Why British sauna culture is picking up steam

Why is sauna so big in Finland? In a sense it’s a geographical destiny. By simply looking at the landscape, you can see that Finland is made of trees, lakes and stone. Each one of those elements is an essential component for sauna: timber and firewood, lakes for cooling off, water to splash on heated stones to summon löyly, the magical steam that fills the hot room and embraces bathers like the breath of a kindly dragon. 

Then there’s the fact that they simply made sense for survival. When humans gradually settled the cold northern reaches of Europe, saunas were a constant companion. Anything, including staying clean and healthy, giving birth, tending to ailments and kilning malt involved saunas. Times changed, but Finns never let go of this tradition. Instead they rallied around it and wove it into the fabric of everyday life. 

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Imagine a Finnish sauna as a multi-sensory experience of not just heat and steam, but also water, outdoors and nature. A typical Finnish sauna is situated between woodland and lakeshore. Patrons cool off in one of the 188,000 lakes (or the Baltic Sea), rest in a canopy of pines or birch trees and breathe fresh, clean air. Sounds very Nordic, healthy and happy doesn’t it? 

Speaking of happiness – since Finland is ranked number one in the world by the United Nations – is there a connection? Saunas offer everyone a way to get out of the daily grind and tune in to an elemental state. Reset the mind, body and soul, if you like. A respite from smartphones and distractions. A chance to literally let off some steam, but in a non-confrontational way. Many sauna-goers report feeling aligned after a session. 

While Finland has arguably become more individualistic, sauna is an anchor to a collective subconscious that binds Finns across generations. Saunas have adapted to modern life, but in their bones Finns know that their ancestors have been going to them just like they do, and the generations to come will do the same. They foster a sense of belonging. 

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How accessible are saunas in Finland, then? A common estimate has it at 3.3 million saunas for a population of 5.6 million people. It’s more than there are passenger cars on the road (2.8 million). That means everyone in Finland could sit in a sauna at the same time and there would be enough space left to invite half of Sweden as well. No one is excluded; even if you end up behind the bars, you get to use the prison sauna! 

Whereas Finland is leaning into deep history, the UK is surfing on the crest of this global trend. The explosive growth since the late 2010s, made visible particularly by seaside mobile saunas and urban community ones, has brought the sauna to British public consciousness. This wave is propagating into floating saunas, rooftop saunas, upgraded spas and health clubs, “contrast therapy” studios and more. It’s creating new professions like “sauna master” who guides sauna-goers through a shared experience. 

The hallmark of the UK sauna culture is that it’s built on socialising. They can be community spots, offering a place to gather. And chat. There’s a lot of chat going on in British saunas. The entrepreneurs and operators behind the UK sauna movement share a strong sense that it is an answer to many of our most persistent challenges: rebuilding communities, fostering inclusivity, increasing access to healthy activities, fighting loneliness, improving mental health, increasing longevity and immunity, preventing cardiovascular issues, reducing stress and inflammation, supporting exercise and fitness. The list goes on. 

If nothing else, saunas can be egalitarian gathering places that don’t involve alcohol, religion or an allegiance to a sports team. Something that makes you happy, healthy and aligned. Is it the new pub? Is it the new church? Perhaps we should let go of these old comparisons. Maybe it’s just a sauna. 

Finns don’t seek to rationalise their sauna obsession – they go because it’s always been there and it makes them feel better. All their friends will be there as well, and if not, they’ll make new ones. As sauna culture grows deeper roots in the UK, it will be interesting to discover all the creative ways saunas weave their way into everyday life. They are the pick-me-up we all need. 

Mika Meskanen is co-founder of the British Sauna Society. 

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