How to prepare for a sauna session, how hard could it be? Preparing for a sauna session may sound like nothing more than getting your hand ready to open the door to the sauna itself, but there is a whole world of sauna prep worth knowing about that could heighten your overall experience. Regardless of whether you use the sauna to relax or cool down after a workout, there are universal steps that every person should take to prepare before jumping into a sauna that won’t simply maximise the benefits that could come about from spending time in the hot halls but could also make your body ready to get even more out of future visits.
Why Proper Sauna Preparation is Essential
Let’s lay out a best-case scenario of someone getting into a sauna. From deciding you’d like to get into the sauna all the way to taking a seat on the warm bench, here are the things you ought to test out before getting in. Consider this a “how to prepare for a sauna” checklist.
Hydration is Key When Preparing for a Sauna Session
Before stepping into a sauna, the most important starting point is making sure you’re well hydrated. When it comes to the first point on how to prepare for a sauna, hydration should be your first step. This is a very crucial aspect of the sauna preparation process. Spending time in the sauna causes your body to sweat significantly. Since your body will lose a significant amount of water, drinking plenty beforehand is a must.
Since hydration requirements for each individual differ, a safe baseline is to sip one to two glasses of water at least 20 minutes before going in. This replenishes the water your body will likely shed and ensures that it has enough time to distribute the water where it's most needed. Hydrating before a sauna session is crucial for your comfort and safety.
When dealing with water and the sauna, be certain to always listen to your body. Your body will always be the best indicator as to when you do or don’t need more water. There is no shame, for example, in stepping out of the sauna in the middle of a session to get a quick drink. Your health ought to come first, especially when dealing with extreme heat like you’ll find in a sauna. No health benefit that could come about in the sauna is more important than your immediate comfort.
Consider Pre-Sauna Stretching Exercises for Optimal Results
Another important aspect of how to prepare for a sauna is incorporating pre-sauna stretching exercises into your routine. A few light stretches before entering the sauna can help your body adjust to the rising temperature. It boosts circulation and loosens your muscles, making your time in the sauna more effective. This can improve muscle elasticity and help with post-sauna recovery.
Some effective pre-sauna stretching exercises include stretches for your hamstrings, back, and shoulders. These stretches prepare your body for the physical stress of the sauna, allowing you to experience the full benefits of heat therapy. Remember that regular pre-sauna stretches can enhance your flexibility and overall experience in the sauna, especially with consistent practice.
Early sessions may not feel significantly different, yet the longer you maintain the habit, the more noticeable the effects will become.
Workout Before the Sauna Session
If you're wondering what to do before a sauna session in regards to physical activity, consider pairing your sauna time with a good aerobic workout. Both working out and sauna use increase your heart rate, providing complementary health benefits. When you work out before the sauna, you keep your heart rate elevated, which can extend the effects of both the workout and the sauna. While the calories burned in the sauna aren't substantial enough to replace a workout, pairing exercise with sauna use can amplify your health benefits.
A good workout that elevates your heart rate makes a perfect prelude to a sauna session. If you work out hard enough to get a good sweat going, your sauna experience will enhance the detoxification and relaxation effects.
When choosing the best workout to pair with your trip to the sauna, there’s luckily nothing to sweat over there! It's a silly joke, but it's still true: as long as your heart rate is up and you’ve got a good sweat going, consider that a workout worthy of a good sauna pairing.
What to Wear Before a Sauna Session
A key part of how to prepare for a sauna is knowing what to wear. The clothing requirements for saunas vary depending on the location and type of sauna. A smart first grab is a towel. If you are using a public facility to sauna, there is a good chance these will be complimentary. A towel is a good universal standard for fully permitted sauna attire.
Things start to get dicey when swim trunks are involved. There are many saunas across the world that don’t allow swim trunks because (even if thoroughly washed) they can cause bacterial growth that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Even the cleanest person in the world still has bacteria on their swim trunks, like it or not. And the sauna is a bacterial breeding ground. The hot air of a sauna mixed with the rising and falling humidity makes the hot halls of the sauna just as comfortable for you as it is for bacteria.
Many places consider saunas to be enjoyed without clothing, as it follows long-standing cultural customs. The further you go into Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, the more likely clothing won’t just be optional; it will be outright not allowed. This is another good reason to make sure that you have a towel handy! If you are indeed using a sauna that allows swim trunks, it helps to have the trunks dry. Bacteria are the most likely to grow and reproduce on wet surfaces.
