Sauna, quantified: Maximising wellbeing in the age of AI

For centuries, sauna has been about feeling: how hot it feels, how long to stay, when to cool down and when to go back in.

But what happens when we start measuring it?

Wearables can tell us what happens to heart rate, stress and recovery. Sensors can measure the heat and humidity we are actually exposed to. Research is revealing more about the physiological effects of heat exposure. And AI gives us new ways to connect these signals and turn them into something useful.

Perttu Rönkkö, Head of Digital & Devices at Harvia, explores what happens when one of the world’s oldest wellbeing rituals meets quantified self, wearables, biohacking and AI.

The session looks at sauna from two directions: the environment around us and the response of our body. How could combining these two streams of data help us understand our individual heat exposure, and ultimately maximise the health and wellbeing benefits of sauna?

What if your sauna could eventually understand not only how hot the room is, but how the heat is affecting you?

Topics include:

• How can we maximise the health benefits of sauna? What does current research tell us about heat exposure, frequency, duration and recovery

• Sauna meets quantified self. What happens when sauna data is combined with data from Apple Watch, Oura, Garmin and other wearables?

• Measuring the person vs. measuring the sauna. Heart rate, HRV and recovery on one side; temperature, humidity and heat exposure on the other.

• Can we quantify a “dose” of sauna? Is 20 minutes at 80°C really comparable between different people, saunas and sessions

• Biohacking the sauna. Can measurement help us find our personal sweet spot for heat, cooling and recovery?

• From data to intelligence. How could AI turn sensor and wearable data into personalized insights and recommendations?

• Where should we stop? When does measurement improve a centuries-old ritual, and when does it start getting in the way?

The evening is designed for people interested in digital products, AI and IoT and also for anyone fascinated by health optimisation, wearables, quantified self and the future of personal wellbeing.