How To Take A Sauna

But I'm not much of a traditionalist, so here are some basics on how to take a sauna...

Before you enter…

Wait 1 or 2 hours after you eat. In a sauna, blood is shunted away from your internal organs toward your skin. This will interfere with digestion, and that might cause a few cramps! The heavier the meal, the longer you should wait.

Drink up. Drink at least 8 ounces of water.

Lose the accessories. If you’re wearing jewelry, it might become hot enough to burn your skin! Besides, a sauna isn't exactly a place where you need to be concerned with fashion anyway. Sometimes I do wear my watch when I go in. It’s made of stainless steel and it does get hot, but it doesn’t burn my skin. Use your discretion.

You might want to take off your glasses if you wear a pair. If you wear contact lenses, you should find out for sure if it’s ok to leave them in.

Clothes or naked? It’s up to you, but wear light clothes if you decide to cover up. I take saunas at the health club. Some people wear shorts and some don’t. If you’re using a public sauna, you might want to check their rules to be on the safe side.

Of course if you have your own in home sauna, anything goes...


If you’re using an infrared sauna, going nude is probably best. Clothes may block some of the infrared rays.

Footwear is optional. I wear a pair of sandals at the health club sauna.

While you're in there...

It's a good idea to sit on a towel, especially if you use a public sauna. At the health club sauna, I carry two towels – one that I sit on, and another to wipe sweat every few minutes or so.

There are usually upper and lower sets of benches. Since heat rises, the high level is always the hottest.

I'll never forget my first sauna experience... I went in and sat at the top bench - big mistake. I almost ran out after 10 minutes! I had to gradually build my tolerance for the top level.

Moral of the story?

If you’re a beginner, you may want to sit lower and assess your individual tolerance.

Splashing water over the rocks sitting on top of the heater will create a little steam (which quickly dissipates). BUT, keep in mind that this does raise the temperature a little bit.

Not much to it other than that. Just try to relax and stay present so you can observe all the sensations inside your body.

By the way, if you take a music device with you, check your instruction manual to read what it says about extreme temperatures.

I used to take my miniature MP3 player with me, but after about 15 or 20 minutes I noticed that the sound starts to become a little distorted because of the heat.

If you want, you can add some aroma to really enhance the whole experience!

All you need is a drop or two of essential oils on a small plate or you can mix it with 6 to 8 ounces of water.

I’ve done this a few times myself. I mix the oils with water and splash some on the rocks every few minutes. The aroma fills the room, and it really does add something to the experience.

If there are other bathers present, you might want to ask if they mind first.

My personal favorite combination is lemon and peppermint. You should try it!

How long should you stay?

That depends on your preference and overall health status. If you have an acute infection for example, like a cold or flu, you might want to cut your sessions short until you’re over it.

My first few times in a sauna, I stayed in for around 15 minutes. Now I stay in between 25 and 30 minutes, however...

You should always listen to your body. It will let you know when you’ve had enough. Most sauna bathers stay in for 30 minutes max, but some go longer - as much as 45 minutes to an hour.

If you’re a beginner, you can do 10 or 15 minutes sessions at first. You can gradually work your way up from there.