One of the most popular questions that is asked at a sauna parlor is how long and how often I can use the sauna and if one can use the sauna twice in one day. While there is no definite answer to this question, there are certain things you need to keep in mind before you head to a sauna. 

Once you get used to the sauna, it becomes a little bit addictive. Yeah, we know. Many wonder how often they can use the sauna. But some wonder Can I sauna twice a day? That depends on your circumstances. If you’re healthy and experienced using the sauna, going in twice per day can be beneficial. But if you’re just starting out, take it slow and stick to one sauna session per day.

You must have heard how the Finns like to take part in a relaxing sauna session twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. However, you must understand that their bodies have become accustomed to using the sauna twice in one day since they have been doing so for a long time. For a beginner, using the sauna too often is not recommended.

In this blog, we will shed light on the different types of saunas and discuss how often you can use each one of them to make the most of them. 

Using a Sauna: Types of Saunas

To determine whether you can use the sauna twice in one day, you must first consider the type of sauna you’re working with. Remember that there are different types of saunas:

1) Traditional Sauna

A traditional sauna is a wooden cabin, heated with the help of a wood or electric stove. The average temperature in a traditional sauna is between 160 and 194 degrees Fahrenheit. Pouring water over the hot sauna rocks increases the humidity in the sauna, producing a dynamic wet/dry environment. Essential oils often are used to provide a relaxing experience. 

If you are a beginner, you should stay in a traditional sauna for no more than 15 minutes and attend 3 to 4 sessions a week. This frequency can be increased once your body adjusts to the high temperature and humidity in a traditional sauna. 

2) Infrared Sauna

An infrared sauna is a small room (or occasionally a tent) with infrared heat emitters that increase the temperature in the cabin and keep it between 100 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

The temperature of an infrared sauna is lower than that of a traditional sauna because the light from the emitters penetrates the skin and increases body temperature from the inside.

It takes time for a beginner to adjust to this type of heat, so a 30-minute session every alternate day is sufficient. Once your body adapts to the heat, you can use the infrared sauna for up to 60 minutes a day. 

Can I Use a Sauna Twice in One Day?

As we mentioned before, there is no definite answer to this question. How often you can use the sauna in a day depends on your age, tolerance to high temperatures and humidity, and health conditions.  

According to Gabriel Chabot, Co-Founder at Northern Saunas, using the sauna twice in one day is not recommended. But there is no harm in doing so once in a while.

The risks associated with using saunas more than once a day are headaches, heat strokes, electrolyte depletion, and dehydration that can be hazardous to your health. 

However, just like with everything else, balance is critical. If you make up for the lost electrolytes and hydrate your body after a sauna session, you can take a sauna bath more than once a day.

Regardless, if you have any existing health conditions, please ask your healthcare provider before doing so. 

The 5 Benefits of Sauna Baths

1. Improved blood circulation: Hot saunas make our blood vessels more flexible. This improves blood circulation, causes the oxygenation and detoxification of our tissues, and distributes essential nutrients to all parts of our bodies, including the skin, giving a healthy and glowing complexion. 

2. Toned muscles: Spending enough time in a sauna room can increase the frequency of your metabolic rate, helping you lose weight. A sauna session can also relieve joint pain and fatigue and loosen fat to reduce cellulite. 

3. Enhanced immune system: During a sauna session, your internal body temperature can rise to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, triggering a mock fever state. This stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies and white blood cells to fight diseases.

4. Improved sleep: For people recovering from insomnia, a sauna bath is a recommended treatment. 15 to 20 minutes in a sauna room is somewhat equal to 1 to 2 hours of brisk walking and can help you enhance the quality of your sleep.

5.Enhanced mental health: One of the most significant benefits of sauna baths is that they provide a relaxing experience that can help reduce daily stress. Studies have shown that frequent sauna sessions can enhance your mental precision.

Conclusion

Whether or not you can use the sauna twice in one day truly depends on your body’s ability to adapt to the heated environment. If you attend sauna sessions regularly and want to kick things up a notch, you can, after talking to your healthcare provider, take a sauna bath twice a day but keep an interval of at least 15 to 25 minutes between the two sessions.

Don’t forget to hydrate your body before hopping in again!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How Long Should I Stay in the Sauna?

A. It depends. Is your body accustomed to the heat in a sauna? If you are a beginner, do not stay in the sauna for more than 15 to 20 minutes. If you feel like your body can take more, gradually increase your time. However, the minute you start feeling dizzy or uncomfortable, please get out of the sauna.

Q2. How Often Should I Use an Infrared Sauna?

A. Infrared saunas are safe to use every day. You will see more improvements if you use it daily rather than infrequently. Most people partake in 3 to 4, 30 to 45-minute sessions each week.

Q3. Are There Any Side Effects of Using an Infrared Sauna Too Much?

A. The heat generated in an infrared sauna is artificial and can overheat your body, especially during a prolonged session. This can cause heat exhaustion, severe dehydration, and even heat strokes. Too much perspiration and not enough fluid intake to balance it can have adverse health effects. High temperatures may also cause some people to become dizzy or experience nausea, so remember not to overdo it.

