Whispers from the Well

The Autumnal Equinox is at 1:44 pm PDT on Sunday, September 22, and officially marks the beginning of the fall season in the northern hemisphere. The name ‘equinox’ comes from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), referring to the 12-hour long day and night that occurs only twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth’s axis and Earth’s orbit around the sun combine in such a way that the axis is inclined neither away from nor toward the sun. And it is only on the spring and autumnal equinoxes that the Sun rises due east and sets due west. But, since Earth never stops moving around the sun, these days of equal sunlight and night will change quickly.

The earliest humans spent more time outside than we do. They used the sky as both clock and calendar. They could easily see that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of daylight, and the location of the sunrise and sunset all shift in a regular way throughout the year.

Astronomically speaking, the September equinox marks one of the four major turning points in the cycle of seasons. In many regions of North America, the landscape silently explodes with vibrant colors of red, yellow, and orange. The harvest baskets are full of our summer’s work. The leaves begin to drop off the trees, providing endless hours of jumping into leaf piles for kids and raking them back up for parents! Baseball season hits the homestretch, while football season is just warming up. Temperatures begin to drop, nights begin to get longer, and all the woodland critters are storing up for the long haul of winter.

Notice the signs of the autumn equinox in nature… The knowledge that summer is gone, and winter is coming, is everywhere now, on the northern half of Earth’s globe. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you can easily notice the later dawns and earlier sunsets. Also notice the arc of the sun across the sky each day. You will find it is shifting toward the south. Birds and butterflies are migrating southward, too, along with the path of the sun. The shorter days are bringing cooler weather. A chill is in the air. In New York City and other fashionable places, people have stopped wearing white. Creatures of the wild are putting on their winter coats. All around us, trees and plants are ending this year’s cycle of growth. Perhaps they are responding with glorious autumn leaves, or a last burst of bloom before winter comes. In the night sky, Fomalhaut, the Autumn Star, is making its way across the heavens each night.

Why do autumn leaves change color?… What type of trees and weather produce the most vivid fall foliage? Not all leaves turn vivid colors in the fall. Only a few of our many species of deciduous trees, notably maple, aspen, oak, and gum, produce stellar performances for our annual autumn spectacular in North America. Several factors contribute to fall color (temperature, precipitation, soil moisture), but the main agent is light, or actually the lack of it. The amount of daylight relates to the timing of the autumnal equinox. As the autumn days grow shorter, the reduced light triggers chemical changes in deciduous plants causing a corky wall to form between the twig and the leaf stalk.

This “abscission layer” eventually causes the leaf to drop off in the breeze. As the corky cells multiply, they seal off the vessels that supply the leaf with nutrients and water and also block the exit vessels, trapping simple sugars in the leaves. The combination of reduced light, lack of nutrients, and no water add up to the death of the pigment chlorophyll, the “green” in leaves.

Once the green is gone, two other pigments show their bright faces. These pigments, carotene (yellow) and anthocyanin (red), exist in the leaf all summer but are masked by the chlorophyll. The browns in autumn leaves are the result of tannin, a chemical that exists in many leaves, especially oaks.

In today’s lifestyles, many of us don’t actively sweat on a daily basis, which has multiple health benefits. Regular sauna bathing provides the benefits derived from a deep sweat: In the heat of a sauna, the core body temperature begins to rise. The blood vessels dilate, causing increased blood flow. Sweat production is primarily for cooling the body, and is composed of 99% water, but deep sweating in a sauna can help reduce levels of heavy metals and chemicals, all toxins commonly picked up from our environment. As many doctors will attest, and a big reason for the popularity of saunas in general, saunas are one of the best means to detoxify our bodies. Leave feeling cleansed, refreshed and alive.

Our Saunas are usually 120 degrees and with the steam from added water can get up to 170 degrees. Our saunas should always be used in 10-15 minute increments only, followed by a cool shower or bath. We have a variety of cedar-lined dry saunas available at Well Within Spa, from a smaller sauna that’s cozy for two or larger saunas with room for your family or friends. All our saunas have a window, a light that can be dimmed, a copper bucket and ladel to scoop water onto the hot rocks, and our essential oil blend that can be mixed in the bucket or sprinkled on the rocks for a refreshing aromatic steam.

Therapeutic Benefits of sauna bathing are numerous. Most of us who have used a sauna know the feelings after we have taken one, but many of us do not know the actual benefits. Firstly, and probably most importantly for sauna bathers is that it is stress-relieving. Medical studies clearly show stress in our daily lives affects our health. In fact, the vast majority of disease is stress-related. The sauna provides stress relief in a number of ways: It’s a warm, quiet space without any distractions. Step into a sauna, and close the door on the rest of the world. The heat of the sauna relaxes the body, improves circulation and stimulates the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain releiving chemical that have a mild and enjoyable tranquilizing effect, providing a wonderful “after sauna glow.”
   There are many benefits that sauna bathing can provide for our us. German sauna medical research shows saunas significantly reduced the incidence of colds and influenza. As the body is exposed to a sauna’s heat and steam, it produces white blood cells more rapidly, which in turn help fight illness and help kill viruses. Following sporting activity, use the heat and steam of a sauna for muscle relaxation by helping to reduce muscle tension and eliminate lactic acid and other toxins. Saunas are one of the oldest and most famous beauty and health treatments for the skin as well. Research also shows a deeper sleep can result from sauna use. The sauna can be a private personal retreat or a relaxing environment for socializing with family and friends.

PLEASE NOTE that the use of a hot sauna is not advised for the very young or elderly, pregnant women, or those with cardiovascular or other serious illness, without first checking with a medical professional. The combination of a hot sauna and the use of alcohol, drugs, or medications that cause drowsiness has proven to be fatal. Be good to your body and practice safe sauna use!