How Hot Is A Sauna Should Be?

Having a sauna bathing in your daily life can be quite beneficial, rewarding, and relaxing ONLY IF you can use it accurately. Many of us feel like this “only if” is a big deal and thus, we are often nervous about using our home saunas. From how hot a sauna should be to how long should one stay in sauna sessions is a matter of confusion for us.

Moreover, from maintenance and care to having the most satisfactory sauna routine and temperature, we all feel that it feels like plenty of new data to absorb. Luckily, we are committed to helping you be confident in every part of your home or public sauna.

Figuring out everything about sauna sessions for your requirements is a tremendous part of the procedure. But it is just as significant to understand how to get the best result out of your investment in a sauna session. Once you read our guide, you will have a vivid idea of the best sauna temperature.

How Hot A Sauna Generally?

Warming up favorably and positively affects the functional state of all organs and systems of the body, improves metabolism, and develops protective and compensatory mechanisms.

Sauna bathing has a positive effect on the cardiovascular, respiratory, thermoregulatory, and endocrine systems, restoring the nervous system, restoring vigor, help to rehabilitate strength after physical and mental stress with such high temperatures. But the question is how hot a sauna should be.

Let us begin with the basics to understand the matter – different saunas generally have different physical effects and also use quite different temperatures. The sauna is hot (70-110°C) and dry (humidity 5-7%). It is clear that the higher the temperature, the drier the air must be in order not to harm the skin and the circulatory system.

However, it is not easy to answer this question in easy words. As a metaphor, the response “how fast a car should be” is similarly impossible to answer.

This is because cars differ so vastly from each other that the answer to the question “how fast a car should be” is ridiculous. Thus, let’s talk about various types of saunas and their temperature differences.

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Perfect Temperature And Tenure For Traditional Dry Saunas

We have seen people utilize the phrase “dry sauna” to mean both traditional, and infrared saunas that precede the use of wood-heated vapor.

To stop confusion, we are going to discuss these dry, hot saunas here as well as others in our next section in this article below.

To be honest, taking dry sauna sessions in a sauna room isn’t quite common. Many individuals find the heat suggested by the Traditional Finnish Sauna culture a little bit awkward without any moisture to build steam, particularly as sauna bathings get further famous in the United States.

That does not mean a dry and hot sauna is not good for you, it is just that there has not been much research or experimentation done about the best capacity. People all react quite differently to such dry heat.

People in the United States who enjoy such dry saunas generally report being capable of tolerating higher heat in a standard watered wood-burning sauna.

Typically, the steam produced from the liquid poured on stones heated by coals or wood feels quite sharp against the skin. Without the steam produced from heated wood, you’re much more conscious of the hot air temperatures.

Remembering all of these, the best temperature for the dry saunas is between 140°F-175°F. Most people do not feel comfy in the dry heat sauna that much higher or hotter than this span. Start with more temporary sessions until your body becomes tolerant to the heat properly.

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Perfect Temperature And Tenure For Infrared Sauna Bathing

While these infrared saunas offer several of the similar benefits you will enjoy from the traditional saunas, the methods behind how the infrared heaters work could not be more distinct. These use electric infrared rays to warm up your body from within instead of steam or water.

Typically, in infrared saunas, these infrared waves are immersed right into your body, whereas a Finnish sauna warms the atmosphere around you first.

When you absorb the infrared light waves, your temperature grows internally first, ultimately spreading to the skin so it feels sizzling to the touch.

Remember that like humidity and steam, infrared rays are a natural phenomenon. Due to this, the perfect temperature for infrared saunas may differ. Human bodies cast this type of warmth that the infrared saunas produce that is hidden from the bare eye, but still can be felt without water.

For maximum safety and comfort, your infrared sauna’s temperature must be between 100°F-125°F even though some gyms and spas recommend 120°F-140°F as standard. You can even stay in the infrared saunas for barely longer than the usual 20 min.

With the infrared sauna’s warmth, you can decide to stay in for around 35 min after a few weeks you get accustomed to the sauna as long as you are healthy and hydrated, or possibly 40 min in the case suggested by a professional.

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How Hot Is A Traditional Sauna

It is the so-called dry bath. The atmosphere inside the traditional sauna is quite dry, and the heat ranges from 70°C to 100°C. In the traditional Finnish sauna, you need to be very careful, otherwise, you may get burnt.

Thus, all you can do is sit quietly or you can lie down. At this time, your body will warm up, blood vessels will expand gradually, sweating is triggered, and also your body will cleanse itself.

