Culture · 5 min · 8 December 2025
The ritual: heat, cold, rest
The sauna isn't a bath. It's a cycle – three phases, repeated.
The Finnish word löyly is the steam that rises when you throw water on the hot stones. It's also the name of the cycle itself: heat, cold, rest, again.
The three phases
Heat: 10–20 minutes at 70–90 °C, until the sweat breaks and your breathing settles.
Cold: 30–60 seconds in the cold plunge or under a cold shower.
Rest: as long as the heat, preferably outside, with time to notice the after-effect.
At least three rounds
A single round is pleasant. But it's the repetition that makes the difference – most take three, the experienced five to seven. That's where the calm and the good night's sleep come from.