My experience with Finns (and Estonians) is that they can handle the sauna but put them somewhere it is 30⁰c+ outside and they struggle.
Went with Finns to Spain and they were not coping well.
Had Estonian cousins visit Australia in Summer and they finally understood my comments about a sauna being like Australian summer.
Also had a Finnish family I lived with on high school exchange asking me if I didn't think it was so hot outside. It was 26⁰c. I thought it was quite pleasant.
Good points there !
I basically get a heat stroke and all the tiredness and nausea feelings with it every summer once the temps go above 25-30C. You have to remember that sauna exposure is short term and we always cool down right after it. In a heat wave, there's no cooling down. Also, remember that sauna heat, even though it can be like 80C, does not shoot goddamn radioactive heat beams through your skin 😜 Different heat.
Oh i know. But my cousins getting off the ferry in Sydney on some crazy hot day, finally admitted I was right when I said the sauna reminds me of summer here.
Every time previously I got the "but it's not like summer! Its 70/80° in sauna". I'd have to explain that there was a big difference in going to the Sauna for 15-30 minutes vs living in the heat every day.
I mean even Australian sun compared to Finnish sun is crazy. I went to Ruisrock with friends, they wore suncream and got burned, i wore none and i stayed my ghostly pale self.
Nothing better than coming out of a hot sauna on a truly hot day though... People always chuckle at Finns building saunas in areas with traditionally hot climates, but it makes the hot outside feel refreshingly cool after you get out of the sauna - not to mention the delight of a good sauna...
As an Australian +15 is too cold in Australia and I am wearing layers, but when I'm in Finland I might be at a bar on the river relaxing in a sundress.
Much prefer -20 though. I feel it's less damp and therefore not as biting. Plus places it gets that cold have central heating.
As an Aussie can back this up. 15 C and below at home is bloody freezing, here it could be 5 C and I am having a blast... Makes no bloody sense. Is it the humidity maybe?
Having houses and apartments built properly helps a tonne also.
I really don't understand why people think that since Finns can be in a 60-80° sauna for 5 minutes, they should be able to just put up with 30° ambient temperatures just like that.
Yeah, we hate hot weather but love saunas. The whole point of sauna is so we can briefly subject our bodies to extreme temperatures in a safe atmosphere, that is, we can simply leave the sauna when it gets too hot to swim, drink a beer, and cool down.
The thing about 30° ambient temperature is that you cannot escape it, adding the radiated heat from direct sun, it makes anyone's day miserable.
Btw a sauna on a 40°+ day after working outside all day is just as nice as going to sauna after being outside in -20°.
Oh I don't think Finns should magically be able to handle the temperature when it is 30⁰ out. My comment was to prove that isn't the case.
I'm Australian and used to hot weather so was more commenting on my experience of this not being the case.
No, i like to sit in for some time in medium heat and talk to friends. In the end we throw alot of ”löyly” (water) on the kiuas(oven) and stay in until we cant take it or about to faint then we usually go out and take a dip in the water and or eat someting. And repeat.
Beer is a nescessity, even if you are underage.
Agree, just spent 2 weeks in Spain and that shit was taxing. Don't ge me wrong, love the heat but... It's different than sauna when its 24/7 😂 when we got like two days of cloudy weather, it was heaven. 👌🏼
Yeah, I worked on Yyteri Beach in Pori not few years ago, it was bloody hot there (35 and up, Celcius)… My legs literally gave up going up the stairs one day, it was THAT hot.
I feel like living in Finland kind of recalibrated my sense of temperature a bit. I'm not a cold-resistant as Finns, but winter back home now doesn't really feel like winter anymore. I'm also better with sauna, but I can't stand the summer heat as well anymore.
[I'm surprised nobody hasn't posted this yet. ](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/154/129/d56.png)
Like others have said, +80C in sauna is nothing, but god help us if the outdoor temperature gets above 25C
The heatwave in the UK has almost killed my Finnish partner. Extremes in short durations, no problem, I’ve seen her de-ice the car in Finland in just her underwear and a T-shirt, and practically max out a sauna. But leave her for more than 20 minutes in mild heat or cold, forget about it.
This is what the Americans just don’t get when they hear we’ve hit 40C and they go “that ain’t hot”.
Our humidity is off the scale. Sweating does nothing, it doesn’t leave your skin, and we have 0 wind here. It’s just a different kind of heat. Brits love the heat, we go abroad for it, but the foreign heat is dry and normally comes with a breeze that makes it a totally different beast.
>Our humidity is off the scale. Sweating does nothing, it doesn’t leave your skin, and we have 0 wind here. It’s just a different kind of heat.
Can confirm, even though i live in Finland myself. Hot and humid days with no wind are the worst. It only takes something like 22-24°C with high humidity for me to sweat like a pig. And the sweating does absolutely nothing, it doesn't evaporate and cool the skin, it only makes me lose a ton of water and electrolytes. Take the same temp but dry air with a nice breeze and it's actually a pleasant temperature to even do demanding physical work.
Also, americans (and a lot of other people who are like "stop whining, it isn't that hot" or "at least we got a 'proper' summer this year, so stop whining") have AC pretty much everywhere they go, including their homes. A good majority of us don't have that luxury, and to top it off, our buildings are designed to keep the heat in, no wonder why the heat hits so hard here.
As an American who lives in Michigan I completely understand. Our weather, while not mild by any standards, generally doesn't get super hot but we've had a heatwave that's been 34C for about a month with the humidity being 90% and hearing about you guys with 40C and similar humidity I truly feel for you.
Although in January it does get very snowy and very cold here. That's when I'm happy.
I will say I used to live in Florida before moving to finland I would say it's hotter here on certain days I think. It also has to do with the tilt and uv exposure cause I've never experienced 80* or 30C that I thought like I was being drained and I'm used to 40C from being Florida
As an American, that is hot. Are you sure they didn’t know what it was in Fahrenheit? Also it’s important to know the wet bulb temperature to understand the heat index. 105°F in the desert in California feels cooler than 95°F in the humidity of Florida.
As a Finn living in the UK this sounds familiar. I can't cope with the humid heat at all, just makes me angry. I'm not a big fan of the cold, dark winters in Finland either and thought moving to the mild climate of the British Isles would be the perfect solution, but these heat waves have been a bit of a curve ball.