Decide What Sauna Type Best Suits Your Needs
People step into a sauna for countless reasons, and your personal goals may make one type of sauna a better fit than another. For example, if you have any kind of congestion or cold symptoms, you may actually find more relief in a steam room rather than a sauna. This is because the humidity of steam rooms actually coats your sinuses. This helps release all kinds of phlegm and other build-ups that happen, especially when we are sick. Deciding which sauna fits you best is an essential part of the sauna preparation process. This is equally important as knowing how to prepare for a sauna.
Traditional wood-burning saunas on the other hand are known to be better for overall heart health and are able to fight off muscle soreness better than steam rooms. This is because wood-burning saunas are actually considerably hotter than steam rooms. This forces your body to work harder to keep its internal systems stable. Your blood will pump throughout the body faster and by extension, your muscles will be aerated with fresh red blood cells even faster.
And there are indeed several reasons why infrared saunas may end up as your preferred sauna locale. Infrared saunas offer all of the benefits of a traditional wood-burning sauna but take up considerably less space and are usually built for one person. This means that if you are already sick and don’t want to risk spreading a disease to other sauna goers, an infrared sauna in a private place is a great choice.
Luckily, your approach to sauna preparation and your sauna selection are flexible. You can be certain that the central benefit of all saunas will be fully available to you, and that’s sweat!
Study the Rules of Your Sauna!
As lightly stated above, every sauna in the world has its own set of rules. How to prepare for a sauna when attending a private sauna or a mega facility sauna at spas or sports clubs? It’s important to be aware of and stick to the guidelines specific to your sauna. Some sauna rules to expect include: occupancy limits, whether or not phones, swim trunks, or talking are allowed. You’d be surprised how many saunas in the world enforce that last one!
While public saunas are certainly going to list their rules in visible places, if you are using a private sauna owned by a friend, be sure to ask them directly exactly how they prefer people to use their sauna. Saunas are cultural objects of genuine value to the people who use them, and especially the people who own them! So, respect the sauna and be certain to ask the owner of each and every sauna you use about their preferred rules.
Things to Avoid Before a Sauna Session: Essential Pre-Sauna Tips
A person can take numerous actions to maximize the value of a sauna, yet an equal number of missteps can take away from it. Be mindful of these activities and habits to avoid when getting ready for a trip to the sauna.
Don’t Drink Alcohol Excessively Before a Sauna
Drinking enough fluids is important as part of your sauna preparation, but it’s best to rely solely on water before your sauna session. This is arguably the most important point to remember on our how to prepare for a sauna checklist!
You likely noticed the word “excessive” in the title above this section. If you’ve researched topics like this before, you’ve probably seen a hard stop saying that alcohol of any kind should be avoided when using the sauna. While this is true from a health standpoint, it’s unavoidable that saunas have been closely tied to alcohol for genuinely thousands of years.
The Finns are the masters of all things wood-burning saunas, and we’ll defer to their traditions when talking about alcohol and the sauna. It is very common for people to not only have a good pint before getting into the sauna. But there are many who live and die by the belief that a pint of beer or even some harder stuff in the sauna heightens the experience.
Being under the influence makes a sauna session unsafe. With the potential of slippery surfaces and the certainty of a hot stove, it’s just not smart to be drunk in the sauna. Further, by drinking alcohol and not keeping up with your water intake, you’re actually at higher risk of getting dehydrated. In the same way as coffee, alcohol actually makes your body use up its available clean water faster. The more alcohol you drink, the more water you’ll have to drink in the future to get your system back up to peak levels.
So, like any other time in life, drink responsibly! But be doubly careful not only of your motor skills but also your hydration level when drinking alcohol in the sauna.
Maybe Leave Your Smart Devices Behind
While more and more people today are seemingly welded to their smart devices, the sauna ought to be one of the few places where even the most phone-dedicated people should try to leave them behind.
While there are certainly some useful functions on today’s smart devices, such as smartphones and smartwatches that could give you some interesting info and data about your sauna visit. Ask yourself if data about the exact beats per minute of your heart is more valuable than the rare peace that you can find in a sauna. This is especially true in a time when constant availability is expected. Even a 15 or 20-minute break in the sauna can be a momentary bliss. If you’re at a public sauna, take advantage of the chance to mingle with fellow visitors! That's why we leave the smartphones off our how to prepare for a sauna checklist.
