Summer heat waves

and summer sauna action goes right along side.

SaunaTimes survey

Wow. Thank you!

Several thousand readers received the survey, and nearly 300 of you responded. I would have been thrilled with 30 responses, so this was beyond my expectations.

The results are clear:

You want more BUILD.

You want more HEAT.

By a wide margin, those two topics rose to the top.

The survey results confirm what I’ve sensed for a long time: you want to build better saunas. Better layouts. Better materials. Better ventilation. Better heaters. Better craftsmanship. And you want to better understand heat itself—and the elements that create truly great löyly.

People, Places, and Products will always be part of SaunaTimes, but Build and Heat are where I’ll continue to lean in over the months and years ahead.

I’ll share more about the survey next month, including the winners of the Sauna Life book giveaway, along with a major announcement for expanded Sauna Talk action.

I’ve been riding these positive sauna vibrations since 2008, and I’m excited to revisit and expand many favorite topics: from The Holy Trinity of Good Sauna to the Jazz Trio of Heat Transfer, and to both support and challenge conventional thinking along the way.

Thank you for helping shape the future of SaunaTimes.

Exerpt from last month’s readers survey, close to 300 responses.

Sauna Talk

Three new episodes this month:

Sauna Days 2026
Producer Mossy Ben turns the microphone around and interviews me about Sauna Days 2026, where nearly 300 sauna enthusiasts gathered at Larsmont Cottages in Two Harbors, Minnesota. Check out the podcast episode here.

Reflections of morning breath work and cold immersion, Sauna Days 2026

Sauna & Mental Health
Psychotherapist Sierra Blake joins Sauna Talk to discuss trauma, addiction recovery, and the growing understanding of sauna and cold immersion as tools for mental well-being. Check out the podcast episode here.

Sierra Blake, Lake Room, Larsmont Cottages, Sauna Days 2026!

Sauna in America
Recorded from island cabin country in northern Minnesota, this July 4th episode reflects on America’s sauna heritage and features favorite moments from past conversations with influential American sauna voices. Check it out here.

Musing on my favorite US Sauna Talk podcast episodes in this freshly recorded July 2026 episode. (Glenn and Mikkel).

Preparing for Temperature Extremes

Every employer plans for predictable workplace hazards.

So why wait until the first heat wave or cold snap to prepare workers for environmental stress?

A growing body of research suggests that gradual heat and cold adaptation may become another valuable tool for improving worker safety and resilience. Link is here.

Kev’s daughter, completing her Doctrate in Occupational Therapy. Her thesis is working to prevent and reduce injuries and illness among first responders.

Sauna Circuits

Robert Hammond, President of Therme US and founder of Culture Bathing, guides us through his favorite Sauna Circuit in Manhattan.

One of my favorite parts of every Sauna Circuit are “adjacencies” where each scout helps us discover the neighborhoods: the cafés, bookstores, parks, and local gems that make each route unique.

Check out the Manhattan Sauna Circuit here!

Each Sauna Circuit is curated by a “scout” who is thermally aligned in our spirit.

Why Mass Matters

We’re interested in heat, right? Well, A sauna heater doesn’t simply heat air.

It creates an entire thermal system where fire, steel, stones, room surfaces, ventilation, and bathers all interact.

While sitting on the bench, understanding that system (and not just what it says on the thermometer) is the key to understanding exceptional löyly. More is here!

A FLIR image accurately showing rocks that get hot.

Thanks again for following along, and forward this email along to someone you may know who is thermally aligned in our similar spirit… Talk with you again soon!