Sauna Talk

Recorded live before a full audience at Sauna Days 2025, this special episode of Sauna Talk brings together four authors, educators, and lifelong students of human experience for a conversation that moves well beyond sauna itself. Joining me are Garrett Conover, author of Sauna Magic; Jesse Coomer, author and educator in breathwork and cold exposure; Harvey Martin, author of Breathe, Focus, Excel and Without Words; and myself, Glenn Auerbach, author of Sauna Build from Start to Finish. Together, we explore the experiences, obsessions, and questions that led each of us to write books and dedicate years of our lives to sharing what we've learned. Our discussion ranges from sauna culture, cold plunging, breathwork, athletics, coaching, and creativity to broader questions about wellness, personal growth, and what it means to live an examined life. We talk about the tension between science and intuition, the limits of protocols and optimization, and why authentic experiences often teach us more than information alone. Along the way, we reflect on how writing changes the writer, how teaching changes the teacher, and how books become snapshots of who we were at a particular moment in our own journeys. The conversation is candid, thoughtful, and at times deeply personal. Rather than presenting ourselves as experts with all the answers, we share stories of uncertainty, evolution, mistakes, and discovery. Whether discussing sauna, breath, cold exposure, nervous system regulation, or the search for meaning and connection in modern life, a common theme emerges: the most valuable lessons often come not from information, but from direct experience. If you've ever wondered why practices like sauna, breathwork, cold immersion, and time in nature can have such a profound impact on how we feel, think, and connect with ourselves and others, you'll find plenty to reflect on in this conversation. Recorded in the Great Lake Room at Sauna Days 2025, this is a live authors panel about writing, learning, teaching, and the lifelong pursuit of awareness, presence, and authentic human connection.

What happens when the exploding UK sauna movement meets the rapidly evolving North American sauna scene? Recorded live at Sauna Days 2025 on Minnesota's North Shore, this episode of Sauna Talk features a wide-ranging conversation with Jake Newport of Finnmark Sauna in the UK. Together, Glenn Auerbach and Jake explore where global sauna culture is headed next — from grassroots mobile saunas and floating bathhouses to luxury urban wellness spaces, aufguss experiences, and the rise of social sauna culture. Jake shares the remarkable story behind Finnmark Sauna and the transformation of sauna culture across the UK over the last decade. What was once dismissed as "hot dry boxes" in hotels and gyms has evolved into a thriving movement centered around contrast therapy, community, craftsmanship, ritual, and meaningful human connection. Topics include: The rise of sauna culture in the UK and parallels with the USA Mobile sauna movements, beach saunas, and floating saunas Othership, guided sauna experiences, and modern wellness trends Authentic sauna culture vs. commercialization Aufguss and curated sauna rituals Building community through heat and cold Sauna entrepreneurship and the future of the industry Why education and experience matter more than marketing hype The importance of purpose, connection, and slowing down This episode also features audience discussion and insights from leaders helping shape North American sauna culture, including conversations around social sauna spaces, accessibility, manufacturing, wellness businesses, and preserving the roots of authentic sauna practice. If you care about where sauna culture is going — and how to build it without losing its soul — this is an episode you won't want to miss. Subscribe to SaunaTimes.com for more authentic sauna conversations, builds, culture, and community. #sauna #finnmark #contrasttherapy #wellness #saunaculture #coldplunge #aufguss #communitysauna #saunatalk #saunadays #saunatimes

In this of Sauna Talk, Glenn Auerbach is joined bench-side by Josh Leddy of Get Sweaty with Leddy and sauna builder Leif Kjorness of Excelsior Saunas for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation recorded after multiple sauna and cold plunge rounds on Lake Ann in Minnesota.  What unfolds is more than a discussion about sauna. It's a conversation about craftsmanship, friendship, healing, community, and the ways sauna culture continues to evolve while still holding onto its roots. Josh shares how his lifelong connection to sauna eventually inspired him to launch Get Sweaty with Leddy, a YouTube channel and podcast focused on natural healing, pain management, and meaningful conversations that happen best on the sauna bench. He talks about his upcoming mobile sauna project, his vision for creating immersive wellness gatherings through movement and music, and why sauna creates a unique environment where people can truly connect without barriers. Leif reflects on his journey from custom home building into the sauna world, and how building saunas became more than construction work — it became a calling. He discusses craftsmanship, quality building principles, the importance of slowing life down, and the fulfillment that comes from creating spaces where people gather, reflect, and reconnect with themselves and each other. The conversation also dives into the details behind the "party sauna" concept, including large panoramic windows, skylights, thoughtful ventilation, and building mobile saunas designed to foster memorable shared experiences. Throughout the episode, Glenn shares stories from the early days of SaunaTimes, the origins of Sauna Days on the North Shore of Lake Superior, and his own formative sauna experiences hitchhiking through Finland and Sweden as a young traveler. Together, the three discuss the rise of mobile sauna culture in Minnesota, the power of hot-cold contrast therapy, the difference between manufactured cold plunges and natural bodies of water, and the emotional reset that happens when people gather around heat, steam, cold water, and conversation. There are moments of humor, reflection, and philosophy woven throughout — from stories about cutting fresh ice holes by hand to discussions about social media fatigue, authentic community building, and the importance of finding your own operating system for life. Glenn closes by sharing the personal framework that grounds him today: Freedom, Enoughness, Nature, and Simplicity. This episode captures what sauna culture is really about at its best: generosity, vulnerability, camaraderie, and the simple but profound experience of being fully present together. Topics discussed include: Mobile sauna culture Sauna building and craftsmanship Sauna Days and grassroots sauna community Cold plunging and winter swimming Natural healing and pain management Lake Superior sauna culture Music, movement, and sauna gatherings The mental and physical benefits of contrast therapy Friendship, reflection, and slowing down The future of sauna culture in America Guests: Josh Leddy — Get Sweaty with Leddy Leaf Kjorness — Excelsior Saunas

n this live panel from Sauna Days 2025, Glenn welcomes two of the most thoughtful voices in sauna research, Dr. Ashley Mason of UCSF and Earric Lee of the Montreal Heart Institute, for a candid conversation about the current state of sauna science, where the evidence is strong, where it is still emerging, and why integrity matters when talking about health benefits in the sauna world. This episode goes far beyond the usual wellness headlines. Ashley and Earric dig into the real responsibility that comes with promoting sauna for health, especially in a moment when many businesses lean on scientific claims to sell sauna experiences, home builds, and products. Rather than oversimplifying the message, this discussion brings nuance, humility, and rigor to the bench. Earric shares insights from two major projects: a cardiac rehabilitation study exploring whether regular sauna bathing can improve outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease, and a sweeping review of roughly 80 years of heat-therapy research, covering everything from traditional sauna and infrared sauna to hot water immersion and foot baths. One of the big takeaways: despite all the enthusiasm around sauna today, the actual number of long-term published studies is still surprisingly limited, and the field has a lot of room to grow. Ashley brings the mental health lens, drawing from her work on depression, insomnia, and body-based therapies that do not rely on drugs. She explains how heat exposure may relate to thermoregulation, serotonin pathways, and mood improvement, and describes the striking relationship between body temperature and depression. In her research, some people with depression appear to run "hot," not because of fever, but because their bodies do not cool as effectively. That opens a fascinating question: can changing body temperature help change mental state? Together, Glenn, Ashley, and Earric explore the difference between clinical research and practical sauna use. They talk about why researchers sometimes use intense protocols that are not meant to be copied at home, how long heat exposure may matter more than many people realize, and why dosage, frequency, and total heat load are still not well defined. The conversation also touches on the challenge of translating laboratory findings into real-world sauna practice, especially for people seeking guidance they can actually use. A major thread throughout the panel is the distinction between traditional sauna and infrared sauna. Earric shares data from the literature showing a fairly even split in long-term published work between the two, while also noting that many infrared studies come from the same Japanese "Waon therapy" tradition. Ashley explains why her own clinical work uses controlled infrared whole-body heating: not because it is culturally superior, but because it allows researchers to isolate heat as a variable and reliably elevate core temperature over time. The panel also gets refreshingly honest about what remains uncertain. Can a traditional sauna session raise core temperature to the same levels used in clinical depression studies? Maybe, but probably not easily. Is cold plunging necessary? Not necessarily. Does contrast therapy add something meaningful beyond helping people stay in the heat longer? The science is still catching up. Are there clear protocols for children, older adults, athletes, or people with type 1 diabetes? Not yet, at least not with the level of certainty most people would hope for. There is also a strong practical thread in this episode. Earric encourages sauna bathers to keep a sauna log, much like an exercise log, tracking time, temperature, frequency, and personal response. The idea is simple but powerful: if sauna is a stressor that leads to adaptation, then paying attention to your individual dose matters. Ashley adds an important layer to that idea by reminding listeners that human beings are not static. Age, fitness, depression, stress, sleep, and general health all influence how the body handles heat. Audience questions help widen the discussion even further. The panel touches on core temperature versus skin temperature, wearable technology, the limits of common thermometers, the role of sweating and blood redistribution, how cold exposure may or may not complement sauna, the possibility that some sauna benefits come not just from heat but from social connection, rest, hydration, and ritual, and why future research needs better control groups to separate these effects. What emerges is a thoughtful, grounded, and deeply useful conversation: sauna science without the chest-thumping, without the overclaiming, and without losing the wonder. This episode is for sauna builders, bathers, researchers, health professionals, and anyone who wants a clearer picture of what heat can do for the human body and mind, and what questions still deserve honest study. In this episode: Dr. Ashley Mason and Earric Lee discuss the current state of sauna research, long-term heat therapy studies, traditional sauna versus infrared sauna, depression and thermoregulation, cardiac rehab, body temperature tracking, dosage and duration, cold exposure, aging, children and heat, diabetes considerations, and why the future of sauna science depends on asking better questions with more rigor.

