The one change that worked: I was burned out and stressed – then I found a steamy solution

<p>After a bereavement and world events left me struggling to cope, I tried medication, yoga and therapy. But it was my local sauna that helped me find peace and purpose</p><p>Earlier this year, I was approaching burnout. I felt as though my career as a freelance journalist was on permanent life-support, I was juggling a hectic family life, and I was consumed with worry about a world seemingly hellbent on self-destruction. I was struggling, too, with the death of a close family member and an old school friend. Grieving had become a default status. Despite support from family and loved ones, I needed to find a way to cope with this nearly overwhelming sense of loss.</p><p>I tried meditation, yoga and therapy, which all helped. Then I heard of <a href="https://www.community-sauna.co.uk/">Community Sauna Baths</a>, a not-for-profit project in London designed to make saunas accessible and affordable for everyone. From my very first visit, I felt something change. A sense of peace came over me. It immediately felt like a sanctuary, a pocket of calm in the chaotic city that also allowed me to soothe this churning sadness and release some of the bottled-up angst.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/nov/10/the-one-change-burned-out-stressed-sauna-relaxation-mindfulness">Continue reading...</a>