Sauna Talk

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome a very special guest. Dr. Hans Hägglund. Who is Dr. Hans Hägglund? Hans Hägglund MD, PhD, is a medical doctor and professor at Uppsala University, in Northern Sweden. Professor Hägglund has a strong research back ground in clinical research within medicine. He graduated from Karolinska institute, Sweden and did his post doc at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, USA. Between 2013 and 2018 he served as the director of the Cancer Center at Uppsala University Hospital. Professor Hägglund also had the position as the national cancer coordinator at The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) between 2019-2022. He currently holds a position as a senior consultant at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, which is where we catch up with him for this episode of Sauna Talk. Hot facts On this episode of Sauna Talk, we recognize that Hans Hägglund is a man who wears many hats in the world of health, wellness, and sauna culture. Hans is an affiliated researcher at the Center for Resilient Health at the Stockholm School of Economics, and co-founder of Vision Zero Cancer in Sweden. Known by many as the “sauna doctor,” he serves at the Swedish Sauna Academy, sits on the board of the Sauna Research Institute and the International Sauna Association, and played a key role in organizing the XVII International Sauna Congress in Haparanda/Tornio back in 2018. His book The Sauna Book – Hot Facts on Sauna and Health, published in Swedish in 2020, has attracted wide attention for the way it bridges science and tradition. We explore why sauna and cold bathing are seeing a surge in global interest, and what challenges remain in researching their health benefits. Hans shares his thoughts on why sauna bathing should be considered alongside traditional medicine, gives us a glimpse into the new book he’s writing, and reflects on how prevention can be far more cost-effective than treatment. Along the way, we discuss his professional journey, the boards he serves on, and even his earliest sauna memories. And, of course, we’ll hear his take on one of my favorite questions: from a Swedish — and global — perspective, what’s the most misunderstood thing about sauna that he wishes more people knew? Let’s welcome Dr. Hans Hägglund to Sauna Talk. Here’s a short intro for social medializing: “In this episode of Sauna Talk, I sit down with Hans Hägglund — “the sauna doctor” — affiliated researcher, co-founder of Vision Zero Cancer, and board member of the International Sauna Association. We dive into the rising global interest in sauna and cold bathing, the challenges of sauna research, and why prevention may be the most powerful medicine. Hans also shares personal sauna memories, his upcoming book project, and what he believes is the most misunderstood thing about sauna.” Punchy one sentences: From Swedish sauna congresses to cold plunges, Hans Hägglund brings the heat — and the science — to Sauna Talk. What’s the most misunderstood thing about sauna? “The sauna doctor” Hans Hägglund has a prescription. Sauna, science, and a splash of cold water — Hans Hägglund joins Sauna Talk for a deep dive into the health of heat.

Today on the sauna bench, we head to Oslo, Norway, and visit with the folks at Oslo Badstuforening, (Oslo Sauna Association). This is my second trip to Norway in as many years. They say that you never step into the same river twice, and I’ll contend that we never sit on the same sauna bench twice. For last year, I took many saunas in the Oslo Harbour, as well as published a Sauna Talk with the Oslo Sauna Association team – and you can listen to that episode which is #99. And this year, I get right back into the Oslo sauna spirit, yet with more focus on the “behind the scenes” history, construction, operation, and warm hearted people who make it all happen. Because frankly, I’m overwhelmed with the Badstu Boom, as it’s called. I really dig the Norwegians! The Norwegians They have sauna (badstu) deep in their Viking history. They approach it width depth and culture like the Finns, but with the open minded collaborative artful attention and appreciation of the Brits. AND without the capitalistic franchise money to be made CEO Instagramification land grab of many Americans. Take this Sauna Talk as example. Main guests on this show are Ragna, Secretary General, Oslo Badstuforening. And Aslak, who also has an official sounding title at Oslo Badstuforening, along the lines of “chief operations manager” which could mean loading firewood in the morning and replacing a burned out stove in the afternoon. A few different countries And we get to sauna serendipity also, as Hannah Mary Goodland joins us from Haar Sauna which is located way up north in the British Isles. Haar Sauna is the first mobile sauna in Scotland. Hannah Mary is also in Oslo and so what better than a bunch of sauna business folks from different a few different countries Sauna Talking it out on the bench, while over looking the fjord in Oslo. For those familiar, and for those who keep up with SaunaTimes and sauna travel, Oslo Sauna Association has an every expanding fleet of floating saunas. Each one unique, named after a particular bird, and pretty much guaranteed to have local Oslo residents with a few foreigners sprinkled in for contrast social therapy. For our Sauna Talk, Ragna chooses for us the Seagull Sauna. And you’ll soon get to hear why she chose this particular sauna, out of the 24 or so floating nearby. I think about the floating sauna revolution. I wrote about it here over two years ago. And since then, I have written and reviewed several other floating saunas, such as my friends Nick and Jess at Löyly floating in BC Canada, who now have three more floating projects in development. David, of course, from Von Sauna in Seattle, who I met at Sauna Days aboard the Viking Floating Sauna. And has what many report to be incredibly great heat on Lake Washington. But the thing is, floating saunas are all over the place in Europe, and you can check in with Sauna Sam who takes us dockside in Amsterdam, for example. Catching the floating sauna bug Many of these floating saunapreneurs caught the bug and inspiration from their times in Oslo, including the just christened Alex and Gabe’s aptly titled Fjord Sauna, the first floating sauna in San Francisco Bay Area. And soon to be launched, we will visit with Kate Butchart, an American who lived in Oslo for seven years, who is introducing Kos Sauna, the first floating sauna to open on Saratoga Lake in Saratoga Springs, NY, scheduled to debut in September 2025. Kos “koos” translates from Norwegian as a concept meaning cozy joy—simplicity that fosters small delights and community. Sound familiar? Well, let’s get to it. From the floating sauna bench in Oslo Norway, I am pleased to bring you this episode of Sauna Talk!

