Why Heat Therapy Is the Most Overlooked Wellness Habit in America
TLDR: Heat therapy is the most overlooked wellness habit in America because it lacks the cultural tradition and accessibility found in nations like the Nordic countries, despite being backed by clear science. While Finns regularly use their 3.3 million saunas for mental decompression, physical recovery, and cardiovascular health, Americans view it as a luxury, are deterred by the awkwardness of crowded public saunas, and prioritize pharmaceutical fixes. This has made consistent, authentic heat therapy inaccessible for routine use, but the rising popularity of solutions like a wood-fired, portable sauna tent is finally making this ancient ritual private, affordable, and easy to adopt.
Sauna by the Numbers
3.3M saunas in Finland (for 5.5M people)
60% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (frequent sauna users)
15–30 minutes = optimal heat therapy session time
In a country constantly searching for the next best health hack, there's one ancient, proven wellness practice that's somehow been forgotten: heat therapy. While Americans look for quick fixes, the world's happiest nations have been quietly leveraging the power of heat for centuries. It's time to uncover this overlooked ritual and understand why a regular, deep sweat could be the missing piece in your wellness puzzle.
What the Happiest Countries Know About Heat
For years, the same set of countries have consistently topped the World Happiness Report. The Nordic Countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) have excellent social programs, a deep connection to a simple, centuries-old wellness ritual may be the secret ingredient to their contented lives: sauna culture.
In Finland, the happiest country on earth for seven years running, sauna isn't a luxury; it’s a non-negotiable part of daily life. The numbers are astonishing:
More Saunas Than Cars: Finland, with a population of about 5.5 million, boasts over 3.3 million saunas. That's more than one sauna for every two people!
A Weekly Ritual: A Swedish study found that the majority of participants who reported higher levels of happiness, energy, and better mental health were those who used a sauna at least one to four times a month or more often. For many Finns, a weekly sauna isn’t optional — it’s expected.
In these cultures, heat therapy is not an occasional spa trip. It’s an accessible, communal, and routine practice for mental and physical well-being.
The Science is Clear: The Benefits of a Deep Sweat
The feeling of relaxation after a sauna is immediate, but the benefits are much deeper and backed by solid science. When you expose your body to intense heat, you trigger a powerful set of adaptive responses known as heat stress. Here are some of the key ways regular heat therapy can upgrade your health:
Physical Recovery and Cardiovascular Health
Mimics Exercise: The rise in your core body temperature and heart rate during a sauna session mimics the effects of a moderate-intensity workout. It improves blood flow and can enhance your heat tolerance, which may boost athletic endurance.
Heart Health: Consistent sauna use has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The heat causes your blood vessels to dilate and improves vascular function, essentially giving your heart a workout without the physical strain on your joints.
Soothes Aches: By increasing circulation, heat therapy helps deliver more oxygen and nutrients to tired muscles and stiff joints, making it a great tool for muscle recovery and managing chronic pain like arthritis.
Mental Clarity and Stress Reduction
Natural Mood Boost: The heat causes your body to release endorphins, which are natural mood-boosting chemicals that can reduce stress and promote a sense of well-being.
A Mindful Escape: The quiet, distraction-free environment of a sauna forces you to be fully present. It offers a necessary break from screens and the chaos of modern life, allowing for deep relaxation and mental decompression. Studies even suggest heat therapy can help reduce symptoms of depression.
Want to feel these benefits for yourself? Our portable wood-fired sauna tents bring authentic heat therapy to any backyard or adventure spot. Check them out here!
Why America Is Late to the Heat Therapy Party
While the scientific evidence for the cardiovascular, mental, and musculoskeletal benefits of deliberate heat exposure is compelling, it remains a surprisingly overlooked wellness habit in the United States. This can be attributed to several distinct cultural, economic, and social factors that set the U.S. apart from the Nordic nations.
The Missing "Sauna Culture"
The single biggest difference is the lack of a deeply ingrained cultural tradition.
Luxury, Not Necessity: In America, a traditional sauna or steam room is often viewed as a luxury amenity found only in high-end spas or expensive health clubs. Contrast this with Finland, where they are built into private homes, apartments, and even office buildings.
The "One-and-Done" Experience: The public sauna is often treated as a rushed "tack-on" to a workout rather than the restorative, multi-round ritual of cooling and resting that defines authentic heat therapy.
The Great Public Discomfort
For many Americans, the idea of using a public sauna is a major deterrent, rooted in social discomfort and a lack of clear etiquette.
Privacy and Crowding: The cramped, communal rooms found in many American gyms are often packed with strangers, making relaxation difficult and sacrificing the sense of peace essential to true thermal therapy.
The "Naked" Question: While nudity is a standard, non-sexualized part of the experience in countries like Germany and Finland, American culture is more prudish, leading to awkward encounters and uncertainty over proper etiquette (clothing, personal space, conversation). The lack of clear norms turns what should be a sanctuary into a source of social stress.
The Medical Bias Toward High-Tech Solutions
The U.S. healthcare model tends to favor advanced, high-cost, and pharmacological treatments over simple, low-tech remedies.
Prioritizing the Pill: Doctors and patients are often quicker to reach for a prescription or a high-tech procedure to manage pain and chronic illness. Simple heat therapy is frequently dismissed as a basic home remedy rather than a legitimate tool for preventative care.
How to Embrace the Heat Therapy Habit
For decades, the traditional sauna experience was expensive, permanent, and largely inaccessible to the average American. This is why the powerful, everyday practice of heat therapy has become so overlooked.
But things have changed…
At North Shore Sauna, we believe authentic heat therapy should be a part of everyone’s wellness routine—not just a lucky few. That’s why we started the first U.S.-based sauna tent company, built on the mission to make the traditional, wood-fired sauna experience accessible, portable, and affordable.
You don't need a custom-built cabin to start sweating your way to better health. You just need a spot outdoors and a portable sauna tent to capture the same wood-fired heat, steam (löyly), and sense of connection that the happiest people on earth rely on.
Mackenzie, a North Shore Sauna customer for over a year, recently shared her experience on social media saying, “I’ve used my Nova 6 Premium Package almost every day for over a year now. I have never slept better in my LIFE! I started off using it alone but slowly invited friends over to sauna with me and now we have our own little sauna wellness community. We even teamed up with a local gym to bring our sauna to their workout classes on the weekends for a post workout recovery session and the sauna is filled with people sharing great stories and connecting for several hours after the workout. I love my sauna! It really was a life-changer!”
For decades, sauna culture seemed out of reach for most Americans. But now, the same authentic wood-fired heat that fuels Finland’s happiness can fit in your backyard.”
North Shore Sauna was built to bring that ritual home — portable, handcrafted, and ready wherever life takes you. Ready to start your own routine?
Explore our collection of portable wood-fired sauna tents and bring the most overlooked wellness habit in America to your backyard, campsite, or lakeside.