Turkish bath (hamam) - how to steam properly. Benefits of a Turkish bath

Turkish bath hamam - great place not only for relaxation, but also to maintain the health of men and women of any age. The benefits of hammam are almost legendary. And it's deserved. Yours beneficial influence on the body the Turkish bath has confirmed throughout its long history.

The very name “hamam” is translated into Russian as “spreading steam.” For those who are just planning to visit the Turkish bath, it will be a real discovery.

Features of the Turkish bath


The peculiarity of the Turkish bath is primarily in the heat supply method. A real hammam must have several rooms, and its visitors must have free access to each of them. Rooms differ primarily in temperature. The uniform distribution of heat allows the body to warm up gradually, which is very beneficial for blood circulation and cleansing the skin.

Temperatures in Turkish baths fluctuate from 35 to 55 degrees. This is the most optimal temperature for healing the body. It’s not for nothing that the ideal range of temperatures in rooms has been selected for centuries, and now we have the opportunity to relax in the best conditions.

Another big advantage of a Turkish bath is humid air, which is very easy to breathe. Surprisingly, the humidity can reach its maximum point, which greatly relaxes the body and gives it the opportunity to truly rest.

Treatments in the hammam


The procedures provided in the Turkish bath can be called a real ritual, since they took shape over more than one century.

When you arrive at the hammam, you will first enter the “cold” room. The temperature here is relatively low and will allow your body to get used to the warmth. After you will end up in a steam room, where is the bathhouse attendant, having previously doused you hot water, will cleanse your skin of dead cells.

Complete cleansing of the skin is followed by wellness and relaxation massage. Its peculiarity is that before the massage you will be rubbed with liquid soap so that your body will be completely covered in foam. It is likely that the massage will feel slightly painful, but there is no need to worry about this. As a rule, only highly qualified personnel work in Turkish baths.

After the massage there is a bath, which is also produced by the bathhouse attendant. At this moment, it is better to just relax and let your body cleanse itself of accumulated stress and fatigue. When ablution is completed, you can return to the “cold” room again. Here you can simply relax, relax, drink tea and chat with other visitors to the bathhouse.

Contraindications


Like any other procedures, Turkish hammam can bring benefits and harm. So that instead of the desired relaxation, the ritual does not turn into something else, it should be taken into account that not everyone can visit such a bathhouse.

Those who have heart problems. It is better to consult your doctor before visiting.

Don't risk visits if you have any skin diseases. Foci of the disease can grow against the backdrop of the humid and warm climate of the hammam baths, this is especially true fungal diseases. Before you indulge in such procedures, get everything necessary recommendations from your attending physician.

Turkish hammam is contraindicated:

  • For those suffering from cancer
  • Patients with hypertension (grades 2 and 3)
  • For asthmatics
  • For those suffering from mental illness

Benefit


Having figured out what the contraindications for hammam are, you can find out more about it beneficial properties Oh.

1. First of all, hammam has a beneficial effect on skin condition. It undergoes complete cleansing not only outside, but also inside. All pores are cleansed, all irritations are eliminated, and the skin itself looks healthier and younger after the procedures. The atmosphere of the hammam promotes, by the way, not only the removal of dead cells, but also the active division of new ones. This allows the skin to breathe and be saturated with oxygen.

2. Through purification one achieves rejuvenation effect. Thanks to the boors, the skin seems to be renewed. She, rubbed with a variety of essential oils and heated favorable temperature, becomes hydrated and healthy. Another point: the temperature and procedures of the Turkish bath enhance the effect of diets, which will help in short terms lose weight. This is all because during the procedures, metabolism accelerates and also slows down the aging process. By the way, a Turkish bath is also useful for hair, since its humidity and temperature help strengthen the hair.

You can build a hammam in your house or apartment. Is it possible? Of course you can!

There is also a wonderful mini-sauna for the apartment - a “cedar barrel”!

