How long should you stay in a sauna? Time, temperature and how often
Nobody has established an ideal sauna time. Studies of traditional saunas mostly used 5 to 20 minutes at 176–194°F, repeated one to three times. For infrared, Cleveland Clinic suggests no more than 30 minutes, three or four times a week, at 110–135°F. A Brown University Health cardiologist advises people with heart disease to stay no longer than 20 minutes. Whatever the clock says, get out as soon as you feel dizzy.
Quick reference
Each row says where the number comes from, because studies, clinics and brands give different answers.
| Sauna type | Temperature | Session | How often | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional, in studies | 176–194°F (80–90°C) | 5–20 min, repeated 1–3 times | Varied | Review of studies, 2006 |
| Traditional, Finnish norm | 176–212°F (80–100°C), 10–20% humidity | — | — | Review, 2024 |
| Any sauna, with heart disease | No more than 212°F and 20% humidity | No more than 20 min | — | Brown University Health |
| Infrared cabin, clinic advice | 110–135°F | No more than 30 min | 3–4 times a week | Cleveland Clinic |
| Infrared, Waon studies in patients | 140°F (60°C) | 15 min, then 30 min resting | 5 times a week, 2–4 weeks | Meta-analysis, 2018 |
| Infrared blanket | Up to 175–176°F, per brands | Timers up to 60 min | Not stated | Brand specs; no clinic guidance found |
| Steam pod, in a study | 111°F (44°C), 99% humidity | 60 min (a heat measurement, not advice) | — | Willmott 2023 |
How long: studies, clinics and brands
Studies. Clinical sauna studies typically used 5 to 20 minutes at 176–194°F, repeated one to three times, according to a 2006 review. The best recent trial, of 47 adults, added 15 minutes after exercise. In the large Finnish cohort, men whose sessions lasted more than 19 minutes had fewer sudden cardiac deaths than men who stayed under 11 minutes (2015 study). That's an association in one group of men, not a dose: for deaths from any cause, session length showed no link. A 2018 review of 40 studies says more research is needed "to determine the optimal frequency and duration."
Clinics. Cleveland Clinic suggests infrared sessions of no more than 30 minutes (Cleveland Clinic). For people with stable heart disease, Brown University Health's cardiologist says to "limit your time in the sauna to no more than 20 minutes" (Brown Health).
Brands. Infrared cabin makers mostly suggest starting short and building up, and some go past the clinic numbers:
- Sunlighten Signature I: "10–15 min at 100°F to start, gradually up to 40 min daily"
- Clearlight Sanctuary 1 Full Spectrum: "10–15 min to start, then 20–30 min; 3–4 sessions a week"
- Health Mate Enrich 2: "15–20 min to start, up to 30–45 min"
Sunlighten's "up to 40 min daily" is longer and more frequent than Cleveland Clinic's advice. That doesn't make it wrong for everyone, but no study I found used that schedule, so I'd start with the clinic number and see how you feel. Timers on portable saunas and blankets, often 60 minutes, are a maximum setting, not a recommendation.
How hot
Traditional Finnish saunas run at about 176–212°F with dry air at 10–20% humidity (Laukkanen and Kunutsor, 2024). Infrared cabins run cooler: Cleveland Clinic gives 110–135°F, and the Japanese Waon studies in heart patients used 140°F. Sauna blankets list 175–176°F at the top setting (HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket, Bon Charge Infrared Sauna Blanket, Hooga Infrared Sauna Blanket), but that's the heater, not your body or the air around you.
If you have heart disease, Brown Health's cardiologist advises not exceeding 212°F or 20% humidity. Hotter isn't better: no study I found shows extra benefit from pushing the temperature up, and overheating is the main warning in the Maxxus manual (below).
How often, and is every day OK?
In the Finnish cohort, most men went two or three times a week: 1,513 of 2,315, against 601 once a week and 201 at four to seven times (2015 study). The four-to-seven group had the strongest association with lower rates of heart disease and death, and a 2018 paper from the same cohort found the risk fell steadily with each extra weekly session, "with no threshold effect."
That's still observation of habits, not a trial of daily use; people healthy enough to sauna daily may differ in other ways. Some brands suggest daily use, but I found no trial that compared daily sessions with fewer. Cleveland Clinic's three or four times a week for infrared is the most conservative advice from a medical source.
How long until you see a difference?
It depends on what you're measuring, and the studies ran for very different lengths of time. Blood pressure dips right after a session and comes back (102 adults). The Waon infrared studies in heart patients measured changes after two to four weeks of sessions five days a week (meta-analysis). The blood pressure trial ran for eight weeks (Lee 2022), the muscle growth study for six (Ahokas 2025), and the Finnish cohort followed people for about 20 years. Benefits and their evidence are on sauna benefits.
When to get out
Right away if you feel dizzy, drowsy, sluggish or faint. Those are the signs of overheating the Maxxus infrared manual lists, and it warns that hyperthermia can lead to "failure to perceive heat" and "physical inability to exit sauna." The same manual says: "Never sleep inside the sauna." (Maxxus owner's manual)
Stand up slowly at the end. Blood pressure drops after a session, and blood pressure medicines add to the chance of feeling faint when you stand (2006 review).
Before and after
- Water. "Bring water in with you," Cleveland Clinic advises. In a small study, three 20-minute sessions at 158°F took off up to 1.8% of body weight in water, and an hour of drinking didn't replace it.
- Alcohol. Brown Health's cardiologist: "Do not use alcohol before or immediately after using a sauna." About half of sauna deaths in Finland involved alcohol (2008 study).
- Company. In a Swedish review of 77 sauna deaths, all but 2 people were found alone (2008 study).
- Cold plunge. Popular, but Brown Health advises people with heart disease not to plunge into ice water after a sauna.
Who should check with a doctor first
Anyone with unstable heart disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, low blood pressure or a fever; pregnant women; people on medicines that affect heat tolerance or blood pressure; and parents of young children. The full list and sources are on sauna safety, what sessions can and can't do for you is on sauna benefits, and this page isn't medical advice (medical disclaimer). Still choosing a sauna? Start at home saunas.
Questions people ask
Is 10 minutes of sauna enough?
Enough for what isn't known. Studies of traditional saunas used 5 to 20 minutes per round, and the 2022 blood pressure trial used 15 minutes. Ten minutes is within what studies used.
What is the best temperature for a sauna?
There's no proven best. Traditional saunas typically run at 176–212°F; Cleveland Clinic gives 110–135°F for infrared. With heart disease, Brown Health's cardiologist says to stay at or below 212°F and 20% humidity.
Do you burn calories in a sauna?
No study in my sources measured fat burned in a sauna. The weight you lose is water. The FDA made Therasage drop specific calorie claims from its sauna marketing (recall Z-1539-2015).
What toxins come out in a sauna?
Sweat contains small amounts of toxic elements and pesticide breakdown products, but no study shows that sweating them out improves health (Sears 2012; Hussain 2023). Cleveland Clinic calls that research "still in its infancy."
Is an infrared sauna safe?
Medical reviews describe sauna use as well tolerated by most healthy adults, with alcohol and overheating as the main dangers. Some people should check with a doctor first; see are infrared saunas safe.