In this episode of Sauna Talk, Glenn sits down with Bill Gifford, author of Hotwired: How the Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger, for a wide-ranging conversation on sauna, heat adaptation, and the connection between physical challenge and mental well-being. Bill shares how his journey into heat began through personal stress, scientific curiosity, and his reporting on the powerful effects of sauna and thermal exposure. Together, Glenn and Bill explore the famous Finnish sauna research of Dr. Jari Laukkanen, the role of heat in cardiovascular and mental health, and the way sauna can act as both a physiological reset and a social connector. They also dive into Bill's experience training for the brutal Hotter Than Hell 100, what heat adaptation teaches us about resilience, and why sauna offers something much bigger than simple recovery. From neurotransmitters and stress relief to friendship, veterans' healing, and the culture of bathing, this episode shows how heat can make us stronger in body, mind, and spirit. Click here to purchase Bill's new book.

Recorded live at Sauna Days 2025, this episode of Sauna Talk brings together a thoughtful panel of doctors who sauna for a grounded conversation on heat, health, and the real role of sauna in modern life. Glenn is joined by Dr. Jeremiah Eisenchenk, Dr. Brandon Dotson, Dr. Brittany Kimball, and Dr. Ashley Mason for a lively discussion on what we know, what we don't know, and why sauna continues to matter for both personal well-being and community connection. This conversation explores: cardiovascular health and the most-cited sauna studies sleep, mood, depression, stress reduction, and mental health sauna and respiratory health recovery, inflammation, and everyday wellness detox claims, hydration, and where the evidence stands the difference between lived sauna experience and overhyped wellness marketing why more rigorous sauna research is still needed What makes this episode special is the balance: medical perspective, personal experience, Finnish-American sauna tradition, and a shared respect for sauna as both practice and place. Recorded lakeside with the Sauna Days crowd in the room, this is a conversation about more than research. It's about why people keep returning to sauna—for clarity, healing, friendship, and that feeling that some things still can't be improved by screens or speed.

In this special episode of Sauna Talk, I'm joined inside one of the Culture of Bathing Sauna Village saunas in New York City by three fellow authors whose work explores heat bathing culture from very different perspectives. This conversation was recorded on the sauna bench during the 2026 Culture of Bathing Festival in New York City. Recorded during Culture of Bathing 2.0 gathering on the East River, this conversation brings together authors Yuval Zohar (Towards a Nude Architecture), Emma O'Kelly (Sauna: The Power of Deep Heat and Wild Sauna), Bill Gifford (Hotwired: How Heat Makes Us Stronger), and yours truly Glenn Auerbach (Sauna Build: Start to Finish). On the bench, as conversation flows and steam rises, our discussion moves across continents and traditions—from Japanese sento bathhouses and onsen towns to the surprising explosion of wild sauna culture along the coasts of Great Britain. Along the way we explore: The global revival of sauna and bathhouse culture Why community bathing is making a comeback The science behind heat, mood, and the "sauna high" Japan's evolving bathing traditions The rapid growth of sauna culture in the UK The empowering idea that anyone can build their own sauna At its core, this conversation reflects a shared belief among all four authors: good heat knows no borders.

In this special episode of Sauna Talk, the tables are turned as Adam Pambatanaka, COO of Therme Group U.S., steps into the interviewer's role and puts Glenn on the bench. Recorded live at Sauna Village in New York City in February 2026, this conversation dives into Glenn's own sauna origin story, from getting hooked in the Baltic archipelago to helping champion mobile saunas, sauna building, and public sauna culture across North America. Adam guides the discussion through the big themes that have shaped Glenn's work with SaunaTimes: the rise of sauna in the public domain, the DIY sauna movement, floating saunas, sauna villages, and the growing momentum behind authentic bathing culture in the U.S. Along the way, Glenn reflects on how far sauna has come, what still matters most, and why both home sauna and public sauna can thrive side by side. This episode also explores the spirit of sauna itself: fewer rules, more listening; less protocol, more presence. For newcomers, enthusiasts, builders, and operators alike, this is a wide-ranging conversation about heat, cold, freedom, and the human connections that happen on the bench. Stay tuned through the end for bonus coverage with Sami Ranta, Finnish sauna designer and builder of the village's flagship performance sauna, who shares thoughtful perspective on sauna design, freedom in bathing culture, and why beautiful "mistakes" can lead to great sauna. In this episode: Glenn's sauna origin story From backyard sauna to public sauna movement The rise of mobile saunas and sauna villages Home sauna vs. public sauna SaunaTimes, sauna circuits, and DIY resources Guidance for first-time bathers Bonus conversation with Sami Ranta on sauna design and innovation A heartfelt, wide-open episode that offers listeners a rare chance to hear Glenn's own story, in his own words, from the other side of the microphone.

Today on the bench, we sit withValtteri Rantala, A Finn living in Vancouver BC since 2016. Val started a Sauna company in Vancouver in 2019. And in the shadows of Western Red Cedars, we'll hear the origin stories of the budding West Coast Sauna Summit at Loon Lake Lodge and Retreat center, one of the pins on Val's Vancouver Sauna Circuit. We just returned from the second West Coast Sauna Summit here in 2026. And I was able to attend last year's inaugural Summit in 2025. The Vibes at the West Coast Sauna Summit are quite familiar to me, as founder and lead contributor for Sauna Days, Larsmont Cottages, Two Harbors Minnesota. The similar vibe is: a collection of mobile saunas, a kick ass facility, access to clean cold water, and mix in a hundreds or so like minded thermal enthusiasts and some Sauna Talk presentations, stir the soup, and what we are met with are wonderful, collaborative, spontaneous connections. Endorphins rushing between rounds, legal libations sprinkled in like fresh basil. Anyhow, back to the Vancouver Sauna Circuit. In addition to the Loon Lake Lodge and Retreat Center, Val dots the SaunaTimes sauna map with a few other bathhouses. And in this episode we get to hear a little bit more about these facilities. Let's keep in mind that as you click around the SaunaTimes map, and the Vancouver Circuit specifically, clicking the Vancouver Circuit button again will bring us out to all the bathhouses on the map. A circuit is not meant to be all inclusive. A circuit is a Scouts window into their city, collection, community. And let's not forget the adjacencies, where "people like us do things like this." and in Val's case are a couple hikes and restaurants within the Vancouver area.

Welcome to this episode of Sauna Talk recorded on multiple sauna benches at the Culture of Bathing Sauna Village in New York City. I'll keep this introduction brief as we turn the microphone over to four pillars behind the second annual Culture of Bathing gathering. This year, the gathering was layered adjacent to the opening of New York Cities first sauna village. A village of 15 architecturally-distinct saunas set along the Williamsburg waterfront. Featuring: Mikkel Aaland: The Godfather of Sweat Cosmin-Nicolae Cîrîc: King of the Sauna Experience Robert Hammond: President and Chief Strategy Officer, Therme Group US, United States Adam Bamba Tanaka: Chief Operating Officer, Therme Group US Event Info: Culture of Bathing Sauna Village, New York City NY 15-17 saunas, NEW YORK'S FIRST EVER SAUNA FESTIVAL DOMINO PARK, WILLIAMSBURG FEBRUARY 12 — MARCH 1, 2026 7AM TO 10PM DAILY. More information is here.

Today's episode comes to you from the recent West Coast Sauna Summit, outside Vancouver BC Canada, where I had the honour of interviewing Mikkel Aaland, the Godfather of Sweat, live in front of a packed room of thermal enthusiasts. It's no secret that Mikkel has been a mentor to me, in sweat, in sauna, and in life. What I've always admired is his refusal to stay inside the box. Instead, he works the edges of it, where things are more interesting, more impactful, and where real change actually happens. In this conversation, we dig into three ideas that are front and center for him right now: Sauna Aid, A different operating model for bathhouse owners and aspiring saunapreneurs, And sustainability through his three-pillar approach to the sweat bathing ecosystem —physical, social, and spiritual. Mikkel may be ten years my senior, but he can hang, and party, with people half his age. Timeless, ageless, and endlessly curious. I'm proud to present my conversation with Mikkel Aaland. For more with Mikkel Aaland, please check out my 2020 interview with Mikkel here. And my 2016 interview here.  

Today on the bench, we sit together with Keegan Kittock, co-founder of Deep Wave Sauna. With the rising tide of sauna also comes marketing talk, pedantic chatter, and graphs and charts about how air supposedly moves in the hot room. So it's extra special and refreshing to visit with someone like Keegan. In this episode, we start at the beginning—picturing Keegan after elementary school, dragging a magnet around a building site, earning bubble-gum money working for his father's contracting company. And like many of us, catching the sauna bug at a young, impressionable age up north at the family cabin: long rounds, long dock time, and plunging in the lake, splashing around with neighbors, friends, and family. Love of sauna and love of construction are two powerful forces pointing toward building saunas for others. Add to that Aaron—Keegan's lifelong friend, collaborator, and business partner—and you have Deep Wave Sauna. Ask them at Sauna Days or outside one of their builds how the company got its name and you'll get right to the heart of it. Deep Wave. A nod to the nerdiness without the pedantic edge. Keegan can talk in great technical detail about different wavelengths of heat and steam, but he's well past trying to impress. He's relatable and genuinely fun to Sauna Talk with. Deep heat. That wave that feels so good on the bench. That's enough. When we consider the holy trinity of good sauna (heat, steam, ventilation), the first two we can get our arms around, but ventilation is oblique—impossible to see, harder to feel, and easy to misunderstand. But Keegan has earned the title of "thermal whisperer" among fellow sauna aficionados. He's the one who taught me that air is a fluid and should be understood as such. So when we talk about good ventilation, we talk about the lazy river. Stay tuned for more in this episode—why this is what we aim for, and how many saunas can achieve it naturally and passively without the mechanical buzz-kill easy street. Keegan brings it down to earth. And I'm overjoyed to have made my way out to his prairie-style sauna on his property west of the Twin Cities. I love his sauna. Spiritual Patina rating: solid 9.0. Within this article on SaunaTimes are a few photos taken from Keegan's sauna. And you can check these out and it'll likely bring you right there with us, on the bench, where we recorded this episode for you.    