Of course, you can’t build a swimming pool in an apartment. But if you have a dacha, or, even better, a house for year-round living, then this is the place for you: .

3. After steaming, you can take a dip in the cold pool. This improves blood circulation and will have a good effect on blood pressure and the work of the heart. It will be useful for those who suffer from arrhythmia or other non-critical heart diseases. However, before experimenting, it is better to consult a doctor.

4. Hammam can permanently eliminate diseases such as salt accumulation, rheumatism and other ailments related to the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. The soft warmth of the hammam bath will warm up all muscles and joints and relieve many problems with musculoskeletal system. Such procedures are especially recommended for those who have had any injuries.

5. The moist air and steam of a Turkish bath can solve many problems associated with respiratory system. It is very useful to visit the hammam for those who suffer from chronic colds.

6. Huge benefits the nervous system. Firstly, hammam procedures allow you to relax and think about something of your own, to completely immerse yourself in pleasure and peace. Secondly, with the help of hammam you can get rid of problems such as stress and insomnia.

Healing in a bathhouse is one of the favorite procedures of most people, which is not surprising: you can warm all the cells of the body, relax your muscles and have fun. Each country has its own rules and features of both the construction and decoration of saunas, and the conduct of their own rituals in them: for example, to obtain the most beneficial effect, it is important to know how to properly steam in a hammam - in a Turkish steam room, which is radically different from Russian or Finnish.

Distinctive Features

The hammam differs from a Russian bath primarily in the air temperature: here it reaches only 35–50°C, while Russians are accustomed to a steam room with 70°C. In a Finnish sauna, for example, this parameter reaches 70–110 degrees Celsius.

The level of humidity is also different: if in Finnish it barely exceeds 10%, in Russian it reaches 90%, then in the hammam the humidity is maintained at 100%. That is why the effect on the human body is different.

The layout also has its own characteristics.

  • The hammam always has 5 rooms, arranged according to the principle of an open palm.
  • These rooms are connected by a common hall from which you can enter each of them.
  • Jamekan is the first room and lobby. A fountain is most often located here. There should also be changing rooms in which the visitor must take off his clothes and put on a sarong (naked bathers are not allowed to bathe in the hammam). The sarong is made from linen, so the skin breathes well during the procedure. To properly steam in a hammam, this is the best canvas.
  • A shower room in Turkey is called Sogukluk. This is already a fairly warm space, intended for ablution before a person goes to take a steam bath.
  • Hararet is a steam room itself, the temperature in which is maintained at 35–50 degrees Celsius.

Features of Hararet

In a general hamam, the steam room is usually a fairly large room with separate niches with a higher temperature, and it can be different so that everyone can find a more comfortable option for themselves. And changing temperatures allows you to better relax and warm up all your muscles.

In the middle of such a hall there is a table - chebek (the so-called belly stone). A wide variety of procedures are performed here - most often foam massage, rubbing with a goat's hair mitten.


In addition, a significant difference between a Turkish bath and a Russian and Finnish one is the absence of wooden finishing: here all surfaces are made of stone and ceramics. The table in the center is always made of natural wood. The Turks believe that it is correct to make it from marble. The walls can be covered with ceramic mosaics.

Useful properties

The Turkish hammam is actually an amazing bathhouse, since taking a steam bath in it means significantly improving both the condition of the body, mood, and appearance.

