In some areas of Canada people think about the value of stuff in terms of cost of a case of beer. If you have ever visited Finland or know any Finns, they speak about the value of things in terms of saunas. How many saunas would that cost? they might ask in understanding the price of a car.
Saunas, health experts agree, are good for your health. In a study from Finland in 2022, researchers found that saunas combined with exercise is good for heart health.
A barrel sauna with a panoramic window. Saunas may be the new longevity hack.
The study from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, found that a sauna together with exercise is a viable preemptive combination for improving cardiovascular health and lowering the risk of CVD. In short
“The results of this study lend support for the regular use of sauna bathing with regular exercise, and shows promise as a therapeutic adjunct, particularly for those with lower exercise capacities,” says Earric Lee, a Doctoral Researcher in the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the university.
The exercise protocol used for the study adhered to well-established international and national guidelines: 50 minutes of exercise, three times a week. Each session consisted of 20 minutes of resistance exercise, followed by 30 minutes of aerobic exercise.
The participants in the exercise and sauna group went for 15 minutes of a typical Finnish sauna bathing after the exercise session. Maybe a run or a vigorous canoe?
CVD is the major contributor to morbidity and mortality in the world. Annually, it costs the public healthcare system in Finland tremendous amounts of money. “Any approach that has the potential to alleviate the burden, and work alongside other preventative strategies such as exercise is really worth further consideration,” Lee points out.
So saunas are good and this is the one we want: A barrel sauna built in Canada with a large dome window is both energy efficient and pleasing. Barrel saunas are naturally energy efficient saunas because as the cedar heats up it expands in an even way around the sauna.
The circular design causes the warm air to rise continuously and cool air to fall so the air is constantly moving and being reheated, allowing it to maintain internal temperatures more effectively. The round womb-like structure lends a coziness that feels human.
How long can a barrel sauna last?
Author: Karin Kloosterman
Karin Kloosterman is an award-winning journalist, innovation strategist, and founder of Green Prophet, one of the Middle East’s pioneering sustainability platforms. She has ranked in the Top 10 of Verizon innovation competitions, participated in NASA-linked challenges, and spoken worldwide on climate, food security, and future resilience. With an IoT technology patent, features in Canada’s National Post, and leadership inside teams building next-generation agricultural and planetary systems — including Mars-farming concepts — Karin operates at the intersection of storytelling, science, and systems change. She doesn’t report on the future – she helps design it. Reach out directly to [email protected]
