The Million-Dollar Sauna Question: How Long Should I Stay?
And its trusty sidekick: Should I start with the sauna or the ice bath? These two questions are on the lips of almost every sauna-goer, and answering them might just open a delightful can of worms.
Let’s start with some clarity: sauna bathing and cold water immersion are not the same practice, although they often overlap. Many people, especially newcomers, approach the sauna ready to plunge into a ten-minute ice bath before doing anything else. While cold-water therapy is fantastic and has its own extensive benefits (see Cold Water Therapy: The What, The How, The Why), this isn’t how a proper sauna session should begin. Why? Because cold immersion requires the body to reheat slowly and gently, and leaping straight into a blazing hot sauna after extended cold exposure can shock the system, potentially leading to health complications.
However, a quick dip in a cold tub or a brief shower is encouraged before your sauna session—but for a different reason. Wet skin conducts heat more effectively, which helps the body warm up faster once inside the sauna. This is where your session truly begins: with the heat.
Start With Heat: The Journey Through the Seasons
When you first arrive at the sauna, your body is like a winter morning—cool, calm, and in a state of rest. As you settle onto the bench and toss water onto the sauna rocks to create that steamy, enveloping löyly (see What is Löyly?), your internal systems begin to awaken. Heat causes your heart rate to rise, blood to circulate faster, and sweat to form. This is your body’s summer, full of energy and activity, working hard to regulate itself in the extreme conditions.
Eventually, you’ll feel the pull to leave the sauna and step into the cooling embrace of autumn. Whether it’s a cold plunge, a brisk shower, or even just a breath of fresh air, this phase balances your internal systems, grounding you and preparing you for the next cycle.
The beauty of the sauna process is its wavelike rhythm. Hot-cold-rest-repeat becomes your mantra as you move through rounds, each one building on the last. The first round might feel short and gentle—five minutes in the sauna followed by a quick cool-off. By the second or third round, you’ll likely stay longer in the heat and feel more comfortable in the cold.
Rounds and Rhythm: How Much Is Enough?
A sauna session typically consists of multiple rounds. Each round includes a phase of heat exposure, cooling off, and resting. For a 60-90 minute session, you might aim for three to four rounds. Here’s an example:
Round 1: Five minutes in the sauna, a quick cool-down with fresh air, and a brief rest.
Round 2: Ten minutes in the sauna, followed by a cold shower or a short ice plunge, then rest.
Round 3: Fifteen to twenty minutes in the sauna, followed by full-body immersion in cold water, and a longer rest period.
Final Round: A shorter time in the sauna, a sharp cold dunk, and a meditative rest while fully dressed.
There’s no one-size-fits-all formula—your body will guide you. Over time, as you acclimatize to the sauna, you’ll sweat faster, handle more heat, and stay longer in the cold.
Why Follow the Cycle?
The hot-cold-rest-repeat mantra is designed to maximize the benefits of sauna bathing. Ending on heat, while tempting, isn’t ideal. Leaving a session after the hot phase keeps your body in a state of stress, potentially leading to grogginess, headaches, or even restless sleep. Cooling off properly and resting ensures your system returns to balance, allowing you to leave feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to conquer the world.
Your Sauna Mantra
Whether you’re a fan of hot-cold-rest-repeat or have developed your own routine, the sauna journey is a deeply personal one. Each round is an opportunity to tune into your body, challenge your limits, and emerge stronger and calmer.
So, how many rounds is your sweet spot? Are you a mantra purist or a sauna innovator? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear about your sauna adventures!
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