  1. Spending time in the hammam involves complete cleansing body - both through sweat cells and physically using a massage with a hard mitten. In the process, the skin is cleansed of dead particles, blood supply and blood flow improves. small vessels, muscles are toned.
  2. Wet steam effectively cleanses the lungs and bronchi, removing pathogenic mucus. If you use essential oil, you can have a targeted effect on the body: strengthen the immune system, tighten the skin, cure a number of diseases - such treatment is amenable to women's diseases, osteochondrosis, skin problems, cellulite.
  3. With the permission of a doctor, patients with cardiovascular diseases can also visit the hammam (only correctly). If you are prone to hypertension, it is recommended to choose a steam room with a lower temperature.
  4. For Turkish residents, visiting a bathhouse has its own philosophy: according to them, bathing gives clarity of mind, strength, youth, purity of both body and thoughts, vigor, beauty and, of course, health. Men are sure that after a steam room they become more attractive to women, especially since this is exactly what ancient Turkish wisdom says.
  5. Traditionally, steaming is recommended to significantly improve the condition of the skin and normalize the functioning of sebaceous glands, improve metabolism and natural removal of toxins from the body.
  6. A visit to the hamam will also be useful for prevention various diseases, including both colds and musculoskeletal problems, digestive system.
  7. Thanks to the Turkish bath, you can get rid of headaches, fatigue, and increased irritability.

Visiting rules

Before going to such a bathhouse, it is important to learn everything about the hammam: how to steam properly, what to drink, what to wear, etc. If you go to a steam room directly in Turkey, you should take into account that such establishments are divided into men's and women's. It is important to respect the traditions of this people, especially since Muslims are orthodox and condemn many of the habits of Christian peoples. There is no need to impose your opinion on them, so consider other rules.

  • If you can't wear a real sarong to take a steam bath, you can use a towel provided or your own to cover your nakedness. Even in a common bathhouse, being on the women's or men's side, you should not walk around completely naked.
  • You are not allowed to drink alcohol in the hammam. In addition, it is not recommended to drink chilled lemonades and teas: here it is correct to drink only hot tea.
  • You should not eat 1–1.5 hours before the procedure. This rule should be followed especially by those who want to lose weight.
  • To massage on the “belly stone” or on a hot bench, be sure to lay out your own towel.
  • In this bathhouse, after warming up on the stones, it is not customary to cool the body with a cool pool or douse. cold water. It would be better to drink warm tea.

Of course, the residents of Turkey undergo the procedure in the hammam from beginning to end, not only because it is good for health, but also according to their beliefs in the complete cleansing of soul and body. For Christians, of course, such a bath does not carry a special philosophy, but if you follow the order of the procedure, you can achieve the maximum effect from visiting the hammam. Before taking a steam bath in such a steam room, pay attention to the procedure.

  1. First you need to go into a warm room, where the temperature is quite comfortable and its humidity is optimal for an ordinary room. Here you can lie down on stones or benches to warm up your muscles and whole body.
  2. Then they go to the steam room, where they wait for the sweat to release. To properly steam in such a bath means to lie down on a bench and literally warm up your body from head to toe.
  3. It would be right to do a massage in a Turkish bath. It is usually carried out with the addition of essential oils and using woolen mittens. This useful procedure for joints, skin of the whole body and, of course, well-being. You can learn how to do this massage correctly yourself - using videos from the Internet.
  4. Next, the steamer offers to clean the epidermis with soap, which differs unique properties, as it includes olive, peach and argon oils.
  5. It would be right to treat your body with a nourishing cream after such a bath.
  6. Now it's time to move into a cool room and relax with a cup of tea.
  7. They leave the hammam only when the body has cooled down after the procedures.

Of course, you can go to the hammam without a massage, but still try to add a few drops of essential oils to the steam, once chosen by Turkish women for beauty, youth and maintaining attractiveness. Then you will be able to steam with a more significant effect and pleasant sensations for every cell of the body.

Steaming in a traditional Russian bath is an activity that relaxes the body and mind, healing the entire body. What if we add to these favorable factors an incredibly beautiful oriental interior, replete with marble and fantastic mosaic panels? The Turkish hammam is famous for such splendor. Spending time there turns into real relaxation, which can last the whole day. But this establishment is famous not only for the beauty of its decoration. The origins of the traditional hammam go back to the ancient Roman baths, but the Ottomans gave the body cleansing process a unique flavor and added unique procedures to it. For example, one of its main rituals is remarkable - foam massage, after which people feel a surge of strength and joy.

