How Long Should You Stay in a Sauna? 15-20 Minutes
How long should you stay in a sauna? Cleveland Clinic and Harvard Health say 15 to 20 minutes, starting with about 5. Here's how that changes for infrared, hotter cabins and first-timers.
How long should you stay in a sauna? Harvard Health says no more than 15 to 20 minutes. Cleveland Clinic says around 15 to 20. If you're new, you may need to start with about 5 minutes and add time slowly.
If you have a home sauna, check its top temperature too.
Keep a traditional sauna session to around 15 to 20 minutes. If you're new, you may need to start with about 5. In an infrared sauna, start with 5 to 10 minutes at about 110 °F and stay under 30 minutes. Get out sooner if you feel dizzy, weak or sick.
Key takeaways
- Traditional sauna: around 15 to 20 minutes (Harvard says at most). New users may need to start with about 5.
- Infrared: start with 5 to 10 minutes and stay under 30.
- Hotter cabin, shorter session (our rule of thumb, not a medical rule).
- Drink water, skip alcohol, and leave if you feel unwell.
How long should you stay in a sauna?
Two trusted health sources give the same range. Harvard Health says to "stay in no more than 15–20 minutes." A Cleveland Clinic doctor says to "try to keep it around 15 to 20 minutes."
| Situation | How long | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New to a traditional sauna | May need to start with about 5 min | Cleveland Clinic |
| Used to a traditional sauna | Around 15-20 min (Harvard: at most) | Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Health |
| New to an infrared sauna | 5-10 min at about 110 °F | Cleveland Clinic |
| Used to an infrared sauna | Under 30 min | Cleveland Clinic |
Treat these times as a ceiling, not a goal.
Research agrees. A review of sauna studies says Finnish saunas "generally involve short exposures (5−20 minutes)" at 80 to 100 °C (176 to 212 °F).
Does staying longer help?
Not clearly. On sweating, Cleveland Clinic's page on sweat says there's "not enough scientific evidence" that heavy sweating "purifies your body or improves your health." Its sauna page adds that the weight you lose by sweating is water. It comes back when you rehydrate.
A Finnish study below linked sessions over 19 minutes with lower risk of sudden cardiac death. It was observational, so it can't show that longer sessions are better or safer.
How long in an infrared sauna?
An infrared sauna uses heating panels that warm your skin directly. A traditional sauna heats all the air in the room. Cleveland Clinic says infrared cabins "typically land between 110 degrees Fahrenheit and 135 F." Traditional saunas usually run at 150 to 195 °F.
Cleveland Clinic gives infrared a higher ceiling: under 30 minutes. Here's its advice:
- Start at about 110 °F for 5 to 10 minutes, then see how you feel.
- Even if you're experienced, keep sessions under 30 minutes.
You may see 40 minutes quoted for infrared, but we found no trusted source for going past 30.
Our infrared vs traditional sauna guide compares heat, power and cost.
Does the temperature change your time?
Yes. A Cleveland Clinic doctor says to follow the guidelines of the sauna you're in. Those depend "on how hot it is" and "what type of sauna" it is.
Here are three cabins we sell, with numbers from our listings.
| Cabin | Type | Temperature | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Avila | Far infrared, 1-2 person | 140 °F max | 120V/15A outlet |
| Coldture Pod | Far infrared, 2 person | 65-150 °F ideal range | 110V/20A plug and play |
| Golden Designs Narvik | Traditional, 2 person | 170-185 °F ideal, 190 °F max | 6 kW (6,000-watt) stove |
Both infrared cabins can go above the usual 110-135 °F range, and the Narvik runs in full traditional heat.
Our rule of thumb, not a medical rule: when you run a cabin near its top setting, stay near the short end of its limit. At 170 to 190 °F, we'd keep the Narvik to the short end of the 15 to 20 minute advice.
Our pick for a first sauna
When first-time buyers ask us where to start, we point them to Dynamic saunas. The Dynamic Avila is a good example. This 1-2 person far infrared cabin gets its heat from carbon heating panels. Its footprint is 39 × 36 inches, and it tops out at 140 °F.
The cabin plugs into a 120V/15-amp outlet with a 9-foot cord. The listing calls for an outlet that is not GFCI-protected (the kind with test and reset buttons is GFCI). Ask an electrician if you're unsure.
Dynamic Avila 1-2 Person Far Infrared Sauna
1–2 person low-EMF far infrared sauna: 39 × 36 in footprint, 120V plug-in
A compact plug-in cabin for a first sauna: 140 °F max, 39 × 36 in footprint, indoor use only.
