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IN RECENT YEARS, outdoor saunas have surged in popularity, popping up across Ireland with increasing frequency. And there’s no sign of the trend cooling off anytime soon.
People are increasingly seeking out wellness experiences that connect them to nature and offer time for silence and contemplation.
We are living in a more health-conscious world. The progression and interest in health-focused research and the advent of social media and growth of computer health literacy have increased our awareness of what is good and not so good for our bodies.
Although it is always important to review the reference sources of health information to ensure it is based on evidence-based research, rather than anecdotal personal reflections of online health influencers.
Young people today are trading Friday evening binge drinking for sea swimming and saunas, conversations over pints to journaling and reflections between cold bath plunging and wood-burning sauna time.
This trend is driven by a desire for relaxation in today’s fast-paced, swipe and click-based culture, finding moments to pause in silence from the digital landscapes.
It is vital for our mental and emotional well-being to learn to disconnect, and we have become more conscious of the addictive nature of doomscrolling and social media. The health benefits of sauna use, such as improved circulation and stress relief, are also becoming more widely known, encouraging people to make the regular pilgrimage to their local outdoor sauna.
Sauna bathing, an activity that has been a tradition in Finland for thousands of years and mainly used for the purposes of pleasure and relaxation, is becoming increasingly popular in Ireland.
Research suggests that beyond its use for pleasure, sauna bathing may be linked to several other health benefits, which include a reduction in the risk of vascular diseases such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
The beneficial effects of sauna bathing on these outcomes have been linked to its effect on circulation, cardiovascular health and function, resulting in the modulation and lowering of systemic blood pressure. It has been noted that added health benefits accrue when frequent sauna bathing is combined with regular physical exercise and can help mitigate risk factors for heart disease.
Regular sauna use has also been found to have other health-related benefits related to neurocognitive diseases and non-vascular conditions, such as pulmonary (lung) disease as well as amelioration of conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, headaches and flu symptoms.
Evidence also suggests that sauna use has an anti-inflammatory effect and works as an antioxidant. Traditionally, saunas were used for purposes of pleasure and relaxation, but evidence also indicates that saunas have a positive impact on emotional well-being, stress reduction and enhanced mood. This plethora of positive health effects should surely drive interest in booking a slot in your local sauna.
Sauna bathing is a form of passive heat therapy. It entails exposure to high temperatures for brief periods. Traditional Finnish saunas were characterised by dry air, high temperatures and smoke, as heat was generated by burning wood.
Saunas generate high temperatures, from 80°C to 100°C, as you sit and sweat in low-humidity cabins, converted caravans and more recently, boogie sauna experiences and sites popping up across the country.
Most sauna research has been conducted using traditional Finnish-style saunas, which typically operate at temperatures of 80–100 °C with relatively low humidity. Sessions generally last ten to 20 minutes per round and are often repeated several times with cooling breaks in between.
Andrew, an architect by day and owner of The Sea Sauna in Portrane, turned his passion for sea swimming and the outdoors into a budding business. Tower Bay Beach in Portrane was his spot of choice, as he joined the Covid 19 sea swimming first timers, looking for outdoor pursuits during this challenging time.
He described his love of experiencing the community spirit associated with the sea swimming goers and seeing everyone embrace the outdoors, no matter the weather. It was here that he came up with the idea of adding something special, a sauna to warm up post-dipping in the freezing Irish Sea.
In May 2022, the Sea Sauna was born and has gone from strength to strength. Now, with three different sauna spaces that can accommodate up to 30 people at a time, this seaside sauna community of Portane is growing, and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to this beautiful spot.
David, the owner of The Barn Sauna and Go Gym in Limerick, became interested in cold therapy during a period of stress and like Andrew, he was first introduced to sea swimming.
After his first cold water dip, he described emerging from the water and ‘feeling back in the room’. This rush of adrenaline piqued his interest, and he began researching the bodily mechanisms at play. He has been having cold showers daily for the past 10 years.
David reflected on how people are moving away from pubs and seeking out connection in a more health-conscious world. He has since gone on to combine his love of cold therapy with sauna use and advises people to ‘Try it. Give it three chances, and if you don’t feel a change, so be it.
“The combined therapy of cold plunging and sauna use gives you a feeling. People of all different backgrounds are vulnerable when stripped back to their shorts or swim wear. They sit together and connect, striking up conversation. In an age where we are more connected than ever, people are feeling disconnected and seeking out community.’ The motto of The Barn Sauna is ‘It’s a feeling not a place’.
In the past year, what started as curiosity has quietly become a ritual. My weekly sauna has turned into something of a pilgrimage, sending me up and down the country in search of steam, heat and cold water.
From windswept coastal saunas like The Recovery Pod in Inchydoney and The Hot Pod in Clonea, to tucked-away river-side cabins like The Riverbank Sauna in Palmerstown, and urban settings thriving like The Hot Box offerings, each stop offers the same simple promise: step in, slow down, sweat it out and emerge clearer than before.
Whether the benefits come from the heat itself, the pause it forces us to take, or the cold plunge that follows, one thing is certain — I’ll be continuing the journey, one sauna at a time.
Stephen O’Rourke is a Clinical Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist at the Mater University Hospital, Dublin, with a specialist focus on spinal care and low back pain. He is also a guest lecturer at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and a former health contributor to The Farmer’s Journal.
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