During the cold winter months, there’s not much better than warming up by spending time in a sauna, however, do take note of our sauna safety tips. The ability to sit back and relax in a warm, steamy room is probably one of the best feelings you can get. As if that wasn’t enough, saunas can also be great places to socialize, allowing you to sit around with friends and family and chat about whatever comes up.
The Importance of Safe Sauna Use
However, just because saunas are great doesn’t mean they have no downsides. Like all good things, it’s important that you use the sauna in moderation. Sauna dangers and downsides you should notice and try to avoid it. Prolonged exposure to the level of heat that a sauna creates can cause long term health issues, or even more immediate health hazards if you’re being particularly unsafe. So if you’re going to use a sauna, you need to make sure you know how to keep yourself safe.
Hydration: The First Rule of Sauna Safety
First and foremost, make sure to stay hydrated. It’s easy to lose track of how much water you’re losing through sweat if you’re not paying attention. As such, make sure to keep a bottle of water with you. You may also want to put ice in the bottle, that way the water will stay colder for longer. Saunas increase your body temperature and accelerate fluid loss through sweat. If you don’t replenish those lost fluids, you may experience dizziness, fatigue, headaches, or heat stress. Always bring a bottle of water with you, and consider adding ice so it stays cool throughout your session. Maintaining hydration allows you to enjoy longer, more comfortable sessions without putting unnecessary strain on your body.
Listen to Your Body and Exit if You Feel Unwell
A sauna session should leave you feeling refreshed, not overwhelmed. If you begin feeling lightheaded, nauseous, overheated, or simply “off,” exit the sauna immediately. Taking a short break is often enough to help you recover, and pushing through discomfort can quickly turn an enjoyable session into a dangerous one. Your body’s signals are important, especially when heat exposure is involved.
If you’re feeling ill, for any reason, leave the sauna immediately. There’s no reason to try to tough it out. You may simply need a few minutes to collect yourself, after all.
Avoid Alcohol Before or During Sauna Use
Alcohol dehydrates your body and impairs your ability to regulate heat. Combining alcohol with high temperatures significantly increases the risk of heat exhaustion, fainting, or dehydration. For this reason, you should always avoid using the sauna if you’ve had drinks earlier in the day. Staying sober ensures your body can safely manage temperature changes, blood pressure shifts, and elevated heart rate.
Make sure you don’t drink alcohol before you use the sauna. Alcohol is notorious for causing dehydration, so you don’t want to be drunk and also be in an extremely hot situation! That’s a recipe for disaster!
Saunas are great, but there’s no reason to put yourself at risk while using them! The safer you are, the more often you can use a sauna, after all!
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