This is a joint Sauna Talk podcast with Linda and Otto who also run the Sprit of Sauna podcast from Finland as well as Sipoonjoki Heritage Sauna, just outside Helsinki, Finland. Linda and Otto are business partners who share a common interest in preserving the cultural roots and history of smoke sauna, promoting the rituals and power behind, and help create a place and platform for education and retreats at their sauna facility in nature, just outside Helsinki, Finland. Sauna Talk: Sipoonjoki heritage sauna Sipoonjoki’s heritage sauna offers a unique experience in a country sauna, where bathing leaves you feeling especially cleansed and refreshed. www.saunotus.fi I’d call Sipoonjoki a “smoke sauna haven.” For guests traveling to Finland or within Finland, the top features include: – their flagship smoke sauna, built traditionally, within the hill mound with stone walls. – saunotus ceremonies and treatments – using plants and herbs, growing on sight and in the shadows nearby. – education and retreats. The day of my visit, as I was departing after my session, a half dozen Finnish ladies were arriving for their private smoke sauna ritual. That’s the beauty of smoke sauna – and maybe I should describe smoke sauna for listeners who may not be familiar. Journey to Sipoonjoki Heritage Sauna Otto offers to come pick me up in downtown Helsinki. But learning about he and Linda’s busy schedule (as owners, operators, parents to each having their own children, etc.) I will have none of it. I love taking public transport in Europe, and Finland is no exception. I take the metro to the central train station and with train stop on my phone. It doesn’t take me long to find a younger, sharper, more localized Helsinki -ite at the station to direct me to platform 7. From there, I board the commuter train. From there, I confirm that once the train pushes off, i’m the third stop north of town. I disembark, and there’s Otto waiting for me with a big smile, standing in front of the photo wrapped passenger van. Hugs and hello, and off we go to Sipoonjoki. The drive is just long enough for us to help orient myself to where we are. And we find the common english word, The tool we’re thinking of is called a compass (or drafting compass). You remember from elementary school. It has one pointed leg and one leg that holds a pencil or lead, allowing you to draw precise circles or arcs. It’s commonly used in geometry, drafting, woodworking, and metalworking. Well, this is part of the magic of Linda and Otto’s sauna retreat center. The compass point being Helsinki central, and within the drawn circle is Sipoonkorpi National Park. We are heading for smoke sauna. As Nature is such a critically wonderful component to good sauna. And, here we are, as if transformed to hundreds of kilometers away, yet just close to Helsinki. I ask: for visitors, car is the best option. But if a tourist were visiting without, what is the best way to get close to you, is it the train that I took, or the bus? “There is a bus stop relatively close and during summer weekends there is a bus that comes directly to the sauna.” Gotta love Finland. Beyond the obvious My latest Europe trip – 40 saunas in 12 days carried with it a general theme: beyond the obvious. For example, all sauna tourists will hit Löyly in Helsinki, yet few venture on the path less taken to Sipoonjoki. And stepping out of the van with Otto and meeting Linda, on this end of May early afternoon, I’m met with the sound of birds and soft breeze blowing through the tall spruce trees, take sight of the grounds and smoke sauna awaiting me, and i’m filled with joy and calm for what exists beyond the obvious. We settle into one of their outbuildings, get mic’ed up, and off we go. A joint podcast, The Spirit of Sauna meets SaunaTimes Sauna Talk… and welcome to this episode with Linda and Otto, where we get right into the spirit together with you alongside. Etusivu

