Loneliness
Conditions
Keywords
Loneliness, Sauna, Gen Z, Young adult, Emerging adult
Brief summary
This pilot trial will test an intervention (sauna visits) targeting reductions in loneliness in adults aged 19-25 years. Participants will: * Visit a sauna in San Francisco once per week for 2 hours by themselves or with a friend, for 8 weeks total * Complete online surveys throughout their participation The main question this pilot trial aims to answer are: * To what extent do participants find the study design acceptable? * To what extent do participants complete the weekly sauna visits? * To what extent do participants complete the weekly online surveys?
Detailed description
In the U.S. today, emerging adults (i.e., ages 19 to 25) report high levels of loneliness and social isolation, which are significant risk factors for myriad poor health outcomes. This formative period of emerging adulthood is arguably among the most critical of times: it is when the people who comprise our next generation of leaders have some of their earliest opportunities to build their identities as curious about, accepting of, and open to differences from their peers. Traditional sauna bathing is a social, mental, and physical health practice associated with greater mental wellness and active social engagement. Recent studies also suggest that thermal therapies, including sauna, may reduce depressive symptoms, which contribute to loneliness and social isolation. Sauna bathing is deeply integrated into the social fabric of several cultures, most notably Finland where it serves as a communal activity that fosters social connection and may help reduce loneliness.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALSauna Visits
Weekly 2-hour visits to a sauna in San Francisco by themselves or with one person of their choice for 8 weeks.
Sponsors
University of California, San Francisco
Tiny Blue Dot Foundation
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
All participants will receive the weekly sauna visit intervention (2-hour visits to a sauna in San Francisco, either alone or with one person of their choice) for 8 weeks.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
19 Years to 25 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Aged 19-25 * English-speaking * Able to provide written informed consent * Graduated from high school or high school equivalent * Elevated level of loneliness * Able and willing to receive study text messages * Able to attend weekly in-person sauna visits in San Francisco, CA
Exclusion criteria
* Self-reported heat intolerance * Pregnancy, active lactation, or intention to become pregnant during the study period * Regular use of any nicotine products, including cigarettes, vapes, chewing tobacco, or other forms of nicotine (if use is not regular, must be willing to refrain for 24 hours before and 24 hours after sauna visits) * Current social heat practices 2 or more times per month (e.g., visiting sauna or hot tub facilities with others present) * Unwilling to refrain from using marijuana products and alcohol for the 24 hours before and 24 hours after sauna visits * Unwilling to refrain from heavy exercise on the day of sauna visits * Any medical condition that, in the opinion of investigators, may increase the risk of sauna use or introduce excessive variance into physiological or behavioral responses to sauna visits * Use of any medication that might impact thermoregulatory capacity or that, in the opinion of investigators, would increase risk of study participation or introduce excessive variance into physiological or behavioral responses to sauna visits
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Participation Acceptability | 8 weeks | Average rating on the following net promoter item: "Thinking about everything that participating in this study involved (completing screening activities, visiting the sauna, doing questionnaires), would you recommend participating in this study to a friend or family member looking to reduce their feelings of loneliness?" |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Adherence | 8 weeks | Proportion of study sauna visits attended (out of 8) |
| Weekly Survey Completion | 8 weeks | Proportion of weekly surveys completed (out of 8) |
Countries
United States
Contacts
CONTACTSOCIAL Study Team
CONTACTSarah M Fisher, MS
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORAshley E Mason, PhD
University of California, San Francisco
Outcome results
None listed