Today on the virtual bench we visit with longtime thermal enthusiast, friend, and SaunaTimes contributor Kev who takes us through the public bathhouses in and around Chicago for this Sauna Circuit. As you'll hear in this episode, Kev is no stranger to the saunas, banyas, and bathhouses in his hometown. What's cool about Chicago is that the banya culture is well developed.. and also quite historic thanks to aptly entitled Chicago Bathhouse, a traditional bathhouse at 1914 W. Division Street in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, which has operated since 1906. Formerly Red Square, this Russian-style bathhouse has been in operation since 1906. Featured in a 2016 SaunaTimes blog post here. And layered on top of that, you'll hear about the Asian inspired King Spa, the deep heavy heat offered at Chicago Sweatlodge, the new Kiln floating sauna – a dream come true right there floating on Lake Michigan at Navy Pier, and a Kev fan favorite the Sauna Club, where its affirmed that "we can solve for heat, but sometimes solving for the cold is more of a challenge." And in this case, the time to leave the hot room is when the idea of a fresh cold lake plunge in Lake Michigan, just steps away, is about the best idea you've ever heard. And each Sauna Circuit includes a few gems and "adjacencies." These are special places shared with you by Kev, the Chicago Sauna Scout. These adjacencies are in the spirit of "people like us do things like this." For example, the Navy Pier and Lakefront Path give Chicago visitors a real flavor of the city, and also a chance to get some exercise before round one. And there's some extra special restaurants to check out – each conveniently adjacent to a Chicago bathhouse, like Smoke Daddy BBQ, Lou Malnattis Pizza, and SuperDawg Drive-In, just to name a few. So, whether you live in Chicago, or thinking of heading to Chicago for a vacation, or on the march to the Windy City for work or a trade show, this Sauna Circuit is right here for you. To access, simply go to SaunaTimes.com, click on the Sauna Circuit map, and then the Chicago Sauna Circuit.. and from there, you're well on your way. Let's visit with Kev, and bring you along to the Chicago Sauna Circuit.

Today, on Sauna Talk, and almost on the sauna bench, I'm pleased to bring you the folks behind the three major American sauna stove makers. American manufacturing at work! Garrett, Lamppa Manufacturing, Tower, Minnesota, Population 421 Philip, Nippa, Beulah, MI, Population 303 Lynn, Ilo, Dollar Bay, Michigan, Population 1,070 We talk through what their company looks like, their community, and what their opinions are on the North American sauna industry. Small town manufacturing. Direct to consumer, factory direct. Products Made with quality with longevity in mind. A couple of terms: Cost engineering: Designed in a way that reduces manufacturing costs—sometimes at the expense of quality, durability, or performance. Margin stacking: When every step in a product's journey — manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, retailer — adds a profit margin, and those margins compound into a much larger final price. More here.

Today on the bench, we bring you to Larsmont Cottages, Two Harbors. Minnesota for a special roundtable discussion with four sauna builders from four different countries as part of Sauna Days 2025. Alex, Bsaunasusa, Belarus Keegan, Deep Wave Saunas, USA Jake, Finnmark, UK Andrew, Sauna Builder, Canada The weather was wonderful, the heat was resonating, and our conversation went deep.

Today on Sauna Talk, we are joined by the dynamic duo of researcher from Emery University, Deanna Kaplan and Roman Palitsky. Deanna Kaplan Deanna Kaplan, PhD is a clinical psychologist with expertise in digital health technologies. She has more than a decade of experience using wearable and smartphone-based technologies to study the dynamics of health processes and clinical change during daily life. Her research is grounded in a whole-person (bio-psycho-social-spiritual) model of health, and much of her work focuses on investigating the dynamics of change of integrative interventions, such as psychedelic-assisted therapies and contemplative practices. Dr. Kaplan is the Director of the Human Experience and Ambulatory Technologies (HEAT) Lab, a multidisciplinary collaboration between the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Emory Spiritual Health. More information about the HEAT Lab is here. Dr. Kaplan is the co-creator and Scientific Director of Fabla, an unlicensed Emory-hosted app for multimodal daily diary and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) research. Fabla is an EMA app that can securely collect voice-recorded, video-recorded , and photographic responses from research participants. More information about Fabla is here. Dr. Kaplan holds an adjunct appointment in Emory's Department of Psychology and is appointed faculty for several Emory centers, including the Winship Cancer Institute, Emory Spiritual Health (ESH), the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality (ECPS), and the Advancement of Diagnostics for a Just Society (ADJUST) Center. She also holds an appointment as an adjunct Assistant Professor at Brown University in affiliation with the Center for Digital Health. Dr. Kaplan received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona, completed her predoctoral clinical internship at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Brown University, where she received an F32 National Research Service Award (NRSA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Her research is funded by the NIH, the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation, and the Vail Health Foundation among others. She was named as a 2025 Rising Star by Genomics Press for her work in mental health assessment innovation. Roman Palitsky Roman Palitsky, MDiv, Ph.D. is Director of Research Projects for Emory Spiritual Health and a Research Psychologist for Emory University School of Medicine. His research program investigates the pathways through which culture and health interact by examining the biological, psychological, and social processes that constitute these pathways. His areas of interest include biopsychosocial determinants in cardiovascular health, chronic pain, and grief. In collaboration with Emory Spiritual Health, his research addresses cultural and existential topics in healthcare such as religion, spirituality, and the way people find meaning in suffering, as they relate to health and illness. His work has also focused on the role of religious and existential worldviews in mindfulness-based interventions, as well as implementation and cultural responsiveness of these interventions. Dr. Palitsky's academic training includes a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona with a concentration in Behavioral Medicine/Health Psychology, and a Master of Divinity from Harvard University. He completed clinical internship in the behavioral medicine track at Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School, where he also completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Deanna and Roman were in town attending and speaking at the 2025 SSSR Conference, Society for the Scienific Study of Religion. And as you will hear, we get deep into the spirit of sauna, a spiritual connection we allow ourselves to have, presented to us through the wonderfulness of time on the bench and chilling out in the garden, all misty wet with rain.

I've had the pleasure of sitting on the sauna bench with well over a hundred guests for Sauna Talk. Whether you're listening in your car, out for a walk, or sweating it out on your own bench, my goal as host is to help keep the conversation flowing. Like good löyly, Sauna Talk rises, rolls, and wraps around us—natural, unforced, and alive. That same spirit was there last night with Chris Heck. Chris grew up in Northern Minnesota, made his way into engineering school, and deep into his electrical engineering career. He spent a couple years living in Finland—where sauna isn't a luxury, it's an everyday way of life. He travels to Finland regularly working for Wärtsilä a global company with over 10,000 employees, a leader in innovative technologies for the marine and energy markets. Big equipment for ships and energy plants. We met on a late fall afternoon under cool rain and heavy clouds. The last time I stood in his backyard was several months previous. His sauna was still just a shell—bare studs and roof. Seeing his completed sauna brought a different kind of warmth. Before round one, I snapped a few photos, smiling at the thought that my Sauna Build book helped Chris bring his own health and wellness backyard retreat to life. Once we settled onto the bench, the talk found its rhythm—thermally aligned in good spirit. Just like a good sauna round, it built naturally, with heat, laughter, and a shared appreciation for how something so simple can feel so good. As the rounds went on, so did the conversation—about work and life, Finland and Minnesota, and how sauna has a way of connecting it all. That's what Sauna Talk is about: real people who recognize that good heat knows no borders. So grab your towel, pour a little water on the rocks, and join us for this session with Chris Heck.

Welcome to this episode of Sauna Talk, where we head back to Farris Bad, resort spa and wellness retreat South of Oslo, Norway. We get to sit with Jerome, who is a long standing steam master at the resort. Here he leads aufguss ceremony and assists two time Sauna Talk guest Lasse Eriksen. 10,000 hours One thing I wish I had asked Jerome in this interview is to venture a guess at how many guests he's "entertained" (if that's the right word) over his 10-plus years leading aufguss sessions at this world-renowned facility. Some quick farmer's math gets us close: a few sessions a day, five days a week, for 10 years… that adds up to well over 10,000 people. I'm one of those 10,000—a repeat guest for a couple of years, attending several of his aufguss ceremonies. An Aufgussmeister, in my view, is best to not be lead into temptation. For like a church paster, there could be that ego boost that comes from standing in front of an audience, performing. Controlling the movement of steam, and the administering of essences and microclimate manipulation could give one a feeling of power, dominance even. Aufguss master responsibilities Yet Lasse instills some deep and powerful education with his students. He gives them freedom to be creative with their art, yet he also instills true message that the sauna is the teacher. The stove and the heat and steam it creates is to be respected. The duty an aufgussmeister has to those sitting on the bench is an important one. Safety is critical. For the under educated, pushing steam and controlling time in the hot room is a noble and great responsibility. Each session is led with an important statement. You are welcome to leave the session, but once you leave, do not come back in. The door to the hot room opens in one direction during an aufguss ceremony. But back to Jerome. After producing over 100 Sauna Talk podcasts, I've learned what makes a guest unforgettable: someone who can take us right to the edge of the box. During my visits to Farris Bad, Jerome would casually share insights about aufguss—and every time, I'd think, people need to hear and feel this for themselves! Today, we get that chance, right now. Let's step behind the scenes into the fascinating, ever-evolving world of aufguss. Please welcome Jerome to Sauna Talk! Podcast summary Jerome Farris, a sauna master at Farris Bad in Larvik, Norway, discusses his role and background. He has been at Farris Bad for eight years, having moved from Switzerland. Jerome speaks multiple languages and has a Montessori teaching background, which he applies to his sauna master role. He emphasizes the importance of sensory experiences and the therapeutic aspects of sauna rituals. Farris Bad has seven saunas and offers courses for aspiring steam masters. Jerome highlights the collaborative and non-prescriptive nature of the sauna experience, aiming to connect guests with their roots and elements. He also shares insights into the sauna's cultural significance and its benefits for well-being. Key Moments 2:36-3:48 Jerome explains how his background with kids at Montessori and performance art helped him with his current job in sauna- so interesting! 8:44-9:03 Jerome talks about proposing to his wife! 30:12-31:00 Jerome discusses people pushing themselves/ MMA fighters- this was interesting  

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.