It was the morning after the recent British Sauna Summit in London. Stig Arild Pettersen Secretary General of the Norwegian Sauna Association and I meet up at London’s Hackney Baths, which is a perfect backdrop for us to discuss the “Badstu Boom” taking place in Norway and the US. As part of his Secretary General role, Stig heads up the Norweigen version of Sauna Talk – Badstuprat, a title gently borrowed from yours truly and this program. From Britain and beyond Britain, having their own “brilliant” bathing renaissance, drew both Stig from the East and me from the West for the Sauna Summit. Our Sauna Talk podcast on the bench dives into the comparing and contrasting of sauna culture in each of our countries. And within hours of this recording, I flung my backpack over my shoulder to fly from London to Oslo to experience the Badstu boom myself. And, there’s something wonderful about talking about a countries sauna boom, then touching down within hours and hitting the bench with some fellow sauna nuts in their native land. Stig and I are kindred spirits on several levels. Proponents of good heat, and positive vibrations of a culture reinventing and rediscovering itself. As example, there are pockets in North America where sauna has been woven into the tapestry for generations – places like the Upper Peninsula Michigan, Northern Minnesota, Thunder Bay Ontario – all places where “the big three” 1. ethnic migration, four distinct seasons, natural cold water elements abound. Norwegian Sauna Association But back to Norway. Stig and I discuss how sauna, badstu is in the DNA of all Norweigens. Like in Finland, a hop skip and jump over Sweden to the East, sauna action can be anthropologically documented back thousands of years. One look at the photos of Norweigen Sauna Association board members – young smiling healthy faces – and you get a flavor of who is helping bolster the Badstu boom. And for me, these are the kind of people I am very comfortable with sharing the sauna bench, and beyond. Lasse Eriksen, with a full page sauna resume and two time guest to Sauna Talk, Ragna Marie Fjeld, Secretary General Oslo Sauna Association, Knut Lerhol – if beers weren’t $12 a piece in Norway, and a rental car the equivalent of a monthly salary, well, Norway would be a place to spend a month between 180f. and cold water fjord cold plunges. The Sauna Talk Global series continues.. Good heat knows no borders. And on the bench from London, let’s welcome Stig from Norway, special guest hello with Mark from Great Britain, and yours truly from the United States.

A Sauna Talk from the British Sauna Summit, Tuesday, 20 May 2025 Hilton London Canary Wharf. Last year, Sauna Summit 2024 and 1.0, about 120 of us gathered rooftop at in Hackney. The spirit was both well organized like a conference, and yet intimate like a family gathering. This year, as attendance swelled to well north of 300, the Hilton Hotel ballroom provided a backdrop and familiarity of a “proper” (to use the British word) organized meeting. This is the evolution of sauna. What started as a somewhat jest and jovial organisation, like the growth of many things sauna, the British Sauna Society has ballooned into a structured membership of several hundred, representing the “saunapreneurs” of public saunas that dot the map of the UK’s shoreline, streams, and urban communities. Yours truly was given the honour of announcing the winners of the second annual Sauna Summit Awards, which showcases outstanding saunas (Best Urban, Best Community, Best New, etc.). All of the contest participants are winners. And though there’s surely pride and competition behind the curtain, yet what is displayed in the UK sauna scene is more collaboration and support. The Brits seem to recognize that the rising sauna tide lifts all public sauna boats. London Calling I am reminded of my time living in London. It was decades ago, and I had the dream job of music listings editor at Time Out magazine, where i’d have one on one relationship with the music venues (Dingwalls, Brixton Academy, etc.) and what stood out was the pricing structure of concert tickets. General admission at the top, then the list of discounted tickets (senior, student, unemployed, single parent, counsel estate resident, library card holder, etc.). It’s ingrained in British culture to proudly support those underserved. And sauna culture today shares that “community support” ethos. America may face headwinds in this regard, being more capitalistic centric, yet Britain waves the flag of “serving their community” as evidence by the hundreds of saunas dotting their shoreline and beyond. Anyhow, in this episode we get to hear one on one conversations with folks from Harvia, Jake Newport from Finnmark, kindred spirit author Lassi Liikkanen, key Summit organizer Mark Lamb, his wife and author Emma O’kelly, Sauna from Finland Carita, Rob De Bank, and other folks “behind the scenes” and “between the action.” Notes from presentations at the British Sauna Summit: Carita 1. Take as long as you like in sauna. Listen to your body. 2. Nudity is common in private saunas. Often ladies and men’s sides. 3. Most Finn’s prefer 70-80c and we make löyly. 4. Sauna is a safe and relaxing activity for all ages. Sauna at the lake helps make family memories. 5. Everyone sweats differently. More sweat doesn’t mean better 6. Sauna stones wear out. Replace them regularly. She changes stones twice a year. 6. Clean the sauna – deep clean under the benches. Dry the sauna after every use. 8. Whisking is gentle and relaxing. Good for your skin and circulation. Every sauna has its own soul. Löyly is the main thing. Dr emelia Vuitisalmi “Sauna is the one single place where we truly feel safe and we can relax.” Finns don’t count minutes or measure temperature. Sauna stimulates three hormones 1. Dopamine. Direction Motivation and reward.  Walk your true path. Sauna is the place to answer these questions 2. Serotonin. Safety Sauna is the place where we feel safe. 3. Oxytocin. Connection. Sauna is an amazing place to connect with ourself. What is behind our own thoughts. Deep healing power of sauna takes us to a state of love. Sweat. Let go. Belong. The deep power of sauna. — Rob Da Bank Slo Mo Drew parallels of organizing festivals to the sauna space in UK. Dom Bridges Running his sauna for 12 years on the beach in Margate. Free. Significant part of the town. More like a skatepark, its own ecosystem. No one owns it, a spirit of togetherness. Sara Higgins Seaside Sauna Haus Dorset. “It’s about connection with yourself, and it’s also about connection with who you share the bench with. “ “Focus on your thing and shout about others. “ Wild Scottish Sauna Jayne McGie & Jamie Craig-Gentles Met each other in the water. Started as a swim group. “We go into the sea to release. “ They run 5 saunas and are very active in their community. 1,000 people. 5 pounds each. Brought communities together. Staffing is also part of the community. 18 sauna hosts. Work for one day a week. Extra money for them as a second job. Zack Avery &Soul Community. The heart of the project is to give people a space to belong. Share spaces together. West London  Dundbar theory. Societies thrive in communities of about 100-150 people. Egalitarian space. Not wearing their title. Shared humanity in sauna.  Heart of the community space. The sauna is the center of the community space. Need for nurturing spaces. A thirst for better ways of being in the city. Dr Martha : an expert in ritual and belonging. Move our way from the normal to the secret. Physically taken away from the normal… liminality. Neither here nor there. Sauna creates an intense lininal space. Research with extreme groups. Extreme experience bond us together. Expert in ritual and belonging. —- The holy trinity : fire, ice, and löyly Lasse spoke about the three methods of heat transfer plus condensation (moisture forming on the body). If you follow the “Instagram sauna” and replicate it, you may run into problems that you cannot even power up the heater.” Daryl Bosomworth Brass Monkey Spoke about ice. And the cold. The important factors of why and how to bring cold as a best practice for saunas. Cold : “you are micro dosing with a potent stressor. “ Alex Lembke, Finnish Sauna Master of the year. Aufguss means pouring hot water on a tea bag. Technical aspects of löyly. Self Nature – spirit protecting the human. Löyly – your life force. The functions of your body. Your life form.  Life force of every being. “If a sauna has no löyly , it doesn’t live. It doesn’t breathe. “ You should experience good löyly. Odorless. Long lasting. Pour löyly. Lasts a long time. “Everyone deserves good löyly. “ —- Nick Cassenbaum: Jewish schmeisting culture. Bubble Schmeises. Rosanna Cooney At one time, there’s were 75 Turkish style baths in Ireland. The remembering happened when the nature connection came back Mikkel.  The three Pilar’s Social Physical Spiritual – sense of connection with something larger than ourselves. —- Cosmin Cîrîc.  Therme Bucuresti Erin Lee. Koru Wellness Ltd. Aufguss is a sensory experience. You can bring in natural elements close to your sauna. Plants. Sand and oils. Basic elements. Show aufguss can present the story. They can put their soul on the table. It’s a beautiful art. Emma O’Kelly. Started with 80 saunas for the book. Then within the year,  Feb 2025 – 189 saunas in the book.

