Women's perceptions of sauna bathing and its impact on health and well-being: insights from a cross-sectional study
Lennkvist M, Hägglund H, Engström Å
International journal of circumpolar health · 2 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Cross-sectional study (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
Based on full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2025-12-03 · Int J Circumpolar Health · vol. 84 · issue 1 · p. 2595806
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Cited
- 2 citations · more than 88% of similar papers · 2.1× the field average
- References
- 22 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY-NC
- Research areas
- Therapeutic Uses of Natural Elements · Thermoregulation and physiological responses · Skin Protection and Aging
- Keywords
- Bathing, Perception, Health care, Focus group, Descriptive statistics, Occupational safety and health, Health problems, Health professionals
- MeSH
- humans, steam bath, cross-sectional studies, health status, adult, aged, middle aged, women's health, female, young adult, surveys and questionnaires
3 authors
From SE
- Maria Lennkvist · correspondingKarlstad University
- Hans HägglundUppsala University Hospital
- Åsa EngströmLuleå University of Technology
Abstract
Sauna bathing has gained increasing attention in medical and nursing research for its potential health-enhancing properties. It may be a valuable self-care practice for women, complementing conventional healthcare in prevention of diseases and promoting health and well-being. Since most studies focus on male participants, it is important to explore women's experiences with sauna bathing and its significance for their health and well-being. The aim of this study was to examine women's perceptions of sauna bathing and its impact on their health and well-being. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire comprising 17 items and four open-ended questions, which formed a subset of a larger questionnaire. A total of 384 women sauna users participated. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. Women described a range of health and well-being experiences, with sauna bathing perceived as restorative and emotionally grounding, promoting improved sleep and reduced bodily pain, yet occasionally associated with social insecurity and counterproductive effects.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY-NC).
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