Saunas are a popular feature in fancy gyms and health clubs—relaxing in that warm, steamy space feels terrific, but is there more to it than just a good sweat? How exactly does a sauna benefit you? Is it just a luxury add-on, or does it actually help with fitness?
For many, adding a sauna before or after a workout is an essential part of their routine—and it seems that the science backs up its benefits. From speeding up recovery to boosting heart health, the perks of the sauna go way beyond just feeling good.
So, a sauna is more than just a nice membership extra; it could even help you get fitter and healthier. However, timing is key if you are considering adding sauna sessions to your routine. Should you sauna before or after your workout? Let’s dig in and find out!
What Is a Sauna?
The word sauna actually comes from Finnish, meaning “room of wood”—which is exactly what it is! A sauna is typically a small, mostly wooden room heated to between 150°F and 195°F (65°C to 90°C), where people unwind for about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on their heat tolerance.
There are a few different types of saunas, each with its own method of creating heat:
- Dry sauna: This classic style is heated by either burning wood or an electric heater. The traditional Finnish sauna is a great example—usually very dry and hot, but people often throw water on the hot rocks to add a bit of steam.
- Steam sauna: Known better as steam rooms, these rely on steam from boiling water to heat the space, creating a more humid experience.
- Infrared sauna: Instead of heating the room, infrared saunas use infrared light to heat the body directly. Infrared saunas are a bit gentler, usually heating up to around 140°F (60°C).
No matter the type, the effects on the body are similar, just with different heat and humidity levels!
The Science Behind the Steam
Saunas aren’t just for relaxing—they have some surprising health perks. A sauna session tricks your body into reacting much like during exercise, which can spark a range of positive changes. In fact, using a sauna regularly after exercise is linked to lower cholesterol, reduced blood pressure, and improved heart health, according to a 2022 study published in the American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. There’s even research from 2015 (published in JAMA Internal Medicine) suggesting that frequent sauna users are less likely to develop heart disease or face sudden cardiac events.
Recently, infrared saunas have been getting attention for their potential recovery benefits, but studies are still catching up on how they compare to traditional (Finnish) saunas when it comes to fitness. Infrared saunas heat the body directly through light and heat waves, while traditional saunas warm the air around you. Some studies indicate that infrared saunas might help the neuromuscular system recover after intense endurance workouts.
While there’s more to learn, the potential benefits of a sauna before or after workout are pretty exciting for fitness fans!
Sauna Before Workout: Is It Safe?
Hitting the sauna before a workout can increase your heart rate, warm your muscles, and loosen any stiffness. However, for most types of workouts, a sauna session before training might not be the best idea. You’ll sweat a ton, which can lead to dehydration, raise your body temperature a lot, and make your workout feel tougher. Plus, if you’re already dehydrated, there’s a higher risk of heat exhaustion or even heat stroke.
In most cases, a sauna before exercising can make your workout feel harder and reduce your stamina, especially in a warm environment. However, the exception is if you’re prepping for an event in really hot weather; in that case, spending some time in the sauna beforehand might help you get used to those conditions.
Keep in mind, though, that a sauna session isn’t a proper substitute for a regular warm-up. While it raises your core temperature and gets your cardiovascular system going, it doesn’t quite compare to an active warm-up in terms of its effects on your neuromuscular system.
If you want to sauna before workout, stick to a shorter session at a lower temperature just to be safe.
Sauna After Workout: Is It Better?
For some people, relaxing in a sauna after a workout is all about unwinding, so if it helps you and you will sleep better afterwards, go for it! The benefits of a sauna after workout include easing sore muscles and helping you feel more recovered.
But there’s a flip side: a small 2019 study found that swimmers who used the sauna after training didn’t perform as well the next morning. Basically, after a tough workout, sitting in the sauna can sometimes add more stress to your body, potentially slowing down recovery—especially if you’re already feeling low on energy and fluids.
If you’ve had a really intense session and lost a lot of fluids, you might want to be cautious about hopping into a sauna, as the extra sweating can make dehydration worse. Keep an eye on the temperature and how long you stay in, and maybe bring a hydration drink with you.