Welcome to this special episode of Sauna Talk. We welcome Adam from Thermé USA, who led the panel discussion with three public sauna operators from North America. This episode is a “two-fer” in that as introduction, we get to hear from the group as they talk about the gathering and their panel discussion. Then, we move over to the panel discussion as it happened live, amongst almost 100 people in attendance at the Culture of Bathing gathering in New York City, January, 2025 Let’s welcome Annette from Tampa Bay, Florida, Kelly from Hudson Bay, New York and Stephanie, from Montreal Quebec Canada.

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome Mika Meskanen and Wendy Liu. Mika is Finnish, and partner Wendy is Chinese. They live in London, and we met for this Sauna Talk on the bench in my backyard sauna in Minneapolis. This is our second podcast episode together, the first being episode #54. And, as you know, I much prefer Sauna Talk on the sauna bench, where so much magic in conversation and connection usually happens. A few nuggets Sauna Travel: Leading sauna tours to Finland. Dynamic Duo Origin Story Sauna culture in Britain Mika’s musing: “the stove should always win” World Class Wendy: Sauna Aid & connector.

Today on Sauna Talk we re-welcome Jon Sabes. Jon is a returning Sauna Talk guest, first being episode #061, and we rejoin together again, on the same bench for this second episode. Jon spends most of his time with his wife and family in Los Angeles and also in Baja Mexico. He was back to Minneapolis for a winter weekend, and we met for a cross country ski at his Lake Minnetonka house as the sauna was idling its way up to serving temperature. I love interviewing authors. And for a handful of reasons. One is that I know how much dedication, ambition, and focus it takes to write a book. From start to finish. Another reason why I like interviewing authors is that when it’s a compelling subject, the interview process is easy for me! Our conversation flows like good steam in the hot room. And this is how I felt, sitting on the bench with my good friend Jon Sabes. Healthy Wealthy Longevity We discuss his new book, “Healthy Wealthy Longevity.“ And in his book, you will learn some practical strategies to help you live a fulfilling, happy life. On the bench, we discuss a few key takeaways including: Intentional Living: how small, consistent actions can lead to significant improvements over time. Compounding Effects: how minor daily habits, whether positive or negative, accumulate, profoundly impacting your overall well-being. Holistic Approach: how to recognize the synergy between physical health, financial stability, and emotional happiness, Through practical advice and insights, “Healthy Wealthy Longevity” serves as a guide for readers aiming to intentionally design a life rich in health, prosperity, and joy. There are several nuggets in his new book that stay with me, and you’ll get to hear some of them right now.. Oh, before I forget. I have been using Jon’s daily journal for about a month now. It’s insanely good and if, like me, you’re looking to get your train back on the track, I recommend you order his pocket journal and make it a part of your morning routine. The journal helps me organize my goals and tasks. It helps ground me with gratitude and appreciation, helping me on my journey towards living a happier life. And PS.. Jon is a fellow board member of the Sauna Research Institute. There are some great things brewing in the area of sauna research. And those of us interested in sauna will be hearing more from Jon Sabes and SRI.

