Are we really using cell phones in the sauna now?

It's been a long time coming for me. I'm ready to declare cell phone use in the sauna as the prime example of technology subtracting from our quality of life, rather than enhancing it. It’s depressing and frankly, it makes me quite sad.

Sad for these iPhone addicted sauna goers, because they don't seem to be enjoying the mental benefits of meditation, focus, and pushing personal limits. They seem more addicted to quick hits of short-lived dopamine, than the long-lasting, pain-relieving, and mood-regulating effects of beta-endorphins.

Have you ever wanted to experience time travel? Easy. Read a book and you can relive the past. Do something you enjoy and time flies. Do something hard, and it slows to a crawl. Fifteen minutes without distractions in a challenging environment can make those minutes feel like an hour in your brain. Imagine what your brain can do with extra time. Replace TikTok with Deep Thought.

Without ever explicitly saying it, Ranger Bob taught me to find joy in solitude. While hundreds of campers would sing a song in his honor at mealtime, he'd take that opportunity to slip away. Deep in the woods, he'd toil away on a project. Alone. Focused. Happy.

Later, Ryan Holiday would spell this out for me in “Stillness is the Key”. 

“Seeking moments of quiet introspection, alone with only your thoughts, you can access a deeper level of clarity.”

Selfishly, I’m sad for me. I’m yanked from my zone, by rapid-fire keyboard clicks, Podcasts blasted to 11 that use a lot of words to say very little, a dull roar of music out of headphones, and walkie-talkie on speakerphone. A piece of their world comes crumbling down into a mine. And samadhi is gone.

Sad that society has created so much pressure to be connected that the guy next to me to actually answers an incoming call, only to say “Can’t talk, in the sauna“. Or the guy on the other side who was dialed into a work conference call on a Sunday. Hopefully on mute for the sake of his colleagues.

I'm a little sad for cell phone manufacturers whose devices are being subjected to terrible conditions, well outside the operating temperature they were designed for. Inevitably shortening their lifespan as they accelerate towards becoming a burden on Mother Earth. I'm very sad for her.

Sad that the gym has to post a sign saying “Use of Cell Phones in Sauna is Prohibited“. Very few will even read it. And it's promptly ignored by the majority.

I do find some comfort in the hundreds of monthly searches and dozens of Reddit threads for “cell phone sauna etiquette”. I'm not alone. Maybe someday someone searching for an answer will find this post and think twice about using theirs.

Until then, my iPhone stays in my locker.