I'm curious how bad has it been in parts of the UK recently. All I can think of as comparison is Singapore. It does very sound similar after reading people's comments here. No wonder Finns want to lie down and cry.
Yapp.
I can relax after work walking in this 28 degree summer.
So sorry your choiches took you to physical labour envying us white collar workers with double the pay you get.
Envying? There's nothing i envy about having to sit in front of a computer for work. I enjoy doing what i do and the fact that i get to be outside while i do it.
If those hot days really are that pleasant, then why do you choose to sit indoors under your AC? You really should go do your work outside, where it's nice and pleasantly warm, and enjoy the hot days while they last :)
Heat and sun are quite enjoyable when you can control the time and activity spent under it, for a while for some. Extended heat periods are quite bad among all the people I know of.
Its nice that you enjoy that tho.
Just spend two weeks in south of France where it was close to 40c and It was just misery for me, wife’s family was “oh it is a bit warmer than usual here”.
Not immune by any means, but tolerant for sure. Although admittedly, pretty much any central Europeans tolerate extended heat way better than us Finns. Sauna, however, we tolerate better than anyone.
We have this old saying in Finnish:
"A Finn and a Russian went to sauna. The Russian died."
That's not even a joke, that's literally what happened in a sauna competition some years back. Rather macabre, and to make it worse, the Russian was using sauna doping where as the Finn was playing it clean by the rules.
Good question! I wasn't aware of such things, either, before that competition. The Russian(s) used a paste that makes skin numb to lessen the pain of hard-core sauna's heat. Extremely stupid in my opinion, as your body is literally telling you it's too much heat and you're gaining mere minutes more by supressing these signals.
If you know finnish, here's an epic ballad about the whole ordear [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o922oky7PoU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o922oky7PoU)
Alright, I translated it:
Timppa (Finnish name) Saunoo (is in/ taking a Sauna) by Ismo Leikola
Timppa is taking a Sauna
Throws more water to the stones
Can't even feel it!
And the russian has died in the steams (löyly)
But Timppa is still taking a Sauna
The faces are already changing colors
And they're surely losing weight too
And the russian has died in the steams
Breathing in the water vapor
That brave man sits on the planks
This race was anticipated all winter
All the food they need is a 100kg Sauna palvi
There's no better sport than this
Sit on your ass until you almost die
But it's worth it
The main prize is a Harvia sauna stove!
Timppa is taking a Sauna
The faces are already changing colors
And they're surely losing weight too
And the russian has died in the steams
But Timppa is still taking a Sauna
The meter shows 110c
He's using pain killers
That russian, who died in the steams
There are strict rules in this competition
You must not have petroleum jelly on your sleeve
Every minute you have to show your thumbs up
But even that didn't save that ruskie
More water is added
Unbelievable pace
Russia bends
The power of Timppa rolls
But what clicked in his ass
guess what, it was the cooking thermometer
Timppa is taking a sauna
Timppa is taking a sauna
The russian did not come home
x2
Did not come home
Did not come home
The russian did not come home
Timppa is cooking
And does not understand to leave the Sauna
The only explanation must be
That his tecticles were stuck between the Sauna planks!
Timppa
x6
Timppa is taking a Sauna!
I am not a Finn. But I had the opportunity to experience the sauna during a stay in a summer cottage in Finland. I decided to also take the next step - I threw myself naked into the cold water of the lake next to the sauna house.
This was when I finally realised why Finns do this. When you do this, go from hot sauna into cold water, your body's (skin's?) temperature "equalises" with the surroundings. I'm not sure how to describe it. But this was the most amazing, relaxing feeling I have ever felt in my entire life. It was early autumn cold but after coming out if the water and repeating this a few times, I no longer felt the cold. It was the best feeling ever. It was really like being wrapped in paradise.
Over the years since this experience I've tried to explain it to other non-Finns at home but all balk at the idea of dunking themselves into freezing water. They can't understand it.
I miss the sauna x cold lake water. I live in the sweaty tropics. I have never felt as good, comfortable and as clean as those days by the cold lake next to the sauna in Finland.
Have you tried "avantouinti", ice swimming? Yes, that's that hole in the ice thing, the next level version. Might sound "isn't that too much..." first, but believe me, it's even more relaxing :)
I'm not a Finn. If it's cold put on some clothes. If it's hot take them off.
It's not space ship science.
However, buildings are very well built to handle the extremes. The windows in my place are like space ship airlocks!
You don't survive the cold by simply being Finnish.
If you dropped me and a Finn in a hole in a frozen lake and we couldn't get out we'd both die around the same time.
Same if you left us out in the Arizona desert.
There's nothing special going on.
Yeah but a Londoner growing up in the 70s is exposed to more cold than a polar bear because the houses are so drafty and we couldn't afford the fuel bills ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSHbSseRAqA
No we are not. We just try to wear weather-appropriate clothing.
Also: -5c feels cold when transitioning from +5c. It feels warm when transitioning from -15c.
All of this has probably been said already, but…
In Finland everything is properly insulated and heated (houses, offices, schools, venues, buses, trains, etc) so it’s nice 20+ indoors even in the middle of the winter when it might be -25 outside. And when you go outside, you dress appropriately.
Ive never been so cold in Finland than I have been in many other countries where they don’t have proper heating or insulation and the weather starts freezing.
Some Finns seem to take an issue when the temperature goes over 25. AC was not so common but is getting more popular (due to warmer summers), so probably most cars, trains and shops have AC nowadays. It’s still only picking up in homes. I usually turn on AC only if it gets over 30 degrees inside, and only cool down to 26 as colder than that doesn’t feel nice in my opinion. But everyone has their own comfort temp.
And for sauna - it’s nice because you can regulate your body temperature. You feel too hot? Go take a break outside, cold shower, swim in a lake. Feel cold after than? Go back to the sauna. Rinse and repeat. The dynamics of the change and the ability to control the timing is what makes it great. Let yourself become just a bit too hot, and the cooling down feels even greater. Let yourself become a bit chilly and the warmth in the sauna really embraces you when you get back in.
Speaking of this, I saw a video of a Finnish guy jumping into water, and then covering himself in snow like a blanket. Anyone else would've died. (He did it with nothing but shorts on.)
I'm guessing the Karen that you encounter quite alot in The States. But it looked like the video was filmed in the middle of nowhere, so I don't see how that's a problem.