Greetings! We recorded this episode as part of the sauna building seminar at the West Coast Sauna Summit, January, 2025, Loon Lake Resort outside Vancouver, BC Canada. Let’s Sauna Talk: building saunas! Sauna Talk podcast all about building saunas I moderate a panel discussion with, on my left, Andrew from Saunabuilder and on my right, Josh from Theraluxe. These two are Western Canadian sauna builders who left their finish nailer behind in order to come to the West Coast Sauna Summit this past month just outside Vancouver, BC Canada. I really enjoyed our time together. You’ll hear my kind of sauna building thinking. From bench heights to wall cladding. Wood stoves to electric. Mobile to fixed backyard, we cover a lot of topics in an open and collaborative spirit. There are no solutions. There are only trade-offs.” ― Thomas Sowell, A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles

It was impromptu, and it was fun. It was completely unrehearsed, and it rambled in places (when I was unable to hold the microphone). This episode holds some wonderful gems of free thinking. This is Sauna Talk, and this is what I love about Sauna Talk. Like good sauna, Sauna Talk has few rules. This was the spirit at this fireside chat at the West Coast Sauna Summit. While some sauna’ed and others slept, most of the attendees, 25-30 of us came together for fireside chat Sauna Talk. It was later in the evening on night #2. Imagine seven or so mobile saunas deployed lakeside, just outside the high ceiling gathering room at the Loon Lake retreat centre, nested in the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. And Co-producer Valterri calling the session together in his Finnish accent: “ok, everybody, let’s gather our chairs around in a circle. Let’s Sauna Talk.” Oh, man, this is my kind of conference. These are my kind of people, and we get into my kind of thinking and conversing. By this time in the gathering, we had become quite comfortable with each other. A lot of the formal presentations were behind us. Many of the formalities of reading name tags and polite introductions well in the rear view mirrors. The Fireside chat Some sat with their sauna sandals on, some sat barefoot. Others in bathrobes or a towel wrapped around them. We gather for Sauna Talk, after all. New connections and new friendships were alchemized at the West Coast Sauna Summit, and I hope, as you listen along, that this episode brings some of that goodness and spirit, wherever you may be tuning in. One final note before I turn this over. A huge thank you to Valterri and Linda for not only putting together a great event, and bringing together a wonderful group of thermal enthusiasts, but for helping to create a vibe of “oneness.” Like a resonating, penetrating, satisfying wave of löyly, their relaxed demeanor, positive energy, and spirit of inclusion for all of us in attendance enveloped all of us, equally, together. I really enjoy the West Coast Sauna Culture. No gatekeeping. Beautiful nature. Cold lakes, open, collaborative thinking. The rising sauna tide lifts all boats. This is how sauna culture can exist, and I’ll do all I can to help share the spirit created by Linda and Valterri, wherever good sauna may take me. So, without further ado, let’s welcome many of the attendees from the West Coast Sauna Summit to .. Sauna Talk.

This Sauna Talk episode was recorded in New York City at the Recent Culture of Bathing Gathering, mid January 2025. Shelby, Artist, Painter, Thermé Group: Bringing artists and design into the Thermé bathing facilities. Dimitri Shapiro, Co-owner, The Russian and Turkish Baths: “You’ll see a very diverse group. Our clientele has become younger.. and more diverse.” 5 hot rooms. Rock is heated by gas over night. “A lost art. It takes up a lot of space.” The stove is 130 years old. Don Genders, Founder, Design for Leisure: “We provide everything that makes you hot, wet, and cold.” A long association with their vendor partners. Cosmos, Wellness Director, Thermé Group: Essential oils and Experience Creator. Medical school. Biology Journey member. “Aufguss appeared as a necessity.” Jadeite Stone. Viki, Founder, Earth Sauna, Victoria, BC, Canada: “We need this kind of training in North America, right now.” Megan, Founder, Du Nord Sauna, Duluth MN. Regarding Lake Superior: “The lake is the boss.” With snow: “You don’t have to read the snow.”    

