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Sauna can be likened to exercise in that there are benefits from just doing it once, but there are even more benefits when you do it regularly and long-term.”

Meanwhile, public saunas, bathhouses, hammams and sento are as common in modern Germany, Russia, Türkiye and Japan as they were in Greco-Roman times.

Sweat yourself healthy

Wellness has been part of the appeal of saunas for millennia. But only now, says integrative medicine expert Dr Joy Hussain, are researchers beginning to explore the variety of ways they can positively affect our health.

“ If there’ s one message I could give about sauna, it would be that it’ s more than an indulgence,” says the Brisbanebased medico.“ I think that’ s why it’ s survived in so many places as an ancient tradition, because there was a lot more going on therapeutically than we’ ve previously acknowledged.”

Perks from sauna, says Dr Hussain, may include such established benefits as muscle recovery and exercise mimicking. Then there are its facets of preventative health, cardiology, dermatology and more. While she points out saunas were used for giving birth in Scandinavia, with their high temperatures ensuring sterility, her research specifically explores the associations between exercise and sauna bathing.

“ Sauna can be likened to exercise in that there are benefits from just doing it once,” she says,“ but there are even more benefits when you do it regularly and long-term.”

Whether you decide to tap into those benefits in private or in one of Australia’ s growing number of public saunas is entirely up to you.

Ease yourself in

Nikita recommends following the simple protocols of showering and towel usage, and trying the public option first as a way of embracing the liberating, immersive, respectful relaxation that Australians are only now beginning to appreciate.

You can choose to do so partially

clothed or even not at all, depending on the establishment.“ No one cares,” he says.“ You’ re too hot – that’ s one of the great things about it.

“ Authentic sauna culture is all about bringing people together regularly in a kind of‘ third space’ – a living room that’ s not your living room – and sharing that with new people and community, all the while passively absorbing some of these incredible benefits.”

Either way, says Hannah, embrace the cold plunge.“ Sometimes I’ ll just jump in the pool to cool down afterwards,” she says.“ Other times I actually set up an ice bath. But I definitely get a big dopamine hit after doing both.”

Some like it hot. And some just haven’ t experienced the right sauna. Yet.

BEN SMITHURST

is an outdoors, travel and features writer.

COSTCO CONNECTION JUL / AUG 2026 | 29