Naked but Not Ashamed: Why Finns Are So Chill About Nudity
I Walked Naked Into a Frozen Lake – And No One Cared
In this blog, I share real stories from Finland and related audio files to boost your Finnish.
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I walk through the cold air toward a frozen lake. I’m naked because I just came from the sauna, and now I’m going to dip into the icy water. A bit further away on the ice, three people are ice fishing. I don’t cover myself. None of us find this situation strange.
This is not about showing off or taking part in some secret ritual.
It’s just a normal Sunday afternoon in Finland.
I’ve just stepped out of a lakeside sauna with my partner. We had a peaceful moment enjoying the heat of the wood-burning stove, and now it’s time to refresh ourselves in the freezing cold water.
We’re both naked, of course. The people ice fishing on the lake don’t bother us – and why would they?
Finns think nudity is natural
In Finnish culture, nudity is not automatically connected to sex. It’s about cleanliness, relaxation, and being close to nature. In the sauna, you don’t have to pretend to be anything. You can just be yourself – literally.
Nudity is an essential part of Finnish culture. From a young age, children grow up with the sauna as a part of family life. They learn that being naked with family members is natural. They learn there is nothing to be ashamed of.
That’s why it’s completely normal and natural to be naked in the sauna with your partner, and there doesn’t have to be anything sexual about it. Of course, for couples, it can also be a moment of closeness, but that’s not the default.
So when two naked people walk from the sauna toward the frozen lake, the people ice fishing nearby don’t react. They might just think: “Oh, looks like they’ve been in the sauna.”
No one judges you
I understand that in many cultures, nudity can feel strange or uncomfortable.
But for Finns, it’s not a big deal. In fact, most of the time, people don’t even notice it.
It might help you to know that Finns respect other people’s boundaries. If you’re invited to a sauna, there’s no pressure to be naked.
Most Finns can also sense if someone feels uncomfortable. If you’re in Finland and invited to the sauna, no one will judge you if you want to wear a swimsuit or wrap yourself in a towel. It’s also perfectly okay to stay outside and cool down while others go in.
The sauna is a place where everyone is equal: no roles, no status, no outside labels. And sometimes, when you’re sitting there in the warm, steamy air, you may realize: you’ve stopped even thinking about being naked.
It just feels… freeing.
In the audio below, you’ll hear Finnish expressions related to nudity:
“Alasti.” (“Naked.”)
"Alastomuus kuuluu saunaan." ("Nudity belongs in the sauna.")
"Saunassa kaikki ovat tasa-arvoisia." ("In the sauna, everyone is equal.")
"Ei alastomuudessa ole mitään ihmeellistä." ("There's nothing strange about nudity.")
"Me olemme kaikki samanlaisia ilman vaatteita." ("We are all the same without clothes.")
"Suomalaisessa kulttuurissa keho ei ole tabu." ("In Finnish culture, the body is not a taboo.")
"En enää edes ajattele, että olen alasti." ("I don’t even think about being naked anymore.")
"Se tuntuu vapauttavalta." ("It feels liberating.")
So we just walk – bare feet, bare bodies – toward the icy water.
No one stares. No one whispers.
What might feel bold or strange to someone else is everyday life to us. The warmth of the sauna, the shock of the cold water, and the body just as it is – it’s all part of the moment.