Dr. Hans Hägglund on Sauna, Science, and Preventative Health | Sauna Talk Episode 115

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome a very special guest: Dr. Hans Hägglund. Hans Hägglund, MD, PhD, is a physician, professor at Uppsala University in northern Sweden, and senior consultant at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. With a deep background in clinical research and leadership in cancer care, his work bridges modern medicine with the enduring traditions of sauna and health. In this conversation, we connect with Hans in Stockholm and explore the growing global interest in sauna bathing and cold exposure. We talk about the challenges of researching their health benefits, and why sauna bathing deserves greater consideration within the broader context of preventative health and medicine. Hans shares insights from his work as former director of the Cancer Center at Uppsala University Hospital and his role as Sweden's national cancer coordinator. We also discuss his involvement across the sauna world—as a member of the Swedish Sauna Academy, the International Sauna Association, and the Sauna Research Institute—and his efforts to bring scientific rigor to sauna culture. Known by many as the "sauna doctor," Hans is also the author of The Sauna Book – Hot Facts on Sauna and Health, which has helped bridge the gap between research and tradition. Along the way, we touch on his personal journey, his earliest sauna memories, and his perspective on prevention as a powerful and often overlooked pillar of health. And, of course, we ask one of our favorite questions: from a Swedish—and global—perspective, what's the most misunderstood thing about sauna? Please welcome Dr. Hans Hägglund to Sauna Talk.