The Rise of Sauna Culture in Britain: Health, Community, and Science-Backed Benefits
You’ve probably spotted Britain’s hottest health craze: saunas. Once a niche wellness practice, saunas have surged in popularity, creating a new social scene that’s even replacing the traditional trip to the pub for many. Across the country, outdoor facilities offering the powerful combination of sauna sessions and cold-water plunges are unlocking maximum health benefits for Brits embracing this lifestyle shift.
Why Saunas? The Science-Backed Health Benefits
While this trend may feel new in Britain, Nordic countries have long embraced sauna culture, recognising the powerful physical and emotional benefits it provides. Heli Koskimäki, Senior Director of Future Physiology at Finnish health company ŌURA, explains:
“Saunas offer a variety of benefits that help improve overall health and wellbeing. Following a sauna session, body temperature cools and drops, jump-starting melatonin production. This helps individuals fall asleep faster and may lead to deeper, more restorative sleep—one of the most important factors in improving well-being. Moreover, research suggests that saunas decrease cortisol, the stress hormone, making them an excellent tool for stress reduction. Other benefits include pain relief by relaxing heated muscles, improved immune function, enhanced circulation, and better heart health.”
Sauna Culture: A New Way to Socialize and Support Mental Well-Being
Beyond the individual health benefits, sauna culture is reshaping social habits. As Koskimäki notes, “What makes this trend particularly impactful is not only the health and wellness benefits it brings, but also the social connections sauna sessions can foster. Saunas are evolving into a social activity, amplifying the sense of relaxation and connection to friends, family, and communities. Spending time together in a calming, technology-free environment cultivates deeper conversations and enhances emotional bonds. Studies have shown that socializing itself can boost mood, reduce stress, and even strengthen immunity—so pairing this with the sauna can really help maximize benefits.”
The Power of Heat and Cold: Why Cold Plunges Matter
Nordic cultures also swear by alternating heat therapy with cold-water plunges, a practice known as avanto in Finland. This extreme temperature contrast has profound effects on the body. The shift from cold-induced vasoconstriction (blood vessel narrowing) to vasodilation (blood vessel expansion) improves cardiovascular function, circulation, and recovery.
Using both in conjunction can also:
- Reduce muscle soreness and increase muscle power
- Improve perceived recovery and overall well-being
- Stimulate white blood cells and enhance immune function
- Decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce inflammation
- Release norepinephrine, a stress hormone that regulates and strengthens immunity
Even brief exposure to icy water—such as dunking hands or the face—can stimulate the vagus nerve and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, quickly reducing stress and anxiety.
Tracking the Benefits with Oura Ring Data
The Oura Ring, developed by Finnish health company ŌURA, is an advanced wearable device that can track physiological responses to sauna sessions. Recent data from Oura users shows:
- Over 75,000 members tagged “Sauna” in 2024
- The mean duration of a sauna session was 41.8 minutes
- Users who tagged “Sauna” did so an average of 1.65 times per week
- On sauna days, users experienced:
- 6.1% higher average heart rate variability (HRV)
- 4% more sleep
- 14.9% more deep sleep
- 11.1% more REM sleep
The top 10 countries for sauna usage, according to Oura’s data, include Finland, Australia, Czechia, the USA, Canada, the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Austria.
A New Era of Well-Being
With Britain’s growing enthusiasm for sauna culture, it’s clear that this Nordic-inspired trend is more than just a passing fad. It offers science-backed health benefits, supports mental well-being, and fosters meaningful social connections. As more people trade in a night at the pub for a session in the sauna, it’s evident that this practice is here to stay.
