Quick answer: for most people the sauna is better after a workout than before. Heat before exercise raises your core temperature and fluid loss before you have even started, while a short session afterwards fits naturally into your cool-down. Keep it to about 10 to 20 minutes, drink water, and skip it if you feel unwell.
Sauna Before a Workout
Sitting in the heat first means you start training already warm and partly dehydrated. That can make hard sessions feel harder, and it adds to the risk of heat-related problems if you then train hard. Some people use a very short, mild sauna as a gentle warm-up before mobility work. If you do, keep it brief, drink water, and skip it before heavy lifting, intense intervals or long endurance work.
Sauna After a Workout
After training your muscles are warm and you are ready to wind down, so the sauna becomes part of recovery time instead of a stress on top of training. People commonly report that it helps them relax and feel less stiff. The research on specific recovery benefits is limited and mixed, so treat it as a comfortable way to wind down rather than a guaranteed performance boost.
Start only once your heart rate has settled and you have had some water.
Keep the first few sessions short, around 5 to 10 minutes.
Build up to 15 to 20 minutes if you feel fine.
What Do Studies on Post-Workout Sauna Show?
Only a handful of small studies have tested sauna use straight after training, mostly in fit young men. They are interesting, but too small to promise the same results for everyone.
| Study | Who and what | What they found |
|---|---|---|
| Scoon et al., 2007 | 6 male distance runners; about 30 minutes in a hot sauna after training, roughly 13 times over 3 weeks | Longer run time to exhaustion and higher blood plasma volume than in the 3 weeks without sauna |
| Stanley et al., 2015 | 7 trained male cyclists; 30 minutes at 87°C (189°F) after normal training for 10 days | Plasma volume rose after about four sessions, a sign of heat acclimation; performance benefits were not tested |
| Mero et al., 2015 | 10 active men; 30 minutes in a mild far infrared sauna (35-50°C) after strength or endurance sessions | No difference in recovery after strength training; jump height was slightly better 30 minutes after an endurance session than with no sauna. Heart rate after the infrared sauna was lower than after a traditional sauna at the same temperature |
The pattern so far: regular post-training sauna may help endurance athletes adapt to heat, but the studies are tiny and short. There's no good evidence it builds strength or speeds muscle repair.
Longer-term, regular sauna use has been linked to heart health in large observational studies. A Finnish study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that men who used a sauna 2 to 3 times a week had a lower risk of cardiovascular death than those who used one once a week. Studies like this can't prove the sauna was the cause, and they were not about workout timing.
Will the Sauna Help You Lose Weight?
You will weigh less straight after a sauna, but this is almost entirely water lost through sweat, and it comes back when you rehydrate. A sauna is not a fat-loss tool. If weight is your goal, see our infrared sauna and weight loss guide for a balanced look.
A Simple Post-Workout Routine
Train as normal and drink water during and after.
Cool down for 5 to 10 minutes and let your heart rate settle.
Take a quick shower and sit on a clean towel in the sauna.
Stay 10 to 20 minutes, or less if you are new. Leave if you feel dizzy or unwell.
Cool down gradually, then drink water until you are no longer thirsty.
New to saunas? Our first-timer's guide to using a sauna covers the basics, and how long to stay in a sauna covers timing and warning signs. If you like to finish with cold water, see cold plunge before or after sauna.
Which Sauna Suits a Gym Routine?
Traditional saunas heat the air, typically to about 150°F to 195°F (65°C to 90°C). Infrared saunas usually run cooler, around 120°F to 140°F (49°C to 60°C), and warm you more directly, which many people find easier after a hard session. Either can fit a post-workout routine, so choose the one you find comfortable. Our sauna temperature guide and comparison of infrared and traditional saunas explain the differences, and you can browse infrared saunas and traditional saunas for home use.
Who Should Be Careful?
Harvard Health advises people with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease to check with their doctor before using a sauna, and to avoid alcohol and medications that can impair sweating before and after a session. A medical review in the American Journal of Medicine lists unstable angina, a recent heart attack and severe aortic stenosis as reasons not to use a sauna. Avoid the sauna if you are ill or feverish, and get medical advice if you are pregnant or take medication that affects blood pressure or sweating. Never combine a sauna with alcohol.
Hydration
You lose fluid through sweat, and training adds to that. Drink water before, during and after; Harvard Health suggests two to four glasses of cool water after each sauna. Consider replacing electrolytes after a long or very sweaty session. If you want a rest day option, a short, mild session on its own is also fine.