Yeah. Doing stuff like that is kind of a tradition here. Go to a sauna, then roll around in snow a bit, and then back to the sauna. Or as an alternative, cut a hole in the ice covering a lake, go swimming for a few minutes, and back to the sauna.
Pretty normal winter activities where I grew up in. I know some Finns don't get the opportunity to do that stuff very often, mainly those who live in cities, but for me, it was a regular thing growing up in the woods.
Also, the shorts are unnecessary, and were probably only present due to the fact that they filmed it. Traditionally, you go naked.
Yes, been there, done that in the northern part of Finland during a very cold winter. So out of the sauna (+85C) to outside, a fast sprint around the house and a roll in the snow in this cold winter temperature of - 35C and then back into the sauna to let the snow melt and enjoy this funny sensation of temperature differences, where inside of the body is warm, there's a cold layer under the skin and the skin feels hot.
But seriously, no we Finns are not super humans. It is mostly well insulated houses, sensible clothing to the weather and some acclimation. I have become much more sensitive to cold during my last decade here in northern Germany than I ever was in Finland. The reasons are that my apartment is very poorly insulated, so there is no safe place from feeling the cold, and living near a river and sea, so the air is always moist and the cold therefore much more biting through the clothing. In Finland during the cold winter every body of water is frozen, here it does not happen, so the moist cold wind is really biting.
I do not really feel cold at all anymore. I can go year round with just a t-shirt and shorts. My usual cooling break from from sauna in winter at - 20C is about 10-20min long after an ice cold shower. I sleep all year round with just thin linen sheet with window open next to my bed.
The summers are literal hell to me.
I do it every now and then. It does feel cold, but in a pleasant way. People who do it the first time usually tense up and work themselves up making the whole thing feel much worse than it is, kind of like a needle barely even pricking you, but people afraid of them will still feel pain and even faint from it. If they didnt know its happening they wouldnt even know theyve been injected.
We were to do this in the army too. If our route crossed a body of water during marches in winter, we would strip naked, place our rucksack, clothes and gear into a large garbage bag, swim over with one arm over the garbage bag as a flotation device, the rifle out of the water with the other hand, put on our clothes again and keep marching. It wasnt really some crazy thing to do, it was as casual as encountering and open area you want to go around. Just routine stuff.
Trying to sleep outside with summer gear in 0C without sleeping bags was so much worse, never have i been that cold in my life. Not even everyone spooning with eachother to retain heat worked. Tired af from marching 50km already, it was like 4 am, still couldnt get any sleep from all the shaking.
Jumping into a frozen lake and rolling in the snow naked right after coming from sauna is one of the greatest things a human can experience. I recommend trying it. You might love it!
I dont mind if its super cold outside and love hot saunas. But indoortemp is very spesific 22 is optimal for me. If it get below 20 i stop functioning and feel like my whole body is stiff.
I'm an American and I have a couple of Finnish co-workers (okay I have a lot of Finnish co-workers, I work for a company whose world headquarters is in Finland.) and the first time I met one of them in person he asked me if I wanted to hear a joke.
He proceeds to tell me:
A Funny and a Russian walk into a sauna. *Pauses for dramatic effect* the Russian dies.
I respond, "Aarne (not his real name), that isn't funny." To which he retorts, "it's funny because it's true." And then pulls up a news article about the world sauna competition. The Finn and Russian went into a sauna that had an air temperature that was almost hot enough to boil water, both ended up with severe burns and the Russian had a heart attack shortly after exiting the sauna.
After learning about finland's history with Russia, and being told about the concept of Sisu, I can understand why he considered it funny, or at least appreciated it as a sort of victory. I'm just worried that if professional cell phone throwing takes off as a sport, a Swede or someone else will catch a Nokia to the head and he'll have another terrible joke to tell.
All that to say, I don't know if they're immune to temperature, but like their cell phones they're a very resilient bunch.
From what I hear from my colleagues here, they seem to dislike anything above 23 degrees in general. 27 degrees is uncomfortable and 32 degrees is torture. I am used to 39-42 degrees C from the place I used to live in, so yes, I could say they can cope but not too well.
I personally prefer -20 to -30 or near there with little to no breeze as the chill feels a bit soothing through the 2/3 layers I wear.
For those of you who are failing to get it, I don't think Finns are literally immune. I'm just amazed at how well they handle heat and cold. It says "joke" for a reason. Go ahead, downvote me all you want. I don't care.
Nope, I hate summer and heat. Sauna is ok maybe once or twice a year. I’m more energetic when it’s colder vs I just lay down complaining throughout the whole summer. Also, once it gets colder again, there will be less people around :>
I come from area where in winter it can go low as -50 degrees celcius and in the summer up to 40 degrees celcius and I have never problems with any temperature. However these temperatures are rare minimum and maximum values.
...coldest countries on Earth... nice joke - not really
Finland ranks 8th on this list of top 15 coldest countries on Earth
[https://earthnworld.com/coldest-countries-in-the-world/](https://earthnworld.com/coldest-countries-in-the-world/)
and 9th on this list.... [https://www.whatsdannydoing.com/blog/coldest-countries-in-the-world](https://www.whatsdannydoing.com/blog/coldest-countries-in-the-world)
Which place came much further ahead on the list of coldest places?
USA
I like this short movie[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxcgmfaunD8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxcgmfaunD8)
It helps me survive in the cold winter either in the hot summer ))
p.s. I have so many questions related to this video. Hi from Ukraine.
As a finn who lived in indonesia and australia for most of my life and had a sauna in both countries…. I can say that the australian summer is hot and the humidity in indonesia is horrible. However the summers here in finland feel hotter as its it could be 28 but extremely humid. But all in all its just what your used to! Live somewhere long enough and it will be the norm.
I can't stand long periods in over 21 celsius. :( Sauna is an exception. I can tolerate a lot of cold (but of course need proper clothing), it doesn't bother me. And I'm comfy in 16 celsius and in a t-shirt. But heat will make me quite inoperable.
I'm that strange guy you can see riding a bike during a blizzard wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I've spent so much time in cold ice hockey rinks and ice swimming that I prefer cold temperatures.
When it comes to sauna, I'm first in last out. I can sit in sauna for hours with small breaks.