“What a great event” proclaimed Gayle Myers who, with her partner Gary, partook in the recent backyard sauna tour through 10 saunas built by homeowners in backyards in Minneapolis for the Parade of Saunas event. Parade of Saunas 2024 raised $1,500 for charity. “I had a constant stream through my space of curious folk, ranging from seasoned sauna pros to those just starting to daydream about their own backyard sauna retreat.” Let’s check in with a few of the saunas as part of Parade of Saunas 2024:   Ryan’s Fulton Sauna A serene backyard retreat in the Fulton neighborhood of Minneapolis, complete with an AirBnb. “I put on my extravert hat and gabbed the whole 4 hours on my sauna spiel;).”     Steve Hawkins Good fun.  I think I spoke with 60 + people today.  Good vibes.  People really were appreciative of the sauna and willingness to share.   “Loved talking with all the different hosts and learning about how they made their saunas” – paraphrase of many of the visitors today. Darin’s NorthUP Darin from Urban Wing was proud to display his ultralight NorthUp Minne, this is the one they collaborated with Paddle North to float on one of their floating docks in Oct ’23 Joe Sauna “Such a great experience to meet so many people as enthusiastic about the sauna experience as I am. Everyone that came to check out my set up felt like a member of the tribe. So glad to be a part of something that will hopefully become an annual tradition.” SaunaTimes sauna “The first guests started streaming in just after noon.” Glenn said. “I didn’t think I’d have it in me to show my sauna to people for four hours, but their kindness and good vibes fueled me. Then, hosting five people for sauna at 4pm, well, that took things to a higher level. Max brought veniks. And the 6 of sauna’d well into the night. It was a great sauna day, and warm on all levels” Tom’s LightWave sauna “That was a fun day talking saunas! Everyone seemed to enjoy the chance to see others saunas.”

Today on the Sauna Talk podcast we welcome Ashley Mason. Ashley Mason, earned her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Arizona. She is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the Weill Institute for Neurosciences and the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health. Ashley is a clinical psychologist and directs behavioral treatment for insomnia at the UCSF Osher Center Clinic. She is Director of the UCSF Sleep, Affect, and Eating (SEA) Lab. Ashley is the Co-Director of the UCSF Center for Obesity Assessment, Study, and Treatment (COAST). She is primarily a researcher but also treats patients for insomnia within the Osher Center Sleep Clinic. Whole body hyperthermia In our chat today, you’ll learn about her work surrounding “whole body hyperthermia.” Her 2023 BrainMind Summit presentation touches upon sauna and how heat treatment may have a positive impact on depression by regulating body temperature. Reintegrating thermal stress could be an effective approach to treating some individuals with depression.   Heat treatment and antidepressant effects There is correlation between core body temperature and depression. Editing thermal stress out of our lives (air conditioning, climate controlled indoor living has put is in “the narrow band.”, when all along, acute heat stress could help us! Especially when the idea of an ice cold lake plunge after sauna is about the best idea we’ve ever heard! I’m pleased to welcome Ashley Mason to Sauna Talk.

Today on the Sauna Talk podcast, i’m pleased to present Earric Lee, who is a leading researcher surrounding the health benefits of sauna. As you listen along, you’ll hear the background noise of the busy-ness and hustle and bustle of London streets. As, instead of on the sauna bench, we capture this episode outside a London hotel. Earric and I converged for the recent British Sauna Society Sauna Summit. And it was here, in London, where I was able to capture Earric. And share with you his exhaustive yet budding effort to help bring sauna research to the forefront. Earric Lee is a fellow board member of the Sauna Research Institute. He has a clear focus on helping de-silo sauna researchers globally. He is also committed to helping advance studies towards what you and I know to be true. Sauna is good for us. So, let’s welcome ..

This is episode #100 of Sauna Talk. Do you want to know the Sauna Talk origin story? Well, when I started this podcast in 2016, 8 years ago, the idea was to help capture a bit of what felt like on the sauna bench. That’s a place where deep, collaborative conversations can happen. It’s often a place of untangling the wires in our heads, where our minds can open up to creative thinking, and problem solving. It’s a fun place. Sauna Talk is described here as: Sauna talk is a different kind of talk. It is casual talk between a father and his teenage son, and reconnection talk with a friend you wish you could see more frequently, or collaborative talk amongst NHL hockey players or business partners working through a strategy. This happens because we have no distractions and we are relaxed in mind, body, and spirit. As we know, sitting on the sauna bench creates an interesting environment. Our bodies are being stressed, yet we are feeling very relaxed. For many of us, talking and thinking is difficult. Yet for others, it’s an environment where thoughts and ideas start flowing like in a kaleidoscope of colors. In this episode, you will hear some excerpts from a few of the 99 episodes: Tom Rolando The Sauna Talk origin. Tom and I are still very close buds. He and I are working on the book Sauna Life, and it’s a slow process. Daryl Lamppa Daryl Lamppa 22:46 – the old style stoves in the area. Scott Olson 17:48 peddling to hockey stores. 18:15 Finding the hockey player entrepreneurs in their own towns. Wim Hof 17:03 Sauna & Cold. 19:03 Dr. Jari Laukkenen 30:10-30-55 goals for further sauna research #063 Alex Blyashuk 29:35-32:06, explaining veniks. #072 Bruce Oreck 33:20-35:21. Finland happiest country. Explains his reasoning. #097 Lasse Erikson Bring the owners into the sauna. 35:20 – 37:18. That feeling that you have contributed to something good in life. I hope you enjoy any one or number of these 100 episodes! It has been a pleasure hearing and sharing the motivations and passions of so many remarkable people! Putting these episodes together has been a privilege. Sharing them with you continues to be a joy.

