The naked truth

Cleanliness and hygiene are paramount at The Well, which is why swimwear is not permitted in our saunas and steam rooms. You may cover up with a towel or pesthemal – a piece of light cotton fabric.

Swimwear prevents the sweat from evaporating. Sweat and heat become “trapped” in the overheated skin, with the excreted substances imprisoned beneath the garment. The warm, enclosed environment inside the swimwear is a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. If you then wear this garment in our swimming pools, these bacteria will contaminate the pool and multiply, resulting in unclean water and malodour.

This is why it is important to shower naked and thoroughly rinse off all the sweat when you have finished in the sauna or steam room. Both shared and separate showers for men and women are located around the spa. It’s best to start with a hot shower and then a really cold one. Why not finish with a dip in the cold plunge pool?

There are several reasons for being naked in a sauna or steam room, not least to improve your sense of wellbeing.

It is important that the heat reaches all the skin and that the sweat can evaporate freely from the epidermis.

When “attacked” by the heat, the skin sends an SOS signal to the brain, which responds by dilating the arteries and sending more blood to the legs, arms and skin. Sweating starts after just a few minutes.

To cool the body effectively, the body starts transporting fluids. You lose approx. 10 grams of fluid per minute. In the course of a full sauna session of three to four cycles, you can lose as much as one litre, or even more! The evaporation of sweat has a cooling effect and stops the skin overheating, despite temperatures of 50–100 degrees.

Shower carefully to remove all the sweat before using the cold plunge pool or other pools. We recommend bathing naked, but you may use swimwear if you prefer.