However, in order to fully enjoy your visit to the Turkish bath and not end up in awkward situation, you need to respect traditions and follow the rules of visiting this temple of purity. For example, it would be useful to find out what kind of huge flat stone is located in the central hall of this establishment and why there is a swimming pool there, but swimming in it is prohibited. In addition, in order to properly steam in a hammam, you need to know how to properly prepare your body for this and what to take with you there.

Differences between hamam and bathhouse and contraindications

The first thing you need to do is mentally prepare for the fact that there are no separate small rooms or family rooms where groups of friends could sit in an intimate setting in the hammam. Therefore, if you like to steam in solitude, you won’t see that here. There is one huge hall waiting for everyone, in which there are numerous marble benches, where almost the entire relaxation process takes place. True, there are separate rooms for women and men. So you have to steam without your spouses.

In the center of the main hall there is traditionally a huge bowl-shaped recess, inside of which there is a large, usually round, flat stone. It is warm, and visitors to the hammam can lie stomach down on it to warm up the body and enjoy a massage. Also for these purposes, there are numerous stone benches along the perimeter of the huge hall. One more interesting feature: There is a swimming pool in which you cannot swim, as it is designed to maintain high humidity in the room, and not for ablutions.

The difference between a hammam and a Russian bath or sauna lies in the temperature regime. The air temperature here does not exceed 70 degrees, despite the fact that the humidity is much higher than in other types of baths. This key feature It will especially appeal to people who find it difficult to withstand high temperatures, since in the hammam it is quite comfortable and it’s easier to breathe there. Another plus is that very humid air prevents skin and hair from drying out.

An invariable Turkish bath procedure - foam massage - is considered effective for those who want to lose weight and get rid of the appearance of cellulite on the body. Also have a beneficial effect on the body essential oils, which are added to the hammam to create aromatic steam. Thanks to this, steaming in such conditions is very useful for respiratory system. And lying on heated stone benches warms up the abdominal muscles well and relaxes them.

Experts say that, since it turns out not only to deeply warm up all muscle groups, but also bone joints. The last point will be especially appreciated by people with joint pain. In addition, it is recommended to take a steam bath in this temple of purity to speed up metabolism and normalize the functioning of the digestive system. This will be of great benefit if a person is concerned about losing excess weight.

There are also a number of contraindications to visiting the hammam. This is not recommended if you have:

  • oncology;
  • diseases of the cardiovascular system;
  • chronic diseases internal organs in the acute phase;
  • epilepsy;
  • severe bronchial asthma;
  • varicose veins;
  • acute kidney inflammation;
  • skin diseases;
  • pregnancy.

In some cases, even in the presence of any diseases, but not in the acute phase, visiting the hammam is acceptable. But in order not to harm your health, it is better to visit a doctor for advice before going to the hammam.

What you can't do without in the hamam

Unlike going to a Russian bath or sauna, to visit a public hammam there is no need to take a lot of additional things. Everything you may need to take a steam bath there will be provided to you on the spot. But some items are still worth taking with you.

The list of things needed for a hammam includes:

  • swimsuit;
  • shower gel;
  • personal towel;
  • slippers.

As you can see, the list is very modest, and you don’t have to take the last three items from the list - if you wish. The only thing women need to take to the hammam is mandatory- this is a swimsuit. Also, if you are sensitive to personal hygiene, you should bring your own towel to dry yourself with after a shower.

A special long towel, on which you can lie down on a stone slab in the common room, will be given to you on the spot, as well as slippers. By the way, traditionally in hamams it is customary to wear special wooden slippers called “nalin”. These are essentially flat sandals. In expensive hamams there are very beautiful models of this type of footwear, decorated with rich trim. But just in case, you should take your personal slippers, in case you might need them, so you don’t have to walk barefoot from room to room.

Some establishments also provide special copper basins intended for ablutions. But at present this is nothing more than a tribute to tradition, since every hammam has showers where you can shower freely. And some of these establishments have even installed swimming pools where you can take a dip (but not in the main hall). You will need shower gel to wash off your sweat under running water, although you can also do without this soapy substance.

