The Sauna Doctor
Luleå may be about to get Europe's only sauna laboratory. Hans Hägglund, known as the Sauna Doctor, is one of the driving forces behind the world's first sauna lab.
He wants to research sauna bathing in Luleå
Luleå may be about to get Europe's only sauna laboratory. Discussions have been under way for six months, but funding is still lacking.
Listen to what Hans Hägglund told P4 Kalmar ↗
Interview in the sauna
Sauna bathing counteracts cardiovascular disease – new findings at the sauna congress.
Sauna prolongs life
A Finnish study shows that regular sauna bathing prolongs life.
"Soon, regular sauna baths might become health advice as obvious as exercise and a healthy diet."
A sauna lover since childhood, Hans Hägglund is known in Sweden as the Sauna Doctor. Driven by his strong commitment to public health, he is one of the driving forces behind the world's first sauna lab being built by the University of Luleå. It comes as no surprise when Hans Hägglund says he has been an avid sauna lover ever since he was very little. "My father used to design public baths when I was a child, and I would always tag along. Sauna bathing has always been a natural part of everyday life for me." Today Hans Hägglund is a board member of the Swedish Sauna Academy, in the role of medical advisor. The Academy's mission is to spread scientific knowledge about the health benefits of sauna, and to gather and share all new research findings in the field of sauna and health. Among the most important findings made recently are the connections between regular sauna baths and a dramatically lowered risk for diseases such as Alzheimer's, stroke and cardiovascular disease. Many of the recent findings have been made through a large, ongoing Finnish population study known as the Kuopio Study. In Sweden, a similar study is being conducted, known as the Monica Study, and from 2019 onwards sauna habits will be included in it. Hans Hägglund himself tries to find time for a sauna at least four to five times every week.