Sauna and gus - what does science say?
What does the research really say about saunas, saunagus and cold dips? We've gathered knowledge about heat, cold exposure, immune defence and well-being so you can dive into the science yourself.
We love saunagus, It gives us a lot of peace and energy in our everyday lives - both to enjoy it ourselves and to give all our guests a wonderful experience with wellness for body and mind.
But what we experience in body and soul is one thing, what research says is another.
Dive into sauna knowledge yourself
We have gathered a few links to research-based knowledge on different aspects of sauna and saunagus. There isn't a lot of research that examines gus directly yet, but there is research on sauna and cold water dips. Below you can dive into the science yourself if you want to explore the topic.
Health benefits in the sauna
Sore joints and muscles can benefit from a trip to the sauna. The heat of the sauna reduces muscle tension, according to a study on the health benefits of sauna.
There is also research suggesting that the immune system can be boosted by sauna, namely a German study, which shows that sauna can prevent colds.
Cold dips reduce inflammation
One of the components of saunagus is the cold dips between gus rounds. At the Surf Agency's saunagus there are three rounds of 8-10 minute showers with cold showers and dips in the cold water tub in between.
In a Danish PhD thesis, researcher Susanna Søberg found that bathing in cold water can reduce inflammation and increase the body's metabolism. Her research into metabolism shows that winter bathing can help prevent a wide range of lifestyle diseases and mental disorders by reducing inflammation in the body.
Read more in Fagbladet Sygeplejersken: Winter bath and get healthier
Women and men react differently to ice baths
It's worth being aware that exposure to cold water affects men and women differently. This is according to new research by Susanna Søberg unfolds on this page.
Safe saunagus
On Instagram, shower master and teacher Gitte Lindgaard shares her extensive knowledge of heat physiology and safe saunas under the name Body of Heat
One of the basic safety principles she emphasises is “Free Exit”. This means that at any time during the shower, all participants should have the freedom to leave the sauna whenever they feel like it.
Saunagus is also an exercise in listening to your body, and it's important to us at Surf Agency that no one feels pressurised to stay in the sauna longer than they can based on their daily fitness level.
Saunagus research at Surf Agency
We keep up with the latest knowledge and we want to contribute to it. That's why we've been collaborating with a group of physiotherapy students who investigated saunas and contrast therapy on chronic pain. They made saunagus for the test participants in our sauna, and you can read more about their bachelor project on our Instagram.
Gus as an offline breathing space
Anecdotally and unscientifically, we here at Surf Agency's saunagus team can 100% vouch for the fact that the gus experiences give us an invaluable offline breathing space in everyday life and plenty of wellbeing and new energy for the daily grind. We also have the word of several of our guests, including Camilla and Camilla. Read more in the article about them here.
Find your wellbeing
Come down to the harbour and enjoy the warmth of the sauna and the cold of the cold water tub and make up your own mind! Because saunas with us are all about personalised wellness, so there's always room for your own version - whether it's leaving the sauna a little earlier or just dipping your toe in the cold water tub. It's all about wellness for you!
