With an ever evolving technocratic world it is not surprising that an increasing number of people experience intense feelings of social isolation and loneliness. It may be simply that a two by four screen captures the attention of a loved one sitting right across the table from you more than your own face. Perhaps it is just not going to the movies, a place of worship, or to a live fitness class, however social isolation has captured you is less important than the reality that it affects a growing number of people in the post industrial world. So, how does sauna bathing fit into a solution for social isolation?
If you are feeling socially isolated, then you are not alone. Sadly, social connectivity determines mortality at rates comparable to smoking and heavy drinking. The scientific evidence suggests that humans, as innately social creatures, are not immune to isolation. With prolonged isolation not only is our emotional wellbeing compromised, but our physical health will begin to decline. We, as a society, collectively face the challenges associated with loneliness as technology barrel rolls ahead of our own adaptability. What are some solutions that could help to alleviate some of the social isolation we face?
A group of researchers in the UK decided to study sauna culture and its effect on emotional and mental health, as well as its impact on social connectivity. Saunas are widely recognized for their profoundly positive benefits to physiology. With health benefits ranging from a reduction in all cause mortality, to cardiovascular health, a decrease in chronic pain and inflammation, improved immunity, and even neuroprotective factors that may help reduce the risk of dementia later in life. There is no question that those who sauna regularly will ameliorate their health in a multitude of ways.
In addition to the innumerable ways that saunas can help improve physical health, it also appears that saunas, when used in specific ways, can also improve your social life. Find out the details of the research that purports saunas as an effective tool to relieve social isolation, what key factors are necessary to relieve loneliness via a sauna, and how you can implement these factors from home to make your life just a little bit more socially connected.
Social Isolation and its Effect on Mental, Emotional, and Physical Wellbeing
It is easy to make light of the growing sense of loneliness among the post industrial world’s population, but the reality is that a lack of social connection moves beyond just emotional bonds and into the realm of physical health. Understanding the profoundly devastating effect that social isolation has on physical wellbeing is the first step in resolving it.
There are few people on the planet who have not experienced a sense of loneliness or social disconnect at some point in their lives. In the past two decades with the rise of social media and other online platforms people have been staying home more and connecting less. Self-checkouts and food delivery services allow for people to access essential services more conveniently, but also without ever having to have a social interaction. It turns out that there may actually be a cost to this notion of high value on speed and convenience.
A paper published by the peer reviewed journal Science Direct entitled ‘Social cure, what social cure? The propensity to underestimate the importance of social factors for health’ (1), highlights the profound need to reorient humans back to their social connections for more than just emotional needs, but also for their physical ones!
According to this paper the authors describe the grave physiological outcomes that result from a lack of social connection that may be as detrimental as continuing to smoke.
“Recent meta-analytic research indicates that social support and social integration are highly protective against mortality, and that their importance is comparable to, or exceeds, that of many established behavioural risks such as smoking, high alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and obesity that are the traditional focus of medical research.” (1)
If you are someone who takes their physical health very seriously, but are socially isolated, it may be that all of the effort to stay healthy is slightly cancelled out by potential loneliness. To be clear, drinking heavily in a bar every night while surrounded by other people and smoking a pack of cigarettes while you do so, is not the answer. It is, however, important in a quickly evolving world that values speed and convenience to create spaces for social connectivity.
Some individuals would call these ‘third’ spaces. Third spaces are places that are neither your home, nor your place of work. Some examples of third spaces may include: Churches, synagogues, recovery groups, yoga classes, book clubs, or participating in local sports. In addition to these excellent options for social connection, evidence suggests that using your home sauna to create a third space will help to not only improve your physical health, but may also be a way to bring people together.
The Research and Data on Sauna Use to Relieve Loneliness and Social Isolation: Emotional Synchronization and Ritual
- Third Space Creation
- Shared Ritualistic Experience
- Emotional Synchrony
A key aspect to creating social connectivity in a world that seems to be moving further away from this, is to actively seek out third spaces, or to create them. There is presently a strong global movement toward sauna use that stretches across a variety of demographics. With more individuals putting their health as a leading value in their life it is a natural progression to turn toward sauna use. The regular and ongoing use of a sauna may be the best health decision that anyone can make, and a lot of research would agree with this statement.
Given the growing volume of sauna users, a group of researchers in the field of social science in the United Kingdom decided to see what impact saunas may have on social connectivity. A paper published by the peer reviewed journal Science Direct titled ‘Sauna culture improves physical and mental wellbeing in the UK through social connection and ritual’ (2) the authors dive deeply into the effects of sauna on social connection and what key elements allow this to happen.
The researchers decided to capitalize on the growing population of sauna users in the UK, and set their intention in creating this study with this statement.
“Sauna culture is experiencing rapid global growth, yet beyond physical health benefits, remains largely understudied within academic research. We investigate both its physical and mental health benefits in the UK using the Social Cure model in conjunction with a ritual lens to understand how feelings of connection grow via sauna.” (2)
Actually performing the study was a little more nuanced than what is usually required in a sauna study that focuses only on the physiological aspects. The researchers used the Social Cure Model as a basis for evaluating their research. The Social Cure Model dates back to the turn of the twentieth century and has been used by sociologists and social psychologists for over a century. (3)
The researchers of the aforementioned research define the Social Cure Model here.
“Rooted in social identity theory, this framework shows that people who feel strongly connected to groups—whether based on community, culture, or shared experience—experience better health outcomes.” (2)
The key aspects that help to grow feelings of social connectivity come down to three primary factors: Literally being in the same space at the same time (third spaces), a shared ritualistic experience, and lasting a shared emotional experience at the same time as well as in the space place, known as emotional synchrony. The researchers believed that sauna bathing could potentially accomplish the three primary elements necessary for social connectedness. They discuss emotional synchrony here.
