What could be simpler than steam? But the global spa industry has discovered endless variations on hot steam. There are Turkish baths in Zurich, and Korean steam baths in Sydney. Russian baths can be found in New York, Paris, London, and Berlin. There’s even a sauna in Buenos Aires, opened earlier this year by exiled Russians. The luxury Aman Hotel in New York also offers a sauna “visit” that includes a steam bath and birch-twig bathing for $6,200 for three hours. (Bonus: You can bring a friend for free, and the hotel will provide a “personalized healthy lunch.”
Steam baths are no longer just for the old men of The Spranos. Younger generations are moving away from alcohol and bar culture and looking for new places to socialize. There is growing evidence that heat therapy, especially sauna use, can ease joint pain in older people and even provide cardiovascular benefits. A 2015 study from the University of Eastern Finland followed 2,000 men who used saunas for 20 years and found that they had a significantly reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and heart disease.