For more room, the Coldture Pod Infrared Sauna is 47.2 × 43.3 inches. The listing gives an ideal range of 65 to 150 °F and a recommended age of 16 and up. You can browse more infrared saunas too.
For real sauna heat, the Golden Designs Narvik is an outdoor-rated 2-person cabin with a sauna stove that heats the air. The downside: it runs hottest (up to 190 °F). By our reading, that makes it the cabin that calls for the shortest sessions. Browse more traditional saunas for other sizes.
How long to start with if you're new
Cleveland Clinic says new users "may need to start out with five minutes and add more time each session." Here's a simple way to do that. It's common practice, not a medical rule.
- First few sessions: about 5 minutes. For infrared, 5 to 10 minutes with the cabin near 110 °F.
- Next sessions: add a few minutes at a time, as long as you feel fine.
- Stop adding at 15 to 20 minutes for traditional heat, or before 30 for infrared.
Rounds and cool-down breaks
Some people split a visit into rounds with a break between. We found no trusted source that sets a time per round, so keep each round within the limits above. Harvard's general advice is to "cool down gradually afterward," once your visit is over.
How often should you use a sauna?
For infrared, it's best to limit visits to three to four times a week, per Cleveland Clinic.
For traditional saunas, the best-known data comes from Finland. These are observational studies. They show a link, not cause and effect.
- A 2015 study followed 2,315 Finnish men aged 42 to 60 for a median of 20.7 years. Men who used a sauna 4 to 7 times a week had a lower risk of sudden cardiac death than men who went once a week. Sessions over 19 minutes were also linked to lower risk than sessions under 11 minutes.
- A 2018 study of 1,688 Finnish men and women (average age 63) found a similar link for 4 to 7 sessions a week. Its authors say they can't comment on the minimum length of one session.
The 2018 study's saunas averaged about 80 °C (176 °F). Its authors say their results can't be applied directly to steam rooms. Neither study tested whether frequent use is safe for you, so ask your doctor before you go often.
Signs it's time to get out
Cleveland Clinic says to leave and seek medical help if you feel any of these:
- Unwell or uncomfortable
- Dizzy or weak
- Like it's hard to breathe
The same source adds: get out right away if you suddenly feel dizzy or nauseated. Harvard Health puts it simply: if you feel unwell, "head for the door."
Cleveland Clinic calls dehydration one of the biggest risks. Watch for thirst, headaches, muscle cramps and confusion.
How to set a safe limit at home
- Set a timer. Use your cabin's built-in timer if it has one. If not, use a separate timer and start it when you sit down.
- Know your heat. Look up your cabin's range in its listing or manual. Start low, near 110 °F for infrared, and turn it up slowly.
- Drink water. Drink it before and after, and electrolyte drinks can help (Cleveland Clinic). Per Harvard, have "two to four glasses of cool water after each sauna."
- No alcohol. Skip alcohol before and after your sauna (Harvard Health).
Heading in for the first time? See what to wear in our sauna clothing guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is 30 minutes too long in a sauna?
For a traditional sauna, yes. Harvard Health says no more than 15 to 20 minutes, and Cleveland Clinic says around 15 to 20. For infrared, Cleveland Clinic says to stay under 30 minutes, even if you're experienced.
Can you stay in a sauna for an hour?
We don't suggest it. An hour is three times the 20-minute mark for traditional saunas and twice the 30-minute ceiling for infrared.
How long should you stay in a sauna after a workout?
We found no separate guidance for after a workout, so we'd keep to the same limits. Drink water first, since you've already been sweating.
Can you use a sauna every day?
Cleveland Clinic suggests limiting infrared to three to four times a week. The Finnish studies included people who went 4 to 7 times a week, but they show a link, not proof of safety. Ask your doctor before daily use.
Is there a minimum time?
No trusted source we found sets one. Cleveland Clinic says new users may need to start with about 5 minutes.
How long should you stay in a sauna? The short answer
Aim for around 15 to 20 minutes in a traditional sauna and under 30 in an infrared one. If you're new, you may need to start with about 5 minutes. Drink water, and get out if you feel unwell.
Sources
- Get Your Sweat On: The Benefits of a Sauna (Cleveland Clinic)
- Infrared Saunas: What They Do and 6 Health Benefits (Cleveland Clinic)
- Saunas and your health (Harvard Health Publishing)
- Sweat (Cleveland Clinic)
- Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review (Hussain & Cohen, 2018, via NIH PMC)
- Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events (Laukkanen et al., JAMA Intern Med, 2015)
- Sauna bathing is associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality and improves risk prediction in men and women (Laukkanen et al., BMC Medicine, 2018)
