The World Sauna Championships. It’s fair to say the vast majority of modern sauna users and enthusiasts probably don’t know much about the World Sauna Championships. That’s easily explained. Not having been held since 2010, the Championships as an annual endurance competition held in Finland attracted a lot of attention for over a decade. Then, things came to a crashing halt. Here’s a little bit about the story of the World Sauna Championships and why they’ve become an example of exactly what not to do with your sauna.
First held in 1999, the World Sauna Championships quickly gained attention for its sauna-sitting competition. Contestants from more than 20 countries worldwide would come to Finland to compete. The entire event was essentially based around extreme sauna bathing. Competitors entered at their own risk, sat in extreme conditions, and were required to sign a form saying no legal action would be taken against the organizers should anything happen to them. Although the ‘World Sauna Championships’ tag sounds very official, it was really a rogue event that was not approved and which attracted strong criticism from the Finnish Sauna Society among others.
A sauna has many health benefits. It’s those benefits which one should focus on when enjoying saunas. Instead, the World Sauna Championships has become an opportunity to essentially conduct very unhealthy, risky sauna sessions. This leads us to the primary reason why you likely haven’t heard of the Championships. In 2010, one finalist in that year’s Championships actually died and another experienced a near-death event. It was this and finally this that meant organizers decided to put an end to the event. In response to this death, an investigation was launched and it was subsequently decided the organizing committee of the Championships would not be held responsible as they concluded the contestant may have used painkillers as well as ointments which were forbidden from being used in the competition.
Needless to say, the entire concept of the World Sauna Championships was ill thought out and incredibly dangerous. This is precisely not how to approach a sauna. At most, staying in beyond 40 minutes is not recommended. The vast majority of users may only take 15-20 minutes to see benefits and then, leave. A sauna is also not meant to be an endurance competition. It wasn’t designed for that. If you walk into a sauna at a fitness center after a workout with your friends, you’re not there to see who lasts the longest. Depending on health condition, hydration, and various other factors, it could be incredibly damaging to your organs and possibly life-threatening to play that game. Don’t do it. Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated called the World Sauna Championships in 2007 “quite possibly the world’s dumbest sport.” He’s not wrong.
How to use a sauna safely is to hydrate with water before and after, and possibly during; if necessary, leave the sauna should you feel even remotely dizzy or uncomfortable; don’t do a sauna if you’ve been drinking alcohol or are hung-over; consult a physician if you feel any negative effects from a sauna; and ultimately, to listen to your body. A sauna is an amazing tool in the health and wellness of individuals, when used right. Done wrong, it’s deadly.