Richard’s Sauna Journey

The Bodhi Tree is where one sits to learn, receive spiritual awakening, and move towards enlightenment. It’s no wonder that most sauna traditions across numerous cultures include instructions for elders to lead each session and control the levels of steam and heat. These types of sauna sessions are among the most valuable experiences anyone can hope to be present for, as they elevate elders to a place of teacher and leader. Sitting with Richard in his sauna under his “Bodhi Tree” left me the recipient of all of the above on my journey to seeking health.

Richard was the first person to buy a custom sauna and cold plunge with Hälsa Nordic Saunas. His story of seeking a healthy lifestyle, alongside his wife, Christi, has been molded out of a childhood of witnessing those close to him suffering, his ability to learn from others’ and his own mistakes, and his eventual decision to invest in a sauna and cold plunge as a permanent fixture in his day-to-day life.

Richard grew up in a West Texas town of 300 people in the 1950s and ‘60s. His parents were in bad health as far back as his memory can take him. His father’s life was eventually cut short by a heart attack after a lifetime of making poor health decisions, and his mother died years after receiving a diagnosis for diabetes in her 50s that left her mostly blind and immobile.

Playing basketball was Richard’s initial attempt at cultivating health in his young life. However, through his 20s and 30s, Richard says he “ate terribly” and didn’t exercise. That was until he tried to run a 5K with his children and labored through the entire 3.13 miles. He had his bloodwork done, and the hard data he faced within his veins forced him to make healthy changes to his diet.

Quickly, Richard lost weight and started running. He claims to have an addictive personality, and before long, he was running 5Ks, 10Ks, and a few marathons. However, it was cycling that placed Richard on track for long-lasting athletic achievement, riding with a serious group of cyclists and competing in races. Unfortunately, Richard suffered multiple back injuries due to crashes and collisions over the many fierce competitions he participated in.

Richard’s battle with chronic lower back pain had him considering surgery out of desperation after a long flight to Spain that left him pacing through the night and trying to cope any way he could with wave after wave of debilitating back pain. A doctor Richard was friends with advised him against surgery and recommended that he focus on his core strength and alternative methods to relieve back pain.

In between sets of crunches, planks, and bicycle kicks, Richard began researching solutions to chronic back pain and his lifelong struggle with insomnia. His research led him to read more and more information about the benefits of a regular sauna and cold plunge routine and eventually to investing in his own custom sauna and cold plunge with Hälsa Nordic Saunas.

Today, Richard uses his sauna and cold plunge daily. His back pain is almost nonexistent, and his sleep habits have shifted dramatically from 4-5 hours of sleep a night to 7-8 hours of sleep a night. But Richard claims that the physical benefits to his health from a regular sauna/cold plunge routine are outweighed by the surprising ways his sauna and cold plunge have improved his life holistically, saying, “emotionally it’s been a game changer!”

Richard sees society as fast-paced, and the sauna and cold plunge give him “a way to slow down” and “to chill out and really look forward to it 90 minutes daily.” And “the sauna/cold plunge helps [him] to meditate and contemplate.” But, “the best part has been spending time with people in the sauna.” There are no electronics in the sauna, and this makes it “great for community.” Richard says, “The older I get, the more I value relationships.”

Richard is in his late 60s and wishes he had added a sauna and cold plunge many years ago. Now he is “on a journey to slow life down and finish well.” Richard says, “I want to live with an eternal perspective - sauna/cold plunge helps with that.”

By Otha Graham