Sauna Visits for Loneliness

(SOCIAL Trial)

Overseen By Sarah M Fisher, MS

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

Must not be taking: Thermoregulatory medications

Disqualifiers: Heat intolerance, Pregnancy, Nicotine use, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 8

Duration: 8 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether regular sauna visits can reduce feelings of loneliness in young adults. Participants will visit a sauna in San Francisco once a week, either alone or with a friend, for two hours over eight weeks. The trial will assess participants' adherence to the sauna schedule and completion of online surveys. Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults aged 19-22 who experience loneliness and can attend weekly sauna sessions in San Francisco. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding how sauna visits might alleviate loneliness.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial requires that you stop taking any medication that might affect your body's ability to regulate temperature or that could increase risk or affect responses to sauna visits. It's best to discuss your specific medications with the trial team.

What prior data suggests that sauna visits are safe for reducing loneliness in young adults?

Research has shown that sauna visits are generally safe for most people. One study found that sauna use can temporarily affect male fertility, but this effect disappears after stopping sauna visits.

On the positive side, regular sauna visits have been linked to a lower risk of heart problems and even a longer life. However, another study noted that very high temperatures might increase feelings of tension, depression, and tiredness. Paying attention to how one feels and staying hydrated is important.

Overall, many people handle saunas well, but caution is advised for first-time users or those with specific health concerns. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about sauna visits as a potential way to tackle loneliness because, unlike traditional treatments like therapy or medication, saunas offer a unique social and physical environment that can naturally enhance mood and promote relaxation. Saunas provide a warm, inviting space where people can connect with others or find solitude, both of which can be beneficial for mental well-being. Additionally, the physical benefits of heat exposure, such as improved circulation and stress reduction, may complement the social aspects, offering a holistic approach to reducing feelings of loneliness.

What evidence suggests that sauna visits might be an effective treatment for loneliness?

Research shows that visiting saunas can help reduce loneliness. Studies have found that spending time in saunas with others lessens feelings of isolation and fosters connection. The social aspect of saunas boosts happiness and improves mental health. Some evidence suggests that regular sauna visits can lower loneliness and anxiety, especially in groups like gay men. Overall, saunas offer a promising way to enhance well-being through social interaction and relaxation. Participants in this trial will complete 2-hour sauna visits, either alone or with a chosen companion, to explore these potential benefits. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Ashley E Mason, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of California, San Francisco

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for young adults aged 19-22 who feel lonely. Participants will visit a sauna in San Francisco weekly, either alone or with a friend, and complete online surveys. The study checks if people like the design, keep up with visits and surveys.

Inclusion Criteria

English-speaking

Able to provide written informed consent

Graduated from high school or high school equivalent

Exclusion Criteria

Pregnancy, active lactation, or intention to become pregnant during the study period

Regular use of any nicotine products, including cigarettes, vapes, chewing tobacco, or other forms of nicotine (if use is not regular, must be willing to refrain for 24 hours before and 24 hours after sauna visits)

Current social heat practices 2 or more times per month (e.g., visiting sauna or hot tub facilities with others present)

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants visit a sauna in San Francisco once per week for 2 hours, by themselves or with a friend, for 8 weeks total

8 weeks

8 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Sauna Visits

Trial Overview The trial tests whether regular sauna visits can reduce loneliness among participants. It's designed to see how acceptable and feasible it is for them to attend saunas weekly while tracking their experiences through surveys.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Sauna Visits Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will complete 2-hour visits, by themselves or with another person of their choosing, to a local sauna in San Francisco for 8 weeks.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Francisco

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,636

Recruited

19,080,000+

Tiny Blue Dot Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

10

Recruited

660+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5941775/

Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing - PubMed Central Conclusions. Regular dry sauna bathing has potential health benefits. More data of higher quality is needed on the frequency and extent of adverse side effects.

2. pyresauna.com pyresauna.com/blog/social-sauna-combating-loneliness/

How Social Sauna Builds Connection and Community Loneliness has become a public health crisis. The practice of communal sauna bathing offers a powerful antidote to isolation, fostering ...

3. saunahouse.com saunahouse.com/blogs/wellness-guide/the-social-side-of-sauna-bathing-why-connection-matters-for-wellness?srsltid=AfmBOooWYlmGZIulOsX5iYwNGh6ceL6LHU6hOqa51zR9_Gi8xaLKinNd

The Social Side of Sauna Bathing: Why Connection Matters ... Beyond the heat and relaxation, the social aspect of sauna bathing contributes to greater happiness, energy, and mental health, as highlighted by the study.

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10989710/

The multifaceted benefits of passive heat therapies for ... The Finnish saunas have the most consistent and robust evidence regarding health benefits and they have been shown to decrease the risk of health outcomes.

5. link.springer.com link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13178-020-00442-0

Identity, Connectedness, and Sexual Health in the Gay ... For some, frequenting the sauna helped reduce feelings of isolation, anxiety, and loneliness that are known to be prevalent among gay men ( ...

6. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229919300998

A hot topic for health: Results of the Global Sauna Survey This is the first study to investigate the health habits of the global sauna community. Relaxation/stress reduction was the most cited motivation to use a ...

7. bbc.com bbc.com/future/article/20250520-are-saunas-and-cold-plunges-good-for-your-health

Finland's obsession with saunas is going global, but are ... The effect was enhanced the more frequent the sauna use was, with a 66% reduction in dementia and 65% in Alzheimer's disease among those who ...

8. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1303804/full

The influence of extreme thermal stress on ... A sauna session with a temperature of 120°C induced the opposite effects: tension, depression, and fatigue increased significantly, whereas vigor decreased.

9. bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-018-1198-0

Sauna bathing is associated with reduced cardiovascular ... We have shown that having frequent sauna baths is strongly associated with a reduced risk of fatal cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality.