Stay in a traditional sauna for about 8 to 15 minutes at a time, cool down, rest, and repeat two or three times. Beginners should start with 5 to 10 minutes; infrared sessions run 20 to 30. Here is how to use a sauna round by round.
Stay in a traditional sauna for about 8 to 15 minutes at a time, then cool down and rest before going back in. Two or three rounds is a typical session. Beginners should start with 5 to 10 minutes on a lower bench. Infrared saunas run cooler, so sessions of 20 to 30 minutes are common. In every case, get out as soon as you feel unwell, whatever the clock says.
| Sauna type | Typical air temperature | Time per round | Rounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional, first visits | 70 to 80 °C (160 to 176 °F) | 5 to 10 minutes | 1 or 2 |
| Traditional, regular users | 80 to 100 °C (176 to 212 °F) | 8 to 15 minutes | 2 or 3 |
| Infrared cabin | 45 to 65 °C (113 to 150 °F) | 20 to 30 minutes, up to about 40 | Usually 1 |
| Steam room | 40 to 50 °C (104 to 122 °F), very humid | 10 to 20 minutes | 1 or 2 |
The hotter the room and the higher you sit, the shorter each round should be. See sauna temperature for what the numbers mean in practice.
The body adapts to heat over time, so a round that feels hard on the first day will feel easier a month later.
In a traditional sauna you can ladle water onto the stones for löyly, the burst of steam that makes the room feel hotter. Use a small amount, wait for the wave to pass, and ask others before you throw more. Steam shortens how long you can comfortably stay, so rounds with lots of löyly tend to be shorter. Heaters with plenty of sauna stones give softer steam that lasts longer.
Many people use a sauna two to four times a week; in Finland once a week or more is common. There is no need to go every day for it to be worthwhile. Listen to your body: if you feel drained afterwards, shorten the rounds or space the sessions out.
Leave the sauna straight away if you feel dizzy, light-headed, nauseous, have a headache, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or simply feel that something is wrong. Stand up slowly, especially from the top bench, as blood pressure can drop when you rise. Never sleep in a sauna, and do not use one alone after drinking alcohol.
Ask a doctor before using a sauna if you are pregnant, have heart disease, low or uncontrolled high blood pressure, or take medicines that affect heart rate, blood pressure or sweating. Children can use a sauna with an adult, for shorter rounds and at lower temperatures.
Planning a sauna of your own? Start with how to build a home sauna and the sauna heater brand comparison.
About 8 to 15 minutes per round in a traditional sauna, with a cool-down break between rounds. Beginners should start with 5 to 10 minutes. Infrared sessions are usually 20 to 30 minutes.
Two or three rounds is typical, each followed by cooling down and resting. One or two shorter rounds are enough when you are new.
Many people use a sauna two to four times a week. There is no need to go daily; adjust to how you feel afterwards.
Usually 20 to 30 minutes, sometimes up to about 40, because the air is cooler than in a traditional sauna.
Last checked November 8, 2026. Facts come from the brands' own sites and documents. How we check
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