There's nothing worse than trudging outside on a frigid, snowy Minnesota morning — unless you're headed to your personal sauna for a soothing steam!

It's not uncommon to have an in-home personal sauna, but these days, the design and technology behind both indoor and outdoor saunas have become truly luxurious.

Seth Rozycki of Royalton owns and operates Rozycki Woodworks LLC, also known as RW Saunas, where he hand crafts gorgeous barrel saunas from high-grade cedar wood. Rozycki also sells interior sauna rooms and infra-red saunas, though he does not manufacture those himself.

According to Rozycki, the demand for personal saunas is increasing for several reasons.

"People are looking for saunas for health and fitness reasons, the physical health benefits," said Rozycki. "But it's also long-standing memories from taking saunas with family members. It's a generational thing. We have lots of Finnish or Scandinavian people who will order them, and lots of people have cabins up north that have them."

And while Rozycki said that his clientele has traditionally been 50-and-up, he also noted that recently his clientele has gotten younger.

"Either I've gotten older or they've gotten younger!" joked Rozycki. "The past few years I've seen more people in their upper 20s to mid-30s looking for (saunas). I'm not sure if it's a difference in lifestyles, or if people have become more health-conscious recently, or if it really has become a trend."

Mark Raisanen of Finnleo, a sauna manufacturer out of Cokato, agreed that sales have been driven at least in part by a wellness trend. Raisanen cited a recent study by the University of Eastern Finland that found that sauna bathing may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

"Years ago, our average customer was 46 years old, and while that average has remained about the same, we have discovered a greater number of senior citizens purchasing saunas for the first time," said Raisanen.

No matter your age or reason for wanting a personal sauna, you're bound to be impressed by the depth and breadth of options available to you. Rozycki said his business is geared more towards a traditional, outdoor sauna.

"It's a very simple product that doesn't require a lot of maintenance," said Rozycki. "I'll build all the way up to an 8-by-6½ foot sauna, which can seat up to six adults comfortably."

Rozycki's handmade saunas use a traditional wood-fired or electric heat source, both of which allow users to have a wet or dry sauna.

Henry Gruber, owner and operator of Hänks Häuser in St. Cloud, said the most common sauna trend he's seen has been the Himalaya heater, which is floor-standing rock tower heater.

"Rock tower heaters have been very popular in Finland and Europe for several years now, and we finally have our first rock tower heater, which is very beautiful but most importantly provides better stratification of heat in the sauna," said Gruber. "Due to the super large rock mass and design, which allows the steam to emanate in all directions, the flow and coverage of the steam is very slow and soft, blanketing the individual."

"Additionally, with the recent boom in infrared sales, we are seeing a dramatic shift to custom infrared saunas," Gruber said. "People are looking to make it a more permanent and custom looking addition to the home, rather than a portable sauna in the corner."

Raisanen said infrared saunas are indeed increasingly popular, and are a good choice for those seeking a longer bathing time (20 to 30 minutes) and body-penetrating heat.

These days, saunas don't skimp on the style, either. While Rozycki's robust barrel saunas are sure to make an impact in your backyard or garden, there are options to personalize your indoor saunas as well.

"We are seeing a trend towards two-tone interiors and low-voltage lighting," said Gruber of sauna room design. "More and more people want mood lighting in the backrests or in valances, and the mixing of light and dark woods has become very popular."

Whatever your reason for indulging in a personal sauna, your purchase won't just be aesthetic: It will be luxurious for the mind, body and soul.

"I know everyone talks about the physical health benefits, but I actually feel a sauna is more about the psychological benefits," said Rozycki. "It creates a nice, calm place for you to just reset and relax."

Follow Alyssa Zaczek on Twitter @sctimesalyssa, email her at azaczek@stcloudtimes.com, or call her at (320) 255-8761.