Photo by John Sturdy, courtesy of Hot Spell

When Jaime Meyer traveled to Sweden and had her first authentic sauna experience, she knew right away she had to bring this experience state-side for her fellow Wisconsinites.

“It was 40 degrees out and windy, just like a very Wisconsin Spring day,” Meyer said. “I looked out the window of the sauna and thought, ‘how am I going to be jumping into that water?’ By the end of it, though, I felt so alive. I was sold.”

That was five years ago. Now, Hot Spell operates a portable sauna in Zocalo Tavern’s back yard.

The complete experience begins in the heated greenhouse next to the sauna, where your group can change into bathing suits and stow their things. From there, it goes like this: Get hot in the sauna for 15 minutes, lounge outside until the cold air sets in, and then back into the sauna to repeat the process. In a 75-minute session, you’re likely to get in three or four rounds of this in-and-out rotation.

It sounds counter-intuitive but moving between the heat and the cold is an important part of the experience, according to Meyer.

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“At a spa or gym sauna experience, you get in, you get hot, and then you’re done. But the whole experience is about the outdoor component” Meyer said.

The intense heat brings your heart rate up, mimicking light exercise, and the cold plunge brings it back down again. So, you won’t gain muscle or lose weight, but you’re working out your heart through regular sauna use.

That’s just the beginning – according to Meyer, this practice has a whole host of other benefits, from better sleep to muscle recovery.

“Right now, with the ‘great resignation,’ wellness is more important than ever in the workplace,” Meyer said. “Companies are really upping their wellness programs through gym memberships, yoga, massages or whatever it is. A sauna experience is perfect for that.”

Besides tapping the wellness market, Meyer’s goal is to achieve a completely authentic, Nordic sauna experience. The only thing that separates Hot Spell from that goal is a cold-water plunge. Next winter, the Hot Spell experience could include a dip in the lake. For now, though, the freezing Wisconsin winter air will do the trick.

The sauna is best (and cheapest) when you have a group, as pricing ranges based on the number of guests. Hot Spell will be set up at Zocalo Food Truck Park until May 1, so, get it while it’s hot.