The effect of a classic Finnish sauna depends on alternating exposure to dry heat (80 to 100°C) and cold water. Throughout the initial phase, your body will sweat intensely. As a result, the blood flow increases and reaches the skin. Thus, toxins get eliminated from your body.

After visiting the Finnish sauna, you should take a cold shower. However, if you go to the Finnish sauna in winter, it is better to wipe yourself to make your body cool down.

Such procedures invigorate, strengthen blood vessels, and improve the immune and circulatory systems. A feature of the Finnish sauna is that it uses wood to produce heat.

So, it is challenging to manage the overall temperature of the sauna sessions as per your personal preference. For this reason, it is always better to use a public sauna offered by professionals if you plan to have Finnish saunas.

(1) First, the traditional saunas, with low humidity, use temperatures between 80 °C and 90°C.

(2) Secondly, in the traditional Finnish sauna, the temperatures generally range between 70°C and 100°C. In severe cases, the temperatures used are above 100°C. Above 110°C, your health may be endangered, since people who used such high temperatures have become ill and even passed away during the Sauna practice. Because of safety reasons, we recommend only using Finnish saunas up to 90-100°C.

(3) Thirdly, a steam room generally uses temperatures of about 40°C to 45°C. Remember that humidity is normally high, typically at 100%, which means that breathing in such air may still feel quite hot to your lungs, skin, and nostrils.

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Temperature Guide For A Traditional Finnish Sauna

Traditional saunas (also known as Finnish saunas, or smoke saunas) use wood, electricity, or even gas to run off the heat. In modern days, most gyms and spas use electricity to heat the traditional sauna rooms to make them highly effective.

Initially, such types of saunas used to have a wood-burning stove to heat the rocks present in the room. Contemporary saunas generally use an electric heater, which reaches the required temperatures in your room.

The regulation of using both types is to deliver steam after water is poured over the hot stones. It’s highly useful for your sinuses, skin, and lungs.

Modern heating features can turn on & off automatically as well as maintain the heat in the saunas as much as one needs. Likewise, you can go for an electric dry sauna bathing with a protection switch. This will switch off the heaters at 60 min, but you’ll enjoy the temperature for some time later.

The heat range may differ based on the country you are using the saunas. The American standard indicates temperatures from around 160°F to 194°F (71°C – 90°C). However, in some European countries, the temperatures allowed are in a range of around 160°F to 220°F (71°C – 104.5°C).

Nevertheless, the Traditional Finnish Sauna suggests that the heat in the saunas should be between 176°F to 194°F (80°C – 90°C), with the highest of 212°F (100°C).

It needs a specific period to warm up from a quite cold start. The usual time for the pre-heat process of the traditional saunas is from 30-45 min, based on the respective model you are using and the country you are in.

Generally, you should go inside a sauna room for around 10-30 minutes, 1 to 3 times in a session, with taking a break between the use to cool down your body a little since the traditional sauna comes with high humidity.

PLEASE NOTE

None of this heat is set in stone! As we’ve already stated, your context counts a lot as soon as you are choosing a sauna for yourself. Also, you can handle quite high temperatures in the Finnish saunas, such as 90°C, for 5 min, but, you may have an issue in case you are staying in for around 30 min straight! So, heat alone, without appropriate context, can prove to be highly misleading!

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How Hot Is It In An Infrared Sauna

One of the means of health and beauty care is an infrared sauna or an infrared cabin, which has nothing to do with a conventional sauna.

The peculiarity of the infrared sauna is that despite the deep heating of the body, the temperature inside does not exceed 40-60°C.

Infrared (IR) saunas are the “new word” in the world of saunas. They are based on the discovery made almost 40 years ago by the Japanese physician Tadashi Ishikawa, who discovered the possibility of infrared heaters.

They warm up the human body to a depth of up to 4 cm and emit heat in a fairly narrow range that is favorable for human health. Infrared sauna differs from traditional saunas and baths by the method of direct heating of the human body.

Energy in an infrared sauna is transmitted using infrared (thermal) radiation, penetrates deep into the tissues of the body, and effectively warms them up.

Help in the fight against cellulite and excess weight, alleviating the suffering of patients with rheumatism and arthritis, restoring the condition and color of the skin, accelerating the treatment of stroke marks, kidney disease, preventing colds, liver failure, etc. with high temperature – this is not a complete list of the “benefits” of an infrared sauna.

In addition to the healing effect, infrared sauna sessions also contribute to a significant cosmetic effect: they cleanse the skin, open pores, and accelerate the process of removing dead cells.

