Sauna Safety Tips: How to Enjoy Heat Therapy Responsibly

You can't go wrong with the sauna if you’re looking for an excellent way to relax and unwind as you get warm during cold weather. Sauna bathing can also help improve performance. Relieve pain, reduce stress, and provide temporary relief for cold symptoms. Despite all these benefits, sauna users should use it in moderation. This article will provide sauna safety tips to help you enjoy heat therapy responsibly. 

Precautions to Take When Using the Sauna

Do you suffer from a high-risk medical complication? If you do, you should avoid the sauna as much as possible. While saunas are said to be safe for nearly all users, some people should be extra cautious when using them, while others should avoid them totally. For example, if you’re under any medication, consider consulting your medical practitioner before using the sauna. A short sauna session can temporarily relieve your symptoms if you have a cold. Avoid the sauna if you:

• Unstable angina pectoris is a form of chest pain triggered by reduced blood flow to the heart.
• Have blood pressure, severe heart failure, irregular heartbeats, severe aortic stenosis, or myocardial infarction
• Suffer from liver failure or kidney disease
• Are you taking medication that causes you to overheat or prevents you from sweating
• Feel sick, have cramps, faint easily, or suffer from heat stroke or exhaustion
• Are below the allowed age, trying to conceive, or pregnant

Gulp Down Up to Four Glasses of Water Before Sauna Bathing

Saunas trigger sweating, meaning you’ll lose water, which can lead to dehydration. As a result, you must stay adequately hydrated to prevent heat strokes or other severe complications. While water is preferable, you can also take isotonic drinks. 

·       Sit on a Clean Cotton Towel

Placing a towel on the benches keeps you clean while protecting them from your body oil. If you are using a coed or mixed sauna, where men and women share the same facility, consider wrapping yourself with a clean cotton sarong. Clean your sauna clothing with water, a mild detergent, and a small amount of white vinegar.

·       Avoid Alcohol Before Sauna Bathing

Alcohol dehydrates your body, which can worsen when you’re inside the sauna. If you have been drinking alcohol and are hungover, then you must wait until you sober up.

·       Avoid Tight-Fitting or Dirty Attire in the Sauna

Clothes collect dirt and dust throughout the day. The heat inside the sauna loosens the dirt, releasing it into the air and onto the skin. Wearing tight-fitting clothes in the sauna denies your skin the opportunity to breathe. Here are the appropriate things you should consider bringing inside the sauna:

• Clothes you wore the entire day
• Workout clothes or sweat suits
• Dirty shoes
• Sauna suits made from PVC prevent the skin from breathing and may melt inside the sauna. High temperatures inside the sauna cause them to produce toxic fumes, residue, and chemicals
• Any clothing with metal on it is dangerous. Metal heats up quickly, and with the high temperatures in the sauna, you may suffer bad burns
• Loose-fitting swimsuits are a good choice, but they should be colorfast and contain no metal parts or slimming panels.

·       Avoid Jewelry, lotions, and Creams

Wearing jewelry in the sauna puts you at the risk of suffering burns. Take off all jewelry before visiting the sauna. Don’t wear lotions or creams since they will melt, flow with your sweat, and leave an oily mess on the sauna benches. Further, the oils will block your pores, preventing your skin from sweating appropriately and breathing. 

·       Rest Well and Avoid Heavy Meals before Going inside the Sauna

Don’t get in the sauna immediately after a meal because your body will consume lots of energy to digest the food. Similarly, wait for your body to relax, your heart rate to slow down, and your body to regain energy after a workout before getting in the sauna. 

Safety Tips inside the Sauna

Consider bringing a friend when visiting the sauna, especially for the first time. Having a colleague in the sauna will help you feel more relaxed. Moreover, they can get you into safety should something go wrong. 

·       Start With a Lower Temperature

If you’re a beginner in the world of home saunas, use a low temperature. The maximum permitted temperature in the US is 90°C, but it may be higher in some European countries. Remember, high sauna temperatures can be dangerous, especially after prolonged exposure. Listen to your body and turn down the temperature if it feels extremely hot, or leave the sauna. 

·       Read Instructions of Your Sauna Carefully

Every sauna comes with a different set of instructions. Do not just assume that all saunas work the same way. Review the instructions to ensure you do everything right. For example, many saunas feature specific health warnings and guidelines. When visiting a public sauna, read the instructions posted on the wall, and if there are none, consider asking the people in charge for more information about the sauna. 

·       Don’t Overstay In the Sauna

Limit your sauna session to 15 to 20 minutes. If you start feeling uncomfortable, you can even leave sooner. Remember, the human body is not accustomed to persevering extremely high temperatures for prolonged periods. Leave the sauna immediately if you start feeling lightheaded, headaches, nauseous, or dizzy. 

Set-Up an After-Sauna Routine

After the sauna, you want to cool down gradually. While some people opt for a warm shower after their sauna session, others prefer a cold shower to stimulate their bodies. Cold showers immediately after a sauna session can be invigorating. However, they can also trigger body shock, which is a bad idea, especially for people with heart complications. 

·       Take a Soap-Less Shower

Take a warm shower to clear the sweat, then lower the water temperature to a calm but pleasant level to cool your body further. If you have to use soap, choose a natural, mild soap. Saunas stimulate your pores to open, and using harsh soaps after your session can irritate your skin. 

·       Take a Rest After Your Sauna Session

Avoid jumping straight into a workout session after sauna bathing. Instead, identify a cool place and sit or lie down to relax. This will allow your heart rate to slow down and your body to recuperate. 

·       Munch on a Salty Snack

Eating a salty snack is important, especially if you sweat a lot. Consider salty crackers or pretzels, but ensure they don’t contain many fats. Salty snacks will help restore the sodium you may have lost during your sauna session. Other foods for your post-sauna session include cheese to restore protein and fresh fruits like apples to restore fiber and vitamins.

·       Hydrate After Leaving the Sauna

When you sweat inside the sauna, your body loses a lot of water, which you need to replenish fast to avoid dehydration. 

·       Maintain Cleanliness in the Sauna

Ensure your sauna is always clean to prevent the accumulation of dirt and the spread of bacteria. If you have a home sauna, consider using it regularly. Clean it once weekly with vinegar and avoid harsh chemicals. Follow this cleaning process:

• Vacuum the sauna to eliminate dead skin cells, hair, or dust
• Dilute white vinegar and use it to wipe the backrests and benches to disinfect the sauna
• If there are any stubborn stains, you can remove them with baking soda. 

Finally

Understanding sauna safety tips is the first step towards having an enjoyable sauna bathing session. These tips will keep you safe inside the sauna, whether you are a beginner or an expert.