How to Use a Sauna Like a Pro: The Ultimate Guide

To use a sauna properly: shower first, sit on a towel, stay in for 8 to 15 minutes, then cool down with a cool shower or a cold plunge and rest for 10 to 20 minutes. Repeat 2 or 3 rounds, drink water, and get out any time you feel dizzy or unwell. Beginners should start lower, shorter and slower.

This guide walks you through a full session step by step, with a simple routine, tips for beginners and the basic sauna rules. It works for a traditional sauna and, with a few changes we cover below, an infrared one.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using a Sauna

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1. Preparation

• What to wear: a towel, swimwear or nothing, depending on the sauna and the people you are with. Take off jewellery and metal, which gets hot. See what to wear in a sauna, and consider a sauna hat.
• What to bring: two towels (one to sit on, one to dry off), a bottle of water, and thongs for the walk to the shower.
• What to leave out: your phone and other electronics. Even water-resistant phones are not made for sauna heat. More in can you take your phone in a sauna.

Have a quick shower before you go in. It washes off sweat, lotions and perfume, and dry skin sweats more freely, so towel off before you step inside.

2. Entering the Sauna:

• Close the door quickly to keep the heat in.
• Put your towel down and sit or lie on it. Every part of you that touches the wood should be on the towel.
• Start on a lower bench. Heat rises, so the top bench is the hottest.

3. During the Session:

• Time: beginners 5 to 10 minutes; regular users 10 to 15 minutes, sometimes up to 20. Watch your body, not the clock.
• Steam: in a traditional sauna, ladle a little water onto the stones for a burst of steam (called löyly in Finnish). Ask others first in a shared sauna.
• Relax: breathe slowly, close your eyes and let your muscles go loose.

4. Cooling Down:

• Step out and cool off with a cool shower, fresh air or a cold plunge.
• If you plunge, start with 30 seconds to a minute and get out if you feel too cold. Our sauna and cold plunge routine has the details.
• Drink some water and sit down for a few minutes.

5. Repeating Sessions:

• Rest for 10 to 20 minutes, until your body feels settled, before the next round.
• Do 2 or 3 rounds of heat, cool and rest in total.
• After the last round, rinse off, dry off and rest. See when to shower after a cold plunge.

Additional Tips:

• Drink water before and after, and between rounds.
• Avoid a heavy meal in the hour or two before. A light snack is fine. More in eating before or after a sauna.
• Leave straight away if you feel dizzy, light-headed, sick or uncomfortable.

What Not to Do:

• Do not use a sauna after drinking alcohol. It adds to dehydration and affects your blood pressure.
• Do not fall asleep in a sauna.
• Do not pour water on anything in an infrared sauna. Infrared saunas are made to run dry.

How Long Should You Stay in a Sauna?

Each round: 5 to 10 minutes for beginners, and 10 to 15 minutes for most regular users. A full visit with 2 or 3 rounds, cooling and rest usually takes 45 minutes to an hour, but only a part of that is spent in the heat. Read more in how long should you stay in a sauna.

Dry Sauna vs. Wet Sauna

A traditional sauna starts dry, and you make it "wet" by ladling water onto the stones. Dry heat feels gentler, so you may stay a little longer. Steam makes the same temperature feel much hotter, so shorten your round when you add it. More in wet vs dry sauna.

How to Use an Infrared Sauna

An infrared sauna runs cooler, often around 45 to 60°C, and stays dry. Sessions are usually longer, around 20 to 30 minutes, because the air is not as hot. Preheat it for 10 to 15 minutes, sit close to the panels, sit on a towel, and drink water. There are no stones and no steam.

Creating a Sauna Routine

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Start with one or two sessions a week. If you enjoy it and feel good, build up to three or four. Many Finns use a sauna most days. Consistency matters more than long, hot sessions. See how often should you use a sauna.

Post Sauna Care

After your last round, drink water, have a light snack if you are hungry, and rest for a while before you do anything strenuous. Many people find an evening sauna helps them sleep.

Sauna Tips for Beginners

• Keep your first few sessions to 5 to 10 minutes on a lower bench.
• After hard exercise, cool down for 15 to 30 minutes before you go in.
• Talk to your doctor first if you have a heart condition, low or high blood pressure, or another health condition, or if you are pregnant.

Sauna Rules:

• Shower before you go in.
• Always sit on a towel.
• Close the door quickly so the heat stays in.
• Ask before you pour water on the stones in a shared sauna.
• Talk quietly, and respect people who want silence.

For the classic kit, a bucket, ladle, thermometer and sand timer set covers the steam and the timing. Browse all our sauna accessories.

4-Piece Sauna Accessory SetIn stock$140Felt Sauna HatIn stockFrom$18

FAQs

Conclusion

Using a sauna well is simple: heat, cool, rest and repeat, with water in between and an eye on how you feel. Start gently, build a regular routine, and it soon becomes the best part of your week. Thinking about a sauna at home? Browse our saunas.