But I agree with others. When the temperature rises above 30°C outside, it's just too much.
I can’t do anything but be nauseous and lightheaded in hot temperatures (low blood pressure). Sauna isn’t really an exception but at least I can go take a cold shower, swim or even go out and roll around in the snow after getting too hot.
I think the thing with finns are that we do things in the same pace regardless of tempeture. Example used to work as a welder at turku shipyard. No matter if it was -20 or +30 the pace was always the same..For everyone. But yes the heatwaves are the worst.
Even tho it gets like -20-30C here in Finalnd kn a given day its not really cold at all but the summer heat is a different thing I always start swaeting the moment I step outside an 12+C is enough for me I just cant imagine living in the UK and saunas are nice and warm not hot but warm its like being a sausage in an oven :D
After living up here for eight years, I find this to be the most common misconception! yes, people are able to survive up here because they know how to dress well. However I find people walking around with hats and gloves when it’s between 10 to 15 degrees, where everyone in my home country(Denmark) would be wearing an open jacket and getting Springtime vibes…… generally it strikes me that apart from June, July and August, most people up here are wearing one more layer than actually necessary.
For me +10 to +15c is the perfect temperature. Not cold but not hot either.
This being said, I don't mind the hotter days during summer as our summers are pretty short anyways.
I lived in Delhi for two years. The summers were horribly hot and I sweat like a pig. I think it’s partly because we’re just so much bigger than an average indian person. In the end I couldn’t even sleep on the bed because it became schorching hot.
Also the winters were freezing. I’ve never been that cold in Finland during winter.
I suppose we’re just used to a nice mild temperature all year round, especially at home. Outside, it’s just s matter of dressing up for the weather.
Idk, I'm a Finn and get cold as fuck. But at the same time, if it's 70f it's too hot to sleep. 60f is the perfect sleeping temperature. Which to most, would be too cold.
When it comes to hot weather, no. I’d rather live through an extremely freezing winter than an extremely hot summer. Atleast in sauna it’s temporary and something you can quit when you want to.
I am a weird Finn. I hate beer, I love the summer (like +30°C or more weather is fucking MWAH), I DESPISE THE WINTERS. I also hate hockey, don't really give a fuck about us winning, other than the fact that I like other people celebrating that stuff. Big, happy crowds are my thing. I also make small talks at bus stops etc 😂
I (a finn) was vacationing for two weeks in +35°C weather. At first it was horrible, but at some point something broke inside me because one day it was "only" +28°C and I thought hmm it feels kinda cold today.
Now I'm back where I live, it's +27°C outside, and it feels like summer is over.
18 to drink alcohols under 22% and when you turn 20 you get to buy stronger ones. So I can now only buy drinks up to 22% for now. These are the alcohol laws in Finland but they are 21 in US
I was i malaysia and it was hot and humid, +35c. i was so exhausted, but luckily i found finnish sauna from the
resort, and i took proper 80c sauna and that made the weather more bearable. there is also wrong kind of hot.
Haven’t lived in Finland in 20+ years, but I cannot handle heat. I’m great in cold weather, never turn the heat on in the winter I just bundle up. I can’t sleep if it’s too warm so I need air conditioning. I bring my own fans if I go anywhere without central air…
My experience with Finns (and Estonians) is that they can handle the sauna but put them somewhere it is 30⁰c+ outside and they struggle. Went with Finns to Spain and they were not coping well. Had Estonian cousins visit Australia in Summer and they finally understood my comments about a sauna being like Australian summer. Also had a Finnish family I lived with on high school exchange asking me if I didn't think it was so hot outside. It was 26⁰c. I thought it was quite pleasant.
Good points there ! I basically get a heat stroke and all the tiredness and nausea feelings with it every summer once the temps go above 25-30C. You have to remember that sauna exposure is short term and we always cool down right after it. In a heat wave, there's no cooling down. Also, remember that sauna heat, even though it can be like 80C, does not shoot goddamn radioactive heat beams through your skin 😜 Different heat.
Oh i know. But my cousins getting off the ferry in Sydney on some crazy hot day, finally admitted I was right when I said the sauna reminds me of summer here. Every time previously I got the "but it's not like summer! Its 70/80° in sauna". I'd have to explain that there was a big difference in going to the Sauna for 15-30 minutes vs living in the heat every day. I mean even Australian sun compared to Finnish sun is crazy. I went to Ruisrock with friends, they wore suncream and got burned, i wore none and i stayed my ghostly pale self.
Nothing better than coming out of a hot sauna on a truly hot day though... People always chuckle at Finns building saunas in areas with traditionally hot climates, but it makes the hot outside feel refreshingly cool after you get out of the sauna - not to mention the delight of a good sauna...
As a Finn 20+ is too much for me -20 is much more pleasant.
As an Australian +15 is too cold in Australia and I am wearing layers, but when I'm in Finland I might be at a bar on the river relaxing in a sundress. Much prefer -20 though. I feel it's less damp and therefore not as biting. Plus places it gets that cold have central heating.
As an Aussie can back this up. 15 C and below at home is bloody freezing, here it could be 5 C and I am having a blast... Makes no bloody sense. Is it the humidity maybe? Having houses and apartments built properly helps a tonne also.
I think its the humidity maybe. Also when its 15 here it is usually windy as well.
Depends if it's a moist -20 or if the air is dry. Humidity levels make a huge difference at both ends of the scale.
Same
As a Finn, I can totally manage everything between +35 and -25, go anywhere over those and it just gets unpleasant.
It’s 25°c out right now, and i’m currently melting.
Its 15° here and I'm freezing 🥶 I much prefer Finnish winter. At lrast Finland has central heating.
What do you mean freezing, 15°C is the perfect summer weather, not too hot
Spend a winter in a shitty Sydney apartment and you will understand.
I really don't understand why people think that since Finns can be in a 60-80° sauna for 5 minutes, they should be able to just put up with 30° ambient temperatures just like that. Yeah, we hate hot weather but love saunas. The whole point of sauna is so we can briefly subject our bodies to extreme temperatures in a safe atmosphere, that is, we can simply leave the sauna when it gets too hot to swim, drink a beer, and cool down. The thing about 30° ambient temperature is that you cannot escape it, adding the radiated heat from direct sun, it makes anyone's day miserable. Btw a sauna on a 40°+ day after working outside all day is just as nice as going to sauna after being outside in -20°.