In the main hall of the hammam, try to ensure that your movements are smooth. This is explained by the fact that the muscles there will warm up well and will be at risk of injury due to sudden body movements. To ensure that visiting the hammam does not bring you any discomfort, it is recommended to come there to steam with an empty stomach or at least two hours after your last meal. No bath procedures are recommended for a person who has just eaten. Again, it is customary to lie on warm stone benches with your stomach down, and immediately after eating this will be extremely difficult to do.

You are allowed to have a snack after completing all bath procedures, when you go to relax in the special lobby of the hammam. There, the employees will definitely offer you a new, clean and dry towel to wrap yourself in, and will also treat you to hot tea or soft drinks. The inhabitants of Turkey love to visit the hammam and can spend the whole day there. Therefore, they often take light snacks with them there so as not to sit hungry all day. If you wish, you can satisfy your hunger in the relaxation room. And many modern hammams have special rooms where visitors can enjoy a hookah. They are called "keyf". You can sit there with a group, smoke a hookah and drink tea.

The rules for visiting the hammam clearly indicate that it is not customary to steam there without clothes.

Slowness and maximum relaxation

A visit to the hammam is a whole ritual in which one action logically flows into another.

Actions Goal and result
First the staff will offer you everything necessary supplies, and then you will go to a room where you can change clothes and leave your things. In the first minutes of being in this establishment, no one is in a hurry to take a steam bath; the whole process proceeds leisurely, setting the person up for complete relaxation.
After this, people head to the shower room. This is done to wash off the dust and warm up the body a little.
Also, if the hammam has a separate room with a sauna, you can steam there for the first fifteen minutes. Turkish saunas are not so hot, so you can stay in them longer if desired. The main purpose of this preliminary procedure is to ensure that the body warms up sufficiently, and the pores open and begin to absorb the essential oils floating in the air with aromatic steam. Afterwards, be sure to rinse with water to wash off the sweat and head to the main hall.
In the main hall of the hammam, you need to lie down on a warm stone bench and let your body relax as much as possible to the unobtrusive chords of oriental music. The central hall will greet you with warmth and high humidity. Moreover, absolutely everything in this room is warm - from the central flat stone to the walls and floor. Under the influence of this pleasant and constant temperature emanating from the stone, and high humidity, the body will again begin to actively secrete sweat, getting rid of toxins and other harmful substances that have clogged it. As a rule, this takes about twenty minutes.
When your body is well relaxed and the pores on your skin are completely open, it’s time for a massage. The entire process is vigilantly monitored by the hammam attendant, who will begin to give you the notorious foam massage. Next, you simply rely on his experience, lie down and relax, since all the necessary manipulations with your body will be done for you.

By the way, the correct ceiling in the main hall of the hammam has a dome shape. This is due to the fact that due to the high humidity in the hall, condensation accumulates on the ceiling. If we made a traditional flat ceiling, then it would simply rain on visitors. And thanks to the dome-shaped shape, moisture simply flows down the marble walls without disturbing vacationers.

If you are in the main hall and have excessive sweating, then you may have to visit the shower room several times or dive into special pools, if available. But make sure the water is warm, as it will cold temperature The pores on the skin will close and the whole process will have to start all over again.

Foamy bliss in the hamam

The very first thing the bathhouse attendant will begin his magic with is to thoroughly rub your entire body using a special “kesse” mitten. This hamam sponge is made from goat hair and has excellent massage properties. This full body exfoliation is done using hamam soap, which is traditionally hand-brewed. It is made on the basis aromatic oils, such as argan and eucalyptus. Also contains olives. It is noteworthy that the soap itself in the hammam has a rather unusual color for us - black. During peeling, the attendant will rinse you several times, alternating between warm and cool water temperatures. This stage should completely cleanse your body and remove all dead skin particles from the skin.

