On Saturday night, after all the shoveling and snow removal from the 3" + we saw in St. Augusta, I had the chance to unwind Finnish-style. After all the snow clean up it was time to relax, inside a sauna, plopped down in the middle of a park. I've got to say it was a relaxing time, and just what was needed.

Finding a sauna, that has been plopped down in the middle of a park isn't a normal Minnesota thing. The City of Maple Grove's Park and Recreation Department promoted the experience, in Central Park, in January, and I decided to purchase a 90-minute session for my wife and me.

Sauna Experience In Maple Grove's Central Park

I learned from my wife, who has some strong Finnish blood, that "One does not just sauna, one experiences a sauna."

My wife and I had to bring certain things before you could just 'hop' in the sauna for the night, one of those being wearing a swimsuit. Those experiencing the sauna also had to wear flip-flops and sit on a towel inside the sauna. (These all make sense considering the sauna experience lasted a week, so who would want a bunch of naked people sweating, sharing a small, hot space)

The sauna itself was a wood-burning sauna, as opposed to an infrared sauna, and you could choose to go with the 'wet' sauna or 'dry' sauna experience.

When people think about a sauna experience they also might think of the cold plunge that many take to experience the full benefits of a sauna, Maple Grove's Central Park didn't offer that, but you could venture out of the sauna and stand/relax in the cold evening air.

They call that a sauna round, where you sit inside for 10-20 minutes, then go outside in the cold to cool off and lower your heart rate, then back in the sauna to repeat the cycle.

What benefits come from a sauna?

According to the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine there are thoughts that saunas can improve your health.

So, is sitting in a hot sauna actually good for you? There are five possible health benefits, according to recent research summarized in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

1. May reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and stroke
2. May reduce the risk of certain types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease
3. May alleviate common respiratory ailments like asthma
4. May improve pain for people with conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia
5. May help reduce stress and improve quality of life

Would I sauna again?

Yes, I had a great time, and to be honest it was nice to explore the Central Park area of Maple Grove too, as nearby there was an ice skating loop with skate rental, a warming house with a HUGE fireplace inside, and nearby the sauna barrel there was a campfire with chairs set up for hanging out before or after.

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Keep your eyes peeled for a sauna experience next year, as this year is already sold out, and you can do that by following the Maple Grove Parks and Recreation page, here. 

Have you ever used a sauna before? Did you like it? Let us know by sending us a message on our app!

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