Are saunas and cold plunges actually good for you?

Are saunas and cold plunges actually good for you?

May 7, 2026 · 12 min

About this episode

The episode explores the popularity and health benefits of saunas and cold plunges through personal experience and expert insights.

Saunas and cold plunges are getting really popular and people say they can boost your mood and come with all sorts of health benefits. So we sent Hannah off to try them out and see what she thought… In this episode we talk about why so many people are into saunas and cold plunges with Emilia Jansson, a BBC journalist and our resident Finn. Plus we’ll hear if there’s evidence that they’re actually good for you with James Gallagher, our Science and Health Correspondent. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Chelsea Coates and Ash Mohamed Editor: Verity Wilde

People in this episode

Host: Hannah Gelbart

Guest: Emilia Jansson

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC, BBC World Service

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