Sanctity of the sauna?

[ProspectiveFinn]

I'll be moving to Helsinki soon and unlike most foreigners I'm already a fan of saunas. Currently I like to put a tablet in a waterproof bag and read a book while I relax in the sauna, but I'm wondering if that would be viewed as disrespectful or impolite in Finland. Is it more of a social situation where I should not be reading and I should instead keep myself open to conversation, or does each person do their own thing and my reading wouldn't be given a second glance? If it makes a difference the sauna I'll most likely be using is the one furnished by the student apartments I'm assigned to. Thank you in advance for your insight.

[Flossy1978]

You take an electronic device into such a hot room for an extended period of time???

No one cares if you will read in the sauna. Only that you'll be looked at like you are strange

And you shouldn't make generalised statements like "unlike most foreigners". That just isn't true.

[ProspectiveFinn]

You take an electronic device into such a hot room for an extended period of time???

No one cares if you will read in the sauna. Only that you'll be looked at like you are strange

And you shouldn't make generalised statements like "unlike most foreigners". That just isn't true.

unlike most foreigners I'm already a fan of saunas

more than 90% of foreigners list Sauna as one of the most liked thing in Finland.

My apologies, I've perhaps read too many guides on relocating to Finland which stated something to the effect that few foreigners feel comfortable going to the sauna, I didn't mean to overgeneralize.

You take an electronic device into such a hot room for an extended period of time???

I don't mind being strange/a weirdo, but you're right, I didn't consider what effect the heat would have on my electronics as I'm guessing the saunas in Finland are hotter than the ones I'm accustomed to. Thank you for the insight.

If I was to share the same sauna, i'd directly say you to get rid of tablet from sauna or wait till I'm done: As I have kept low profile of my private life, who know some weirdo with tablet comes to sauna and takes naked videos/photos and posts in internet? If you wouldn't agree, I'd even complain it to relevant authorities.

Good point. I often overlook simple implications like that, which is exactly why I asked. Thank you!

[Rosamunda]

We usually heat up our wood-burning sauna to about 80C but personally I prefer it slightly lower so I let it cool down to around 70-75C, especially if I want to sit in there for a while.

[ProspectiveFinn]

We usually heat up our wood-burning sauna to about 80C but personally I prefer it slightly lower so I let it cool down to around 70-75C, especially if I want to sit in there for a while.

That's a lot hotter than I expected. Good to know, thank you.

[irnbru]

I like a sauna but it is boring to sit there. I have some speakers in my bathroom and listen to podcasts.

[Beep_Boop]

You can take a tablet to a Finnish sauna?! This is the first time I hear about this.
There are two problems here:
- Do these devices sustain an occasionally steamy environment at 80 °C?
- Do foreigners who don't expect 80 °C actually survive one round long enough to make reading viable?

Perhaps a Swedish sauna is more suitable for activities like that.

[riku2]

I have used my sauna for killing off any suspect bugs in clothes when returning from trips abroad. I put all the clothes in the sauna for a while (no steam). i've learned that anything plastic does not like this and will bend and never retain it's normal shape. also anything stuck together with adhestive (once I put in a small remote control for LED strip lights) comes apart since the heat weakens the adhesive. and I do believe that tablets are glued together, so don't be surprised if the case starts to separate.

[Rosamunda]

(once I put in a small remote control for LED strip lights) comes apart since the heat weakens the adhesive.

Hmmm... We just installed one of those. Lidl??? Maybe I will find a safe place for it outside the sauna.

[ProspectiveFinn]

My apologies, I've perhaps read too many guides on relocating to Finland which stated something to the effect that few foreigners feel comfortable going to the sauna, I didn't mean to overgeneralize.

well, one thing we didn't day here was that Finnish sauna are supposed to be naked and most foreigners may not like the sight of seeing or being naked publicly, but people gets used to it very fast.

you didn't say the reason you are moving, anyhow, if you are moving as student then sauna could be very great means of making friends and sharing a beer or two. In private housings sauna usually are on booking system, so, you book your time and go alone or with whom you invite, in those cases as irnbru said might be bit boring and you might need some device for entertainment.