The skin becomes firm and elastic, and acne, pimples, and eczema disappear. Infrared sauna heating promotes rapid healing of wounds and bruises and resorption of hematomas.

Infrared sauna rays soften, and sometimes even help to dissolve scars and scratches, and smooth wrinkles. So, if you are planning to purchase a home sauna then go for the infrared sauna.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you have used both infrared and traditional saunas in your life, you’ll know that an infrared sauna feels completely different from a traditional sauna bathing. The heat is far more delicate, and, the physical effects are quite different from traditional saunas.

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Temperature Guide For Infrared Sauna

The infrared saunas run completely on electricity. Such saunas produce radiant warmth using infrared heating panels.

Thus, they produce around 7-14 microns of extended infrared waves. These waves penetrate deeply into the pores of our skin as well as encourage sweating to detoxify the body.

Different from the traditional Finnish saunas, there’s no heating of the air around you. Hence, the needed temperatures are comparatively lower, generally from 100°F to 150°F (38°C – 65.5°C).

Nevertheless, most experts suggest the level of heat for this kind of sauna to be from 140°F to 150°F (60°C – 65.5°C) to get the best result.

Essentially, you’ll get the exact experience you get in the traditional saunas, but at much lower heat. It’s possible since the infrared waves heat you from within. Alternatively, in a traditional sauna bathing, you require burning air to warm your body up.

Although infrared saunas are a fairly new by-product, they’re quite famous as an excellent solution for home saunas. Additionally, they’re quite cheap as well.

Like every other kind of sauna, an infrared sauna needs a specific period to heat up from a chilly start. Normally the time for pre-heat of an infrared sauna is between 10-15 minutes, often it takes 30 minutes, based on the respective model you’ve bought and where (which country) you are using the sauna.

As the heat in the infrared saunas is more bearable, the average sauna session will last from 30 to 45 min after the starting adjustment period.

PLEASE NOTE:

In case you only focus on heat as the method that you are applying, you are going wrong. The biologically practical effects of an infrared light piercing your body are simply as significant if not more significant than the outcomes of heating.

Similarly, core body heat may go up further in the infrared saunas than in the Finnish saunas! So, the detoxifying effect you generally get in sauna as well as the heat tolerance buildup may be even more useful in the infrared sauna as compared to the traditional model.

Thus, in case you solely focus on atmosphere temperature, you are certainly missing the forest for the trees.

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How Hot Is A Sauna Supposed To Be?

If you are trying to know “how hot the sauna is supposed to be”, you already know after so many explanations that the response is “it depends” on several things like place, type, and so many more! There is no one-size-fits-all explanation for this question!

“How hot the saunas are supposed to be” entirely depends on one’s goals! In case you want to support general fitness, then the 45°C to 60°C temperature of the infrared saunas is ideal.

If you are a young person and wish to build your heat tolerance – although not seeking maximum health benefits – then going to the traditional saunas is the best bet for you.

However, for most individuals, staying healthy is the prime goal. If that is the case for you as well, then you simply can’t beat an infrared sauna that’s effortless to use from the ease of your house while offering a lifetime warranty.

That is true, you can get higher heat in the Finnish saunas, but what is the point? Ultimately, hotter heat isn’t always better. That is right! But why? Well, there is a golden standard regarding the number of infrared rays on which your physical systems work nicely.

Either too much or too little infrared rays, thus, do not cause an optimum effect. Thus, simply as with exercise or consuming food, both too little and too much are not good. The similar is true for sauna heat exposure.

Gentle, frequent, infrared saunas promote health while making you feel truly amazing. And for this not, more than 80 to 90°C is needed. And if you are looking for a comfortable sauna bathing experience then infrared sauna bathing temperature is the best for you.

Although both infrared and traditional saunas are great it is quite challenging to control the heat of a traditional sauna. Thus, if you are intolerant to higher temperatures then go for infrared saunas.

Moreover, when you choose infrared heat over traditional saunas, you try to buy a sauna for your home and try it whenever you feel like experiencing a sauna.

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How Hot Should Your Sauna Be If You Are A Beginner?

If you are a beginner to the sauna practice, you are better to be well-informed and be able to answer queries like “How hot a sauna should get?” or “What’s the ideal sauna temperature Fahrenheit vs Celsius?”

Remember, although you can’t get in the most burning sauna possible if you are a beginner that does not mean that you should try the lowest temperature ever possible.

No matter what, you must follow a certain temperature range to have the benefits of sauna bathing. However, for safety and comfort, you can at least cut down the session time in the beginning and increase the tenure gradually.