60 degree sauna? I'd be shivering .. :). Craziest I was ever in was closer to 115 or so - I prefer it at about 90...
60c is what you'd call a Swede sauna.
115 is well into the 200s in fahrenheit. You're a real madman.
Oh I don't think Finns should magically be able to handle the temperature when it is 30⁰ out. My comment was to prove that isn't the case. I'm Australian and used to hot weather so was more commenting on my experience of this not being the case.
The 30c outside is hard because it lasts long, sauna is only for like 15-30mins/longer depending on the person
15-30min!? 1-2h when i go alone, 3h with friends.
Do you continuously sit inside for 3 hours
No, i like to sit in for some time in medium heat and talk to friends. In the end we throw alot of ”löyly” (water) on the kiuas(oven) and stay in until we cant take it or about to faint then we usually go out and take a dip in the water and or eat someting. And repeat. Beer is a nescessity, even if you are underage.
>Beet is a nescessity, even if you are underage. I wasn't aware there was an age limit on beets.
Aka what they said.
Lol misspell
Sorry?
I think he meant 15-30 minutes at a time, as parts of an overall session that may last for hours.
Agree, just spent 2 weeks in Spain and that shit was taxing. Don't ge me wrong, love the heat but... It's different than sauna when its 24/7 😂 when we got like two days of cloudy weather, it was heaven. 👌🏼
25c°-27c° is optimal summer temperature for me, +30c° is swimming weather.
I needed to convert that to Fahrenheit, I prefer 18°C or below. Global warming is going to kill me.
Yeah, I worked on Yyteri Beach in Pori not few years ago, it was bloody hot there (35 and up, Celcius)… My legs literally gave up going up the stairs one day, it was THAT hot.
I feel like living in Finland kind of recalibrated my sense of temperature a bit. I'm not a cold-resistant as Finns, but winter back home now doesn't really feel like winter anymore. I'm also better with sauna, but I can't stand the summer heat as well anymore.
[I'm surprised nobody hasn't posted this yet. ](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/154/129/d56.png) Like others have said, +80C in sauna is nothing, but god help us if the outdoor temperature gets above 25C
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
And if sauna, booze and tar doesn’t help, it's a disease to death
And generates trauma
Everything that kills me makes me stronger. ~ Peter Griffin
We dont enjoy very high temps for too long. 22C is quite enough for most of us.
The heatwave in the UK has almost killed my Finnish partner. Extremes in short durations, no problem, I’ve seen her de-ice the car in Finland in just her underwear and a T-shirt, and practically max out a sauna. But leave her for more than 20 minutes in mild heat or cold, forget about it.
As another Finn in the UK, I can relate. Even when it isn't that hot, the mugginess is horrible. :(
This is what the Americans just don’t get when they hear we’ve hit 40C and they go “that ain’t hot”. Our humidity is off the scale. Sweating does nothing, it doesn’t leave your skin, and we have 0 wind here. It’s just a different kind of heat. Brits love the heat, we go abroad for it, but the foreign heat is dry and normally comes with a breeze that makes it a totally different beast.
>Our humidity is off the scale. Sweating does nothing, it doesn’t leave your skin, and we have 0 wind here. It’s just a different kind of heat. Can confirm, even though i live in Finland myself. Hot and humid days with no wind are the worst. It only takes something like 22-24°C with high humidity for me to sweat like a pig. And the sweating does absolutely nothing, it doesn't evaporate and cool the skin, it only makes me lose a ton of water and electrolytes. Take the same temp but dry air with a nice breeze and it's actually a pleasant temperature to even do demanding physical work. Also, americans (and a lot of other people who are like "stop whining, it isn't that hot" or "at least we got a 'proper' summer this year, so stop whining") have AC pretty much everywhere they go, including their homes. A good majority of us don't have that luxury, and to top it off, our buildings are designed to keep the heat in, no wonder why the heat hits so hard here.
As an American who lives in Michigan I completely understand. Our weather, while not mild by any standards, generally doesn't get super hot but we've had a heatwave that's been 34C for about a month with the humidity being 90% and hearing about you guys with 40C and similar humidity I truly feel for you. Although in January it does get very snowy and very cold here. That's when I'm happy.
I will say I used to live in Florida before moving to finland I would say it's hotter here on certain days I think. It also has to do with the tilt and uv exposure cause I've never experienced 80* or 30C that I thought like I was being drained and I'm used to 40C from being Florida
As an American, that is hot. Are you sure they didn’t know what it was in Fahrenheit? Also it’s important to know the wet bulb temperature to understand the heat index. 105°F in the desert in California feels cooler than 95°F in the humidity of Florida.
As a Finn living in the UK this sounds familiar. I can't cope with the humid heat at all, just makes me angry. I'm not a big fan of the cold, dark winters in Finland either and thought moving to the mild climate of the British Isles would be the perfect solution, but these heat waves have been a bit of a curve ball.
I'm curious how bad has it been in parts of the UK recently. All I can think of as comparison is Singapore. It does very sound similar after reading people's comments here. No wonder Finns want to lie down and cry.
For me, that is a tad much. I prefer 18-19C.
Just talk for the most of you. I've loved the latest summers.
I assume you don't have to do physical work outside in the sun when it's ridiculously hot?
Nah. remote work with computer. Not a nerd, not a chav. Educated for air-conditioned jobs.
Ah yes, the classic "man do i love hot summers, yet spend all my time under AC"-case then.
Yapp. I can relax after work walking in this 28 degree summer. So sorry your choiches took you to physical labour envying us white collar workers with double the pay you get.
Envying? There's nothing i envy about having to sit in front of a computer for work. I enjoy doing what i do and the fact that i get to be outside while i do it. If those hot days really are that pleasant, then why do you choose to sit indoors under your AC? You really should go do your work outside, where it's nice and pleasantly warm, and enjoy the hot days while they last :)
Heat and sun are quite enjoyable when you can control the time and activity spent under it, for a while for some. Extended heat periods are quite bad among all the people I know of. Its nice that you enjoy that tho.
Just spend two weeks in south of France where it was close to 40c and It was just misery for me, wife’s family was “oh it is a bit warmer than usual here”.
Yep. Any higher and you Finncinerate.
Anything between 25 to 70 C is lethal for Finns.
