Sauna for Offline Connections and Interactive, Authentic Living

This pilot trial will test an intervention (sauna visits) targeting reductions in loneliness in adults aged 19-22 years.

Participants will:

• Visit a sauna in San Francisco once per week for 2 hours by themselves or with a friend, for 8 weeks total
• Complete online surveys throughout their participation

The main question this pilot trial aims to answer are:

• To what extent do participants find the study design acceptable?
• To what extent do participants complete the weekly sauna visits?
• To what extent do participants complete the weekly online surveys?

In the U.S. today, emerging adults (i.e., ages 19 to 22) report high levels of loneliness and social isolation, which are significant risk factors for myriad poor health outcomes. This formative period of emerging adulthood is arguably among the most critical of times: it is when the people who comprise our next generation of leaders have some of their earliest opportunities to build their identities as curious about, accepting of, and open to differences from their peers.

Traditional sauna bathing is a social, mental, and physical health practice associated with greater mental wellness and active social engagement. Recent studies also suggest that thermal therapies, including sauna, may reduce depressive symptoms, which contribute to loneliness and social isolation. Sauna bathing is deeply integrated into the social fabric of several cultures, most notably Finland where it serves as a communal activity that fosters social connection and may help reduce loneliness.