The suggested sauna temperature for a beginner is generally at the lowest end of the standard range. In case you are still not certain how hot a sauna should be in Celsius or Fahrenheit for a beginner,” here are a few guidelines to clear all your doubt regarding the temperature range of saunas

(1) Wet Sauna For Beginners: In case you are taking a wet sauna session, start at approximately 90°F (32.22°C).

(2) Dry Sauna For Beginners: In case you are using the dry saunas, start at approximately 150°F (65.6°C).

(3) Infrared Sauna For Beginners: In case you are taking an infrared sauna session, start at approximately 120°F (48.88°C).

PLEASE NOTE

So, you do not have to begin your journey with the most elevated sauna temperature ever possible. Moreover, you can drop the heat a little bit lower than the suggestions listed above in case you need it. It is better to reduce your sauna temperature and time as you begin building a constant habit than it’s to shoot for the “ideal” sauna temperature as well as overwhelm yourself.

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Can I Adjust Sauna’s Temperatures Safely? How?

Once you know what temperature a sauna is generally set at as well as can answer the questions such as “what’s the ideal temperature for saunas?” or “how hot is the moderate sauna?” you may wish to understand what you should do to change to the sauna temperature as well as get the best temperature as per your personal preference.

To adjust the temperature of an infrared sauna, you need to lower the heat panels. This way, you can safely adjust the heat of an infrared sauna.

However, as long as the temperature of a traditional sauna is concerned, it is quite difficult for you to adjust the heat. Nevertheless, if you are a professional then you can still control and adjust the heat of the traditional sauna.

In addition to adjusting the temperature, here are a few other tips that’ll assist you to get adjusted and getting the best out of the sauna sessions:

(1) You Need To Start Slow: Begin with a quick sauna session around 5 to 10 min is an ideal time for beginners. In case you can at least do a couple of minutes, even that is okay.

(2) Stay Hydrated: Ensure you consume a lot of water before stepping into and after stepping out of the sauna room. Also, keep water inside the sauna room if possible as well and keep hydrating yourself to fulfill the liquid need that you are losing during your session. You can also take a light snack with you but that is not recommended at all.

(3) Cool Down: After finishing your sauna session, remember to take a cool shower to lower the body temperature

Try to take the sauna session at least 3-4 times a week. After some sauna sessions, start to increase the time and temperature gradually.

Pretty soon, you will begin to know the answers to basic questions such as “What should sauna temperature be?” and “What’s the best temperature for sauna sessions?” as well as “What temperature must a sauna be in Fahrenheit or Celsius to be comfortable?”

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Sauna Safety Measures To Follow

Whether you take a sauna session in private or in public, there are significant safety measures that you must follow and also be mindful of. Here are the safety measures that you need to follow…

(1) Despite the sauna benefits, a sauna session may or may not be suitable for everyone out there.

Check with a professional medical expert before taking a sauna bathing, particularly if you’ve got uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart failure, diabetes, unstable angina, or abnormal heart rhythm.

In case you’ve got any of these health issues, limit the sauna bathing practice to 5 minutes per session, and ensure to slowly cool down your body.

(2) Consult your physician in case you are planning to have kids or are pregnant, before taking a sauna bathing.

(3) Don’t shower with sandals while taking a sauna.

(4) Do not take a sauna bathing in case you are on medications that may interfere with the ability of the body to control temperature or medicines that may make you feel tired.

(5) Do not take a sauna bathing when you are ill. When you use a sauna during your illness, it may worsen your condition.

(6) Drink plenty of water (not warm water) before, during, and also after using a sauna session to avoid dehydration issues because you will lose a lot of liquid via sweat throughout the sauna bathing session.

(7) Avoid drinking alcohol before, during, and after your sauna use. If you drink alcohol, it will affect the benefits of the sauna.

(8) Have a little snack instead of having a heavy meal before you use a sauna.

(9) Do not have recreational drugs before, during, and after your sauna use.

(10) Don’t fall asleep during your sauna session.

(11) Exit the sauna room in case you feel ill or dizzy.

(12) The traditional Finnish sauna usually ends with a dive in freezing chilled water. It may not be suitable for everyone out there, particularly for those people who are expectant, or those with heart issues or other health issues. It will be more suitable to let the body temperature normally and gradually return to normal after sauna use.

(13) Saunas elevate the core body heat temporarily. So, it may or may not affect your body directly or indirectly. So, always listen to your body. If you feel uncomfortable, dizzy, ill, or something else, immediately leave the sauna room.

