A Brief History of Finnish Saunas

While gathering around a fire for warmth (and building structures to intensify that warmth) is an experience as old as humanity itself* most historians trace the origins of saunas to Finland over 2000 years ago. The first saunas were actually winter dwellings centered around a fireplace filled with hot stones, to which water was added to create steam and dramatically raise the temperature. Over the millennia, the use of metal wood stoves and, eventually, electric stoves replaced the original firepits, and saunas became an integral part of Finnish, Nordic, and Scandinavian culture. (P.S. Finns will argue the correct pronunciation is “sow-na,” not “saw-na.”) Saunas were so instrumental to Finnish soldiers in World War II that they were built inside mobile tents and bunkers on the frontlines, and you’ll still find built-in saunas in almost every home in Finland.

What’s the deal with the cold dip after the sauna—also known as Contrast Therapy?

Thermaculture isn’t only about heating things up—cold plunges, cold dips, and cold showers have been a complement to sauna culture from the beginning. Ice dipping in a cold lake or even making snow angels after a sauna is a necessary part of a traditional Finnish sweat session. Several rounds of contrast therapy (think 10-15 minute sauna sits interspersed with 30 second to 2 minute dips in cold water) stimulates the whole body in a myriad of ways. Temperature cycling like this has been linked with improved immune system responses, reduced inflammation, an increase in brown fat (the kind of fat that burns calories and helps regulate body temperature), and deep relaxation.

The Rise of Sauna Culture in Minneapolis

Here in Minneapolis, we may not have a sauna and cold dip for every home, but we definitely have a vibrant sauna culture thanks to the Nordic and Scandinavian roots of many early Minnesota settlers. Today, a resurgence of thermaculture has taken hold of the Twin Cities, thanks to growing appreciation of mental and physical health benefits of saunas, infrared saunas, cold dips, and other forms of thermotherapy and cryotherapy. Proponents and a growing body of scientific research tout improved muscle recovery after exercise, pain relief, immune boosts, improved sleep, and the general relaxation that comes from a good sweat session.

Where to Find Wood-Burning Saunas and Cold Dips in Minneapolis

For the most traditional Finnish sauna experience, opt for one of Minneapolis’s wood-fired saunas lined in cedar.

612 Sauna Society Co-op, founded by Minneapolis sauna enthusiast John Pederson in 2016, is a member-owned sauna co-op with over 150 members—the first of its kind in the USA. The co-op operates a sauna every winter in Theodore Wirth Park. Tended by trained sauna stokers, the mobile sauna is available for public use with discounted rates for members.

The sauna experts at Stokeyard Outfitters (also founded by John Pederson, along with 612 Sauna Society Co-op’s first president Rodney Buhrsmith) offer three mobile saunas and five cold soak tubs at their “sauna village” on Nicollet and 47th in Southwest Minneapolis. They also offer mobile sauna rentals and guided sauna sessions at Minneapolis’s Hewing Hotel, where the host (or Saunameister) directs rounds of sauna use and cool-downs with essential oils and some of the best views of the city. Guests of the Hewing Hotel don’t have to wait for a scheduled guided session—registered guests over 21 can enjoy the heated rooftop spa pool and dry sauna from 7am to midnight, 365 days a year (yes, even in the snow).

Reserve a private guided sauna session with Cedar & Stone at the Four Seasons Hotel. A 75-minute private sauna experience includes thermic cycling of hots, cold, rest and rehydration, with the option of aromatherapy infusion. Sauna guides are there to curate your experience, share knowledge about the wellness of sauna, and provide support and answers to questions. After your session, continue to unwind by taking advantage of the Four Seasons spa facilities, like the steam rooms, showers and indoor pool.

Enjoy all of the classic hot-and-cold elements of a communal bathing ritual at Watershed Spa and Baths in St. Anthony Main. A restorative melange of treatments from a wide variety of wellness traditions, the experience combines showers, soaking tubs, sauna and steam areas, cold plunge pool, and rest areas for hydrating and hyping yourself up for the next cycle of self-care.

Where to Find Infrared Saunas in Minneapolis

While traditionalists will argue that an infrared sauna is not, in fact, a traditional sauna, these modern staples of wellness thermaculture nevertheless offer similar restorative health benefits and an escape from the cold. You can find Minneapolis infrared saunas available for private sessions at several health centers throughout the area, including NE Wellness in Northeast Minneapolis, Core Lifestyle Clinic in the North Loop neighborhood, Aurora Spa on West Lake Street in Uptown Minneapolis, and Awaken for Wellness and Sweatworks Studio in St. Paul.

Where to Rent Saunas in Minneapolis

Thanks to the large demand for the traditional sauna experience, mobile saunas in Minneapolis are quite popular, with many companies delivering a wood-fired sauna to your driveway along with all the wood you’ll need for your rental time (typically by the day or week). Best of all, they handle the cleaning and upkeep so you can enjoy a schvitz without all the work. Check out Roam Sauna Co., Nomad Sauna, Stokeyard Outfitters, Little Ember Co, and Stone Grove Sauna to bring 4 to 8 person saunas to your home, cabin, or event. All you need is a flat spot—like a driveway or alley apron—and you’ll be set up with the know-how and techniques to be your own saunameister.

Enjoy a Minneapolis Cold Plunge the Old-Fashioned Way—in a Frozen Lake!

Sure, custom backyard dunk tanks, ice baths, and cold ponds are gaining a lot of notoriety in the wellness and fitness recovery world, but folks have been enjoying the health benefits of cold therapy long before anyone knew who Wim Hof was. Head to Lake Harriet or Cedar Lake for a wintertime cold plunge via holes cut in the thick ice. Be prepared to make friends with other cold-hardy locals, and be sure to follow the local protocols to keep you and everyone else safe as you take the plunge.

*Many other cultures have vibrant steam and thermaculture traditions, from Indigenous American and First Nations sweat lodges and Russian banyas to Japanese sento and onsen and Turkish hammams inherited from ancient Roman and Greek bath houses.