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome Ragna Marie Fjeld, General Secretary, Oslo Badstuforening. What does Badstuforening translate to in English? Sauna Association. So, let me tell you a bit about the Oslo Sauna Association. Founded in 2016, the same year as the 612 Sauna Society in Minneapolis, Minnesota. But the difference start here. Where 612 has one sauna, and granted it is the original sauna with the same work horse original sauna stove, benches, walls, and spiritual patina abound, Oslo Badstuforening’s inaugural first sauna seeds were planted in much more fertile soil. The soil along the harbor of Oslo’s fjord was ripe for sauna expansion. Yes, their original first sauna is still operational, and with a spiritual patina rating of 9.4, but surrounding this flagship sauna is a fleet of 18 additional saunas: 14 other floating saunas, and 4 mobile saunas. And as you listen to this, chances are that these numbers will be outdated and higher. The Osla Sauna Association train is not slowing down. As you will hear in this episode, the constraints to growth and expansion are, well, just not there. Revenue? No. They are most often fully booked (and by the way, very reasonably priced for all economies of economic income scales). Steam master hosts? No. As you will hear, their HR department is busy with applicants. Including doctors and politicians. Builders? No. Matter of fact, every architect in Norway wants to design a sauna. Their corporate offices are unassuming and yet buzzing with activity. People dig working here, and their Secretary General, Ragna Marie Fjeld runs a collaboratively effective ship. Let’s listen in.

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome Alan Jalasjja who shares with us “The Spirit of Sauna.” Alan is an evangelist who is with us to help promote the experience. Growing up with sauna his whole life, as a Finnish Canadian, we get the perspective of what sauna spirit means to him. World Sauna Forum 2024 The growth of the event compared to 2022 Globe and Mail article I encourage you to click through the link towards his Op Ed opinion piece that recently appeared in the Globe and Mail, which discusses “enjoying sauna in the now.” Sure the health benefits are there for the long term, but wow, let’s enjoy our sauna time now. Thermal cycle We discuss the value of time. The holy trinity to a good cool down: cold water, nature, time. The four elements to sauna fire air water earth (the stones). Some magical gems from Alan, and happy to share with you here.

A lot has happened with Lasse Eriksen, 2.0, from our first Sauna Talk just a little over two years ago. This meeting took place on the beach in front of Farris Bad resort, south of Oslo, Norway. FarrisBad Here Lasse is the Development Manager for this top notch resort set along the shore of Norweigen’s majestic coastline. Development Manager means that Lasse is given a lot of reign to help steward sauna (bastu in Norwegian) as both a noun – the place we go, as well as the verb – the thing we do inside the hot room. And for the verb, guests are treated to aufguss, and all its glory. Upon check in, guests are welcome to grab an updated flyer, which lists all the saunas on property, as well as a schedule of the aufguss events for that week. Lasse Eriksen’s background As you will hear in this interview: Lasse’s aim is true. We know that sauna is wonderful for our wellbeing. And Lasse is deeply committed to sharing and promoting it. In addition to Development Manager for FarrisBad, Lasse is board member of the International Sauna Association, and the Norwegian Sauna Association. Lasse is Vice President of Aufguss WM, a kindred spirit to many of us, and I’m pleased to say a great friend of mine. I love this guy. Maybe i’m getting to be a soft in my grey hair age, but Lasse had me in tears a couple of times. I feel his passion, and I hope you do too.. I’m pleased to present Lasse Eriksen, to Sauna Talk!

Today on the sauna talk bench we are joined by Stew and his sons David and Kyle Wilson, from the Homecraft sauna heater family. Who is Homecraft? Homecraft is one of Canada’s longest running sauna manufacturers, this multigenerational, family-owned business has steadily grown in the shadows of towering old-growth cedar trees outside Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. We gather on my sauna bench, the three of them lined up for interrogation as I manage the steam and the microphone from down low. Yes, those in the sauna industry from Canada are well aware that the Wilson’s are polite straight shooters from Canada, but these virtues come forth loud and clear during this episode on the sauna bench. As I throw water and make steam, there is little room for anything but clarity and transparency. So, we are the beneficiaries. We learn about sauna culture in Canada, the history of this family company, and what good sauna means to Stew, David, and Kyle. No matter what the product, it could be a couch, or a pen, or a bar of soap, more and more of us are interested in learning more about the people behind the product. And this is true also for electric sauna heaters. How a sauna heater preforms is critically important. How is the steam? Is there someone in North America to support the product after the sale? Are the elements going to fail? And if so, will I be pulling apart 300 rocks to replace an element in six months? These are the kind of questions we are asking ourselves. And yet, there’s another line of thought that goes into our electric sauna heater purchase decision. Who are these people? Some may be influenced by authoritarian foreign accents. But, beyond the sauna cognition theory, we may not be fully sure who is making our sauna heater. Is it Jens assembling the sauna heater, or Xinchong’s young teenage daughter assembling the sauna heater? And how far did this box have to travel before coming to our front steps? Well, in the case of Homecraft electric saunas, you’ll be hearing directly from the people behind the product. And what’s cool is that Kyle, the younger son, like David from Superior Saunas, has a pastoral background. Who better to sit on the sauna bench with than someone who has a spiritual connection to sauna? Stew’s younger son, another David, is a licensed electrician, having run his own company for 10 years. Who better to have your electrician call with a screwdriver in their hands than David at Homecraft? So, this is what we get with the guys at Homecraft. Practically designed and manufactured by and for electricians. And spiritually designed and manufactured for spiritualists. We get into the weeds about the mechanics of electric sauna heaters. And I think you’ll find as we listen through, I am the one to get nerdy. And the Wilson guys are the ones to keep it light. Those that know me, know my dedication towards good sauna. I’ve had a rocky road the last couple of years navigating towards both good products AND good people in this space. Like Lamppa Manufacturing in Tower, Minnesota, I am pleased to introduce you to Homecraft from BC Canada. Again, it’s the people AND the product.. and when it comes to Homecraft, you’ve found both. So, please welcome, David, Stew, and Kyle Wilson to Sauna Talk.