Just don’t think of this as a cooldown—you definitely won’t be cooling down! If your heart rate is still high after a hard workout, give it about an hour before hitting the sauna, and then stick to a short session to help your body and mind relax.
Sauna Rules: as Safe as Possible!
To keep things safe and make the most of your sauna experience, follow these simple precautions:
- Stay hydrated. Sip on water or electrolyte-rich drinks during your sauna session to replace lost fluids and keep your hydration up.
- Hydrate afterwards. Keep drinking water after you leave the sauna to help your body recover and stay optimally hydrated for your workout. You may also consider grabbing an appropriate post-workout snack to help with hydration.
- Watch your time. Stick to the recommended durations to avoid dehydration—too much heat can impact your workout performance.
- Listen to your body. If you start feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or overly tired, it’s a sign you may have stayed in too long. Step out, cool down, and rest before hitting the gym.
- Don’t skip your warm-up. A sauna is no substitute for a proper warm-up routine.
- Cool down with a cold shower. After the sauna, finish off with a cold shower to help bring your body temperature back down.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that beginners start with just 5 to 10 minutes in the sauna, and even seasoned sauna-goers should stick to 15 to 20 minutes max per session. This should help you avoid potential risks!
Saunas offer tons of health perks, but super-hot sessions aren’t for everyone. To keep things safe, we’ve put together a list of reasons why you might want to skip the sauna or at least check in with your doctor first. As a general rule, it’s best to avoid the sauna if you’re feeling under the weather, as it can be physically taxing.
Take extra caution if you have any of these conditions:
- Wounds and injuries
- Bleeding (including heavy periods)
- Active inflammation of any kind
- Flu or fever
- Blood vessel and circulation issues, including high blood pressure
- Heart conditions
- Severe asthma
- Advanced cancer
- Rheumatism
- Kidney conditions
Is Sauna Safe During Pregnancy?
According to the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS) and their outreach program MotherToBaby, it’s best to avoid raising your body temperature to 101°F (approx. 38°C) or higher during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) also advises against using saunas or hot tubs while pregnant.
In the early months, your body and the baby’s brain are developing, so putting extra strain on yourself can be risky. Raising your core temperature too much can lead to hyperthermia, which, if it happens for extended periods in the first trimester, can increase the chance of issues like neural tube defects, heart defects, and cleft palate. While the first trimester is the most sensitive time, it’s still a good idea to avoid saunas and hot baths throughout the whole pregnancy.
So, as an OB-GYN, I’d say it’s not worth the risk—even if saunas are a beloved tradition in some places. Better safe than sorry!
Tip-Top Tips on Sauna Etiquette
If you’re new to saunas, it’s totally normal to feel a little unsure! Here are some quick tips to help you (and everyone else) enjoy the experience:
- Shower first. Hop in fresh to keep the sauna clean for everyone.
- Wear a swimsuit. Going fully nude might be common in some places, but in the gym sauna, stick to bathers. And definitely leave those sweaty gym clothes and shoes outside!
- Leave electronics out. The heat and humidity aren’t exactly tech-friendly!
- Keep it quiet. Saunas are for relaxing, so try to keep the volume down. Others might want a peaceful space, so save the chat for outside.
- No workouts here. It might sound obvious, but no squats or weightlifting in the sauna!
- Check the rules. Every sauna has its own etiquette, so give the rules a quick read.
- Bring a towel to sit on. It’s more comfortable and helps keep things clean!
Conclusion
If you’re thinking about hitting the sauna around your workout, experts usually say it’s better to do it after. A quick sauna session before working out might help loosen up any stiff joints or muscles, but research shows that the best recovery benefits come from using it post-workout.
Current studies suggest that saunas could help speed up recovery and ease muscle soreness. There’s even a chance that pairing saunas with workouts could boost training results, but more research is needed to be sure. Just remember to play it safe—check with your doctor before making saunas a part of your routine!
