Why Swedish-style sauna is becoming a more popular wellness ritual

Sweating in the sauna is the theme of “Bara bada bastu”, the offbeat song by the group KAJ, representing Sweden at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in May. This humorous Swedish track celebrates one of the most emblematic and distinctive symbols of Nordic culture. What better opportunity to find out more about this age-old wellness ritual?

The sauna is synonymous with Nordic culture, and especially Finland, where it is a veritable way of life. With around three million saunas for just under six million inhabitants, it is an essential feature throughout the country, found in hotels, retirement homes, apartment buildings and even factories.

However, contrary to popular belief, its origin is neither Finnish nor even Scandinavian. Its earliest forms date back to the Bronze Age, when pits dug in the ground were used as sweat lodges. Stones heated over a fire were placed at the bottom, then covered with branches, thatch, or peat. Water poured over the hot stones released an enveloping vapour.

Remains of these ancestral baths have been found in Great Britain and Ireland, while similar practices also existed in the ancient Islamic world and among the indigenous peoples of Mexico and North America. As the BBC states, the sauna extends far beyond the borders of Scandinavia and is part of a much more universal tradition.

A ritual recognised by UNESCO

In 2020, UNESCO added the sauna to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, placing it alongside other cultural treasures such as Jamaican reggae, the Mediterranean diet and the Hungarian Csárdás dance.

In a sauna, people cleanse their bodies and minds and embrace a sense of inner peace. Traditionally, the sauna has been considered as a sacred space — a ‘church of nature’,” the organization explains on its website.

While UNESCO celebrates sauna culture in Finland, Sweden even dedicates a national day to the sauna, highlighting the importance of this ritual dedicated to well-being.

A range of health benefits

Much more than just a moment of relaxation, the sauna has many benefits for the body. In addition to improving blood circulation and promoting the elimination of toxins, it is believed to play a protective role against certain cardiovascular diseases.

An Australian study, published in 2018 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, has shown that regular sauna use is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. The beneficial effects of the sauna do not end there.

According to Canadian researchers, it could also contribute to the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, by limiting the accumulation of certain proteins involved in the disease. However, these benefits vary according to the frequency and duration of sauna sessions, and certain precautions are still necessary, particularly for people with heart problems.

A tried-and-tested diplomatic tool

You may already have heard of panda diplomacy, a tradition born under the Tang dynasty that involves “offering” giant pandas as gifts to seal or strengthen diplomatic relations. But another, lesser-known form of diplomacy is sauna diplomacy. This “soft power” strategy was initiated by Urho Kekkonen, president of Finland from 1956 to 1982.

Beyond its therapeutic benefits, the sauna has always been a place conducive to strategic discussions. Kekkonen made it a true diplomatic tool, regularly inviting leaders and diplomats — particularly Soviet ones — to share a sauna with him.

Among his illustrious guests were Nikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev, with whom he reportedly discussed sensitive subjects away from prying eyes. Convinced that the heat of the sauna and the absence of clothes and protocol barriers facilitated sincere exchanges, Kekkonen is said to have conducted key talks with Soviet officials in the sauna.

This unique approach is said to have enabled him to bolster Finnish neutrality while maintaining relations with Moscow.