Evidence suggests saunas can boost heart health, but their real power may lie in bringing people together in an increasingly digital world
F
rom fields to floating pontoons, in horseboxes, barrels and beach huts, saunas are springing up across Britain. The British Sauna Society now lists about 640 saunas – up from 540 at the start of the year – while a recent report predicted the UK could become the world’s largest sauna market by 2033, outpacing even Finland and Germany.
“The continuing growth suggests that the peak has still yet to come – if there is one,” said Gabrielle Reason, the society’s director. But are saunas a tonic for the nation’s health – or a wellness fad with hidden risks?
When it comes to measurable health effects, the strongest evidence relates to the cardiovascular benefits of sauna use. These are “substantial”, said Prof Setor Kunutsor, Evelyn Wyrzykowski research chair in cardiology at the University of Manitoba in Canada.