PLEASE NOTE

The NHS (National Health Service) alerts that evolving overheating in the sauna can be hazardous to the health of a pregnant lady and also the baby inside the womb. Overheating in the sauna bathing may even be more affecting while you are pregnant.

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Shop For A Sauna

If you are all set to experience the advantages of in-home saunas, head to online stores like Amazon today. They have a lot of high-quality products for saunas to choose from. Also, they have a wide range of products for both dry saunas and infrared saunas.

Moreover, before buying a particular product for your in-home sauna session from an online store like Amazon, you can go through the user’s reviews.

Reading online reviews, you can get all the details regarding the performance of the product. It will help you to distinguish between a good and a bad product. However, there are some websites like eBay, Flipkart, etc.

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FAQ On How Hot Is A Sauna Should Be

Following are the common questions on how hot should sauna be.

How Long Should You Stay Inside The Sauna Room?

The time you spent inside a sauna room entirely depends on things like what type of sauna you are using, your sauna experience, etc. By saying sauna experience, we mean your tolerance level.

If you can’t tolerate high heat, then you should stay inside a sauna room for not more than 3-5 minutes initially. However, you can increase the time spent inside a sauna room gradually.

So, the time varies from person to person as not everyone has a similar heat tolerance. And always listen to your body to know how long you can stay inside a sauna room.

What Is The Most Suitable Temperature For Saunas?

The proper temperature for saunas depends on one’s preference! Maximum people like to enjoy the saunas at temperatures ranging between 150 degrees Fahrenheit to 175 degrees Fahrenheit for Finnish saunas and 120degrees Fahrenheit to 130 degrees Fahrenheit for an infrared sauna.

However, if you do not feel comfortable with this temperature, you either can lower the temperature a little bit or can reduce the time spent inside a sauna room.

How Long Does It Take For The Sauna To Completely Heat Up On Average?

The traditional sauna typically takes around 30 to 45 minutes only to completely heat up. And during this heating-up time, the stones get heated to the ideal temperature for gentle heat and gentle steam.

On the other hand, an infrared sauna isn’t as much about the room temperature/heat, as it’s about the absorption or the penetration of the infrared light. You can methodically start using an infrared sauna directly, but in case you like to have the sauna room itself heated previously it may take 10 minutes.

Where To Find And Buy A Sauna For Home?

Saunas are easily available at health clubs, gyms, and also tanning salons. In case you are interested in purchasing your sauna for home, you can buy saunas straight from the manufacturers of sauna as well as on Costco and even from Amazon. In case you are searching for a well-priced sauna, check out the online store right now.

How To Use Sauna Safely?

To use the sauna safely, drink water or tea (without sugar) before and after the sauna, and maintain specific health guidelines provided by the sauna service provider.

Moreover, always listen to your body. If your body is signaling you to leave the highly heated place then immediately exit the sauna room to avoid any kind of serious health issues.

Do You Have To Preheat The Sauna?

If you are planning to use an infrared sauna then there is no need to pre-heat the sauna room. However, if you are planning to use a traditional Finnish sauna then you must pre-heat the sauna. This is because a traditional sauna uses a wood-burning procedure. Thus, it takes a certain time to completely heat the room.

So, whether you have to pre-heat the sauna or not entirely depends on which type of sauna you are going to use.

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Bottomline

As you have learned now, the perfect sauna temperature is precisely not a cut-and-dry question, particularly in case you’ve got an infrared sauna.

Although each kind of sauna comes with a particular temperature range that is considered comfortable, beneficial, and safe, a medical study is still being accomplished every day to discover perfect setups for people with certain health conditions and lifestyles.

The perfect temperature range for sauna bathing depends on several things like the place you are in (its climate), how long you are using the sauna session, what type of sauna you are using, and so many more.

Considering all things, a professional in gyms and spas offer you the ideal temperature. However, if you are planning to use a sauna at home only then make sure you follow the guideline given in this article above to practice sauna safely.

 

References

• healthline.com/health/how-to-use-a-sauna#how-to
• wikihow.com/Use-a-Sauna-Safely?amp=1
• sunrisespecialty.com/how-to-use-the-sauna
• healthline.com/health/how-to-use-a-sauna#finnish-sauna-use
• rockymountainsaunas.com/blogs/infrared-sauna-facts/how-to-use-a-sauna-15-starter-tips-for-infrared-sauna-use
• wikihow.com/Take-a-Sauna?amp=1
• cedarbrooksauna.com/differences-between-saunas-and-steam-rooms.html
• sunrisespecialty.com/sauna-temperature
• saunasamurai.com/sauna-temperature-how-hot-is-sauna/