Today on the sauna bench, we head to Oslo, Norway, and visit with the folks at Oslo Badstuforening, (Oslo Sauna Association). This is my second trip to Norway in as many years. They say that you never step into the same river twice, and I'll contend that we never sit on the same sauna bench twice. For last year, I took many saunas in the Oslo Harbour, as well as published a Sauna Talk with the Oslo Sauna Association team – and you can listen to that episode which is #99. And this year, I get right back into the Oslo sauna spirit, yet with more focus on the "behind the scenes" history, construction, operation, and warm hearted people who make it all happen. Because frankly, I'm overwhelmed with the Badstu Boom, as it's called. I really dig the Norwegians! The Norwegians They have sauna (badstu) deep in their Viking history. They approach it width depth and culture like the Finns, but with the open minded collaborative artful attention and appreciation of the Brits. AND without the capitalistic franchise money to be made CEO Instagramification land grab of many Americans. Take this Sauna Talk as example. Main guests on this show are Ragna, Secretary General, Oslo Badstuforening. And Aslak, who also has an official sounding title at Oslo Badstuforening, along the lines of "chief operations manager" which could mean loading firewood in the morning and replacing a burned out stove in the afternoon. A few different countries And we get to sauna serendipity also, as Hannah Mary Goodland joins us from Haar Sauna which is located way up north in the British Isles. Haar Sauna is the first mobile sauna in Scotland. Hannah Mary is also in Oslo and so what better than a bunch of sauna business folks from different a few different countries Sauna Talking it out on the bench, while over looking the fjord in Oslo. For those familiar, and for those who keep up with SaunaTimes and sauna travel, Oslo Sauna Association has an every expanding fleet of floating saunas. Each one unique, named after a particular bird, and pretty much guaranteed to have local Oslo residents with a few foreigners sprinkled in for contrast social therapy. For our Sauna Talk, Ragna chooses for us the Seagull Sauna. And you'll soon get to hear why she chose this particular sauna, out of the 24 or so floating nearby. I think about the floating sauna revolution. I wrote about it here over two years ago. And since then, I have written and reviewed several other floating saunas, such as my friends Nick and Jess at Löyly floating in BC Canada, who now have three more floating projects in development. David, of course, from Von Sauna in Seattle, who I met at Sauna Days aboard the Viking Floating Sauna. And has what many report to be incredibly great heat on Lake Washington. But the thing is, floating saunas are all over the place in Europe, and you can check in with Sauna Sam who takes us dockside in Amsterdam, for example. Catching the floating sauna bug Many of these floating saunapreneurs caught the bug and inspiration from their times in Oslo, including the just christened Alex and Gabe's aptly titled Fjord Sauna, the first floating sauna in San Francisco Bay Area. And soon to be launched, we will visit with Kate Butchart, an American who lived in Oslo for seven years, who is introducing Kos Sauna, the first floating sauna to open on Saratoga Lake in Saratoga Springs, NY, scheduled to debut in September 2025. Kos "koos" translates from Norwegian as a concept meaning cozy joy—simplicity that fosters small delights and community. Sound familiar? Well, let's get to it. From the floating sauna bench in Oslo Norway, I am pleased to bring you this episode of Sauna Talk!

This episode of Sauna Talk is a special joint conversation with Linda and Otto of The Spirit of Sauna podcast, coming to you from Sipoonjoki Heritage Sauna just outside Helsinki, Finland. Linda and Otto are partners in both business and passion—dedicated to preserving the cultural roots of Finnish smoke sauna while creating a place for education, rituals, and retreat in nature. I'd call Sipoonjoki a true smoke sauna haven. Their flagship smoke sauna is built in traditional fashion—set into a hillside with stone walls—and offers a deeply grounding experience. Beyond the heat, they offer saunotus treatments using plants and herbs gathered on site, along with educational programs and retreats that connect guests to the deeper spirit of sauna. Getting there is part of the journey. From Helsinki, I make my way by train, heading just beyond the city into a landscape that quickly shifts from urban to forest. Otto meets me at the station, and from there we drive into Sipoonkorpi National Park—arriving at a place that feels far removed from the city, yet surprisingly close. This visit is part of a broader theme from my recent travels: going beyond the obvious. While many sauna visitors experience the well-known destinations in Helsinki, fewer make their way out to places like Sipoonjoki—where the connection to nature, tradition, and quiet is immediate. On the day of my visit, as I'm leaving, a group of Finnish women arrives for their private smoke sauna ritual—a reminder that this tradition is alive, shared, and deeply woven into everyday life. We settle in, microphones on, and begin a joint conversation—The Spirit of Sauna meets Sauna Talk. From the bench at Sipoonjoki, please welcome Linda and Otto.  

This episode of Sauna Talk comes to you from London, England—on the morning after the British Sauna Summit. I meet up with Stig Arild Pettersen, Secretary General of the Norwegian Sauna Association, at Hackney Baths. It's the perfect setting for a conversation about what's happening in sauna culture right now—not just in Norway, but across borders. Stig is also the host of Badstuprat, Norway's version of Sauna Talk, and together we compare notes on what many are calling the "Badstu Boom." From Britain's emerging bathing renaissance to Norway's deeply rooted sauna traditions, we explore how sauna culture is evolving in different parts of the world—and what connects it all. Stig and I share a common appreciation for good heat, authentic sauna experiences, and the positive energy that comes from a culture rediscovering itself. We talk about how sauna lives in the DNA of Norway, much like Finland, and how new generations are helping carry that tradition forward. We also touch on pockets of strong sauna culture in North America—places where climate, water, and heritage have long supported the practice—and how those regions compare to what's happening across the Atlantic. Just hours after this conversation, I'm on a flight from London to Oslo to experience the Badstu Boom firsthand—something special about talking sauna in one country, then stepping directly into it in another. The Sauna Talk global series continues. Good heat knows no borders. From the bench at Hackney Baths, please welcome Stig Arild Pettersen.

This episode of Sauna Talk comes to you from the British Sauna Summit, held May 20, 2025, at the Hilton London Canary Wharf. What a difference a year makes. At the first Summit in 2024, about 120 of us gathered on a rooftop in Hackney—part conference, part family gathering. This year, attendance swelled to well over 300, and the setting shifted to a proper hotel ballroom. A clear sign of something growing. This is the evolution of sauna in Britain. What began as a passionate, grassroots movement has quickly developed into a structured and expanding community. The British Sauna Society now represents a wide network of "saunapreneurs"—operators of public saunas across the UK's coastlines, waterways, and cities. And yet, despite the growth, the spirit remains. I had the honor of announcing the winners of the second annual Sauna Summit Awards, recognizing standout saunas across several categories. While there's certainly pride behind the scenes, what stands out most is the sense of collaboration. The British sauna scene carries a shared belief: a rising tide lifts all sauna boats. Spending time in London again also brought back memories from my earlier days living here. There's a cultural thread in Britain—a long-standing commitment to accessibility and community support—that feels very much alive in today's sauna movement. In this episode, we catch conversations throughout the Summit with a range of voices helping shape the future of sauna, including: Harvia Jake Newport Lassi Liikkanen Mark Lamb Emma O'Kelly Sauna from Finland Carita Harju Rob da Bank These are conversations from the hallways, between sessions, and behind the scenes—capturing a moment in time as sauna culture in the UK continues to take shape. From London, I'm pleased to bring you this episode of Sauna Talk.

Welcome to this special episode of Sauna Talk, recorded at the Culture of Bathing gathering in New York City, January 2025. This is a bit of a two-part conversation. We begin with a behind-the-scenes discussion featuring Adam of Thermë USA, who moderates a panel of public sauna operators from across North America. Together, they reflect on the gathering itself and the growing interest in sauna as a shared, public experience. From there, we move into the live panel discussion, recorded in front of an audience of nearly 100 attendees. Joining the conversation are: Annette, from Tampa Bay, Florida Kelly, from Hudson Valley, New York Stephanie, from Montreal, Quebec Each brings a unique perspective on what it takes to build, operate, and sustain public sauna in their respective regions. What emerges is a snapshot of a movement in progress. Public sauna in North America is still finding its footing—shaped by climate, culture, regulation, and community—but there's a clear and growing momentum. These are the voices helping define what that future looks like. From New York City, please enjoy this special episode of Sauna Talk.

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome back Mika Meskanen and Wendy Liu. Mika, originally from Finland, and Wendy, with roots in China, now call London home. We recorded this conversation together on the sauna bench in my backyard sauna in Minneapolis—just the way Sauna Talk is meant to happen. This is our second conversation, following Episode #54, and as always, something special happens when we settle into the heat and let the discussion unfold naturally. Mika and Wendy are a dynamic duo in the sauna world. They lead sauna travel experiences to Finland, helping others connect with authentic sauna culture at its source. Along the way, they've become thoughtful observers—and contributors—to how sauna is evolving beyond Finland, particularly in the UK. In this episode, we talk about: Their origin story and how sauna became central to their lives What makes Finnish sauna culture distinct—and how it translates abroad The growing sauna scene in Britain The philosophy that "the stove should always win" Wendy's role as a connector and advocate through Sauna Aid This is a relaxed, honest conversation—less about conclusions, more about shared experience, perspective, and the subtle things that make sauna meaningful. From the backyard sauna bench in Minneapolis, please welcome Mika and Wendy.