I was in 60C sauna couple days ago and almost died. Edit: I did put more firewood to kiuas and got it to 80C and it was much better.
I know ur joking but i really can't handle a sauna that is too cold (like 60C). For some reason it makes me nauseous and a hotter sauna doesn't
For some reason a 60° sauna also feels much colder than 35° weather outside?
That's because saunas are a dry heat. But it probably isn't outside.
*dies of cringe*
Anyone offended by this should probably stay off the internet.
Just thought I'd put that just in case. Sometimes people can be unnessecarily sensitive.
No, Finnish houses are built to be warm in winter.
Not immune by any means, but tolerant for sure. Although admittedly, pretty much any central Europeans tolerate extended heat way better than us Finns. Sauna, however, we tolerate better than anyone. We have this old saying in Finnish: "A Finn and a Russian went to sauna. The Russian died." That's not even a joke, that's literally what happened in a sauna competition some years back. Rather macabre, and to make it worse, the Russian was using sauna doping where as the Finn was playing it clean by the rules.
What's sauna doping?
Good question! I wasn't aware of such things, either, before that competition. The Russian(s) used a paste that makes skin numb to lessen the pain of hard-core sauna's heat. Extremely stupid in my opinion, as your body is literally telling you it's too much heat and you're gaining mere minutes more by supressing these signals.
If you know finnish, here's an epic ballad about the whole ordear [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o922oky7PoU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o922oky7PoU) Alright, I translated it: Timppa (Finnish name) Saunoo (is in/ taking a Sauna) by Ismo Leikola Timppa is taking a Sauna Throws more water to the stones Can't even feel it! And the russian has died in the steams (löyly) But Timppa is still taking a Sauna The faces are already changing colors And they're surely losing weight too And the russian has died in the steams Breathing in the water vapor That brave man sits on the planks This race was anticipated all winter All the food they need is a 100kg Sauna palvi There's no better sport than this Sit on your ass until you almost die But it's worth it The main prize is a Harvia sauna stove! Timppa is taking a Sauna The faces are already changing colors And they're surely losing weight too And the russian has died in the steams But Timppa is still taking a Sauna The meter shows 110c He's using pain killers That russian, who died in the steams There are strict rules in this competition You must not have petroleum jelly on your sleeve Every minute you have to show your thumbs up But even that didn't save that ruskie More water is added Unbelievable pace Russia bends The power of Timppa rolls But what clicked in his ass guess what, it was the cooking thermometer Timppa is taking a sauna Timppa is taking a sauna The russian did not come home x2 Did not come home Did not come home The russian did not come home Timppa is cooking And does not understand to leave the Sauna The only explanation must be That his tecticles were stuck between the Sauna planks! Timppa x6 Timppa is taking a Sauna!
I am not a Finn. But I had the opportunity to experience the sauna during a stay in a summer cottage in Finland. I decided to also take the next step - I threw myself naked into the cold water of the lake next to the sauna house. This was when I finally realised why Finns do this. When you do this, go from hot sauna into cold water, your body's (skin's?) temperature "equalises" with the surroundings. I'm not sure how to describe it. But this was the most amazing, relaxing feeling I have ever felt in my entire life. It was early autumn cold but after coming out if the water and repeating this a few times, I no longer felt the cold. It was the best feeling ever. It was really like being wrapped in paradise. Over the years since this experience I've tried to explain it to other non-Finns at home but all balk at the idea of dunking themselves into freezing water. They can't understand it. I miss the sauna x cold lake water. I live in the sweaty tropics. I have never felt as good, comfortable and as clean as those days by the cold lake next to the sauna in Finland.
Have you tried "avantouinti", ice swimming? Yes, that's that hole in the ice thing, the next level version. Might sound "isn't that too much..." first, but believe me, it's even more relaxing :)
Never but oh I would definitely wish for a chance! If only I could find an opportunity to go to Finland again!
Never apologize a joke to finns. They can take them. If they cant, they are swedes.
Swedes can't take jokes?
finns yolk about sviden often =)
I'm not a Finn. If it's cold put on some clothes. If it's hot take them off. It's not space ship science. However, buildings are very well built to handle the extremes. The windows in my place are like space ship airlocks!
I think you missed the point of his post entirely.
You don't survive the cold by simply being Finnish. If you dropped me and a Finn in a hole in a frozen lake and we couldn't get out we'd both die around the same time. Same if you left us out in the Arizona desert. There's nothing special going on.
Yeah. And the person you responded to wasnt asking advice. He was making a joke.
So was I :) I shouldn't have to explain a joke. ;)
What part was supposed to be funny 🙈
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Yeah but a Londoner growing up in the 70s is exposed to more cold than a polar bear because the houses are so drafty and we couldn't afford the fuel bills ;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSHbSseRAqA
No we are not. We just try to wear weather-appropriate clothing. Also: -5c feels cold when transitioning from +5c. It feels warm when transitioning from -15c.
All of this has probably been said already, but… In Finland everything is properly insulated and heated (houses, offices, schools, venues, buses, trains, etc) so it’s nice 20+ indoors even in the middle of the winter when it might be -25 outside. And when you go outside, you dress appropriately. Ive never been so cold in Finland than I have been in many other countries where they don’t have proper heating or insulation and the weather starts freezing. Some Finns seem to take an issue when the temperature goes over 25. AC was not so common but is getting more popular (due to warmer summers), so probably most cars, trains and shops have AC nowadays. It’s still only picking up in homes. I usually turn on AC only if it gets over 30 degrees inside, and only cool down to 26 as colder than that doesn’t feel nice in my opinion. But everyone has their own comfort temp. And for sauna - it’s nice because you can regulate your body temperature. You feel too hot? Go take a break outside, cold shower, swim in a lake. Feel cold after than? Go back to the sauna. Rinse and repeat. The dynamics of the change and the ability to control the timing is what makes it great. Let yourself become just a bit too hot, and the cooling down feels even greater. Let yourself become a bit chilly and the warmth in the sauna really embraces you when you get back in.
Speaking of this, I saw a video of a Finnish guy jumping into water, and then covering himself in snow like a blanket. Anyone else would've died. (He did it with nothing but shorts on.)
The shorts were totally unnecessary thermal protection.
The shorts are Karen protection. Not thermal...
