About this episode

This episode features a conversation between Glenn Auerbach and Jake Newport about the evolution of sauna culture in the UK and North America.

What happens when the exploding UK sauna movement meets the rapidly evolving North American sauna scene? Recorded live at Sauna Days 2025 on Minnesota's North Shore, this episode of Sauna Talk features a wide-ranging conversation with Jake Newport of Finnmark Sauna in the UK. Together, Glenn Auerbach and Jake explore where global sauna culture is headed next — from grassroots mobile saunas and floating bathhouses to luxury urban wellness spaces, aufguss experiences, and the rise of social sauna culture. Jake shares the remarkable story behind Finnmark Sauna and the transformation of sauna culture across the UK over the last decade. What was once dismissed as "hot dry boxes" in hotels and gyms has evolved into a thriving movement centered around contrast therapy, community, craftsmanship, ritual, and meaningful human connection. Topics include: The rise of sauna culture in the UK and parallels with the USA Mobile sauna movements, beach saunas, and floating saunas Othership, guided sauna experiences, and modern wellness trends Authentic sauna culture vs. commercialization Aufguss and curated sauna rituals Building community through heat and cold Sauna entrepreneurship and the…

People in this episode

Host: Glenn Auerbach

Guest: Jake Newport

Topics covered

• sauna culture
• contrast therapy
• community building
• mobile saunas
• wellness trends
• sauna entrepreneurship

Keywords

• sauna revolution
• Finnmark Sauna
• aufguss
• social sauna culture
• mobile saunas
• wellness spaces
• community
• contrast therapy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Finnmark Sauna

Places: UK, North America, Minnesota

More episodes of Sauna Talk

• Sauna, Ritual and the Science of Belonging with Sierra Blake | Recorded at Sauna Days 2026 | Sauna Talk 135 · July 16, 2026 · 54 min
• USA Sauna Celebration: Reflections on Good Heat, American Ingenuity and the Spirit of Freedom | Sauna Talk Episode 134 · July 4, 2026 · 1h 2m
• Sauna, Breath, Cold & Meaning: A Live Authors Panel from Sauna Days 2025 | Sauna Talk 133 · June 11, 2026 · 57 min
• The New Party Sauna: Community, Cold Plunges & Sauna Days | Josh Leddy & Leif Kjorness | Sauna Talk 131 · May 14, 2026 · 56 min

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