Sauna Use Instructions

Sauna use can have positive health benefits that include relaxation and a feeling of overall well-being. Throughout the centuries, people used saunas to relieve muscle aches and to detoxify their bodies. However, because sauna use can increase skin temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, saunas may affect blood pressure and pulse rates. This can cause dehydration and blood pressure to either rise or fall in some people. To experience a sauna's positive health benefits, it is important for people to follow certain sauna use instructions.

Things You'll Need

• Beverages (water or juice)
• Light clothing or bathing suit
• 3 to 4 towels
• Sandals

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Instructions

• 1

  Drink at least 8 ounces of water or a juice beverage prior to entering a sauna room to avoid dehydration. Because you will sweat profusely while in a sauna room, your body will lose about a pint of sweat on average, according to Harvard Health Publications.

• 2

  Remove all jewelry and take a shower before you go inside the sauna room to get rid of any body oils. Wait 15 to 20 minutes after a strenuous workout before going into a sauna room.

• 3

  Wear loose fitting clothes or a bathing suit made of natural materials like cotton. Take at least three towels into the sauna. You may choose to wear sandals.

• 4

  Go inside the sauna room and sit or lie down on a bench. Use one towel to lie or sit on and the others to remove excess perspiration. If this is your first time in a sauna, you may choose a lower bench until you get use to the heat. Sauna temperatures can range between 150 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

• 5

  Limit your stay in a sauna room to no more than 15 minutes if this is your first sauna bath. People who use saunas regularly can tolerate longer stays between 30 to 40 minutes. It is best not to exceed these time limits. If you feel ill or experience symptoms that include nausea or dizziness while in the sauna, you should leave immediately.

• 6

  Exit the sauna after your time limit is up. Let your body cool down for 15 minutes before taking a cold shower, or going out into a cold environment. Dramatic temperature changes can affect adversely your heart and blood pressure.

• 7

  Drink a beverage, preferably water. You can drink between two and four glasses of water to restore body fluids lost through sweating.