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I'm guessing the Karen that you encounter quite alot in The States. But it looked like the video was filmed in the middle of nowhere, so I don't see how that's a problem.
Most wouldn't do it with shorts on.
So you're saying people do this while naked?
Shorts were there just because it was filmed, no camera no clothes. Sometimes no clothes regardless of cameras
Yes. The weird thing here is the shorts, not the nakedness. Normally you go from sauna>water>snow>repeat. No clothes needed or customary.
Yeah always naked
Now he has a wet pair of shorts to deal with, smh.
Yeah. Doing stuff like that is kind of a tradition here. Go to a sauna, then roll around in snow a bit, and then back to the sauna. Or as an alternative, cut a hole in the ice covering a lake, go swimming for a few minutes, and back to the sauna. Pretty normal winter activities where I grew up in. I know some Finns don't get the opportunity to do that stuff very often, mainly those who live in cities, but for me, it was a regular thing growing up in the woods. Also, the shorts are unnecessary, and were probably only present due to the fact that they filmed it. Traditionally, you go naked.
Yes, been there, done that in the northern part of Finland during a very cold winter. So out of the sauna (+85C) to outside, a fast sprint around the house and a roll in the snow in this cold winter temperature of - 35C and then back into the sauna to let the snow melt and enjoy this funny sensation of temperature differences, where inside of the body is warm, there's a cold layer under the skin and the skin feels hot. But seriously, no we Finns are not super humans. It is mostly well insulated houses, sensible clothing to the weather and some acclimation. I have become much more sensitive to cold during my last decade here in northern Germany than I ever was in Finland. The reasons are that my apartment is very poorly insulated, so there is no safe place from feeling the cold, and living near a river and sea, so the air is always moist and the cold therefore much more biting through the clothing. In Finland during the cold winter every body of water is frozen, here it does not happen, so the moist cold wind is really biting.
Since you've been doing it almost your whole life, do you even feel cold anymore?
Feeling cold is the point! It's very revigorating, you should try it.
I do not really feel cold at all anymore. I can go year round with just a t-shirt and shorts. My usual cooling break from from sauna in winter at - 20C is about 10-20min long after an ice cold shower. I sleep all year round with just thin linen sheet with window open next to my bed. The summers are literal hell to me.
I do it every now and then. It does feel cold, but in a pleasant way. People who do it the first time usually tense up and work themselves up making the whole thing feel much worse than it is, kind of like a needle barely even pricking you, but people afraid of them will still feel pain and even faint from it. If they didnt know its happening they wouldnt even know theyve been injected. We were to do this in the army too. If our route crossed a body of water during marches in winter, we would strip naked, place our rucksack, clothes and gear into a large garbage bag, swim over with one arm over the garbage bag as a flotation device, the rifle out of the water with the other hand, put on our clothes again and keep marching. It wasnt really some crazy thing to do, it was as casual as encountering and open area you want to go around. Just routine stuff. Trying to sleep outside with summer gear in 0C without sleeping bags was so much worse, never have i been that cold in my life. Not even everyone spooning with eachother to retain heat worked. Tired af from marching 50km already, it was like 4 am, still couldnt get any sleep from all the shaking.
Jumping into a frozen lake and rolling in the snow naked right after coming from sauna is one of the greatest things a human can experience. I recommend trying it. You might love it!
It makes a man feel alive. I love 30 plus as I enjoy a frisky -25.
I dont mind if its super cold outside and love hot saunas. But indoortemp is very spesific 22 is optimal for me. If it get below 20 i stop functioning and feel like my whole body is stiff.
22 is way too hot for sleeping. 18 is perfect
Nah, my neck will cramp.
I'm an American and I have a couple of Finnish co-workers (okay I have a lot of Finnish co-workers, I work for a company whose world headquarters is in Finland.) and the first time I met one of them in person he asked me if I wanted to hear a joke. He proceeds to tell me: A Funny and a Russian walk into a sauna. *Pauses for dramatic effect* the Russian dies. I respond, "Aarne (not his real name), that isn't funny." To which he retorts, "it's funny because it's true." And then pulls up a news article about the world sauna competition. The Finn and Russian went into a sauna that had an air temperature that was almost hot enough to boil water, both ended up with severe burns and the Russian had a heart attack shortly after exiting the sauna. After learning about finland's history with Russia, and being told about the concept of Sisu, I can understand why he considered it funny, or at least appreciated it as a sort of victory. I'm just worried that if professional cell phone throwing takes off as a sport, a Swede or someone else will catch a Nokia to the head and he'll have another terrible joke to tell. All that to say, I don't know if they're immune to temperature, but like their cell phones they're a very resilient bunch.
From what I hear from my colleagues here, they seem to dislike anything above 23 degrees in general. 27 degrees is uncomfortable and 32 degrees is torture. I am used to 39-42 degrees C from the place I used to live in, so yes, I could say they can cope but not too well. I personally prefer -20 to -30 or near there with little to no breeze as the chill feels a bit soothing through the 2/3 layers I wear.
Not me. I don't handle extreme temperatures very well. :/ Slightly chill or slightly warm would be my ideal.
For those of you who are failing to get it, I don't think Finns are literally immune. I'm just amazed at how well they handle heat and cold. It says "joke" for a reason. Go ahead, downvote me all you want. I don't care.
Nope, I hate summer and heat. Sauna is ok maybe once or twice a year. I’m more energetic when it’s colder vs I just lay down complaining throughout the whole summer. Also, once it gets colder again, there will be less people around :>
Yes they are
I come from area where in winter it can go low as -50 degrees celcius and in the summer up to 40 degrees celcius and I have never problems with any temperature. However these temperatures are rare minimum and maximum values.
My husband is finn n he cant handle my hot showers
Hot is ok, as long as it's got walls around it and it's called a sauna.
...coldest countries on Earth... nice joke - not really Finland ranks 8th on this list of top 15 coldest countries on Earth [https://earthnworld.com/coldest-countries-in-the-world/](https://earthnworld.com/coldest-countries-in-the-world/) and 9th on this list.... [https://www.whatsdannydoing.com/blog/coldest-countries-in-the-world](https://www.whatsdannydoing.com/blog/coldest-countries-in-the-world) Which place came much further ahead on the list of coldest places? USA
I said one of the most, not THE most.
