There is another factor few talk about that may be behind the high happiness level, though: the widespread use of saunas.
When the average person talks about a “sauna”, they are usually referring to Finnish steam saunas. These are compact, wood-panelled rooms with wooden benches, where radiant heaters keep the temperature between 70 and 100 degrees Celsius (158-212 degrees Fahrenheit). Pouring water over superheated rocks on the heater fills the space with steam.
Saunas come in other forms – including dry saunas without steam and, more recently, infrared ones which uses thermal radiation waves to heat your body directly.A sauna in this Hong Kong home takes Scandi-style living to the max
The traditional Finnish sauna uses heat to induce perspiration. In Finland, taking a sauna is like taking a shower. Everyone does it, regularly and religiously. In fact, Finland is reported to have more saunas than cars – around 3.2 million saunas for 5.5 million people.
Almost everyone – 95 per cent of Finns – uses a sauna at least once per week, and the vast majority have a sauna in their home. There is a Finnish saying: “Build the sauna, then the house.”
In the nation’s capital, Helsinki, even Burger King – yes, the global fast food chain – has a sauna for its customers.
The health benefits of using a sauna regularly – from three to five times a week – are well documented.
Researchers at the Institute of Biomedical Science in Poland found that regular sauna use is directly associated with a reduction in cortisol, the stress-related hormone, which helps to stabilise one’s mood.
Sauna bathing prompts the brain to produce more “happy hormones”, such as serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin.
Researchers also found a link between sauna use and an improved white blood cell profile. These cells are a key part of the body’s immune system, helping to fight infection and other diseases.Saunas may also improve sleep quality by boosting the release of melatonin, one of the hormones necessary for sleep. They relax the mind and body, and help relieve any lingering pain.Saunas have also been shown to help fight depression, a condition that affects more than 300 million people worldwide.
Research carried out by Dr Charles Raison, professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States and co-author of The New Mind-Body Science of Depression, suggests that short bursts of sauna use elevate core body temperature and produce rapid, powerful antidepressant effects.
Now there is evidence to suggest sauna use may also lower the risk of dementia, which is a disease affecting more than 55 million people globally.
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A paper published by Finnish academics in the medical journal Preventive Medicine Reports in 2020 studied the association between heat exposure during sauna bathing and the subsequent risk of developing dementia. The study included 13,994 men and women between the ages of 30 and 69, all of whom were initially diagnosed as free from dementia.
During follow-up studies that ran for 39 years, 1,805 of these people – less than 13 per cent – were diagnosed with some form of dementia.
The authors concluded that regular sauna bathing – nine to 12 times a month – was related to a reduced risk of dementia. They suggest this may be because regular sauna bathing is linked to a reduction in risk factors that may contribute to dementia, such as hypertension, cardiovascular problems and inflammation.
“Sauna is protective against many cardiovascular diseases. It lowers blood pressure and improves vascular function,” says cardiologist and study author Jari Laukkanen, head of the clinical medicine institute at the University of East Finland.
Not surprisingly, the academic is sold on its health benefits himself. “I have a sauna every day, in the evening,” Laukkanen says.
In Hong Kong, you can find saunas at dedicated centres such as The Sunny Paradise Sauna in Wan Chai, The Sauna & Spa in Tsim Sha Tsui, and Windsor Spa in Fortress Hill and Yau Ma Tei; in many hotels, including the WM Hotel in Sai Kung, the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong in Sha Tin, the Harbour Plaza Resort City in Tin Shui Wai; and in some gyms, including Pure Fitness centres in IFC in Central, California Tower in Lan Kwai Fong, Lee Theatre in Causeway Bay, Langham Place in Mong Kok and others.ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tK%2FMqWWcp51kuaqyxKyrsqSVZLWmrcutn2avlaG5r7HSrGaaqqSesK2xjmxpampmaoVwtM6wZKyZpaOubq%2FAp2SmmZuaerq71GafmqignrKzecCnm2aglZa5tbTInqlmoJGrtq%2BzjKilnmWimrS2uMCro7JlnKTEpr7SZpueqKKawLS1zqdkoZ2Rp8FurdOtmJyjXZa7pQ%3D%3D