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome back Jon Sabes. Jon first joined us on Episode #61, and in this conversation, we reconnect on the same sauna bench in Minneapolis. He's in town from Los Angeles for a winter weekend, and we meet after a cross-country ski on Lake Minnetonka—just as the sauna is coming up to temperature. There's something about talking with authors on the bench. The conversation tends to flow easily—like good steam in the hot room. Jon's new book, Healthy Wealthy Longevity, is at the center of our discussion. It's a thoughtful guide to living with intention, built on the idea that small, consistent actions shape the bigger picture of our lives. On the bench, we explore a few key themes from the book: How daily habits compound over time—for better or worse The connection between physical health, financial well-being, and emotional balance The role of intentional living in creating a fulfilling life Jon shares practical insights drawn from his own experience, along with perspectives that feel both grounded and applicable. I've also been using Jon's daily journal, which complements the ideas in his book—helping bring structure, clarity, and a sense of gratitude into the everyday. In addition to his work as an author, Jon serves on the board of the Sauna Research Institute, where there are some exciting developments underway in the world of sauna and health. From the sauna bench in Minneapolis, please welcome Jon Sabes.

Thinking about building your own sauna? This episode of Sauna Talk brings you inside a live panel discussion on sauna design, construction, and best practices—recorded at the West Coast Sauna Summit near Vancouver, BC. On the bench with Glenn are two experienced Canadian sauna builders—Andrew (Saunabuilder) and Josh (Theraluxe)—sharing real-world insights on everything from bench heights and wall cladding to wood stoves vs electric heaters, mobile saunas vs backyard builds, and what truly makes a great sauna. This conversation is part of a hands-on sauna building seminar, where we dig into the practical decisions every builder faces—whether you're just getting started or refining your craft. We cover: Sauna bench height and layout Wood-burning vs electric sauna stoves Mobile saunas vs permanent backyard builds Materials, wall systems, and interior finishes The philosophy behind good sauna design What makes this episode special is the collaborative spirit—three builders sharing ideas openly, grounded in experience, not theory. Recorded at Loon Lake Lodge during the West Coast Sauna Summit, this session captures the energy of builders and enthusiasts coming together to talk shop, share knowledge, and push sauna culture forward. So whether you're sketching your first build or fine-tuning your tenth, grab a towel, throw some water on the rocks, and join us on the bench.  

This episode of Sauna Talk comes from a fireside gathering at the West Coast Sauna Summit, held at Loon Lake in the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. It was late in the evening on the second night. Some were still cycling through the saunas. Others had turned in. But about 25–30 of us gathered in a circle—some in sandals, some barefoot, some wrapped in towels or robes—for an impromptu Sauna Talk. No stage. No agenda. No script. Just a group of sauna people, settling in after a full day, ready to share thoughts, ideas, and a few laughs. This is the kind of moment that's hard to plan—and maybe impossible to recreate. By this point in the gathering, the formal presentations were behind us. The introductions had been made. What remained was a sense of ease, openness, and connection. Seven or so mobile saunas sat just outside, lakeside. The heat, the cold water, the fresh air—it all carried into the conversation. Co-producer Valtteri called us together: "Ok everybody, let's gather our chairs in a circle. Let's Sauna Talk." And we did. What follows is a free-flowing, sometimes wandering conversation—full of perspective, humor, and those small moments that tend to stay with you. There's something special about the West Coast sauna scene. Open, collaborative, and grounded in nature. No gatekeeping—just a shared appreciation for good heat, cold water, and the people who gather around it. A big thank you to Linda and Valtteri for creating the space, the energy, and the spirit that made this conversation possible. From the fireside at Loon Lake, please enjoy this episode of Sauna Talk.

This episode of Sauna Talk comes to you from New York City, recorded during the Culture of Bathing gathering in January 2025. Rather than a single conversation, this is a walk-through—capturing voices, perspectives, and moments from across the event. With nearly 100 attendees from around the world—many of them bathhouse owners, operators, and builders—this gathering offered a unique snapshot of where sauna and bathing culture stands today, particularly in North America. Armed with a handheld recorder, I made my way through Manhattan and Brooklyn, connecting with a handful of people shaping this evolving space. You'll hear from: Shelby, working with Thermë Group, bringing art and design into bathing experiences Dimitri Shapiro of the Russian & Turkish Baths, sharing the story of a 130-year-old New York institution Don Genders of Design for Leisure, reflecting on decades of global spa and wellness development Cosmin, wellness director at Thermë Bucharest, diving into the science and practice of aufguss Vicky of Earth Sauna (Victoria, BC), working to bring aufguss training to North America Megan of Sauna du Nord (Duluth, MN), speaking to community, accessibility, and the spirit of sauna What emerges is a layered conversation—touching on tradition, innovation, design, culture, and the growing momentum behind public bathing. From old-world bathhouses to modern wellness facilities… from aromatherapy and aufguss to questions of access, authenticity, and community… this episode captures a moment in time as sauna culture continues to evolve. Think of this one as a series of conversations—recorded on the move, in real time, from the streets and bathhouses of New York City. From the Culture of Bathing gathering, please enjoy this episode of Sauna Talk.

Today on Sauna Talk, we celebrate the spirit of backyard sauna culture with highlights from Parade of Saunas 2024 in Minneapolis. This community event brought visitors through 10 home saunas across the city, offering a chance to step into the creativity, craftsmanship, and hospitality of backyard sauna owners. Along the way, the event also raised $1,500 for charity. What stood out most was the generosity of the hosts and the enthusiasm of the visitors. From seasoned sauna folks to those just beginning to dream about their own backyard build, the day was filled with curiosity, good conversation, and shared appreciation for good heat. In this episode, we check in with a handful of saunas and the people behind them, including: Ryan's Fulton neighborhood backyard retreat Steve Hawkins and his welcoming sauna crowd Darin's NorthUp ultralight sauna from Urban Wing Joe Sauna and his "member of the tribe" spirit the SaunaTimes sauna here in Minneapolis Tom's LightWave sauna What emerged was more than a tour. It was a reminder that sauna culture grows best when people open their doors, share what they've built, and invite others onto the bench. As one participant put it, it was "a great event." I'd agree. From Minneapolis, please enjoy this very special episode of Sauna Talk.

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome Dr. Ashley Mason. Dr. Mason is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UCSF, where she works within the Osher Center for Integrative Health. Her research focuses on sleep, mental health, and behavioral treatments for insomnia, and she directs the UCSF Sleep, Affect, and Eating (SEA) Lab. In this conversation, we explore her work on whole body hyperthermia—and what it may tell us about the relationship between heat, mood, and overall well-being. We talk about: How body temperature regulation is connected to depression The potential antidepressant effects of heat exposure What happens when we remove thermal stress from our daily lives How modern, climate-controlled living may keep us in a "narrow band" Why reintroducing heat—and even cold—could play a role in better health Dr. Mason shares insights from her research, including work presented at the BrainMind Summit, where she explores how sauna and other forms of heat exposure may help regulate core body temperature and improve mood in some individuals. This is a thoughtful, science-based conversation that connects modern research with something many of us already experience on the sauna bench. From the intersection of sauna and science, please welcome Dr. Ashley Mason to Sauna Talk.

Today on Sauna Talk, we connect with Earric Lee. This conversation was recorded in London, just outside the British Sauna Summit—so you'll hear a bit of the city in the background as we talk. Earric is a researcher focused on the health benefits of sauna and a fellow board member of the Sauna Research Institute. His work centers on helping bring greater coordination and visibility to sauna research worldwide. In this conversation, we explore: The current state of sauna research Why much of the science remains fragmented The need to "de-silo" researchers across countries and disciplines How stronger collaboration could help advance understanding of sauna's health benefits Earric shares his perspective on what's needed to move sauna research forward—and why this moment feels important. For many of us, the benefits of sauna are something we've experienced firsthand. The challenge now is helping science catch up, organize, and communicate those benefits more clearly. From the streets of London, please welcome Earric Lee to Sauna Talk.

This is Episode 100 of Sauna Talk. When I started this podcast back in 2016, the idea was simple: capture a bit of what happens on the sauna bench. It's a unique place for conversation. The body is under stress, yet the mind is relaxed. Distractions fall away. And something opens up—thoughts, ideas, stories, and connections. Sauna Talk has always been about that space. It's the kind of conversation you have with a close friend, a family member, or someone you've just met—but somehow feel like you've known for years. It's where ideas get untangled, perspectives shift, and time seems to slow down. In this episode, we look back. You'll hear excerpts from past conversations with a range of voices who have helped shape Sauna Talk, including: Tom Rolando, reflecting on the early days and origin of the podcast Daryl Lamppa on traditional sauna stoves Scott Olson on entrepreneurship and community Wim Hof on heat and cold Dr. Jari Laukkanen on sauna research Alex Blyashuk on venik practice Bruce Oreck on Finland and happiness Lasse Eriksson on the deeper meaning of sauna Each voice offers a different perspective—but together, they reflect the spirit of Sauna Talk. One hundred episodes in, what stands out most is the people. The generosity, the passion, and the shared belief that sauna has something meaningful to offer. It's been a privilege to have these conversations, and a pleasure to share them with you. From the sauna bench, thank you for listening.

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome Ragna Marie Fjeld, Secretary General of Oslo Badstuforening—the Oslo Sauna Association. Founded in 2016, Oslo Badstuforening began with a single sauna along the Oslo fjord. In just a few short years, it has grown into a remarkable network of floating and mobile saunas—now numbering well beyond its original footprint, and continuing to expand. In this episode, we take a closer look at what's behind that growth. Set along the harbor in Oslo, the association's saunas have become a central part of the city's public life. Their original sauna still operates today, surrounded by a fleet of floating saunas—each with its own character, yet all part of a larger, shared vision. What's striking is not just the scale, but the momentum. Saunas are frequently fully booked Interest from staff and volunteers continues to grow Architects and builders are eager to contribute The organization operates with a strong sense of purpose and collaboration Ragna shares insight into how this all comes together—from operations and culture to the mindset that allows for this kind of expansion without losing the spirit of sauna. We also touch on the broader context: how sauna is woven into Nordic life, and why Oslo has become a leading example of what's possible when community, location, and intention align. From the Oslo fjord, please welcome Ragna Marie Fjeld.