Another reason to leave your devices behind is the potential for damage. The high heat of a traditional sauna can easily surpass temperatures of 80°C (176°F), which can damage most smart devices. Steam rooms and infrared saunas tend to have lower temperatures, but still, it’s wise to consider the risks. If you're looking to prepare for a sauna for a relaxing session , simply leave your devices in a safe spot and enjoy the break from technology.
Try to Avoid a Large Meal Before Getting Into the Sauna
What to eat before a sauna session? This is an important thing to remember when we are compiling our list on how to prepare for a sauna. The best state for your body to be in when getting ready for a sauna is light but not too light. This means that you should avoid any kind of overly-heavy activity, and this includes having too large a meal. Anyone who’s entered a sauna right after a heavy meal knows how uncomfortable it feels when undigested food weighs on your stomach.
This is largely because the body is working harder to maintain homeostasis while you are in the sauna. Part of maintaining homeostasis, actually, is digestion. The body responds by accelerating the breakdown of the food in your stomach. This is why eating a big meal before the sauna can quickly lead to a disrupted stomach ache. Therefore, prepare for your sauna session by not eating too much.
Conclusion: Enjoy Your Sauna Session
A person can overthink things when compiling their how to prepare for a sauna checklist. The good news is, no matter how much or how little you stretch, ponder your wardrobe, or drink, you will still likely have a great experience in your sauna. But when you prepare for your sauna trip, be certain to stay mindful of the objects on this list worth avoiding. Overindulging in a meal or a bit too much to drink could make your sauna trip a bit less fun. The trick is, saunas are incredibly good for the body under normal circumstances. So this means that by adding a bit of exercise or stretching to your routine, you only have things to gain! Understanding how to prepare for a sauna helps you enjoy all the health benefits while keeping the experience effortless and enjoyable.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do before going into a sauna?
What to do before sauna is to hydrate well, avoid heavy meals, and shower to remove lotions or oils while also removing jewelry and metal accessories as they can heat up.
How long should I hydrate before a sauna session?
Plan to hydrate 30 to 60 minutes prior to your sauna session, consuming approximately 16–25 ounces of water. Gentle, consistent sipping is more effective than chugging it just before stepping in.
Should I eat before a sauna?
Eat a light snack 1-2 hours before if needed, but avoid heavy meals. A full stomach can make you uncomfortable and may affect circulation during the session.
Can I use my phone in a sauna?
No, high heat and humidity can damage your phone's internal components. Most saunas also encourage disconnecting for relaxation and safety reasons.
Is it better to work out before or after a sauna?
Generally, it's better to work out before the sauna, using it for recovery and muscle relaxation. Exercising after can be risky due to dehydration and elevated body temperature.
What should I wear in a sauna?
You can wear a towel, swimsuit, or light, breathable clothing, depending on the facility's sauna rules. Many traditional saunas are used without clothing in single-gender settings.
Can I drink alcohol before a sauna session?
No, alcohol and saunas don't mix safely, as both dehydrate you and can lead to dangerous drops in blood pressure. Always sauna sober and save drinks for afterward.
How long should I stay in a sauna?
Beginners should start with 5-10 minutes, while experienced users can stay 15-20 minutes. Listen to your body and exit if you feel dizzy or uncomfortable.
Do I need to stretch before the sauna?
Stretching isn't necessary before a sauna, though gentle movement is fine. The sauna itself helps warm muscles, making it an ideal time for light stretching during or after.
Should I choose a traditional sauna or an infrared sauna?
Traditional saunas are hotter (150-195°F) with steam options, while infrared saunas are milder (120-150°F) and penetrate deeper. Choose based on your heat tolerance and whether you prefer intense sweating or gentle warmth.
How to prepare for an infrared sauna?
To prepare for an infrared sauna, hydrate well beforehand and avoid heavy meals. Shower and remove lotions, oils, and jewelry to ensure maximum comfort and safety. Wear light clothing or a towel, and have water nearby to sip during your session.
What to do after a sauna?
After a sauna, it’s important to cool down gradually — step out, take a lukewarm or cool shower, and let your body return to normal temperature. Rehydrate by drinking water or an electrolyte drink, and allow yourself a few minutes to relax before resuming regular activity. Gentle stretching or quiet rest can also help extend the advantages of a sauna session.