Letting off steam: everything you need to know about Finnish sauna

In a small, enclosed room, people sit side by side on wooden benches. Water thrown on hot stones releases clouds of scalding steam and temperatures soar to a scolding 80C. This is sauna bathing, a ritual believed to date back as far as 7,000 BC in Finland and a practice that’s become a cornerstone of local culture, woven into the very seams of society. In Finland, nobody disputes the powers of the löyly, the name given to the steam that rises from the sauna stove.

In fact, in a country of 5.5 million inhabitants there are approximately three million saunas. By the 1980s, when urbanisation reached its peak and 70% of Finns had moved to cities, most people had a private sauna in their apartment or home. Public saunas, meanwhile, are popular up and down the country; meeting places for family and friends, or simply somewhere to take some time out, sit back, relax — and sweat. 

Ancient wisdom for a modern world

The sauna’s long and storied history begins in Finnish forests, where they were no more than holes in the ground, filled with heated stones and used for warmth during the country’s brutal winters. Remnants of these pits have been found as far back as the Stone Age, though as time progressed, they moved above ground, becoming the most sacred place in the home, where women would give birth and the dead cleansed for burial. 

But they were also places where people could just be. This notion that a sauna is somewhere where the stresses of daily life fade away is intrinsic to Finnish culture. Historically, the weekly sauna day was seen as dividing the working week from the weekend and, while there are no longer strict rules surrounding ‘sauna day’, these heated cabins are still universally seen as therapeutic.  

Today, almost 90% of Finns take a sauna at least once a week, with many maintaining that it’s the key to their happiness — Finland has topped the World Happiness Report for the last six years, after all. Indeed, the sauna is meditation, a time for safely storing phones away, taking time out from an increasingly digitalised world and simply being in the present moment.

Physically, saunas have always been seen to improve one’s health — an ancient Finnish proverb says: ‘If tar (antiseptic made from pine sap), vodka or the sauna won’t help, then the disease is fatal’ — and today science can offer some backup. Being immersed in heat and steam has been shown to improve metabolism, blood circulation and cardiovascular function, while also possibly helping with weight loss, and — for some — skin-related issues such as eczema and inflammation.

Sweat like a local

To get the full Finnish sauna experience, acquainting oneself with local customs is key. Social ‘sauna-ing’ took a dip in popularity when people began to integrate private saunas into their homes, but today it’s on the rise again, and bars like Löyly in Helsinki and Bodom in the nearby city of Espoo have even installed saunas for their patrons, so you can sweat while sipping on a local sahti beer. Saunas have once again become places for spending quality time with loved ones, having deep, candid chats, meeting strangers and even sealing business deals. 

Nudity is very normal. Historically, this was to keep the sauna as clean and pure as possible, and today Finns still prefer to sauna naked. When you remove your clothes, symbolically you’re also stepping out of your everyday roles and obligations, making yourself wholly equal to the person beside you. That being said, you’re unlikely to attract odd looks if you choose to wear a swimsuit. Ultimately saunas are about making everyone feel at their most relaxed, whatever that looks like, so don’t expect a long list of rules to adhere to.

Neither should you expect the air to be full of aromatic fragrances and soothing music. The Finnish sauna is renowned for its simplicity; a quiet and unchanging place where the sounds and smells remain the same wherever you are. While music may be non-existent, it’s common to come across bundles of birch twigs known as vihta, used to give yourself a unique massage. By gently slapping and brushing the body, it’s been suggested it helps stimulate blood circulation and leave the skin soft and supple.   

If the heat gets too much, Finns will also often alternate their sauna sessions with dips in cold water or even a quick roll around in the snow. With winter temperatures plummeting to -45C in some areas, this may sound slightly mad, but reports show that this sudden temperature change gives your immune system a significant boost. 

Saunas are well known in many cultures, from Sweden and Estonia to Turkey and Japan. The Finnish approach, however, is ancient, distinctive and sacred — and something not be missed.