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome Alan Jalasjja who shares with us "The Spirit of Sauna." Alan is an evangelist who is with us to help promote the experience. Growing up with sauna his whole life, as a Finnish Canadian, we get the perspective of what sauna spirit means to him. World Sauna Forum 2024 The growth of the event compared to 2022 Globe and Mail article I encourage you to click through the link towards his Op Ed opinion piece that recently appeared in the Globe and Mail, which discusses "enjoying sauna in the now." Sure the health benefits are there for the long term, but wow, let's enjoy our sauna time now. Thermal cycle We discuss the value of time. The holy trinity to a good cool down: cold water, nature, time. The four elements to sauna fire air water earth (the stones). Some magical gems from Alan, and happy to share with you here.

In this episode of Sauna Talk, Glenn reconnects with Lasse Eriksen—this time on the beach at Farris Bad, one of Scandinavia's premier waterfront sauna and spa destinations. A lot has evolved since Lasse first joined Sauna Talk, and this conversation captures that next chapter. Now serving as Development Manager at Farris Bad, Lasse is helping shape sauna not just as a place, but as a fully realized experience—where environment, ritual, and human connection come together. At Farris Bad, guests are immersed in a dynamic sauna culture that blends traditional bathing with modern programming. From curated sauna circuits to scheduled aufguss sessions, Lasse and his team are creating a rhythm that invites both newcomers and seasoned bathers into something deeper. But this conversation goes well beyond operations. Lasse shares his broader mission to elevate sauna globally through his work with the International Sauna Association, the Norwegian Sauna Association, and his role as Vice President of Aufguss WM. He speaks to the responsibility of preserving authenticity while still allowing sauna culture to evolve—and how aufguss, when done well, can be both an entry point and an art form. There's also a strong emotional current throughout this episode. Lasse's passion for sauna is unmistakable—rooted in care, connection, and a belief that sauna has the power to bring people closer to themselves and each other. This is a conversation about leadership, stewardship, and what it means to carry sauna forward without losing its soul. In this episode: Sauna as place vs. sauna as experience Inside Farris Bad's sauna and aufguss programming The global rise of aufguss and sauna rituals Balancing tradition with innovation Building sauna culture in Norway and beyond The role of organizations shaping the future of sauna Friendship, passion, and the emotional side of sauna If you care about where sauna is headed—and how to grow it with integrity—this episode with Lasse Eriksen is one to sit with.

On this episode of Sauna Talk, Glenn is joined on the bench by three generations of sauna builders—the Wilson family of Homecraft: Stew, David, and Kyle. Based outside Vancouver, British Columbia, Homecraft is one of Canada's longest-running sauna heater manufacturers. But this conversation goes far beyond specs and steel. It's about the people behind the product—and why that matters more than ever in today's sauna marketplace. As the steam rises, Glenn digs into what makes a good electric sauna heater—not just in performance, but in reliability, serviceability, and long-term trust. The Wilsons bring a rare combination of perspectives: decades of hands-on manufacturing, electrical expertise, and a grounded, values-driven approach to doing business. They talk about what it means to build heaters in North America, why support after the sale matters, and how design decisions impact real sauna experiences—like steam quality, element durability, and ease of maintenance. But what stands out most is the human side of the conversation. This is a family business built on integrity, humility, and care for the end user. From Stew's steady leadership to David's electrician mindset and Kyle's thoughtful, purpose-driven approach, you get a clear sense that Homecraft isn't chasing trends—they're building something meant to last. There's also a deeper layer here: a shared belief that sauna is not just mechanical—it's experiential, even spiritual. And the products we choose shape that experience in ways we often overlook. In this episode: The history and evolution of Homecraft in Canada What makes a great electric sauna heater (beyond the brochure) Steam quality, element longevity, and real-world performance Why service, repairability, and support matter Manufacturing vs. mass distribution: what's changing in the market The importance of knowing who makes your sauna equipment Craftsmanship, family business, and staying grounded in values If you've ever wondered what's really behind the heater in your sauna—or why it matters who builds it—this episode brings clarity, honesty, and a refreshing dose of perspective. Because in the end, it's not just about the product. It's about the people who stand behind it.

In this episode of Sauna Talk, Glenn reflects on Sauna Days 2024—a weekend where over 200 sauna enthusiasts gathered along the shores of Larsmont Cottages for a one-of-a-kind celebration of heat, cold, and community. Set against the vast backdrop of Lake Superior, Sauna Days has become more than an event—it's a living, breathing expression of modern sauna culture rooted in nature. The formula is simple, almost deceptively so: a collection of mobile saunas, a few wood-fired anchors, cold water access, good people, and just enough structure to let spontaneity take over. This year's gathering featured 12 mobile saunas, a brick-and-mortar heat source, multiple cold plunge options (including the big lake itself), and a steady rhythm of connection—from quiet solo rounds to packed benches full of laughter and steam. But what really defines Sauna Days isn't the setup—it's the people. Familiar faces returned, new friendships formed, and conversations flowed easily between rounds. Whether on the bench, around the fire, or standing barefoot on the rocks, there was a shared understanding: everyone knew how to sauna. Guests traveled from across the U.S., Canada, and the UK—including representation from Finnmark Sauna and the British Sauna Society—highlighting just how far this movement has spread. The weekend also featured a dynamic speaker series, with topics ranging from breathwork and sobriety to the future of large-scale wellness spaces. Meanwhile, Steam Masters introduced many to the power of venik treatments—adding a deeper, more traditional layer to the experience. And through it all, nature remained the headliner: sunsets over the lake, star-filled skies, shifting weather, and that unmistakable feeling of being somewhere that matters. In this episode: Inside Sauna Days 2024 at Larsmont Cottages The rise of mobile sauna culture Why shared sauna experiences create instant connection Guests traveling from across North America and beyond The role of speakers, rituals, and Steam Masters Venik treatments and the influence of banya traditions Sauna as a festival—and why it works The power of sauna in nature At its core, Sauna Days is a reminder that sauna doesn't need to be complicated to be meaningful. Just heat, cold, water, and people— done well, in the right place.

Today on the actual sauna bench, we are joined and talk with Jake Newport from Finnmark. Jake makes the journey from Northern England to join me on the Larsmont Cottages sauna bench in Northern Minnesota, by the cold, clear clean water shores of Lake Superior. You can also check out my podcast with Jake and Brother Max from 2020 here. During this episode, we learn more from Jake about the thermal bathing ecosystem in the UK and globally. From career path change to multi pronged sauna business. Investing and reinvesting in the culture and the company. Super early bird grounding Fully grounded by being the first guests to Sauna Days. We enjoy solitary quiet time to ground ourselves through the hot and the cold. Mika & Wendy – lifetime achievement awards for sauna. BSS founding. The explosion of sauna in Great Britain. Huge number getting into the thermal bathing scene. Beautiful saunas on beautiful beach. Beach Box Brighton. A meaningful thermal experience Three things that give us the feeling of community: a the church, the pub, and the village green society. Britain has become more secular. People now are far more health conscious. A void around community, and a sense of community. A gap waiting to be filled. A huge spectrum of age. Mikkel Aaland, and the "lost bathing culture" and the return of uptick of thermal bathing. Larsmont Cottages sauna talk Jake describes the sauna in which we are sitting. How the sauna is Finnish style. He calls out the Western Red Cedar, and full wooden door. Jake describes the Kuuma stove: "This is a heater that you buy once." Final words: It's the hot, then the cold, then the normalization. lying outside on the cold wet grass, Jake found himself unwound and relaxed.

Today on Sauna Talk we welcome Charlie from Community Sauna Baths in England. Who is Community Sauna Baths? Well, they are Community Interest Company, a CIC, who is dedicated to providing affordable sauna sessions to the communities they serve. Currently with four locations, including their flagship locale in Hackney, East London. Here is where we catch up with Charlie, one of the directors at Community Sauna Baths for this podcast. Currently Community Sauna Baths are serving thousands of customers from the area. Local Londoners as well as a lot of visitors from abroad. Irish, some Finns, you name it. Early influences As you'll here, Charlie grew up with the classic toaster oven experience at health clubs. Then, he was deeply affected to the positive, partacking in sauna at the Finnish Church and also Lost Horizons, the pop up social sauna in London. Feeling a tug to help advance the social communal experience, Charlie leaned in to helping with the ambitious Hackney Baths fundraising project with the British Sauna Society. The fundraising came up short, but it did pave the way towards a more organic project. 2 donated saunas, one from Charlie. Covid and beyond We talk about countless hours of donated time to host sessions. How they are learning as we are going, starting slow by serving random members of the public in Hackney London. Slow organic growth. Adding days. Modifying and improving the site. Victoria and Gabrielle building website and marketing. Community Baths today The staff provides a real nice blend of skills. Part of the beauty is that good heat and cold does most of the heavy lifting. Staff supports the good heat and cold, and people benefit from and enjoy the experience. Looking to grow. Charlie is helping work on a new site. We learn about the South London project, in Peckam, as part of the community garden. Bringing saunas into natural spots in London. 4th one in Normandy. Rob's project. The first beach sauna in France. UK affordable and inclusive. Charlie's career Charlie cut his teeth as a management consultant. Great learning experience. Freelance consulting. Started a mushroom farm. Full time. Able to pay himself a salary. Well paying job for staff. Community interest Company. A commercial mind with a non for profit structure. New community sauna in Bristol. Using profits to seed other new saunas. Setting the seeds for a community Sauna Network.

