did not burn out. Such saunas are usually built as separate bath houses with at least two rooms – the sauna room and the relaxation room. The traditional bath house in Lithuanian villages was the only place to bathe and to slap the skin with a bunch of birch twigs. These traditions have remained until present days.

The effects of a steam sauna over the body are similar to the traditional sauna effects but the environment is absolutely different. In the steam sauna, humidity rises up to 100 % at a low temperature (about 45 degrees). It is a tropical type of climate with its benefits. The most important requirement for a steam sauna room is to be waterproof. Usually tile or marble finishing is used here.

Smoke saunas belong to the ancient bathing methods but they are still used in several nothern parts of Russia. This sauna does not have a chimney – the smoke evaporates through the window because the sauna is aired after it is completely heated. Then water is poured on hot sauna walls and steam appears. The distinctive feature of this type of sauna is the odour of smoke, steam and wood.

The infrared ray saunas remind manual treatment which is known for many years. Actually, these rays do not have anything in common with ultraviolet or nuclear radiation. The infrared saunas warm the objects directly but not the air. Human body tissues absorb these rays accordingly. The process itself is related to many healthful reactions and the rays do not make any harm.

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