Nowadays it’s very rare to visit a gym or spa that doesn’t have a sauna. These awesome devices are extremely popular due to their many mental and physical benefits. While the following is true, they can also be very dangerous if not used correctly.
Since sauna safety isn’t discussed a lot we had to write an article about it. Down below are the top 10 sauna safety tips to fallow. We recommend looking at each of these tips and contemplate them deeply before your next sauna bath.
Top 10 Sauna Safety Tips
1. Consult Your Doctor
The first thing you should do before using a sauna is getting a consultation with your doctor. Saunas promote extreme environments that can be hard for some people to bear. In most cases, it’s not a good idea to sauna bath if you have any diseases or disabilities.
The sauna might trigger something in your body and possibly make your condition worse. So remember to consult your doctor and get the “okay” before entering the sauna in the first place.
2. Stay Hydrated
Once you have your doctor’s approval its essential to drink a lot of water before entering the sauna. The maximum temperature a sauna can reach in the U.S. is 194 degrees F. This is very hot and makes your whole body perspire excessively in the short amount of time.
Drinking water beforehand and bringing in a large water bottle is essential to staying hydrated. Just keep in mind that regular disposable plastic bottles are not recommended. These types of bottles can bleed chemicals into the water due to the extreme heat.
Instead, you should use in a quality BPA free water bottle that can hold a ton of water. These reusable water bottles usually don’t have harmful chemicals and can keep your water cold for a longer amount of time. In addition, you can buy large bottles that allow you to store a lot more water than a disposable one.
3. Sauna Bath For A Max Of 30 Minutes
One of the most common ways people hurt themselves by using a sauna is by staying in it for too long. When you first begin to use the sauna it is recommended to sauna bath for a maximum of 10-20 minutes. This is a proper amount of time as it gives you a quality sauna bath without pushing beyond your limits.
As you begin to feel more comfortable with sauna bathing than you can extend this time to a maximum of 30 minutes. You should not go longer than this amount of time as your body will reach an unhealthy temperature that will do damage to your body.
So if you’re trying to lose weight, then make sure you don’t push beyond your limits. If you begin to feel dizziness and fatigue then exit the sauna and cool down. Doing otherwise is counterproductive since you’re sauna bathing for its health benefits.
4. Give Yourself A Cool Down Period
To get the most out of your sauna experience you should give yourself a cool-down period. These cool down periods allow your internal body temperature to drop and ultimately give your body some time to recover. After around 5-10 minutes of cooling down, you can enter back into the sauna and begin another mini session.
Many sauna experts recommend this cool-down period and say it might boost the health benefits that saunas promote. In addition to having a cool-down period in between mini sauna baths, it is also recommended to have a final cool-down period. This gives your body a little bit of time to cool before you go on with the rest of your day.
5. Live A Healthy Lifestyle
If you plan on using a sauna regularly then it is recommended to have a healthy diet and lifestyle. Saunas make your body operate at an extreme level and thus burn a lot of calories. You need to feed your body nutritious food to recover from these sauna sessions.
This is especially true for people who are using the sauna after they workout. So be sure to eat something healthy and drink lots of water once you’re finished. (It’s also a good idea to have a little bit of food in your system before you enter the sauna. Just don’t eat a huge meal.)
6. Use Essential Oils
As most people know saunas can be a breeding grown for bacteria and germs. This can be dangerous at times and is a reason why we always recommend using flip-flops and towels. In addition to those two items, we also highly recommend using essential oils. These oils improve the sterility within the sauna while also making it smell great.
In addition to smelling great essential oils are also perfect for therapeutic purposes. They are able to alter one’s mood and psychological well-being. Some people even believe they can be used to treat disease, pain, and anxiety. Along with this, they can be used to enhance energy, memory, and relaxation.
7. Never Wear Accessories
If you ever used a public sauna before then you probably have seen people wear necklaces, earrings, or watches. While these accessories might look good on you, it isn’t a good idea to wear them in the sauna. Most accessories are made out of metal which gets super hot when in the sauna environment.
In addition to regular accessories, you should not bring in headphones or cellphones. Yes, it’s nice to listen to your music while you’re in the sauna, but it’s not the proper environment for your phone. So keep them out of the sauna and save yourself from future injury.
8. Never Sauna Bath While Drunk
Saunas and alcohol consumption are not the best mix. “Why?” you may ask. Well, drinking alcohol dehydrates your body. Since saunas generate extreme heat that makes you sweat, it is unhealthy to dehydrate it more with alcohol. In extreme cases, this can cause you to throw up or pass out.
Another reason alcohol consumption isn’t a good idea is that it affects your motor functions. This is not good as most saunas use traditional sauna heaters that get extremely hot. You could possibly fall or touch this heater while sauna bathing drunk.
In addition, alcohol distorts your sensory channels. This can block important senses that indicate that your body is too hot or is being hurt. So it’s a good idea to not sauna bath while drunk or on other substances.
9. Never Sleep While In The Sauna
While sauna bathing can be very relaxing, it is never recommended to take a nap while in the sauna. The extreme temperatures that saunas promote are not ideal for long naps. Thirty minutes is the maximum amount of time you should be in the sauna. So falling asleep in the sauna is extremely dangerous and can possibly kill you.
If you do go against our advise then it is recommended to set a loud alarm have someone come and wake you up. This will keep you safe and allow you to get out of the sauna within the 30 minute time frame.
10. Avoid The Sauna
There are specific people who should not use the sauna in general. Pregnant women shouldn’t as it can affect the growing process and harm the baby. In addition, children under 8 should not go in the sauna. Their body has not hit puberty yet and is most likely not ready for the extreme environment that saunas promote.
You should also avoid the sauna if you have infections or chronic diseases. Some examples of this include heart disease, hypertension, hypotension, hyperthyroidism, hemophilia, diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s, systemic lupus erythematous, and etc. If you’re not positive if you can go in the sauna then please contact your doctor and ask them.
Conclusion
Overall sauna safely is a very important topic and one that should be discussed more. We hope that the above information exposed you to a few different ideas. We recommend placing these tips into action and to build responsible sauna habits. If you have any other questions or comments then feel free to contact us down below.
