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I love using essential oils and sauna scents when going to the sauna. The nice scent of eucalyptus, birch, or peppermint helps me relax and enjoy the sauna session more. If you haven’t tried essential oils in the sauna, I would definitely recommend giving it a try!
My recommendations for the best essential oils for the sauna:
Best Value
Essential Oil Set
My Favorite
Eucalyptus Oil
Most Surprising
Birch Tar Oil
In this article, I will explain a little more about aromatherapy in saunas. You can also see my personal top 10 favorite essential oils for the sauna!
What Is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts, known as essential oils, to promote physical and emotional well-being.
These essential oils are typically obtained from the flowers, leaves, bark, or roots of plants, and can be used in a variety of ways, such as through inhalation or topical application.
The practice of aromatherapy is based on the belief that different essential oils can have specific effects on the mind and body, such as reducing stress, promoting relaxation, and easing pain. It can be used to enhance psychological and physical well-being and is often used as a complementary therapy in conjunction with other treatments.
Does Aromatherapy Work?
There are some wild claims about the benefits of aromatherapy. But does it actually work?
There have been seve
ral studies that have found that certain essential oils, such as lavender, can have a calming effect and help to reduce anxiety, while others like peppermint oil can help to ease nausea and headaches.
However, many of the claims made about the benefits of aromatherapy have not been fully supported by scientific research. Some studies have found little to no effect from the use of essential oils, and the quality of many studies on the subject is often poor.
While there is currently insufficient evidence to support all of the benefits claimed for aromatherapy, it is considered to be generally safe when used correctly and under the guidance of a qualified professional.
Personally, I find it relaxing to use essential oils in a sauna. They smell nice, help me relax, and lift my mood. I definitely recommend giving them a try!
In Finland, oils for the sauna are widely available in almost all grocery stores and hardware stores. In America, the best option is to buy them from Amazon.
How to Do Aromatherapy in a Sauna?
The most common way to do aromatherapy in a sauna is to mix 10-20 drops of essential oils in a bucket of water before throwing water on the sauna rocks.
The typical amount of essential oils to use in a sauna is 10-20 drops, but I’d recommend starting with 10 drops and adding more if you want a stronger scent.
Another option is to buy an aromatherapy stone cup and place it on the sauna rocks.
Here’s an example:
You can mix 10-20 drops of essential oil with a small amount of water in the stone cup, and the heat from the rocks will release the aroma in the sauna room slowly.
Best Essential Oils for Sauna
Some of the best oils for sauna include eucalyptus, peppermint, birch, and cedar wood oils.
? Note from the Author: I’ve included the commonly claimed benefits of each essential oil, but there’s very little scientific evidence for those benefits. I just like their smell!
Here’s my full list of the top 10 best essential oils for the sauna:
1. Eucalyptus Oil
? Note from the Author: Eucalyptus oil is my favorite in a sauna!
Eucalyptus essential oil is an essential oil derived from the leaves of the eucalyptus tree. It has a strong, fresh, menthol-like aroma and is colorless to pale yellow in color. It is used in aromatherapy and massage therapy and is believed to have decongestant, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, and antiseptic properties.
2. Peppermint Oil
Peppermint essential oil is an essential oil derived from the leaves of the peppermint plant. It has a fresh, minty aroma and is colorless to pale yellow in color. Peppermint oil is believed to have pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, decongestant, and cooling properties.
3. Birch Oil
Birchwood essential oil is one of the most popular oils in Finnish saunas.
Birch essential oil is an essential oil derived from the bark of the birch tree. It has a fresh, woody aroma and is pale yellow in color. It is used in aromatherapy and massage therapy and is believed to have anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, and detoxifying properties.
4. Lavender Oil
Lavender essential oil is an essential oil derived from the flowers of the lavender plant. It has a floral, calming, and soothing aroma and is colorless to pale yellow in color. It is believed to have calming, relaxing, and sedative properties. It can be used to alleviate stress, anxiety, and insomnia.
5. Cedar Wood Oil
Cedarwood essential oil is an essential oil derived from the wood of the cedar tree. It has a warm, woody, and earthy aroma, and is amber to dark brown in color. It is believed to have grounding, calming, and astringent properties. It can be used to help with respiratory issues such as coughing and congestion, as well as to help with skin conditions such as oily skin and acne.
6. Cinnamon Oil
Cinnamon essential oil is an essential oil derived from the bark and leaves of the cinnamon tree. It has a warm, spicy, and sweet aroma, and is brown to reddish-brown in color. It is believed to have warming, stimulating, and antiseptic properties.
7. Citrus Oil
? Note from the Author: I hate citrus oils in the sauna, but they are still very common.
Citrus essential oils are a group of essential oils that are derived from the peels of citrus fruits such as lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, mandarin, and bergamot. These oils have a fresh, sweet, and fruity aroma, and are usually yellow or orange in color. Citrus essential oils are believed to have uplifting, energizing, and refreshing properties.
8. Birch Tar Oil
? Note from the Author: You might think tar oil sounds weird, but it’s one of my personal favorites. Give it a try!
Tar oil, or birch tar oil, is an essential oil made by heating birch bark in high temperatures with very little oxygen, which basically turns it into birch bark charcoal. It is very dark brown, almost black in color. The smell is smoky and woody, and it smells like old railroads. The smell can be very strong so use just a few drops to start with.
9. Sandalwood Oil
Sandalwood essential oil is extracted from the heartwood of the sandalwood tree, typically through steam distillation. It has a warm, woody, and sweet aroma, and is known for its grounding and calming properties.
10. Pine Oil
Pine essential oil is extracted from the needles and twigs of various pine trees, typically through steam distillation. It has a fresh, woody, and invigorating aroma, and is known for its energizing and rejuvenating properties. Pine essential oil smells like a green, luscious forest.
What are your favorite essential oils to use in the sauna? Have your tried aromatherapy in the sauna? Let me know in the comments if you found the article helpful, or you have any questions!