Then the hammam specialist proceeds directly to the foam massage. A huge cap fluffs up on the visitor's body soap suds, after which the massage therapist carefully works your body, moving from top to bottom. He begins to work from the head, first massaging the forehead, temples and cheekbones, moving down to the neck and so on. The bath attendant should pay special attention to the feet and knees, as well as the elbows and palms.

After this, the massage therapist will rinse you with water and begin the final stage of the massage - wrapping. To create a special composition, the bath attendant uses ingredients such as:

  • sea ​​salt;
  • cosmetic clay;
  • vegetable oils;

You will be completely coated with this mixture and wrapped in a towel. After twenty to thirty minutes you will need to use the shower. This will completely remove any remaining product from your skin. Then go to relax in the hamam lobby, where you can recover a little after these bath manipulations.

But even now, do not rush to leave the walls of the hammam, because the final point of all procedures will be another type of massage. This time the impact will not be as deep. During this soothing massage, the specialist uses special essential oils designed to tighten and rejuvenate the skin, as well as speed up metabolic processes in the body. After this final manipulation, it is recommended to take a slightly cool shower to close the pores on the skin. This will allow you to preserve the healing effect of all procedures performed on your body for a long time.

The beneficial effects of hammam and massage can be experienced by people suffering from diseases of the respiratory system, as well as pain in the joints. These procedures are also indicated for the deposition of salts in the body. And if you have recently had a muscle strain, then you will also quickly feel an improvement in your well-being after you come to take a steam bath in the hammam. This happens because in the bath complex the lactic acid salt leaves the muscles faster. If you do everything correctly and fall into the hands of a qualified specialist, then you will notice how after the hammam your pain symptoms due to arthritis and rheumatism, as well as osteochondrosis, will begin to disappear. But, of course, an improvement in well-being will occur if you regularly visit this wonderful establishment.

Despite the fact that the hammam is still a strange phenomenon in our region, visiting a Turkish bath at least once in your life will be very useful and entertaining. Here a person immediately receives the whole complex services aimed at strengthening his health and beauty. Also, the hammam can be useful for accustoming bath procedures children, not so much high temperatures, as in, is much easier for children to tolerate.

If our ancestors recognized only one type of bathhouse, the Russian steam room, then we are faced with a wide choice. A Finnish sauna, a Japanese Ofuro barrel, a Turkish hammam, the benefits and harms of which have long been of interest to both doctors and simply those who like to take a steam bath. And it is the latter option that we will dwell on in more detail today.

Before you figure out why hammam is useful, it’s worth determining what exactly distinguishes it from other types of saunas and baths. It is believed that the eastern steam room is the easiest to tolerate. Not everyone healthy person enough strength to sit even for 10-15 minutes in the hot steam of a Russian bath, and even after that dive into an ice hole.

In a Turkish hammam everything is much softer and calmer. The temperature ranges from 30 to 60-65 degrees, which is tolerated quite calmly. Humidity, however, can reach 100%, but at fairly low (for a sauna) temperatures it is tolerated quite well.

It is not surprising that it is customary to spend several hours in a Turkish sauna. For residents of the east, it has become something of a club of interests, a spa salon and a place of communication. They came to the hammam early in the morning and often went home only in the evening. For centuries it has remained a mandatory pastime for both men and women. The latter could even file for divorce if their husband did not let them go to the hammam.


This steam room continues to occupy one of the central places in the culture of eastern countries today. And now residents of other countries can enjoy it, especially since the benefits of the Turkish bath have been confirmed many times and no longer raises any doubts.

Both the benefits and harms of a hammam bath are determined by a combination of conditions: high humidity and relatively low temperature. Moreover, it does not imply sharp contrasts. After warming up, body temperature is reduced gradually, moving from one zone to another. This way you can gradually bring your body temperature back to normal without sharp contrasts.

