When is the Best Time to Use a Sauna?

The Best time to Use a Sauna

If you have access to a sauna in your home or gym, you may be wondering what time of day is best to use that sauna. Is it better to use the sauna in the morning? Use it before bed in the evening? Or after a gym workout? 

Regular sauna use has numerous health benefits, and whatever time you choose for sauna bathing will provide you with different types of benefits. This is because our body’s circadian rhythm changes throughout the day, and in turn, our response to heat stressors. 

Sauna in the Morning

Imagine starting your morning in the warmth of the sauna. Not only is it a comforting and soothing way to enter the day, but it also allows you to prioritize your health first thing in the morning. Here’s why you should consider starting your day with a sauna session.

Benefits of Morning Sauna Use: Start Your Day

Sauna use in the morning has been shown to improve mental acuity throughout the day and increase alertness. This will be especially noticeable if you contrast the heat with a cold shower afterward. The best time to sauna in the morning is usually between 6-10am.

A morning sauna can also help kickstart your metabolism. The heat exposure from the sauna stimulates circulation, increases heart rate, and enhances oxygen flow, all of which contribute to revving up your metabolic rate. This can aid in weight management and overall calorie expenditure throughout the day. 

If you have muscle soreness or stiffness, a sauna session in the morning can help your muscles warm up and be ready for the day.

Drawbacks of a Morning Sauna

One of the main drawbacks of a morning session is timing. It’s important to give your body time to heat up and sweat, as well as to have a cool-down period afterward. If you are like many people and need to head to work at a certain time, a morning session could feel rushed. 

Also, we can get dehydrated during the night. Hydrating adequately first thing in the morning is a non-negotiable if you are heading into the sauna. You will want to drink at least one glass of water before the sauna (possibly two) and then drink more water with some electrolytes afterward. Without hydrating, you will start the day in an already stressed state and likely will get headaches, cramping and feel more fatigued.

Note: If you have an infrared sauna, it will heat up much faster than a traditional Finnish sauna, giving you more time for a session in the morning.

Pro Tips to Maximize a Morning Sauna Session

• Drink water and/or some electrolytes first thing upon waking and after your session
• Engage your muscles in some slow stretching to warm them up for the day
• Take a cold shower after the sauna which will help you feel energized for a busy day
• Use a few drops of an essential oil like lemon or rosemary in your sauna steam water as they are known to promote clarity and alertness

Sauna in the Evening: End Your Day

For many, the best time to use a sauna is in the evening after a long day at work. You can finally relax and are not under any time constraints. If you have a backyard sauna, it is a nice time to enjoy watching the stars come out as well. Usually, it’s best to use your sauna between 6 and 9 pm.

Benefits of Evening Sauna Use

One of the main health benefits of doing a sauna at night is that it can provide stress relief after a hard day. The heat from the sauna helps soothe tense muscles and releases endorphins, which promote feelings of calmness and relaxation. 

Because of this, sauna bathing in the evening can help improve sleep as well. When you heat up and then rapidly cool down afterward, it is a signal to your body that it’s time to relax which can lead to deeper and more restful sleep.

Drawbacks of an Evening Sauna

If you are someone who has a busy evening schedule, it may be difficult to schedule regular sauna sessions. And because sitting in the sauna isn’t something you can rush, it may take some planning to ensure you go regularly. 

You also want to make sure you have adequate time to cool your body temperature down before going to bed. Allow for at least an hour after getting out of the sauna to cool down by showering and drinking fluids.

 Pro Tips to Maximize an Evening Sauna Session

• Write it in your schedule to help prioritize your health and develop a sauna routine. Try for 2-3 evenings a week to maximize the health benefits of sauna use.
• Give yourself time afterward to cool down and hydrate before going to bed
• Unplug in the sauna. Allow yourself to end the day in silence or with gentle music.
• Look up and enjoy the stars
• Place a few drops of lavender essential oil into the water bucket which is known to promote relaxation  

Post-Workout Sauna Experience

If you workout at a gym, and it has a sauna available, the most convenient time for you may be post-workout. Sauna use post-workout can be a very valuable addition to your fitness routine and offers numerous benefits.

Health Benefits of a Post-Workout Sauna

 A sauna session post-workout aids in enhanced circulation and blood flow to the muscles, aiding in muscle recovery. As blood flow increases, the ability of your body to flush waste products from the body, including lactic acid also increases. This in turn decreases muscle soreness and pain. 

The heat and steam released during a sauna session help with relaxation after a tough workout. This aids in muscle recovery and repair. 

Read here for a full list of science backed benefits of sauna use post-workout.

Drawbacks of Post-Workout Sauna

Dehydration is always a concern with sauna use so be sure to limit your time. Post-workout, after you’ve already been sweating hard, can increase your dehydration state. So it’s important to listen to your body and spend some time cooling down and hydrating before getting into the sauna.

Don’t use a sauna post-workout if you have been out in extreme heat already as this can increase your risk of overheating that could lead to heat stroke. 

Pro Tips for Post-Workout Sauna

• Bring extra water for the sauna with some electrolytes
• Bring a towel for showering and one for the sauna
• Do some light stretching as you cool down

Factors to Consider for the Best Time to Sauna

You will definitely want to take into account the following factors when deciding when to sauna. Consider your daily schedule, your personal health goals, your preferences, and the time of year including the outside temperature.

Daily Schedule for Morning and Evening

Your daily schedule is probably one of the biggest factors. Do you have time in the morning to fully commit to a sauna session? Or will it just be rushed? How busy are your evenings? Decide where you can regularly schedule your sauna time and try to stick to a routine. This will help you gain maximum health benefits from it. 

Personal Health and Wellness Goals

Consider your personal health and wellness goals. Are you looking for help with post-workout muscle recovery? Then a post-workout sauna session could be the best choice for you. If you are looking to kick your metabolism, then a morning session may work well. Do you just want to relax? Then the stress relief and better sleep quality that comes from a night sauna will be best for you.

Personal Preferences

Think about your personal preferences and when your body feels the best. Some people will prefer the morning and end their time with an invigorating cold shower. Others may enjoy the greater time freedom of the evening. Or you may prefer to workout in the afternoon and feel energized after a workout and sauna combination.

Season of the Year

For those of us in colder climates, a nighttime sauna is a necessity for warming up in the evening and is usually my first choice when using the sauna. However, if you live somewhere that gets very hot, a morning session may be ideal. 

Conclusion 

Whether you are an early morning riser and want to kickstart your metabolism, prefer an evening session to unwind, or a post-workout session to aid in recovery, whatever time you choose to use the sauna will be beneficial to your health. 

If you want a list of backyard sauna ideas, check out our recommendations on the best outdoor saunas.

FAQs

1. Can I sauna twice a day? Yes, you can use the sauna more than once a day as long as you monitor your hydration status and don’t stay in too long.
2. What are the differences between a sauna and steam room? A traditional Finnish sauna is a wood-covered room with a wood or electric stove. The temperatures routinely reach around 200 degrees Fahrenheit with low humidity of around 10%. A steam room is a tile-covered room with high humidity of 100% and lower temperatures around 120 degrees Fahrenheit.