How long should you stay in the sauna

While enjoying the many benefits of sauna use, it’s important to be aware of your limits and not overdo it, especially when you’re new to sauna bathing. Staying in too long, especially at very high temperatures, can lead to dehydration, dizziness, fainting or even heat stroke. On the other hand, shorter stints may not provide the full stress-relieving and therapeutic benefits.

So what is the ideal length of time to spend in the sauna? There is no single universal guideline that fits all, as it depends on variables like your health, fitness, acclimatization and the sauna’s temperature setting. This article provides recommendations on how long to remain in the sauna based on these factors to ensure safe and effective sessions.

Time Guidelines for Beginners

If you’re new to using the sauna, it’s best to start conservatively and slowly build up your tolerance over multiple sessions. As a general guideline for beginners:

At temperatures between 80-90°C (176-194°F), aim for 5-10 minutes for your first session. Any longer could risk overheating.
Gradually increase the duration by 1-2 minutes with each subsequent visit as your body adapts, up to a maximum of 15 minutes.
Drink plenty of water before, during and after your sauna visit to prevent dehydration. Signs like feeling faint or weak mean it’s time to exit.
Consider lowering the thermostat setting slightly if 90°C+ feels uncomfortably hot as a beginner. You want the experience to be enjoyable, not stressful.
Avoid strenuous exercise or exertion before or directly after a sauna session until you’re accustomed to the heat. This extra strain on your cardiovascular system increases health risks if you’re not yet acclimatized.

Time Guidelines for Experienced Users

Once your body has adjusted to regular sauna use through a process called heat acclimatization, you can generally stay in longer periods at higher temperatures safely:

15-30 minutes is a typical recommended duration at 80-90°C for those who sauna frequently.
At higher temperatures above 90°C, most experts advise limiting sessions to 15-20 minutes initially and only extending beyond that once fully acclimatized after multiple sessions.
Drink hydrating fluids before, during breaks outside the sauna, and after each sauna visit to replenish fluids lost through sweating.
Those in good cardiovascular fitness may find longer 30-45 minute sessions comfortably tolerable depending on temperature settings and rest periods taken between rounds.
However, it’s always advisable to pay attention to how your body is responding. Any signs of excessive fatigue, dizziness or other issues mean it’s time to exit for your safety.
Continually monitor yourself even as an experienced user – what was once comfortably tolerable can change as your health or fitness levels vary over time. Adjust sessions accordingly.

Safety Considerations for All Users

In addition to timing your sauna sessions appropriately based on experience and health, there are some other important safety guidelines to follow:

Never fall asleep in the sauna, as this significantly raises health risks like heat stroke.
Those under 18, pregnant women, and individuals with certain medical conditions should seek physician guidance before using a sauna.
Take frequent breaks outside the sauna in a cool area by the pool or shower to lower core body temperature if needed.
Be especially careful on very hot days or if undertaking strenuous exercise before or after a sauna, as this extra strain places greater demands on the cardiovascular system.
Check with a doctor before significantly increasing sauna time if taking medications or with existing health concerns.
Listen to your body – any feelings of severe fatigue, nausea, dizziness, confusion, intense thirst are signs to exit immediately and cool down.

So in summary, start modestly at 5-10 minutes to acclimate as a beginner, and once regularly attending, durations of 15-30 minutes are usually appropriate depending on heat level and your fitness. Always err on the side of caution, stay hydrated, and never push past the point of comfort. With careful monitoring over time, you can safely enjoy longer, more frequent sauna sessions to maximize the detoxifying and wellness benefits.

How does temperature affect recommended times?

The recommended length of time in the sauna is also dependent on the actual temperature setting – the higher the thermostat, the shorter the advised sessions should typically be:

80-85°C (176-185°F): Most people can comfortably tolerate 30-45 minute sessions at this moderate heat level.
85-90°C (185-194°F): Times of 20-30 minutes are generally sufficient at these temperatures.
90-100°C (194-212°F): At very high heat, aim for shorter durations of just 10-20 minutes to avoid stressing the body.
Above 100°C: Very few commercial saunas operate at these intense temperatures. If so, limit sessions to only 10-15 minutes at most due to significant dehydration risk.

While exact individual tolerance can vary, it’s wise to start at the lower end of recommended time ranges for a given temperature and gradually increase duration only if comfortably tolerable as acclimatization occurs. If you start to feel unwell, dizzy or overheated, then it’s a sign that particular temperature may be too much even for short exposures for your body at that time. Taking additional rest breaks outside between rounds can also help extend your total recommended session length at very high sauna temperatures by giving the body a chance to fully recover in between heat exposures.

Can I stay in longer if I drink more water?

Drinking sufficient fluids is certainly important both before and during any sauna session. However, drinking more water does not necessarily enable longer, hotter stints in the sauna without consequences. The key factors determining recommended session length are:

Heat level inside the sauna room
Individual health/fitness/acclimatization status
Amount of sweating occurring from the sauna heat/vapor

While hydration helps counter fluid losses from sweating, it cannot compensate for or change the body’s core temperature increase from being directly exposed to high external heat. Prolonged elevation of internal heat can still potentially lead to dangerous conditions like heat stroke or cardiovascular issues, no matter how much water intake.

Therefore, drinking ample fluids should be seen as a means to support the typical time recommendations rather than as a way to potentially exceed them without risk. Stay within the advised duration guidelines based on temperature and your experience level. Take frequent rest breaks as needed, especially if sweating heavily, and always listen closely to your body’s response rather than just focusing on water consumption. With regular sauna habits, tolerance may slowly improve over time through natural heat acclimatization processes as the body adapts. But there is no substituting extra water intake for proper time limits during individual sauna sessions. Safety should always be the top priority.

Sauna Benefits:

While following safe time guidelines, regular, moderate sauna use in line with your body’s comfort level offers numerous health perks when done responsibly:

Improved circulation via expanded blood vessels and increased heart rate, supporting cardiovascular health.
Detoxification through sweating to remove toxins, heavy metals, salts and environmental pollutants from the dermis.
Pain relief for muscle spasms, soreness and arthritis through heating of tissues deeper than surface-level heating.
Immune system boost from white blood cell count increase following sweating and thermal stress.
Stress reduction and relaxation due to heat-induced release of endorphins, our natural “feel-good” hormones in the brain.
Possibly decreased risk for some illnesses and mortality when sauna use is incorporated routinely.

So in summary, use common sense timing based on your personal health profile and the sauna’s temperature. Adjust sessions gradually according to how your body responds. With care and moderation, regular sauna use stands to provide potent preventive medicine and overall well-being benefits to complement a healthy lifestyle. Following duration safety guidelines will help you leverage the sauna’s powers safely and effectively over the long term.

Conclusion

While sauna therapy offers immense stress relief, relaxing muscle tension and cleansing health advantages, it’s essential not to overlook safety by estimating your limits appropriately – especially as a beginner. Understanding how outside factors like temperature, heat acclimatization and individual fitness affects recommended sauna durations is key. With a prudent, conservative approach of starting shorter and gradually increasing session times based on tolerance and guidance, most people can safely experience the sauna’s benefits without over taxing their cardiovascular systems or risking dangerous hyperthermia. So start low and go slow, stay hydrated, and always respect what your body says it can comfortably handle for the current day. By thoughtfully applying the described time guidelines, shorter-term and long-term sauna-goers alike can continue enjoying this simple yet powerful form of natural preventive healthcare and self-care