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Gen-Z are turning to communal saunas in place of nights out. But what’s the appeal of these steamy hang-outs?
Take a look at London’s social scene, and you’ll quickly realise that the nightclub is under threat. Well, the nightclub’s reign as an epicenter of youthful connection and sweaty camaraderie, anyway.
It seems that in the clerb, we’re not all fam. Because everyone has left the club and headed for the sauna.
Young people in the UK are increasingly ditching vodka shots for essential oils, as steamy wooden boxes become the unexpected darling of urban wellness and social culture.
Community saunas have been cropping up across London for a few years, as the Finnish tradition gained popularity in the UK. From Stratford to Hackney, Bermondsey to Kings Cross, perfect strangers are choosing to spend their Saturdays scantily clad, knee to knee, and dripping with sweat.
The trend echoes the Scandinavian approach to saunas. Unlike other countries where saunas have often been marketed as expensive, even elitist activities, Finland has long implemented them as an everyday ritual. Tampere, a small town north of Helsinki, has made a name for itself as ‘sauna capital of the world’, with around 60 public saunas for a population of 250,000.
According to the British Sauna Society, the number of Finnish-style public saunas in the UK doubled between early 2023 and 2024. And as young Brits continue to ditch booze and spend less time at the pub, the rise of the sauna shows no signs of slowing.
But why this sudden uptick in sweaty, steamy hang-outs?
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Speaking to Vogue’s Arielle Domb, Nik Torrens, treasurer of the British Sauna Society, says saunas encourage people to engage with their bodies. ‘People are so worried about what they’re doing the next day or what happened at work.’
‘You create that instant hit of steam that takes you away from everything you were thinking about. It’s a natural high.’
Saunas have been known to have benefits for centuries, and in some cultures also have sacred connotations. Studies have also linked regular sauna use to improved mental health, even alleviating the symptoms of depression.
So it’s no surprise that they’ve become popular spots for escaping the chaos of daily life – particularly for young people living in big cities like London.
Pairing a steamy stint in the sauna with an ice cold plunge has become the go-to way of letting go and pumping up, providing the same effects as a cardio workout.
It’s also become a surprisingly social spot, which Torrens believes is down to an erasure of hierarchy. ‘Somebody might be a CEO of a business; somebody might be homeless. It doesn’t matter in the sauna… you leave your prejudices outside.’
@mayachipotle An overlooked part of working out and trying to lose weight is incorporating your parasympathetic nervous system where your rest and digest response is turned on. Saunas stimulate that vagus nerve that allows that to happen. This helps with digestion, moods, and your overall health. Have a sauna session after a workout and there are sooo many benefits!!! #saunabenefits #workout #fyp #soccerworkout #healthbenefits #healthy #living #fittok #homesauna #fitness
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg has dubbed the sauna an important ‘third space’, away from home or work where people can meet and make friends. This comes as traditional third spaces like pubs and churches are in decline across the country.
In London, pop-up saunas are reclaiming forgotten spaces: car parks, rooftops, even river barges. They’re affordable, accessible, and refreshingly low-maintenance. No dress code, no velvet robes – just a towel and a willingness to sweat.
The rise of these spaces also signals a shift in how young people are forging connections. For a generation facing skyrocketing rents, financial instability, and a growing sense of isolation, the sauna functions as a modern-day village square.
Stripped of small tak’s usual props – smartphones, alcohol, clothing – conversations can become more carefree and intimate.
Is it a coincidence that the rise of communal saunas has coincided with an endless stream of TikToks extolling the virtues of hot/cold therapy? Probably not. And yet, there’s something undeniably appealing about this pivot toward sweat-filled minimalism.
As nightclubs fade into the background, communal saunas are carving out a new space in the cultural zeitgeist. They’re less flashy, more introspective – a perfect reflection of a generation that’s as concerned with personal growth as it is with collective well-being.
