Did you know that in the last year, more saunas have opened in the UK than pubs? In fact, pubs and late-night venues are closing down at an alarming rate. It seems that the ever-climbing cost of living, combined with sober curious culture is causing a shift in how Brits like to spend their downtime.
I tend to keep wellness trends at arm’s length. As somebody who has struggled with disordered eating and exercise behaviours, I’m sceptical of anything that is marketed as a cure-all for mind, body, and soul. That being said, there are a few lifestyle changes that I’ve adopted to improve my overall well-being: regular exercise, being outdoors, and spending time away from screens. Revolutionary, right?
Sauna adopts all three of these exercises (well, kind of). The kind that are cropping up around the country as pretty chic and simple. Most consist of a small wood-fired sauna equipped with large glass windows overlooking a beach, lake or woodland, plus metal troughs filled with cold water. The premise is simple. Rotate between the sauna's sticky heat and the water's sharp slap. This is called Contrast therapy in the sauna-ing world, a practice revered for its dopamine-inducing qualities, ability to decrease stress and support muscle recovery. What sold me? The fact that it gets you out in nature and one with the elements year-round, even when the British weather is doing it characteristically grey, gloomy, rainy thing.
I decided to visit South West Saunas, which is based just outside of Totnes in South Devon. Full disclosure here, this is a biased review as the owner is my best friend’s older brother. BUT I caveat that he’s a small, local business owner, so it feels only right to champion his sauna! So on a very gloomy March afternoon, me, my mum, sister and her boyfriend headed over to see what all the fuss was about. The sauna is located on a glamping site and thanks to it being the off-season we had the place to ourselves. Jake, the owner, met us on arrival and explained how it all worked and how to sauna safely. We grabbed our towels, donned our silly little sauna hats and headed in.
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As I love to mention on this blog, I’m a sober girlie (2 years this summer slay), so I’m always looking for activities that give me a natural high. Pretty early on in my sobriety journey, I realised I didn’t want to spend my spare time sitting in dank pubs watching my friends get progressively pissed and increasingly annoying. Already a keen runner, I found more and more pleasure in meeting my friends for a Saturday morning 5K followed by a coffee and sweet treat, over staying out until the early hours clubbing. Similarly to the boom in run club culture, sauna and cold swimming are seeping into our popular culture. More and more young people are opting for either flexi-sober or teetotal living. It’s estimated that approximately 20% of Gen Z (Of which I am one, just about) do not drink. With this in mind, I think it’s only natural that people are seeking out a new third space, somewhere and something enjoyable to do with friends at the weekends.
Our sauna session was an hour long. We started sheepishly covering our bodies, feeling silly and exposed in our swimming suits. By the end, we were dunking our full heads under the brisking 6-degree waters of the plunge pools and sipping on the complimentary cucumber water. Undoubtedly it boosts your mood. My only comment is that this sauna isn’t near any body of water, and I think the experience would be heightened if you were able to include a sea or river swim into the equation.
Obviously saunaing isn’t exactly cheap either, however, if you trade a night at the pub for a morning sweat-sesh I think you’ll probably find yourself at least £20 better off. Plus with the added bonus of it actually being pretty good for you, I think I’m going to make a habit of it. My thinking? Sauna. Bucketlist.
Here are a few spots I’d love to try out:
Somewhere Sauna, Plymouth & Totnes
The other top sauna here in South Devon, Somewhere Sauna, has two sites and is a popular option with locals.
Beach Box Sauna, Brighton
Located right on the seafront in Brighton, this is super accessible for anyone who lives in the city, or if you fancy a day trip from London
Community Sauna Baths, Multiple Locations London
There are so many saunas and spas dotted across the city, but the community sauna baths are super affordable and charming
Bristol Community Sauna, Bristol
I’m going here for my birthday! I’ll let you know what I think…
By becca mae x
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Cold plunges are definitely a quick way to shock your system. I’ve also found that it’s a great test of endurance and mental fortitude.
PS: my preferred example of contrast therapy is diving into the snow when on a hot tub during a ski trip!
you gotta go to finland!!! they are obsessed with saunas and many apartments have them. Its embedded into their culture in such a beautiful way. Go to Löyly if you ever get a chance— it’s magical!