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome Tom Carlson, a sauna enthusiast and a SaunaTimes public sauna map supporter. Tom caught the sauna bug in Germany, and brought home his love and appreciation for good heat. And, like many of us, Tom recognizes how good sauna is like a candle that lights another candle. And with this, there are really good saunas dotted all over the world. Several years ago, we built the SaunaTimes Public Sauna Map. With over 200 entries and counting, there's a good chance that as you arrive in a new town, you'll be ale to click through and find a kick ass sauna for you to attend. And for Tom, you'll hear about his commitment to helping all of us find good saunas wherever we may be. Currently, he and Kevin are SaunaTimes public sauna map champions. But I would like you to know how I first met Tom. It was a couple Sauna Days ago, at Larsmont Cottages in Two Harbors, Minnesota. A guy walks up to me with a Wisconsin 6 pack in one hand, and outstretches his other hand to shake my hand. "This is for you. You helped me realize how great sauna is. Thank you Glenn, you've pretty much changed my life." Wow, those are big shoes to wear. However, thankfully we were both bare footed, and we both hit the same sauna bench and shared some kindred spirit thermal action. And like convective heat transfer into hot rocks from protected elements, a logical, long lasting connection was made. Tom's Travels Tom lives in Wisconsin USA, and on a whim, came through Minneapolis, and naturally found himself on the bench in my backyard sauna. We share stories and steam. And are joined with quiet guest Darin from Urban Wing. As bonus, we enjoy an extended löyly. And if you are driving, please don't close your eyes, but this extended löyly is for you.

Today on the Sauna Talk bench, we welcome three guests who are aligned to helping veterans through sauna as a means of healing our heroes. Their stories are heartfelt, their passions are clear. And for those of us who know sauna, we know that their purpose is meaningful and their success rate undeniable. (ie sauna is good for us!)! Who is Healing Heroes Saunas? The co-founders, Mike and Josh: as introduction: Mike Lotzer On the right side of the bench we have, Mike Lotzer. Mike is the Lead Pastor of Mercy Road Church in Burnsville, MN and served in the Army Chaplain Corps. from 2004-2012. Stateside, Mike served as a Casualty Notification Chaplain, Special Troops Battalion Chaplain, and Marriage Strong Bonds Instructor.  Also, he deployed in the Iraq War.   Mike has walked with soldiers, families, and loved ones through extreme pain both stateside and in combat zones. His experiences caring for dying soldiers have birthed a lifelong commitment to serve and empower Warriors and their families. Mike has been married to his wonderful wife Erica for 18 years. The couple have three children and live in Lakeville, MN. Mike has a B.A. in Comparative World Religion and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin, a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Certification in Combat Medical Ministry and Suicide Prevention from the U.S. Army Medical Department. Kirk Center bench, we welcome back Kirk Jensen to Sauna Talk. Kirk is longtime host and fellow board member of the 612 Sauna Society. You can learn more about Kirk as he was a recent guest to the Sauna Talk podcast. Kirk spent 34 years in the Air Force. He retired as Lieutenant Colonel with +7,000 hours as a C-130 Navigator. Kirk participated in every conflict during that time. Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Somalia. Kirk's "day job" is flight simulator trainer for the Air Force. Today, you can find Kirk either near the Minneapolis St Paul airport, where he runs Air Force flight training or alongside the 612 Sauna Society Sauna, where he serves as longstanding sauna host. Josh On the left side of the bench, we have Josh Meisberger (42). Josh has been married for 19 years and has 2 wonderful teenage boys. Currently living outside of Minneapolis in Apple Valley, Josh and family saunas frequently (3-5 times per week) enjoying their permanent wood fire sauna in the back yard of their home. Josh and family are active members at Mercy Road Church in Burnsville. Josh spent 22 years in the military with 2 combat tours to Iraq before being medically retired for various military related injuries. Currently, Josh owns a construction company (Rare Homes Inc) where he and team do everything from small bathroom remodels all the way up to custom builds and commercial space work. Mike and he more recently started Healing Heroes Saunas as a way to give back to the men and women who serve our communities in Hero rolls including Veterans, Police, Firefighters, and all first responder, along with their families. Mike and Josh are currently working on their 501c3 filing, as well as fundraising so that they can expand our reach providing hot and cold therapy.  Josh and Mike are very close to finishing their second unit, which will immediately be deployed around the state of Minnesota. They have a long term goals of 5-10 units in the state of Minnesota, as well as being able to build more permanent saunas at their residence for Heroes on an application basis.   Currently you can find them on Instagram @healingheroessaunas.

Today from any one of 22 saunas, we Sauna Talk from the Great Northern Sauna Village, Malcolm Yards, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. "The Great Northern Sauna Village is a social and therapeutic experience hosted at Malcolm Yards. Visitors can immerse themselves in sauna culture by interacting with various Thermaculture traditions. And connecting with local sauna companies and builders. During 60-90- minute Steam Sessions, guests can explore various types of traditional wood-fired sauns. These include barrel, mobile, and backyard units; tent and floatings saunas. And a new shipping container event sauna for 20+ people. All this, while experiencing multiple forms of heat, steam, and aromatherapy with the cold contrast therapy of winter air and snow." The numbers speak for themselves: 22 saunas from over a dozen Saunapreneurs. Some of whom I've known, supported, and encouraged from back in the day when sauna in the public domain, even here in Minnesota's sauna country, was fringe and not so enthusiastically embraced as today. Sauna Talk glowing from the Sauna Village You can see and feel the sauna glow. And as you listen along, you will be able to catch the spirit from a few of the people behind the scenes at the Great Northern Sauna Village. The event is three long weekends long. Here, we catch up with the folks today snap dab in the middle of the event on a chilly grey Saturday afternoon. Those interested in attending can catch the event during its last weekend, next weekend. Tickets are a reasonable $40, and available via the link supporting this podcast on SaunaTimes.com. We start off this episode with Shaelyn from Superior Saunas, the mayor of the Great Northern Sauna Village. We meet up with Darin from Urban Wing, Jessie from Deep Wave. John from Superior Saunas, Nomad Phil. And Excelsior Saunas Jim, Matt from Superior Saunas, and a few other selected guests along the way. Wherever this podcast may find you, I think you'll enjoy getting to know what's happening in this region. The boldly self proclaimed Sauna Capital of North America. Here is where you'll find open arms, steam billowing, endorphins rushing, and cold water plunging.

Today we welcome back Dr. Charles Raison to this Sauna Talk podcast part 2. I encourage you to check in with Part one, where Chuck and i work from the starting block about Sauna health benefits and research surrounding hypethermia and hot/cold contrast therapy. In this episode, by design we go deeper. We unpack hot cold therapy as a novel treatment for mental health. 101.3 101.3 isn't just the radio frequency for a hit music station in the Twin Cities. We have foundational research surrounding the effects on the body and the mind of achieving this core body temperature. Ashley Mason's work at University of California San Francisco is expanding upon the psychological and physiological effects of this level of heat stress when reaching this core body temperature. Physically, from, for example the standpoint of blood pressure and heart rate variability. Yet how do these physical changes affect people's moods? Specifically, as a possible novel treatment in the area of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Totonu The Japanese have a word for that nirvana feeling we get after a few sauna rounds and cold therapy action. They call it Totonu. And there is actually a published study on the neuro effects of sauna bathing. We link to this study on the Sauna Research Institute website as well as on SaunaTimes websites. In the study, it is recognized that sauna is an activity that promotes relaxation and health. Three cycles of sauna, cold, rest lowers your heart rate and makes you feel more relaxed. Intense feelings of happiness have been reported shortly after enjoying a hot sauna and cold water, what is known in Japan as the "totonou" state. With this contrast therapy, we achieve a lower heart rate, changes of brain waves, and better metabolic health through the increase in brown fat production – known as "the good fat". And one could argue that, for those horizontally challenged, sauna use raises heart rate to about the state we achieve with a fast walk. So there is a weight loss association to regular sauna use. But this is not something i'd get the scale out to rely upon. The Vail Project – Eagle Valley We discuss a "Top Flight Sauna" for Vail Health's Behavioral Health Innovation Center. Right now in development, the CHILL'D Study ("Cold and Heat Investigation to Lower Levels of Depression") will explore ways to optimize the proven benefits of hyperthermia for depression, including whether adding cold to heat will improve outcomes and whether hyperthermia can be effectively combined with standard antidepressants.   Vail Health is especially interested in thermic bathing within ancient practices. Many of us listening enjoy Nordic style sauna, where we pay homage to the origins of the word sauna (Finland). And sometimes many spend a lot of effort scolding its improper pronunciation. Yet, for those of us that share and know that good feeling, the definition of sauna is arguably much more important than its pronunciation. And for that matter, the definition of sauna is universal and straightforward: Sauna Definition: A room, often lined with wood, with a heat source that heats rocks to sufficient temperature to create steam when water is tossed on rocks. So, for example, Temascal, Native American Sweat Lodge, Banya and venik treatments, are all ancient sauna sweat bathing practices. Chris Lindley is Chief Population Health Officer, Vail Health and the Executive Director, Eagle Valley Behavioral HealthExecutive Director at Eagle Valley Behavioral Health. I will save his bio for what I hope to be a dedicated podcast interview with Chris. But a quick note: Chris's education and passion revolve around improving the population's health, emergency response, and wellness. Chris is a decorated combat veteran, receiving a Bronze Star and Presidential Citation while leading troops in Iraq in 2005. The convergence of the Sauna Research Institute, Vail Health, and the work happening with Charles through Ashley in San Francisco, Chris and team at Vail Health, as well as at Harvard are exciting examples for all of us, that right now, what we all know to be true is being studied and researched. Sauna is good for us! Soon, as we continue to unpack and understand how.. and why.. and how much.. I will say, I hope you enjoy my visit with Dr. Charles Raison.. and Sauna on!