As we look back upon Sauna Days 2024, walking from one sauna to the next, pretty much all of us were comfortably numb. About 200 guest converged for the fourth Sauna Days event at Larsmont Cottages, North of Duluth, Minnesota, this past weekend. Some came from near, and many came from far. All were able to enjoy the multitude of saunas, speakers, nature, and locally crafted food, beverages, and live entertainment.\ The recipe for a comfortably numb sauna gathering is much like a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe. We don’t need too many ingredients to make something scrumptious. The foundation for Sauna Days 2024 was 12 mobile saunas and one lämpömassa enriched brick and mortar sauna. Then, sprinkle in various food tents, strategically located hydration stations. Add a pinch of LMNT hydration packets (flavors of choice) and a curation of interesting speakers. Finally, as icing on the cake, infinity cold plunge access into the world’s largest freshwater lake. Familiar faces A good number of the 200 plus Sauna Days 2024 attendees were repeat vendors and offenders. Familiar faces helped foster countless spontaneous re-connections either on the bench, by one of fire pits, at the bar, on the rocks, or in the lake. “So great to see you again!” And they meant it. “Is this your second or third Sauna Days?” The spontaneous gatherings were akin to traveling from stage to stage at an outdoor music festival. Then, bumping into familar faces from year’s past. And, like attending a music festival with great bands and few yahoos, at Sauna Days, everyone knew the lyrics. Songs include: keep sandals outside the saunas, help fill up the löyly buckets, ask who is ready for steam before throwing water on the rocks, and by all means, close the sauna door. Far and wide As sauna becomes more popular, Sauna Days continues to draw people from places beyond the Great Lakes sauna belt region. I found myself on the bench with a couple who came all the way from the Yukon Territory. Other Canadians included Kyle Wilson, Homecraft Saunas, and his wife from Vancouver BC. We had guests from Salt Lake City, Oregon, Northern and Southern California, Florida. And yet none of these participants received the Furthest Traveled Award. That accolade was awarded to Jake Newport from Finnmark saunas. A close second went to Mika & Wendy from the British Sauna Society. The three represented the UK well, proucly wearing their signature British Blue robes as sauna uniforms. Speaker’s corner The Brits added some great flavor to the Sauna Days speaker series. Jake Newport shared a slide of a map of Great Britain, showing 100 dots around the British coastline, representing the number of mobile sauna activations there. “Pretty much every beach around the coastline now has a public sauna.” We breathed along with Nick Fox, Learned about Sauna and Sobriety, gleaned insight into the future and scale of Therme Group’s wellbeing oasis’s (bigger than Yankee Stadium!) with President Robbie Hammond. The Steam Masters Many were quietly sharing that a highlight experience for Sauna Days 2024 was getting wacked around by one of the three Steam Masters. The three administered venik treatments in either the Steam Lodge or Deep Wave Sauna’s Black Night sauna. We were blessed to have three steam masters lead rounds of venik treatments. Dan from The Banya House, California Alex, and B Alex from BSaunas in Buffalo, NY. In addition to Sauna Days being the first weekend of May, the Steam Masters introduced us to a sister event first weekend of October: Banya Fest at a stately church camp just outside Minneapolis/St. Paul. A highlight of the weekend was learning more about the ancient practice of Eastern European banya and venik treatments, documented as a Sauna Days presentation and a soon to be released Sauna Talk podcast. Sauna in nature As wonderful as it was to experience multiple saunas scattered throughout the grounds at Larsmont Cottages, once again, nature seems to provide us with the best amenity. Larsmont Cottages is set along the shores of Lake Superior. Sauna Days guests were treated to rosy red skyline sunsets, night skies bursting with stars, and even a Hawaii-esque rainbow, as we celebrated a passing shower in the later afternoon sun. Northern Minnesota sauna is always enjoyed in nature. Sauna in nature is bigger than all of us. And no bigger than within Sauna Days 2024 at Larsmont Cottages, Two Harbors, Minnesota.