Sauna: how many times a week?

Good for body and mind, the sauna is all the rage. But how many times a week should you go to the sauna to get 100% of its benefits? Find out in this article!

How often should I go to the sauna?

How many times a week should I use the sauna? For how long? Morning or evening? We answer all your questions in this section.

How many times a week?

Ideal: 2 to 3 times a week.

To enjoy the benefits of a sauna, it’s important to go regularly. At least once a week, 2 or 3 times if possible.

It might even be possible to do a session every day. At this rate, it’s best toinstall a sauna at home rather than visit a salon. You can have as many sessions as you like, in the comfort of your own home. The dream, isn’t it?

What’s more, it’s safe and risk-free. As long as you stay properly hydrated and don’t stay too long!

How long does each session last?

Ideal: 15 to 20 minutes maximum.

This is the length of time you need to enjoy the full benefits of the sauna. Staying too long is useless, and even potentially harmful: there’s a risk of dehydration. Make sure you’re always hydrated before, during and after your session. Even more so if you play sport.

In Nordic culture, sessions often last around 30 minutes. But Scandinavians are used to this. In winter, they even end their sessions by throwing themselves into the snow!

Whilealternating hot and cold has its advantages, we recommend you start gently. Ten minutes or so in the sauna, followed by a few seconds in the cold shower. The perfect combo to boost your motivation for the day!

At what time of day?

The ideal: it depends!

Morning or evening, the sauna has its advantages. It all depends on whether you’re an early riser or a late sleeper, and on the type of sauna you choose.

In the morning: a sauna can help you get your day off to a good start:

• Its warmth will gently wake you up, raising your body temperature;
• You can use this time to think about your organization;
• Your mind will be calmer and better able to concentrate;
• With a clear mind, you’ll certainly be more productive throughout the day.

In the evening: a session also has its advantages. It will help you :

• Feel more relaxed;
• Disconnect from work;
• Relieve muscle tension;
• Improve the quality of your sleep.

For the latter, the effect is accentuated if you use an infrared sauna. This type of light promotes the secretion of the sleep hormone melatonin in the brain.

Why take a sauna regularly?

Now that we’ve seen how many times a week to take a sauna, let’s move on to why. Saunas have many benefits, both physical and psychological. Zoom in below!

The benefits of regular sessions on physical and mental health

Regular sauna sessions have many health benefits:

• Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. The risk of fatal cardiac arrest is 22% lower for people who go to the sauna 2 or 3 times a week (1) ;
• Helps relieve stress and tension. Morning or evening, there’s nothing like a relaxing session;
• Eliminates toxins from the body. The sauna’s high temperature promotes sweating and dilation of the skin’s pores;
• Relaxes muscles and reduces soreness. By increasing blood flow, heat helps sports recovery. Combine with a quick cold shower for maximum effect;
• Promotes weight loss as part of a balanced lifestyle. Helps combat water retention through perspiration, and cravings through its anti-stress effect.

As you can see, this is a good practice to incorporate into your wellness routine. So don’t hesitate to take advantage of it several times a week, especially in winter, to boost your immune system.

How to make a good sauna session?

Now you know how often you should use a sauna to enjoy its benefits. But do you know how to get 100% out of your sauna session? We tell you!

Steps to a successful sauna session

Follow this protocol to maximize its benefits:

• Start by taking a hot shower, then dry off;
• Enter the sauna in a bathrobe or towel (avoid wearing a bathing suit);
• Take a seat on the bench;
• Focus on your breathing and try to clear your mind. Like a meditation;
• Leave the sauna after about ten minutes (depending on how you feel). Don’t hesitate to leave before if you find the heat unbearable or if you feel unwell;
• Take a quick cold shower. You can start with your feet, legs and then body to make the process easier. This will revitalize your body and stimulate blood circulation;
• Dry yourself thoroughly;
• Lie down for fifteen minutes to recover.

As a general rule, you can repeat this protocol 2 to 3 times during the same session. Between each session, you should also drink enough water to compensate for the losses evacuated by sweating.

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To sum up: Ideally, a 10-minute sauna session 2 or 3 times a week.

In conclusion, we recommend 2 to 3 sauna sessions per week. This will enable you to enjoy all its benefits: improved cardiovascular health, toxin elimination, stress relief… 10 minutes is more than enough! An easy time to incorporate into your wellness routine.