Today on the virtual smoke sauna bench, please welcome my friend Jarmo Hiltunen. Author of the brand new book: Building a Traditional Finnish Smoke Sauna. I am overjoyed that for many, Jarmo will be your voice to the introduction to the wonderfulness of smoke sauna. Jarmo is a builder, but I would call him more of an artisan. Also, he is also a smoke sauna spiritual evangelist. His book is now available on Amazon As we type the words "smoke sauna" into the Amazon search bar, we have to sift our way through infrared "sauna" blankets and dozens of other misappropriations of the word "sauna" before finally finding this gem of a resource. Many/most of us around the world have little knowledge or experience with smoke sauna. It's not just buried within the search bar. And for some of us, being hidden and special is a nice place for smoke sauna to reside. For smoke sauna is a deep in history, culture, and spirit. Yes, we have had many fragmentations of sauna. But, there will be minimal to no fragmentations of traditional smoke sauna. And thanks to this comprehensive work, Jarmo Hiltunen ensures us that the purity and authenticity of smoke sauna will remain with us forever. I love that smoke sauna is hard to build. It takes commitment and cash. And these barriers help ensure that those willing to take on the task are both committed to the work. And dedicated to its reward. This book helps us decide if we want to undertake the challenge. The book clearly helps us decide for ourselves if we are ready to undertake building our own smoke sauna. We Get a flavor of the potential satisfaction in the work, and if committed, be able to realize the amazing löyly and hot room microclimate that may await us at the end of the smoke sauna building journey. Small world I am blessed to have met Jarmo Hiltunen, the author, by upmost coincidence in a public (modified) smoke sauna in Helskinki, back in 2019. Despite living in separate continents, reading through his book, I feel once again that I am right there with him on the bench. Buy this book. And whether you undertake your smoke sauna build or not, reading through the process will help you appreciate Jarmo's dedication to smoke sauna. And that alone is worth having his book on your shelf. Wishing you all good sauna. And thank you Jarmo for your hard work and dedication to making this book come to life.

Welcome to this Sauna Talk podcast episode with Nick Fox: Minnesota's first Wim Hof certified instructor and baker of amazing homemade bread. We communed in heat, cold plunge and nature in my backyard sauna recently and you'll hear my interview with Nick in just a moment. But before then, I'd like to take you back to a dark and cold February night in Minnesota a few years ago when Nick first sat down to watch the VICE documentary on Wim Hof, the Ice Man. Inspired by the science and adventures in the cold with minimal clothing, Nick began taking cold showers and practicing breathwork the very next day. His experience with the Wim Hof Method (WHM) initiated Nick's breathwork journey. In January of 2022 he went to Poland to complete his certification as a WHM Instructor, and later he became certified in the Oxygen Advantage. Now, he guides breathwork and coaches ice baths in workshops around the Midwest.  Pulmonaut beginnings Before becoming a full-time Pulmonaut, (a pulmonaut is simply someone who uses their breath as a tool for exploration and transformation) Nick taught Philosophy, History, and Art at both the high school and college level. He is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve, and spends his summers out in the field with the cadets at the Military Academy in West Point, NY. When he's not playing Army, he's writing and drawing with his young kids.  Sauna Talk Podcast cold exposure breathwork guests Those familiar with this podcast are familiar with a few other Sauna Talk guests from the world of cold exposure and breathwork. A few that come to mind include Harvey Martin, who currently is on staff breathing and contrast therapy-ing with the San Francisco Giants major league baseball team, Jesse Coomer, trainer, breathwork coach and author of two books on the subject, and Wim Hof himself, back in 2017. So feel free to dig back and check out these episodes in particular. Back to Nick Teaching people deep conscious breathing and cold exposure techniques is his new passion. You can visit his website foxfirebreathworks.com where you'll be able to check out his upcoming workshops and classes. For example, in January 2024, it should be cold enough in Minneapolis for Nick's winter swimming class at the Swedish Institute. He is mobilizing a kick ass wood fired mobile sauna (one that I actually had a hand in helping with with my friends Brad and Ben at Prairiewood Saunas, but that's story for another day coming soon). Anyhow, Nick looks forward to helping you explore your inner strengths. And I am super happy to share some breathing on the bench with you and Nick Fox from FoxFire Breathworks. Welcome Nick to Sauna Talk!

Today we welcome a very special guest to Sauna Talk: Dr. Charles Raison. His biography is as follows: Dr. Raison is a the Mary Sue and Mike Shannon Chair for Healthy Minds, Children & Families in the School of Human Ecology and a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Dr. Raison received his medical degree from Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, where he was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha and won the Missouri State Medical Association Award. He completed residency training at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital in Los Angeles. In addition to his medical training, Dr. Raison obtained his Masters of English from the University of Denver. Dr. Raison has written and published over 100 scientific papers as well over 20 review papers and editorials. Chapters he has written have been featured in over 30 books, and he has written two books, most recently The New Mind-Body Science of Depression, published by WW Norton in 2017. Dr. Raison's publications have been cited over 14,000 times, with three publications having more than 1,000 citations. His H-index is 44. The recipient of several teaching awards, Dr. Raison has received research funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His visionary work focuses on the treatment of depression in response to illness and stress, translating neurobiological findings into novel interventions. In addition to his activities at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Raison is the mental health expert for CNN.com." Reference: UW-Madisonhttps://www.psychiatry.wisc.edu › staff › raison-charles Sauna Talk excerpts We discuss Charles' academic and personal background, how he has been interested in World's ancient practices including Buddist Tuumo meditation, where Tibetan monks are wrapped in cold wet blankets and through breathing and meditation, are able to warm themselves for a long period of time. The area around research and studies to treat depression are of special interest. Reaching a hypothermia state has proven health benefits. Dr. Raison's 2010 depression study with 16 people, who reached 101.3 degrees f. shown a marketed decrease in depression. The participants actually lowered their internal body temperature. The World leader in Hypothermia We discuss other work and studies happening right now in the United States, through Harvard University and Massachusetts General. Also Ashley Mason's work in San Francisco. More on this soon! The Vail sauna lab Eagle County Co. is an interesting place. The disparity of rich and poor, and people moving their and experiencing the Paradox of Paradise, are likely culprits that lead to the area having the highest suicide rate in the country. Ashley Mason, UCSF. Heat has an antidepressant effect. Transforming mental health The good news is a private investment of $100mm towards a new hospital in Vail that is committed to transform mental health in this country. Providing equitable care for rich and non rich, integrating mind/body practices. Vail Health is set to be a world class research institute. Heat, thermal studies, psychedelic research are all areas of study. It is an exciting time for sauna research. The CHILL study. Can you benefit from heat whether you are taking an antidepressant or not? This episode tees the ball up for our follow up conversation which I will be equally excited to bring to you in the future. So, for right now, I am pleased to present to you Dr. Charles Raison.

Welcome to this mini Sauna Talk episode from inside and around the World's Largest Sauna. The sauna was constructed as part of the RunningMan festival outside of Atlanta Georgia, this past weekend, mid October 2023. I'll try to connect the dots to how the World's Largest Sauna came about. And it started with the folks at Embrace North, building a few saunas for the All Day Running organization. And as All Day Running began planning for the RunningMan festival, well, their experience with good heat and creative right brain thinking on the bench fostered a way to "scale" sauna.\ And we move over to All Day Running's co founder Todd Ferneaux's backyard. Here is where Todd built the mock prototype for the World's Largest Sauna. I'll spare the nuts and bolts of its creative construction, as you can listen to my recent podcast interview with Todd for more on that. World's Largest Sauna building I was able to lend to help with some of the construction of the sauna and set up. For now, though, I'd like to welcome you into the event: RunningMan. I attended for a few reasons, and one was to help share what I know about running the sauna stoves. I have used this same stove for 30 years. As elder statesman with more grey hair than most at the event, I was happy to help coach the stokers who became quick studies on stove operation. (note: you don't have to go into the hot room to see how your stove is performing. If you see smoke coming out the chimney, it needs attending). Runners and Sauna enthusiasts Another reason why I was happy to attend RunningMan is to celebrate and experience all the goodness happening with the Venn diagram overlap of people into hot/cold contrast therapy and people into running. As we look at the overlap, the commonalities become clear. Runners: know how to push the limits of human performance. are tuned into their bodies.. and their minds. get high on their own supply. are generally conscious folks who can feel when endorphins are rushing. know how good it feels the moment you stop banging your head against a wall. All above also applies to all of us who dig sauna. And cold plunge, as peanut butter and jelly. Knowing our bodies, minds, spirits. Runners, generally, all dig sauna. And when they feel good heat, it's all over. So, in this episode you'll hear from Todd at All Day Running, C T from Nomad Sauna, Tyler, one of the stokers, and a couple other guests, all of whom will give you a good flavor of what it's like to be in and around the World's Largest Sauna.

Today on the bench, we welcome Todd Furneaux who is spearheading the building of the World's Largest Sauna. The sauna is being constructed as part of Running Man, a three day festival happening outside of Atlanta Georgia this mid October 2023. During this episode, you'll hear about Todd's company and cohorts, All Day Running. And how the idea of building the World's Largest Sauna was surely fostered on the sauna bench or in the cold plunge. As with endorphins running and community spiriting, this is the environment for Sauna Talk and crazy out there thinking. Atlanta steeplechase. Grass track. Sauna Village, fun zone, DJs, live music, conferences, October 17, 18, 19 event. Sauna can hold. 250 – 350 people at a time. Mechanics of World's Largest Sauna Specially designed Todd Right Brain Thinking: 3,000 square feet in modular squares using 4'x4′ framing material. Side walls: sauna tent material 3 ply oxford. 9′ tall 20′ wide. Flooring: cedar flooring. Roof: Greenhouse style sauna inspiration from NorthUp in Minneapolis. Clear polycarbonate roofing. Same material It's rated to over 550f. to melt it. The material let's the light in. There is a greenhouse effect with clear polycarbonate as roofing. On sunny Atlanta days, it's about 120f. before lighting to the stove. Sauna stoves: 13 large Kuumas. oven for every 200 sf. Prototype: 200 sf sauna 20'x10′. A great way of testing the temperature of things. How the size of the panels. Final dimensions of the world's largest sauna 65′ x 45′ with extra 200 – 400′ square feet entry and exit. Exercising your immune system Running and Sauna.. they go hand in hand.