Sauna…

[Pricklyheated]

At the gym where I go to I’ve never seen any women using the sauna or steam room when I’ve been, just men. The facilities are set back from the main area with no staff around or cameras. Personally I don’t feel comfortable going as a lone female and sitting in a sauna with groups of men. Would this bother you?

i am wondering is this is the reason I never see any other woman using the facilities…

It wouldn’t bother me, I’d use the sauna.

This is Britain, I'm not surprised. Very different if it was Germany, where usually women have been the majority in saunas/spas I've been to.

I use the sauna, steam room and spa at my gym, but I tend to go when it’s quiet anyway as I dislike groups of people chatting. I’m late 60s and don’t feel unsafe.

I go in the steam room and sauna at my gym which is always full of men, I quite like listening to their conversations! I am not at all fazed with being in a hot room of half naked men. I suspect I'm at a much higher risk in places where people don't have to sign in with their personal details at the door.

If you're uncomfortable simply don't go in or make a female friend at the gym and go in together.

My gym has them separated by sex. Are you sure you're not ambling into the men's by accident?

@NightmareSlashDelightful now that would send a message! I always worry that I'm going to wander into the mens changing room by mistake, my gym swaps the changing rooms around when maintenance is being done!

Ask the gym if there is a 'women only' time for the sauna etc - I've known some places do this to avoid women feeling uncomfortable.

I'm often the only woman in the sauna but not always. Never felt unsafe at all but it is poolside so the lifeguard can see everyone going in and pop in every 15 mins or so to check everyone is ok

Even my own sauna at home (used by immediate family only) grosses me out when I overthink the whole process. I cannot imagine using a public one especially post 2021. I recall that our gym had pre-bookable slots and a women's only day. It is a shame that many Brits don't really get how to use saunas unlike in the Balkans/Scandinavia where it is a regular part of your everyday routine.

@Forinara how are we supposed to be using them?

Well, I suppose there isn't anything wrong with sweating it out and showering but there are many other options such as the Russian banya which involves whipping one another's back with branches from particular trees (it is a regular social meetup rather than a solitary activity). It is not sado-masochistic either !

I use my sauna with an ozone generator sometimes. You can also do a herbal infusion steam of your foof à la Gwyneth Paltrow.

@Forinara I'll take my own branches, I'm sure one of the many men in the sauna will agree to do the whipping!

It's definitely not kinky. You get friends lying naked on wooden slatted shelves arranged like big steps so they can whip your back while the person on the step above whips theirs. I know it sounds like a weird orgy configuration but it is actually relaxing! My home sauna is a bit small for a group event.

The other issue is that we are still quite prudish compared to other European countries. You are meant to completely strip off without a second's hesitation in the public saunas and I think you would be banned in some places for trying to retain any of your modesty.

German saunas that I have come across often have women only days (or daytimes) once a week.

I use the steam room at my gym - but it's a nice big one, in an area by a massive hot-tub, and TBH when I'm there it's usually empty.

I don't go in the sauna (or the hottub) because the sauna is too small, and virtually no-one showers before going in there, or in the hottub (I do, and I'll have just been swimming before which I showered as well). So for me it's not safety, and more that I can't not think about all the dirty people in it before me.

Dunno why I'm OK about the steam room - I suppose just because I really want to go in!

I feel uncomfortable when any other people are in there, I'm not sure if we're supposed to acknowledge each other and stay silent, chat, ignore altogether? But it doesn't make a difference to me if they're male or female.

Feeling uncomfortable in that situation is completely understandable. Safety and comfort should always come first. It's possible that other women might have similar reservations, which could explain the lack of female presence in those facilities. If you're looking for alternative wellness options that prioritize your comfort, you might find some helpful insights on https://solasauna.com. They offer information on holistic health practices that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own space.