Yes, I'l be a student at University of Helsinki and I was specifically thinking of using my sauna time to study when no one was in a chatting mood. I've never been nude in a public setting but I don't feel uncomfortable about nudity so I think I'll be okay there. It's the concerns people brought up about the devices reaction to extreme heat and possible privacy concerns since technically the tablet does have a camera, although it would be obscured by the waterproof container.

Since you mention a booking system, how often are you typically allowed to visit a sauna? Is it weekly, bi-weekly or monthly?

[Beep_Boop]

Yes, I'l be a student at University of Helsinki and I was specifically thinking of using my sauna time to study when no one was in a chatting mood.

Wow. No offense, but that's extremely weird. Nobody takes a tablet to sauna, and certainly nobody studies in the sauna.
If you're planning to have any social and work life in Finland, you gotta tune down that kind of weirdness. I don't think suppressing the weirdness for 30 minutes a week is gonna be too difficult.
Unless of course your goal is just to power through the ECTS credits in 50% of the time and then run out of Finland, in which case be as weird as you like.

The booking system depends on where you are. Usually the rules are written on the paper (or, in rare cases, web page) where you make the booking.

[ProspectiveFinn]

Yes, I'l be a student at University of Helsinki and I was specifically thinking of using my sauna time to study when no one was in a chatting mood.

Wow. No offense, but that's extremely weird. Nobody takes a tablet to sauna, and certainly nobody studies in the sauna.
If you're planning to have any social and work life in Finland, you gotta tune down that kind of weirdness. I don't think suppressing the weirdness for 30 minutes a week is gonna be too difficult.
Unless of course your goal is just to power through the ECTS credits in 50% of the time and then run out of Finland, in which case be as weird as you like.

The booking system depends on where you are. Usually the rules are written on the paper (or, in rare cases, web page) where you make the booking.

Haha, thanks Beep_Boop. Knowing exactly how weird it would seem is exactly what I was trying to determine and I appreciate the feedback. A large portion of my genetics are Finnish so I'm sure I'll be physically indiscernible from native Finns, but expected behavior is something I'm going to have to work on, in addition to the language.

[Oho]

Yes, I'l be a student at University of Helsinki and I was specifically thinking of using my sauna time to study when no one was in a chatting mood.

I'd say most Finns when sober are never in the chatting mood, and actually are probably chattier than usual in sauna. Its a communal thing, like bath houses in Rome.

You are on a tight schedule if think your studies are gonna hinge on the five or so minutes you sit in the sauna at a time. They are properly hot, 80 degrees centigrade and relative moisture easily above 70% especially in public saunas. Visit a sauna in a public pool and provided you are a guy you have a good chance of running into older blokes having a contest which can make it unbearable to all but the most seasoned and thick skinned sauna aficionados.

I have never thought sauna per se is much of an issue for foreigners but nudity in front of strangers may be.

[ProspectiveFinn]

You are on a tight schedule if think your studies are gonna hinge on the five or so minutes you sit in the sauna at a time.

I have no idea until studies actually begin, but I will be working a part-time job to pay for my living expenses so I'm just thinking of time savers ahead of time. Is it really only five minutes? I thought it was an hour plus.

They are properly hot, 80 degrees centigrade and relative moisture easily above 70% especially in public saunas. Visit a sauna in a public pool and provided you are guy you have good chance of running into older blokes having contest which can make it unbearable to all but the most seasoned and thick skinned sauna aficionados.

I don't think I've ever been in a sauna that hot, but I've never gone to one where I took the time to check the temperature so I can't be certain. I'll give it a try if nothing else.

I have never thought sauna per se is much of an issue for foreigners but nudity in front of strangers may be.

Yeah, Americans in general are prudes so I'm not surprised that the nudity bothers most.

[Upphew]

I'll be moving to Helsinki soon and unlike most foreigners I'm already a fan of saunas. Currently I like to put a tablet in a waterproof bag and read a book while I relax in the sauna, but I'm wondering if that would be viewed as disrespectful or impolite in Finland. Is it more of a social situation where I should not be reading and I should instead keep myself open to conversation, or does each person do their own thing and my reading wouldn't be given a second glance? If it makes a difference the sauna I'll most likely be using is the one furnished by the student apartments I'm assigned to. Thank you in advance for your insight.

I used to read during the heating of sauna, up to maybe 70 degrees. After that sweaty hands and sweat in eyes made reading not so fun anymore. And it was always alone in private sauna, never in public.