Saunas offer the benefits of a relaxing, soothing activity that can also provide users with an experience akin to cardiovascular exercise. 

These benefits are usually enough to attract many people into the heat and steam. In addition, there is evidence that regular sauna users have healthier cardiovascular and circulatory systems. 

At the same time, however, some believe that visiting a sauna will provide skincare benefits (including acne-fighting!) due to the warmth and steam. 

This article will answer the all-important question of ‘is a sauna good for your skin?’ and discuss the topic in adequate detail for consumers to make an informed decision on sauna usage. 

It’ll also mention some products relevant to this skincare question. Overall people who are concerned about the impact of a sauna on their skin should read this article to gain some peace of mind on the subject. 

Readers will likely be pleased by what they learn about this topic.

Is A Sauna Good For Your Skin?Read More »

Home saunas offer the benefits of a relaxing, soothing activity while studies have also shown that saunas give users an equivalent experience to cardiovascular exercise. 

Before making a decision on whether to pay for a sauna installation, many consumers will want to know what the cost of operating a home sauna is. This article will answer the question ‘how much does a sauna cost to run?’ 

The heat and steam from a sauna are known for helping exfoliate the skin by enlarging pores and bringing oils, dirt, and toxins to the surface. In addition, there is evidence that regular sauna users have healthier cardiovascular and circulatory systems. 

These benefits are usually enough to attract many people into the heat and steam, and some consumers have even decided to install saunas into their homes. 

But saunas can use a lot of power. How much do they cost to run?

That depends on the type of sauna, and the amount of power required. This article will look cover that. And we also need to discuss the potential costs of installing dedicated electric power for a sauna.

After reading this article consumers should have a good idea of what the costs of operating a sauna are.

How Much Does A Sauna Cost To Run? The Short Answer(s)

Below is information on the operating costs of both electric saunas and infrared ones. While both saunas run on electricity, more traditional electric saunas do not have infrared heating elements, which are more efficient. 

So overall, infrared saunas are cheaper to run than more traditional electric ones. The estimations of the actual operating costs for either kind are discussed below.

Electric Saunas 

Electric steam saunas use hot elements to create steam when water is poured on hot sauna rocks. These types of saunas have become quite popular for their relative ease of operation compared to wood-burning saunas. 

These types of saunas are easy to maintain too, and many users find the steam from them preferable to wood-burning sauna steam.

Moreover, the safety risks associated with electric steam saunas are much lower than those associated with saunas that burn wood. 

The cost of using an electric sauna is also arguably lower than wood-burning ones. The price of using one for an hour or so each day per month is 80 to 150 dollars, depending on the cost of electricity. 

Although these saunas are easy to use, they are not as energy efficient as infrared saunas, so operating costs might be about double compared to saunas with infrared heating. 

Installation costs for Electric Saunas

Depending on the type of sauna stove you choose, you may land on a 110v or 220v stove. A 110v stove will plug into a standard electric outlet, and will be much cheaper to run.

A 220v stove will require a special plug that could cost upwards of $1000 to install. It also must be installed by a licensed electrician. And that 220v stove will draw a lot more power than a 110v will.

Of course, it will work a lot better, too!

Infrared Saunas 

Infrared saunas are known to be more energy-efficient than traditional electric and wood-burning saunas. This is because infrared heat can directly heat occupants of a sauna rather than just the air around them. 

See Types of saunas for more information.

Moreover, traditional saunas will take about thirty minutes to heat up after turning on, while infrared ones take only about ten minutes. They are also praised for the minimal fire risk compared to wood-burning and even electric saunas. 

The cost of operating one of these (infrared) saunas ranges from about forty to seventy-five dollars, depending on the cost of electricity (per KWh) as well as the wattage of the given infrared sauna. 

Smaller infrared saunas which only hold a couple of people typically have a wattage of below 1.6 kW.

This design allows standard power chords to be used with them. Larger saunas can have 3.0-4.0 wattages, which requires more special wiring and chords. 

Conclusion 

Saunas are relaxing environments that also provide muscle and skincare benefits, so it is no surprise that some consumers have decided to install them in their own homes. 

This eliminates the need for travel to and from public saunas, which can often be inconvenient and, for various reasons, uncomfortable.

Home saunas provide users with superior control and comfort compared to public ones. 

However many consumers are not sure how to calculate the costs of running home saunas. Although the cost of the sauna itself may be low, some people are surprised about the cost of electricity for running them, especially traditional electric ones. 

These types of saunas can cost over one hundred dollars a month to use if used consistently. On the other hand, infrared home saunas are more energy-efficient, since they can heat occupants directly rather than just the air around them.  

Costs of operating one of these saunas range from thirty-five to sixty-five or seventy dollars a month, depending on electricity prices. Moreover, the wattage of a given home sauna will also affect their cost to run. 

Saunas that have a wattage below 1.6 kW use less energy and thus will be cheaper to run than bigger saunas with 3 or for kW. 

After reading this article, anyone who enjoys a home sauna should be able to make a decision on the variety that is best for them and their finances. 

And while you’re doing the math, be sure to include the possible cost of wiring and setting up the sauna. If you’re choosing a sauna with a 220v stove, installation costs will be much higher.