“Emotional synchrony—sharing the same emotional state with others—strengthens social connection and improves wellbeing.” (2)
The researchers conducted three separate studies to determine how impactful sauna use was on social cohesion. A total of 35 participants were involved in the studies, and each study used a subjective survey to measure the participants’ experience before and after the sauna session, as well as at different times apart from the sauna use. The survey focused on questions of belonging, physical wellbeing, emotional synchrony, and a sense of overall support.
The researchers stressed that experiencing a sauna session with some ritualistic aspect was a key element of their study.
“We propose that understanding sauna as a ritual is essential, as it positions sauna beyond typical group activities explored in the Social Cure model or offered through mainstream health initiatives, by highlighting its capacity for deep meaning-making. Rituals are uniquely powerful in fostering social cohesion and have been consistently associated with enhanced wellbeing, particularly through emotionally synchronised, shared experiences.” (2)
The researchers further elaborate on the importance of viewing sauna use ritualistically when they write this.
“Shared ritual experiences can dissolve individual boundaries, allowing participants’ personal identities to become porous and merge with collective identities, i.e., identity fusion…This form of social connection is particularly relevant in communal practices such as sauna bathing, where the ritualised nature of participation may intensify feelings, meaning, unity, and belonging.” (2)
Without this ritualistic aspect of sauna use they believe that the results on social connection would be lessened. It is crucial to understand that in addition to a ritual, there does not need to be a lot of people in saunas to create a sense of belonging, but a minimum of two other individuals does seem to be important.
The study found that those participants who used a sauna once per month experienced significantly less positive outcomes than those who used a sauna weekly. The concluding remarks of the researchers clearly display positive results for sauna use as a means of correcting social isolation, and further enhanced an overall sense of belonging for the participants.
“Our findings demonstrate that frequent sauna use, particularly on a weekly basis, is associated with greater health and wellbeing benefits, with these effects partly explained by increased feelings of social belonging. This pathway was especially strong in the prediction of mental health outcomes, suggesting that regular engagement in sauna culture may offer psychological benefits through enhanced social connection, in support of the Social Cure model.” (2)
The use of a sauna is powerful as a connection tool due to the shared experience of overcoming the heat as a group rather than individually. This connection gave its participants a sense of shared experience, but also a connection to the liminal states associated with a relaxed nervous system that occurs for individuals in a sauna. Also, adding some ritualistic aspect to sauna use furthered the sense of belonging for individuals.
While the study did not necessarily outline this aspect of collective sauna use it is likely that the shared health benefits amongst the sauna bathers added to a sense of innate connection to one another. Coming out of the sauna with a glow, elevated endorphins along with a sense of accomplishment and improved health is also part of the glue that holds sauna bathers together.
How can someone recreate this study at home so that individuals that are using a sauna together can come away with a sense of inclusion and belonging.
How to Use a Sauna to for Social Connection, Emotional Synchrony, and an Increased Sense of Belonging
If you would like to use your home sauna to improve social connection there are few key ingredients that should be included. The first one is the creation of a third space, which in this case is the sauna. The second, is to create a ritual surrounding sauna use, and thirdly, of course, is to include a few other individuals.
Even though your sauna may be at home, it is still possible for this space to be used as a third space, which means it is apart from all of the other activities at home. Even putting up a curtain in front of your sauna to create a sense of separateness from the everyday activities if you live in a very small space is helpful. Intentionally decide that your sauna is a place that is sacred and a part from your work and home obligations. Perhaps insisting that your sauna is a phone free zone is enough to create the necessary separation from your everyday life. Make your sauna space sacred so that it is somewhere you and others can step into as they step out of their normal everyday lives.
Creating a ritual around your sauna use appears to be an important aspect of creating connectivity through sauna use. This does not have to be religious, it could simply mean that at the beginning and end of each sauna session a few words of intention are shared. Whatever ritual you decide on, make sure that you feel comfortable with it, and also that it is valued by others in the shared experience. It could simply be taking turns pouring water onto the stove, or removing all phones and access to phones during the sauna session.
Finally, invite people over to your third space that is your sauna. In order to create a sense of social connection in a sauna it is important to do it with other people! It could be as simple as creating a sauna club, like a book club. If everyone in the group has their own sauna each person could take turns hosting the sauna club. A different sauna every week hosted by a different member, for example. Depending on the size of your sauna you will be able to include more or less people. If possible aim to include at least two others in your sauna experience.
Creating a third space with your sauna for social connectivity may not solve all of your problems, but it should help to improve your sense of belonging and social connection.
Remember that we can often feel as if socializing is trivial, but the reality is that prolonged social isolation can be as damaging as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Make sure that as you prioritize your health, which means that you also include some social connection, maybe even in your sauna!
If you do decide to sauna with other people please be sure to clean your sauna thoroughly after each sense. Showering before entering the sauna can also be helpful, and ensuring that no participants are carrying any contagious illnesses is also important.
Remember to stay well hydrated with plenty of electrolyte rich fluids. If you are unsure if sauna use is safe for you, please consult with your doctor before beginning your sauna protocol.
Citations:
- Social cure, what social cure? The propensity to underestimate the importance of social factors for health https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953617307505
- Sauna culture improves physical and mental wellbeing in the UK through social connection and ritual https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795362600136X
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1258967/full Expanding the social cure: a mixed-methods approach exploring the role of online group dance as support for young people (aged 16–24) living with anxiety