15 Sauna Safety Tips That Every User Should Know
Sauna is one of the safest wellness practices in the world — when used correctly. Misuse can be dangerous. Here are the fifteen rules that protect you and others.
The Finnish studies showing extraordinary health benefits from regular sauna use involve healthy adults who use sauna sensibly. Sauna misuse — going in drunk, staying too long, ignoring the body's warning signs — can cause fainting, cardiac events, and in rare cases, death. These are preventable outcomes.
Here are the fifteen safety rules that every sauna user should internalise.
1. Never Sauna While Drunk
The most important rule. Alcohol impairs the body's ability to regulate temperature, impairs judgment about when to leave, and significantly increases the risk of fainting and cardiac events in combination with sauna heat. No alcohol before or during sauna. Full stop.
A cold beer or saunakalja after the final round is a different matter — traditional and harmless.
2. Hydrate Before, During, and After
You will lose 500ml–1,500ml of sweat in a typical sauna session. Dehydration amplifies every sauna risk — headaches, dizziness, nausea, and fainting. Drink at least 500ml of water before starting and continue to hydrate in the rest periods between rounds.
3. Never Ignore Warning Signs
The body sends clear signals when enough is enough: dizziness, nausea, rapid uncomfortable heartbeat, pressure in the head, visual disturbances. Leave immediately when these occur. They are not weakness — they are your autonomic nervous system protecting you.
4. Cool Down Properly Between Rounds
Do not go directly from one round to the next without cooling. The cool-down phase allows your cardiovascular system to recover. Skipping it cumulates heat stress and significantly increases fatigue and faintness risk.
5. Start Low, Go Slow
Begin on the lower benches where temperatures are 15–20°C cooler than near the ceiling. Start with 8–10 minute rounds. Increase duration and bench height over multiple sessions as your body adapts.
6. Do Not Go Alone for Your First Visits
Your first few sauna sessions should ideally include at least one other person, or take place at a staffed public venue. Understanding your body's response to heat takes time — having someone present who can assist if needed is sensible.
7. Do Not Sauna With a Fever
If your body temperature is already elevated by illness, adding sauna heat is counterproductive and potentially dangerous. Wait until fully recovered before resuming sauna use.