It is worth noting that in the main hall of the hammam the temperature varies from the walls to the center. Thanks to this, everyone can choose the most suitable “climatic zone” for themselves. Marble beds and hard floors provide excellent warmth for the entire body.

When asked what other benefits a Turkish bath has, they always remember the traditions of the “oriental spa”: foam and oil massage, numerous recipes for scrubs, oils, creams, masks made exclusively from natural ingredients. Even the soap used in the hammam consists of olives and several types of oil.

The combination of all these factors makes the Turkish bath not only a pleasant, but also a useful vacation.

When is hamam useful?

Talking about the benefits and harms of the Turkish hammam, it is worth noting that they have even more advantages than the familiar Russian bathhouse or Finnish sauna. First of all, these include:


  • Gently warming up the whole body, relaxing muscles, accelerating their recovery after injuries or increased loads, removing lactic acid from them.
  • Cleansing the skin, pores, fat and sweat glands, exfoliating dead cells.
  • Toning the cardiovascular system.
  • Normalization of metabolic processes.
  • Acceleration of the processes of breakdown of adipose tissue.
  • Improving blood microcirculation.
  • Relieving stress and psychological tension.
  • Elimination of muscle tone and overstrain.
  • Normalization of breathing processes.

Hamam has been a popular pastime for Easterners for many centuries. In the last few decades, the culture of oriental health recreation has reached Russia. Few hamam lovers know its exceptional benefits, the peculiarities of visiting a Turkish sauna and contraindications to this procedure.

What is a hammam: differences from a traditional bath

Hamam is the name given to public baths in the Middle East (Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Iran, Afghanistan and some countries of Central Asia). These peoples have been developing the Eastern tradition of visiting the Turkish hammam for centuries. The benefits of visiting such establishments in Russia are questioned. Often local entrepreneurs offer only a name from a traditional Turkish bath.

There are several features of a real Turkish hammam:

  • Temperature from 35 to 50 degrees.
  • Air humidity 90-100%.

Despite the fact that you can learn the technique of the original Turkish bath in any Turkish village, Russian entrepreneurs do everything at random, endangering the health of visitors. A real Turkish hammam has benefits for the body only if traditional indicators are adhered to: 100% air humidity at a temperature range of 35 to 50 degrees. Thanks to these parameters, a unique microclimate is created that allows you to visit the hammam with benefit and safety.

The Arab writer Yusuf Abdalhadi said: “Whoever has committed many sins, let him build a bathhouse to wash them away.”

What is the benefit

The main advantage of the Turkish traditional bath is the low, comfortable air temperature, which is not capable of harming the body. The benefits of a Turkish sauna will not be long in coming: usually visitors feel an improvement in their health the very next day. Among the many useful properties, we have compiled a list of the main ones healing effects from visiting the hamam:

  • Stabilization of blood pressure.
  • Speeds up metabolic processes, what is useful for losing weight.
  • Improves cerebral blood microcirculation, improves psychological state, relieves stress and depression.
  • Relaxes muscles, removes stagnant processes in the body.
  • Removes toxins and others harmful substances through the pores.
  • Removes acne, protects against acne. Accelerates the recovery processes of the skin, rejuvenates the skin.

Turks spend from 30 minutes to several hours in steam rooms without much concern. Whole spectrum beneficial effects A medium-temperature sauna probably cannot be included in one article. The carriers of Turkish culture themselves highlight the special effect of the hammam bath on the rejuvenation of the skin, blood vessels, nervous and respiratory systems, and joints.

Skin rejuvenation

Like Russian or Finnish baths, Turkish baths have a beneficial effect on almost all body systems. Especially useful boor will be for women.

Traditional Turkish bath

The procedures perfectly cleanse pores, normalize the activity of the sebaceous glands, moisturize and tighten the facial skin.

Thanks to its beneficial effects on external organs, hammam has a rejuvenating effect. Turkish baths can be considered one of the cosmetic procedures. Steam softens the skin, cleanses oily skin face and whole body. Sebum secretion is normalized, oxidative processes are enhanced, and the removal of accumulated toxins is accelerated.

