In Finland, saunas have long been a way of life. But getting hot and sweaty is growing in popularity elsewhere.

Deep underground in a disused iron mine and under the bluish glow of a flashlight, a small crowd emerges from a sauna, steam rising off their bodies as they plunge into a crystal clear turquoise lake.

What if I Told You About Finland’s Sauna Obsession? Welcome to Finland, a country utterly obsessed with saunas. The sauna is the most important social forum in Finland. There are more saunas than cars ...

The sauna (which means “bath” in Finnish) is a ritual -- almost even a rite -- which Finland’s 5.5 million inhabitants carry out at least once a week. A sociable event that once lent a sense of ...

We were all naked in the steamy warmth of the sauna. The dimly lit wood building was heated to a sweltering temperature by a wood-burning stove. A woman dipped water out of a pail and splashed it on ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. – Christopher and Julie Rice sat naked in the sauna, sweating in its 180-degree heat. In the crisp air outside, they then played a few hands of cribbage and noshed on pickles and ...

For Finns, a sauna is an integral part of their culture. Here, a guide to the customs and etiquette associated with the sauna and five of the best public saunas in Finland. Ah, the sauna. That little ...

It is so hot that my lungs feel like burst bubblegum. A stranger is whipping my naked back with a branch. I am 12. It is so humid that my nostrils burn like mustard. Two humming wizards are whacking ...

BATTLE GROUND — When Markku Kesala sees a sauna, all he can think is that it’s time to play the music and light the lights. “Growing up in Finland, my family would sauna together every Friday,” Kesala ...

It is official: the United Nations World Happiness Report has once again declared Finland to be the happiest country in the world. The Scandinavian country has now topped the list eight times in a row ...