The Surprising Benefits of Saunas for Health and Wellbeing – and Why Pop-Up Saunas Are Booming in the UK

In recent years, saunas have captured our imagination far beyond the traditional Nordic spa experience. Across the UK, a new wave of pop-up saunas has appeared — from coastal beaches to urban parks — offering people the chance to experience the powerful health benefits of heat therapy in a more accessible, and often more natural, way. But why has this ancient practice remained so enduringly popular, and what does the science say about the health benefits?

Let's explore.

The Black Swan Sauna, Holt

A Brief History: Saunas Through the Ages

The sauna has its roots deep in Northern European culture, particularly in Finland, where it’s considered an essential part of life. Traditionally, saunas were places not just for bathing, but for healing, community, and ritual. Today, modern science is catching up to what ancient cultures knew intuitively: regular sauna use can support a range of health benefits.

The Health Benefits of Sauna Therapy

1. Cardiovascular Health

Spending time in a sauna mimics some of the effects of moderate exercise on the heart. Studies show that regular sauna use can:

• Improve blood vessel function by encouraging vasodilation.

• Lower blood pressure over time.

• Reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. A major Finnish study found that men who used the sauna four to seven times per week had a 50% lower risk of fatal cardiovascular disease compared to those who used it once per week.

2. Detoxification and Skin Health

While "detox" can be an overused term, saunas genuinely support the body's natural detoxification processes. Through sweating, the body can help eliminate heavy metals and environmental toxins. Increased circulation also promotes healthier, clearer skin, delivering oxygen and nutrients more efficiently to the skin’s surface.

3. Mental Wellbeing

One of the most immediate effects people notice after a sauna session is a profound sense of relaxation. Regular sauna use has been linked to:

• Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.

• Lower cortisol levels (the body’s main stress hormone).

• Improved sleep quality, possibly by helping regulate circadian rhythms and enhancing melatonin production.

4. Muscle Recovery and Pain Relief

Athletes have long used saunas to ease sore muscles and speed up recovery. Heat increases blood flow to muscles, helping them recover faster from exercise or injury. There's also emerging evidence that sauna bathing may help manage chronic pain conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia.

5. Longevity

Perhaps most intriguing, frequent sauna use has been associated with lower all-cause mortality. It seems that regular exposure to short-term heat stress encourages the body to adapt in ways that promote resilience and repair — a concept known as hormesis.

The Rise of Pop-Up Saunas Across the UK

Traditionally, the sauna experience was confined to spas, leisure centres or Nordic countries. Now, pop-up saunas — often small, wood-fired huts — are making sauna culture more casual, community-driven, and connected to nature. Often ice baths, hot tuns or cold showers are also on offer at sauna sites.

Across the UK, you can now find pop-up saunas:

• On beaches, offering a brisk sea plunge afterwards.

• At festivals and retreats, often integrated with yoga or breathwork sessions.

• In urban parks and community spaces, encouraging people to reconnect with themselves and each other.

These pop-up saunas often have a different vibe to spa saunas: they feel earthier, more inclusive, and more accessible. Many are wood-fired rather than electric, creating a gentler, more humid heat that many people find easier to tolerate. I also love the smell of a wood fired sauna.

Some examples of pop up saunas I've visited recently:

• The Black Swan Sauna - Glove Factory Studios, Holt, Wiltshire

  This is newly opened and resides next to the lakes at The Glove Factory Studios in Holt. There is a 6-7 man wood fired sauna with separate changing rooms in a converted horse box. Behind the sauna there is a hot and cold shower an two ice baths. If you go in the day you can also use the onsite café - Wild Herb at the Field Kitchen - for brunch, lunch or coffee and cake. The view over the lake and bullrushes is beautiful and very relaxing.

  There isn't a toilet on site but if you are there in the day you will be able to use the toilets near the café.

• Campwell Farm - Winsley, Bath

  Campwell Farm has a host of offerings and their sauna sessions come with cold tubs for submersion and a cold shower. There is a toilet on site and 4 changing cubicles.

• In The Wild Bath - Kelston, Bath

  This was a pop up over Christmas 2024 which is now in the final planning stages in its new location in Kelston. This place offers hot tubs, wood fired sauna, salt room and ice plunge. When I visited the pop up there was also an indoor shower and changing cubicle and a chill out area with facilities for making hot drinks and sitting by a fire. This set up was larger than the other two and up to 8 people at a time could visit. I'm looking forward to the re-opening of this sauna which is hopefully later in 2025.

• Pythouse Walled Garden Sauna- Tisbury, Wiltshire

  This newly opened sauna experience is a sanctuary at the bottom of the Pythouse Kitchen gardens, surrounded by the produce they grow for the restaurant menu and their very own herbal drink Sprigster. The sauna site itself has a covered seating area, two shower cubicles with hot water and toilets. A kitchenette with tea making facilities, a cold outdoor shower and an ice bath. Beautiful surroundings and tucked away in a private edge of the garden.

Pythouse Walled Garden Sauna, Tisbury

Drinks station at Pythouse sauna, Tisbury

Why Saunas Are the Self-Care Practice We Didn't Know We Needed

The popularity of pop-up saunas taps into something very human: the desire to slow down, to feel alive, to connect with our bodies and each other in a simple, powerful way.

In an age where so much of health and wellness can feel commodified and complicated, the sauna offers a beautiful reminder that sometimes, all you need is heat, breath, and a little stillness. I have used it as an excuse to catch up with friends regularly. The short time frame is enough to feel like you've caught up with friends but also doesn't take a huge chunk out of your day evening. You also come away feeling great!

Whether you're stepping into a traditional spa sauna or a beachside wooden hut, your body and mind will thank you.