Sauna etiquette and tips

Anyone hitting up the sauna lately? I was wondering if anyone actually knows the science behind how it affects your health. I used to go pretty regularly, maybe every other week during the winter, and while everyone else around me was coming down with colds and sniffles, I stayed perfectly healthy.
Also, I can't help but wonder if those group saunas are a bit unhygienic, isn't that a possibility?

I hit the sauna all the time!
Last year I was there constantly, but lately I’ve dialed it back to maybe once a month.

It’s great for sweating out toxins and helps if you have a minor cold or breathing issues, but whatever you do, don't go if you actually have the flu—that'll just make you feel way worse! If I overdo it, I end up with a killer headache and I'm totally wiped for the rest of the day. That's why now, when I don't go super often, I cap my sessions at three rounds of 10–15 minutes. My old routine used to be 4 x 15 mins...

I'd much rather be in Turkey, but since there's only one "real" one here in the USA and it's totally fake, I'm stuck with the Finnish style...

Hygiene...
Look, the ones with high foot traffic aren't always the cleanest, but hey... it is what it is!

I’m right there with silentpanther15 on this one... honestly, it feels amazing. It’s like a guaranteed way to breeze through winter without catching any nasty flu bugs—pure detoxification.

Oh, and one more thing... as a woman, I’d definitely suggest throwing a hair mask on before you go in, especially if you have long hair, and then just wrapping it up in a towel. For me, the sauna tends to zap all the moisture right out of my hair!

As for the hygiene side of things... I usually just wear my bikini bottoms so I’m not totally bare, and I always make sure to lie down on my own towel. Then I just act like everything is perfectly sanitary and fine! Honestly, you can't really do much more than that to stay clean...

goldentinker79 said:I actually bring my own peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils to beef up the inhalation effects a bit...

I usually mix eucalyptus with wild lemon... mint is just a little too intense for me. When I'm totally wiped out, I might throw in some wild lemon or orange instead...

goldentinker79 said:Oh yeah... as a woman, I'd recommend using a hair mask and wrapping it in a towel (especially if you have long hair). Saunas really dry my hair out.

Doesn't your scalp itch under the towel?
I just rub a little baby oil through my wet hair and... boom. Perfect!

I ended up starting this same thread over in the women's section since it seems to get a bit more traffic than this subforum.

I saw some claim recently that hitting the sauna actually makes you temporarily slower because it supposedly drains water from your brain..

Yeah, it’s widely accepted that Finns are among the dimmest folks in Europe...🙄

Grace Murphy21 said:Yeah, everyone knows Finns are one of the dumbest nations in Europe...

What exactly are you basing that on? What sources are you even using? I’m genuinely curious... because I definitely don't buy that generalization.

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How? They basically make the dumbest phones on the planet. I guess placidfalcon would probably agree, considering he only signed up here to lecture everyone on how saunas affect brain function. 😁

Grace Murphy21 said:Yeah, everyone knows Finns are basically one of the dumbest groups in Europe...🙄

Nah, the idiots are the ones broadcasting them. Get it?

Every single time I wrap up my workout at the gym, whether I’ve spent my session on the heavy weights, hitting the cardio machines, or perhaps swimming some laps in the pool, I make it a point to head straight to the sauna.

I have found that spending time in the heat is incredibly effective at helping me unwind, allowing my muscles to truly loosen up and significantly easing that lingering soreness caused by inflammation.

While I have no idea who actually pioneered the concept of the sauna—it likely dates back thousands of years—whoever first discovered how beneficial it is for the body deserves a great deal of respect.

To be honest, I don't think I would ever bother stepping foot in a fitness center that doesn't offer a sauna facility.
I am hopeful that when I eventually build my own home, I will be able to dedicate a specific area just for a sauna... though, in truth, I am quite certain that will happen.👍

Frankie said:Nah, I guess the idiots are the ones emitting them. Like me, for example. You get me?

Right. Well, if you didn't have anything useful to contribute, maybe you just shouldn't have posted.

So, why did I even start this thread about the sauna? I’ve been dealing with this endless cold for two months now—just when I think I'm finally over it, the congestion and sinus issues come right back. It’s constant. When it flared up again last week, I remembered how I used to stay healthy all winter a few years ago just by hitting the sauna regularly. So, despite everyone around me telling me not to, I decided to head to the sauna while I was still sick. I figured if the sauna couldn't fix me, nothing would, so I might as well go try to sweat it out. That night, I could actually breathe through my nose again. Sure, the next three days were pretty rough, but by the fourth day, I felt better. I've felt "okay" for the last three days, though I haven't really left the house. Now I'm sitting here wondering if I should just go back to the sauna to finish the job. I guess some people might see this as being reckless or something, but for me, it's purely practical. I'm definitely not recommending these kinds of experiments to anyone else—I'm doing this at my own risk—but honestly, this cold is driving me insane...🙄

I used to hit the pool right before heading out, but since I’ve turned into a total couch potato and stopped swimming altogether, I don't bother anymore. That post-swim feeling is honestly incredible—though, if I'm being real, there was one time I felt so wiped out I almost blacked out.

