How to use a sauna

Start shorter than the standard session and build up. The commonly agreed session length is around 15-20 minutes, but as a beginner there is no need to start there - 5-10 minutes is a sensible first visit, and you can extend as you get used to the heat over subsequent sessions. Listen to your body over the clock: if you feel dizzy, lightheaded or unwell, leave immediately regardless of how long it has been. You build heat tolerance by returning regularly, not by gutting out a long first session.

Hotter than a warm room, and the sources genuinely disagree on the exact number. Cleveland Clinic cites roughly 150-195°F, Harvard says up to about 185°F, and the peer-reviewed literature describes traditional saunas at 80-100°C, which is about 176-212°F. We show that disagreement rather than averaging it into a single false figure. As a beginner, start at the lower end of whatever your sauna reaches, and remember the temperature on the dial is not the temperature on your skin - where you sit changes how hot it feels, because heat rises.

Hydrate and rinse. Drink water beforehand, because you will sweat and lose fluid during the session. A quick shower before you go in is good etiquette and good hygiene, and being clean and dry helps you warm up. Take off jewellery that can get hot, leave your phone outside, and bring a towel to sit on. Do not go in having just eaten a heavy meal, and never after drinking alcohol - the combination of heat and alcohol is a genuine risk, not a purity rule.

In a traditional sauna, you ladle a small amount of water onto the hot stones, which flashes to steam and briefly raises the humidity and the felt heat - the Finnish call this löyly. Add water a little at a time, because a lot at once makes the heat spike sharply. Only do this on a sauna designed for it, with heater-rated stones, and never on an infrared sauna or a heater not built to take water. Plain water is standard; scented sauna essences exist but are optional. Our sauna accessories page covers the bucket, ladle and stones that make this safe.

Cool down gradually and rehydrate. Step out, let your body come back toward normal temperature, and drink water to replace what you sweated out. Many people take a cool shower or, if they do contrast therapy, a cold plunge - easing into the cold rather than shocking straight into it. Give yourself a rest before a second round if you are doing multiple, and do not rush straight into something strenuous. If you feel drained rather than refreshed, you likely stayed in too long or too hot; scale back next time.

This is general information, not medical advice, and the heat is a real cardiovascular load. If you are pregnant, have a heart condition, low or unstable blood pressure, or any medical concern, talk to a doctor before using a sauna. Never use one after drinking alcohol or while dehydrated, do not use one alone if you are unsure how you will react to the heat, and get out immediately if you feel faint or unwell. Children, older adults and anyone on medication that affects heat tolerance or blood pressure should be especially cautious.