Blood circulation improves

Under the influence of steam from a Turkish sauna, stagnation is eliminated. The vessels and subcutaneous capillaries of the face dilate. Due to the dilation of blood vessels, blood flow from internal organs improves. The heart and blood vessels become toned. Good blood circulation accelerates absorption useful substances from products, ensures brain performance, regulation of all body systems.

Heal your nerves

A visit to the Turkish hammam has a positive effect on your psycho-emotional state. The relaxing properties of the procedures are difficult to overestimate; both body and soul rest here.

Regularly spending time in the Turkish sauna strengthens the nervous system, anxiety and insomnia go away, and a good mood appears.

If you are concerned headache then hamam is an excellent way out of the situation. Based on reviews on forums, you can read opinions that hammam will help cope even with migraines. It is especially useful to attend treatments for people suffering from insomnia - after visiting the hammam in the evening you will fall asleep without problems.

For the respiratory tract

With 100% humidity, breathing in a Turkish bath is easy; the temperature allows you to breathe freely. A visit to the hammam will be useful for people suffering from frequent bronchitis, during seasonal ARVI and influenza diseases. Prolonged warming of the body and respiratory tract Due to warm steam, it improves immunity and strengthens the upper respiratory organs.

Expert review

Hammam will be useful for chronic bronchitis, wet or dry cough. We especially often recommend visiting the bathhouse for smoker’s cough and other ENT diseases, excluding periods of exacerbation. You should not attend such procedures during periods of exacerbation of respiratory system diseases. The harm from such procedures in this case is unpredictable.

For sore joints

Hammam is often used to reduce pain for arthritis, rheumatism and osteochondrosis. Give in symptomatic treatment almost all types of joint diseases. Reviews say that hammam is useful for muscle strains. After hard physical labor or exercise, the hammam will prevent pain in the muscles.

How often can you visit the hammam?

The optimal number of visits to procedures in the Turkish hammam is considered to be 2-3 times a week. Health effect it will be noticeable even if you go to the Turkish bath only once a week. But if you attend procedures more than three times a week, you can get harm instead of benefit. It is not recommended to steam more often as it can lead to depression nervous system and dehydration.

In Turkey itself, hammams are extremely popular. In Istanbul alone there are more than a hundred of them; in the provinces they can be found in even the most remote village. In some places, baths dating back 200-300 years have been preserved. The procedure of washing in hamams has been used in the Middle East for more than a thousand years.

It is difficult to determine the optimal amount of time spent in the hammam in one session. It can be argued that if you follow the Turkish technology, the bath is useful for 15-45 minutes. However, this issue has not been studied anywhere; according to reviews from frequent guests of hammams, you can sit in the steam room for more than an hour without harm to your health. At the same time, it is necessary to constantly monitor your well-being.

Harm and contraindications

Many people are wary of hamam, not understanding what benefits and harm such procedures can bring. It is worth noting that visiting a Turkish bath is safer compared to a Russian or Finnish sauna. Temperature allows you to breathe easily indoors and does not put unnecessary stress on the body. However, it is worth noting that in some conditions it can be harmful.

So, hammam is useful for frequent bronchitis, however, is contraindicated in severe forms bronchial asthma. Improved blood circulation is achieved due to vasodilation, therefore procedures are contraindicated in varicose veins veins Experts identify a number of other contraindications that can cause harm:

  • Kidney inflammation.
  • Chronic latent psychoneurological diseases (epilepsy).
  • Oncological diseases.
  • Hypertension, tachycardia and other heart diseases.
  • Varicose veins

If you have not found any problems associated with contraindications, you should not mindlessly spend a lot of time in the hammam. To avoid harm, it is necessary to constantly listen to the body's reaction to increased temperature. If you feel unwell, you must immediately leave the steam room, drink a glass of water at room temperature, and wipe your face with a damp towel.