Ultimately, listen to your body, and only stay in a sauna as long as you feel OK. Researchers have studied sauna session times ranging from 5 minutes to a maximum of 30 minutes.
For many people, saunas are a way of life. Whether you use one after a workout or simply to unwind, saunas can offer health benefits.
So how much time should you spend in a sauna, and how often should you go? We look at tips on what to do — or what not to do — when you use one.
If you’ve never used a sauna before, sources like the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Sauna Society, and expert sauna bathers generally agree: You should start small.
Beginners may want to start using a sauna for 5 to 10 minutes at a time and build your time sauna bathing. Don’t use the sauna for more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time.
While some experienced sauna users, especially in Finland, may turn the sauna into a longer social event, don’t overdo it. The longer you stay in the sauna, the more you risk dehydration, so a general rule is to cap your time to 15 to
The Finnish, who the word “sauna” comes from, may have an even simpler suggestion since the sauna is meant for relaxing, not ticking off minutes: Leave the sauna once you feel hot enough.
Keep reading to find out why time in the sauna and frequent use might be good for you.
While saunas are wildly popular for relaxation and socializing, using a sauna at the end of your workout — or your work day — can be beneficial for your health.
- Improved heart function: A 2022 study
suggests that sauna use combined with exercise may improve cardiorespiratory fitness, blood pressure, and total cholesterol levels in sentary adults. - Lowered risk of stroke: A long-ranging study with more than 1,600 Finnish men and women over the course of several years found that frequent sauna bathing, as much as four to seven times per week, was connected to reduced risk of stroke among older adults.
- Reduced risk of dementia: A
2020 study of nearly 14,000 adults in Finland found an association between more frequent sauna use and a lowered risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. More research is needed to find out why this association exists. - Reduced inflammation and muscle soreness:
Smaller studies suggest that use of infrared saunas may help reduce muscle soreness after a workout.
Potential risks
It’s important to note that there are potential risks involved with saunas, including dehydration and a possible temporary decrease in fertility in men.
If you have certain medical conditions, you may need to avoid using a sauna.These conditions include:
- pregnancy
- asthma or other breathing conditions
- heart disease
- epilepsy
- very high or very low blood pressure
- people who have consumed alcohol
- individuals taking medications like stimulants or tranquilizers
While saunas are generally safe, it’s important to make sure you know how to use one properly, as well as how long to enjoy it.
If your gym or spa has both a sauna and a steam room, you might be tempted to use both. Since they offer similar benefits, it’s fine to stick to just one during your visit.
If you’re trying out both, there isn’t any rule about which you should visit first. Go with your personal preference, but always allow your body break before starting another session. You’ll also want to take a quick shower between them to be polite to any other users.
Steam rooms are often referred to as “wet saunas,” but they’re not actually a type of sauna even though they’re similar. Sauna is a Finnish word describing the specific high level of heat within the room. On the other hand, a steam room is more closely related to a Turkish bath with its high level of humidity.
Sauna and steam room comparison chart
| Sauna | Steam room | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of heat | Dry to humid | Humid or wet heat |
| Common temperature ranges | 150 to 195°F (66 to 91°C); not more than 212°F (100°C) | Around 100 to 110°F (38 to 43°C) |
| Recommended length of stay | To your comfort level or up to 5 to 20 minutes at a time in total or per section with cooling breaks in between | To your comfort level and less than 30 minutes |
Although steam rooms are often used for similar reasons, especially after a workout or a stressful day, the benefits of using one vary slightly based on their differences.
Saunas have been used in Scandinavia for thousands of years. Historically, saunas began as earth pits covered by animal skins that evolved into traditional saunas where wood is burned in a stove, with or without a chimney.
There’s also a basket of rocks above the stove where water can be thrown to increase “löyly”, or steam, and make the sauna more humid.
There are several types of saunas used today, and the most common are:
- Wood-burning: Stoves are used to heat the sauna rocks, allowing you to keep temperatures high.
- Electric: These are the most commonly used saunas today thanks to convenient, safe, and easy-to-use electric heaters.
- Infrared: Instead of heating the air around you, infrared saunas radiate heat that warms your body directly. While this isn’t technically a traditional sauna, it offers similar benefits at lower temperatures.
- Smoke: Similar to a wood-burning sauna, a stove burns wood that heats the air as well as the rocks on top of the stove. However, the smoke sauna doesn’t have a chimney. After the sauna warms up, smoke is vented and the door is closed while the heat remains.
One of the most important things to remember when using a sauna or a steam room is to listen to your body. While saunas are generally considered safe and offer potential health benefits, it’s important to prevent dehydration. And remember, how you feel and how your body responds to the heat can be different each time.
Be sure to drink water before and after using a sauna. If you’re worried, talk to your healthcare provider before visiting a sauna.
Speak to staff at the sauna’s location for tips, answers to any questions, and guidance on what to expect there. Consult your doctor before you use a sauna if you’re pregnant.
Visiting a sauna can be a pleasant and rejuvenating experience. Remember to relax, take a deep breath, and enjoy.