Using Your Sauna

This is easy

Using a sauna is simple and convenient. Since I want to encourage you to use your sauna frequently, I will emphasize ways to make it even more convenient.

Conveniences

• You don't have to leave home or get dressed up.
• You can sauna at any time of the day or night.
• You can read, watch TV, listen to music, talk on the phone, meditate, whatever you like.

Inconveniences

• You do have sit in one place for 1/2 hour to an hour.
• It does get really hot.

Compared to exercise

• No risk of injury.
• Very quick cooling off period.
• Does not require attention. You can concentrate on something else, or just let your mind go free.

Keep it simple - the goal is to sweat.

Time and Temperature

You don't need to fret about how long your are in the sauna or how hot it gets. If you achieve a good sweat you have met your goal. One pound is a nice round number, and you can sweat that much easily. I usually sweat 1.5 to 2 lbs in a typical session.

Sauna air temperature rise over 1 hour.

Control panel. The wire hanging down is the thermocouple that measures the air temperature.

How Hot Should the Sauna Be?

How hot is it inside your sauna? Oddly, there is no good answer to this question. The temperature varies from spot to spot by as much as 30 degrees. The top of the sauna is much hotter than the floor and the bench. Also, the parts of your body directly in front of the heaters are getting direct infrared radiation, which heats you without heating the air very much. If your sauna heaters cycle on and off during your session, you can notice the change in the heat they emit within seconds. The temperature also rises steadily over the duration of your sauna session, starting from room temperature and rising to 135°F or more. The thermocouple that reports the temperature can only measure the heat of the air immediately around it. Also, its accuracy is limited. The precise temperature doesn't matter. Your sauna gets hot enough to make you sweat profusely. That's all it needs to do, and it does that well.

How Long Should You Stay In the Sauna?

Start with short sessions, and then see how you feel and what kind of results you get. If you enjoy the sauna experience, you can take longer sessions. If you are getting some good results, but not as good as you want, you can increase the number and duration of the sessions. If you are exceeding your goals you can cut back a bit.

The Process

• Choose your time. Whatever works for you. Early morning, after work, or before bedtime. I have no trouble falling asleep fairly soon after taking a sauna.
• Turn on the sauna. You can reset the time and temperature after you are in it. For now, just let it start to warm up. The sauna controls are reasonably usable. It's no harder to set than a microwave oven in my opinion.
• Gather your gear - books, mp3 player, laptop, etc. As far as I can tell, your home electronics devices (TV remotes, phones, laptops, etc.) can tolerate the heat without problems. For example, the built-in radio/CD player is in the top, and gets quite hot. The lower in the sauna, and the more out of the direct path of the heaters, you can keep them the cooler they will be. However, that's just my experience - maybe I've been lucky, or am courting disaster - so don't blame me if you have any problems.
• You'll want some towels, too. I use one to sit on, one at my feet, and another to sop sweat of my head.
• Watch your head. My sauna is only 5'8" on the inside, and the door is shorter yet. I hit my head on the door three times the first day I used it, never since then.
• Undress. How much is really a matter of taste. If you have good privacy, go ahead and get naked. However, you can get good results in a swimsuit, running gear, etc.
• Start your sauna session. Reset the time and temperature based on how well warmed-up the sauna is.
• Enjoy
• Feel free to drink as much as you like. Water is good. I don't recommend anything alcoholic - you might overdo it due to thirst, and you may be less sensitive to overheating. Also, I think Gatorade and similar salty drinks are counterproductive. You're trying to get rid of salt, and salty drinks make that harder. You will sweat more freely and feel more comfortable if you drink while you are in the sauna. I've done experiments with and without water, and I sweat about 50% more when I drink water during a session, and can take longer and/or hotter sessions without discomfort.
• If you get uncomfortable, turn the heat down or quit your session. This isn't a race. You want you sessions to be pleasant so that you can do them frequently. Find a duration and temperature that works for you, and be flexible.
• The sauna will cool down fairly quickly when the heaters turn off. You can remain in the sauna for as long as you like, or get out and about your business as soon as you like.

The Experience

• The sessions will seem pretty intense at first.
• It will take a while before you start sweating. If I start with the sauna at room temperature, it takes a half an hour or so beofre I really start sweating. The warmer the sauna is when you start, the faster you will start to sweat.
• Enjoy
• You will have to deal with the heavy sweat. For example, if you hold a phone to your ear it will get wet. If you read, you will drip sweat on whatever you are reading, and get sweaty fingerprints on it. You can find your own methods to minimise these problems:
  • Get your reading, phone calls, etc., out of the way early in the session, before you start sweating heavily.
  • Use a speaker phone.
  • Read material that is semi-disposable - magazines, etc.
  • I sometimes wear a cotton headband and/or wristbands. I found them at Dick's Sporting Goods for under $10. They help but do not solve the problem.
• If you get uncomfortable, turn the heat down or quit your session.
• For me, about 135° is as hot as I want. Above that and I get uncomfortable.
• Personally, I find the experience to be slightly somewhat tiring, but not stressful. I feel 'normal' within 15 minutes or so.
• After you step out of the sauna and towel off, you will stop sweating within 5-8 minutes or so. (Your mileage may vary.)