Hell no! Make it 20 c outside I'm complaining the shit that heatwave is.
I like this short movie[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxcgmfaunD8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxcgmfaunD8) It helps me survive in the cold winter either in the hot summer )) p.s. I have so many questions related to this video. Hi from Ukraine.
Not immune but we are stronger against warm and cold
I just read from a college Brazilian that a Finnish foreign exchange student is not handling Brazilian weather well.
Not immune but adapted.
When theres summer, weather is too hot, and in winter its too cold. So actually we dont like any teperatures at all.
As a finn who lived in indonesia and australia for most of my life and had a sauna in both countries…. I can say that the australian summer is hot and the humidity in indonesia is horrible. However the summers here in finland feel hotter as its it could be 28 but extremely humid. But all in all its just what your used to! Live somewhere long enough and it will be the norm.
I'm living in the Finland about 6 years and it's normal for me if at the winter season I saw a finns in the T-shirt or shorts on the outside 😁💪🏼
I can't stand long periods in over 21 celsius. :( Sauna is an exception. I can tolerate a lot of cold (but of course need proper clothing), it doesn't bother me. And I'm comfy in 16 celsius and in a t-shirt. But heat will make me quite inoperable.
Yes.
I'm that strange guy you can see riding a bike during a blizzard wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I've spent so much time in cold ice hockey rinks and ice swimming that I prefer cold temperatures. When it comes to sauna, I'm first in last out. I can sit in sauna for hours with small breaks. But I agree with others. When the temperature rises above 30°C outside, it's just too much.
Yes, I like winter, I like sauna but when it's over 24c outside, I'm dying
No we are not. We are unable to deal with prolonged periods of high temperatures.. Above 25 degrees celsius.
I can’t do anything but be nauseous and lightheaded in hot temperatures (low blood pressure). Sauna isn’t really an exception but at least I can go take a cold shower, swim or even go out and roll around in the snow after getting too hot.
Optimal temperature for finss is -35°C-+20°C but sauna is just different, it makes no sense to anyone but this is what being born here in finland is
As a finn i like sauna and cold is not an issue but +30 and above for prolonged time i hate and do not like at all
I'm that finn who's cold all the time but doesn't enjoy sauna for longer than 10 minutes either.
No were not immune
I personally ain’t immune, especially temperatures over +24 C make me feel terrible, albeit when in sauna. But I don’t spend all day there (usually).
How tf do you get offended by that though
I think the thing with finns are that we do things in the same pace regardless of tempeture. Example used to work as a welder at turku shipyard. No matter if it was -20 or +30 the pace was always the same..For everyone. But yes the heatwaves are the worst.
well I definitely lack that gene lol I can't stand the winter cold and hotter saunas hurt my skin
Even tho it gets like -20-30C here in Finalnd kn a given day its not really cold at all but the summer heat is a different thing I always start swaeting the moment I step outside an 12+C is enough for me I just cant imagine living in the UK and saunas are nice and warm not hot but warm its like being a sausage in an oven :D
After living up here for eight years, I find this to be the most common misconception! yes, people are able to survive up here because they know how to dress well. However I find people walking around with hats and gloves when it’s between 10 to 15 degrees, where everyone in my home country(Denmark) would be wearing an open jacket and getting Springtime vibes…… generally it strikes me that apart from June, July and August, most people up here are wearing one more layer than actually necessary.
For me +10 to +15c is the perfect temperature. Not cold but not hot either. This being said, I don't mind the hotter days during summer as our summers are pretty short anyways.
I lived in Delhi for two years. The summers were horribly hot and I sweat like a pig. I think it’s partly because we’re just so much bigger than an average indian person. In the end I couldn’t even sleep on the bed because it became schorching hot. Also the winters were freezing. I’ve never been that cold in Finland during winter. I suppose we’re just used to a nice mild temperature all year round, especially at home. Outside, it’s just s matter of dressing up for the weather.
As a finn i can confirm that we are immune the cold temperatures
Idk, I'm a Finn and get cold as fuck. But at the same time, if it's 70f it's too hot to sleep. 60f is the perfect sleeping temperature. Which to most, would be too cold.
When it comes to hot weather, no. I’d rather live through an extremely freezing winter than an extremely hot summer. Atleast in sauna it’s temporary and something you can quit when you want to.
No. We embrace it
I am a weird Finn. I hate beer, I love the summer (like +30°C or more weather is fucking MWAH), I DESPISE THE WINTERS. I also hate hockey, don't really give a fuck about us winning, other than the fact that I like other people celebrating that stuff. Big, happy crowds are my thing. I also make small talks at bus stops etc 😂
I (a finn) was vacationing for two weeks in +35°C weather. At first it was horrible, but at some point something broke inside me because one day it was "only" +28°C and I thought hmm it feels kinda cold today. Now I'm back where I live, it's +27°C outside, and it feels like summer is over.
you funny fellow. i'll give you a cold beer and a free use of our sauna next time your in finland
Thanks. :) (I'm actually 12, btw.)
damn hold that deal for 6 years
I thought you had to be 21 in order to legally drink? Is it not like that in Finland?
18 to drink alcohols under 22% and when you turn 20 you get to buy stronger ones. So I can now only buy drinks up to 22% for now. These are the alcohol laws in Finland but they are 21 in US
Had a Finnish friend coming here to Portugal. Took him to the beach and he couldn't stay in the water because it was "too cold".
Everyone can stand sauna but if there is +25° outside, people cant handle it lol
Well, i hate winter 😅 and i love it when weather is about +20-35. And definetly love sauna, almost every day through year.
Not immune. We like temperatures
You mean something like the TRPM8 gene?
Maybe.
Yes we all finns are immune to temperature, but unfortunately not to stupidity.
What do you mean by that?
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What did I even do?
I was i malaysia and it was hot and humid, +35c. i was so exhausted, but luckily i found finnish sauna from the resort, and i took proper 80c sauna and that made the weather more bearable. there is also wrong kind of hot.
I hate heat (except in sauna) and I hate cold. Life is torment. At least it's autumn soon, which is easily my favourite season.
Haven’t lived in Finland in 20+ years, but I cannot handle heat. I’m great in cold weather, never turn the heat on in the winter I just bundle up. I can’t sleep if it’s too warm so I need air conditioning. I bring my own fans if I go anywhere without central air…