I was sitting on the bottom tier when everything started to go dark, and honestly, my heart started racing so fast I thought I was having a stroke before I finally blacked out. Turns out, my blood pressure was actually tanking—it hit 90/70—and here I was thinking I had high blood pressure all this time.

I haven't been brave enough to go back since. Even though that feeling was incredible—like you’re finally flushing every bit of negativity out of your system after a session in the sauna...😁 😉

I was hoping someone could walk me through the general "rules" of using a sauna.
Basically, I’ve been invited to go to a sauna,
but I have to admit, I’ve never actually stepped foot in one before.
I’d rather not look clueless, since I don't really know much about
saunas.

So, a few questions:

What different kinds of saunas are there out there?

Is there anything specific I should bring with me?

And is it actually healthy, or is it something I should be cautious about?

Just wondering. 😁

Thanks in advance. 👍

There’s no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid answers. 😉

As for the sauna, I'll tell you exactly what I know based on my own experience.

A sauna is fantastic for flushing toxins out of your system through sweat.
It's healthy, obviously, but you have to be in perfect health yourself to actually use one safely.

The routine is usually three rounds of 15 minutes each.
You stay in for 15 minutes, then hit the shower with lukewarm—or even cold—water, depending on how much you need to cool down.
...then back into the sauna for another 15, followed by another shower... and you repeat that whole cycle three times.

(Doing it three times is the standard, though you can go longer once you get used to it, even if overdoing it can wear you out too much.
If it's your first time, just listen to your body—if you don't feel great, stay in for less time.)

...and you absolutely have to drink plenty of water!

...I don't know what the setup is like at the place you're visiting, but at my gym, I always booked a private session so I could be alone. I was always naked, so all I really needed were a couple of towels.
...one to lie on and one for the shower.
...And make sure you bring a towel to sit or lie on; it's the only way to minimize the risk of picking up fungi or bacteria.

...Just make sure you go somewhere reputable where you know their hygiene standards are top-notch.

They’ve got the "wet" sauna with all that hot steam, plus the "dry" Finnish style where they pour those essential oils over the rocks—the whole aufguss thing. And now everyone's obsessed with infrared

It really boosts your immune system. I skipped it while I was pregnant, but now that I'm getting back into it, I can swear by it. Since I started going, I haven't caught a single sniffle—no flu, no cold, nothing. Of course, there are probably other factors at play, but I’m convinced the sauna is doing some heavy lifting.

I usually just grab a towel, sit on it, and honestly, I've never had to buy a single thing. Oh, and I do wear flip-flops too—mostly just for the shower breaks.

Great for circulation...

Then there's the Botanical Garden setup, which is basically soul food for your respiratory system.👍 (I actually keep a little cheat sheet at home listing the temperatures for different types of saunas if anyone ever needs it)

For people who can't handle the intense heat, they often go to the steam room—it’s only about 110 degrees—but that method is actually perfect for clearing out your skin.👍

Megan Long96 nailed that description 👍

I used to just clear my whole schedule—back when we actually had free time 😁—and drive over to the next town to hit up that massive spa resort. It’s huge, like 20,000 square feet of open concept where you just drift from one area to the next—everything from cold plunges to those relaxing hot stone treatments, Roman baths, and ice baths (if you're feeling brave enough to jump in)... after a day like that, you honestly feel like a brand new person 🙂

It hasn't been that long since I stayed at this hotel that had both a sauna and a heated pool. I just rotated between them—making sure to hit the shower before jumping into the pool, obviously. Spent the entire afternoon just lounging in the water and hanging out by the edge. It was packed...
The sauna was a classic Finnish style, set at 80 degrees. I did about four rounds, staying in for maybe 15 or 20 minutes each time. I made sure to sit on my towel...

placidjackal97 said:My immune system is rock solid. Ever since I started hitting the spa regularly, I haven't caught so much as a sniffle. No colds, no flu, nothing. Sure, maybe there are other factors at play, but I’m convinced the sauna is doing the heavy lifting.

Absolutely. 👍
I've noticed the exact same thing. 🙏

...I live for the sauna.
...honestly, I could go every single day.
It detoxes your whole system and it's incredibly relaxing right now.