How to use sauna properly

Below you’ll find a set of rules that once followed will ensure perfect day in the sauna for your, your guests and other users.

Proper Sauna Use & Sauna Etiquette are very important in order to enjoy the relaxing time and allow others to feel the same.

At least an hour and a half after a meal do not enter the sauna. It is not recommended to use sauna directly after physical exercise, you should rest for at least 30 minutes. It is highly recommended not to enter sauna after drinking alcohol or taking other (il)legal substances. We should pay attention to our body and its needs.

For people who use sauna regularly it is advisable to use it once a week and then gradually pass to twice a week and eventually to daily use. The whole procedure should take from one to two and a half hours. It is important that we follow the instructions and rules that are placed outside every sauna.

There are no strict rules or time limits for the sauna sessions. Heating up time depends on temperature, humidity and the person in the sauna. We should always listen to our body and use the sauna in a way that it makes us feel good. Beginners should stay in the sauna only as long as they feel good, even though this means only a few minutes. Because of high temperatures it is recommended to stay in the sauna for up to 15 minutes then cool off ‒ in three sessions.

Due to its beneficial effects on the respiratory system and the skin, the sauna is ideal for the times when we feel that a cold is coming after us. First symptoms of a cold or the flu can be cured by the use of the sauna since it stimulates our immune system and limits the spreading of viruses.

Sauna Rules:

1. Take Off the Clothes and Take a Sheet

Take off your clothes and jewellery. Take a sheet to sit on in the sauna.

2. Shower Before Sauna

Take a shower beforehand. The shower makes the skin wet and removes perfumes and smells that otherwise become stronger and more pungent in the sauna. Body scrubs are also recommended.

3. Dry Off the Body

Before entering the sauna your body should be completely dry in order to speed up perspiration in the sauna.

4. Showering the Legs with Warm Water

Before entering the sauna shower your legs with warm water. Cold legs postpone the effects of perspiration.

5. Place your whole body on the sheet or a towel

When in the sauna, sit on the sheet or a towel. When going in or out the sauna, do it quickly and make sure that the door closes firmly in order not to spill out the heat.

6. From Lower to Higher Bench

It is recommended to sit on the lower bench at first, because the temperature is lower there. The air in the Finnish Sauna is dry. The humidity can be raised by pouring water onto the hot stones

7. Sit or Lie Still

When in the sauna, try to be still. Breathe normally. You can sit or lie down.

8. Sauna Time & Cooling Off

When entering the first time, do not stay in the Finnish Sauna for more than 10-12 minutes. You can use an hour-glass on the sauna wall. People who do not support the heat should stay less time inside. When heating up enough, leave the sauna and gradually cool off under the shower or just sit down and rest in room temperature or outside. Especially the head should be cooled off slowly.

9. Talking in sauna

Sauna is primarily a place of relax. It’s ok to talk in sauna as long as it does not disturb other users. When you are in a sauna with only with a group of your friends or business partners, you can talk as much as you like. However when another person enters sauna, you should respect their right to relax. In such situation, in order to continue the discussion, you should leave the sauna or wait until the other person leaves.

10. Repeating the Sessions

At the second visit of the sauna the air should contain a little more humidity than the first time. The skin has softened, the blood circulation has been stimulated. Cool off again. Heating up ‒ cooling off exchange can be repeated as many times as it pleases you. For the majority of people 2 sessions are enough.

11. Relaxing, drinking water

At the end take a shower and relax in a Hydro Massage Bath-tube. Dry and relax for at least 10-15 minutes on the deck-chair. Drink something refreshing. It is recommended to drink water or tea (without sugar) before and after the sauna. Eating fruit balances the calcium. The loss of magnesium can be balanced later by consuming leafy greens.

12. After the Sauna

Before putting on clean linen, cool off thoroughly, if not, you will keep on sweating. You should not feel cold, after the sauna the body is quite sensitive. The skin is perfectly ready for the regenerating, detoxifying or relaxing massage.

Text inspired by author.