The ideal sauna temperature depends on both personal preferences and the type of sauna being used.
In general, a comfortable and healthy sauna session falls within the range of 65°C to 90°C, adjusted to suit individual comfort levels.
A sauna is more than just a hot room—it’s a space for relaxation, cleansing, and mental calm.
How hot should a sauna be to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience? This is a common question, especially for those new to sauna bathing.
The answer largely depends on personal comfort and the specific type of sauna.
Some people prefer a milder heat for a gentler session, while others choose higher temperatures to enhance the detoxifying effects.
Regardless of your preference, it’s essential to listen to your body and adjust the heat accordingly to maintain both comfort and safety throughout your sauna experience.
Ancient sauna wisdom: sensory heat and the alternating experience
The exact sauna temperature in the past is unknown as rural people didn’t have thermometers. Heat was described sensorially.
The words “hot” and “sweltering” were more associated with hell, so in the sauna, people simply referred to it as “warm” or “humid”.
The alternating sauna experience in Northern Europe
The alternating sauna experience is a key tradition in Northern Europe.
Unlike saunas in places like Turkey or Japan, the Northern European sauna, including Estonian saunas, is based on alternating dry heat and steam.
Architect H. Kadari refers to the Estonian sauna as an “alternating sauna” with shifting dry heat and steam.
When water is thrown on the stones, humidity increases momentarily but dissipates quickly in a well-heated sauna.
Types of saunas and their health benefits
Saunas such as leili sauna, steam sauna, Hammam, salt sauna, and infrared sauna offer varying temperature ranges.
Each sauna type has its unique health impacts depending on its temperature and humidity levels.
The right choice depends on your goal—whether it’s relaxation, recovery, or strengthening the immune system.
Proper temperature and humidity balance can prevent overheating, support the body’s natural recovery processes, and make the sauna experience safe and effective.
Sauna session duration and appropriate temperature
The sauna session duration plays a key role.
For short sessions (10-15 minutes), lower temperatures 60-70°C are ideal.
For longer sessions (30-60 minutes), higher temperatures 75-90°C are needed for full relaxation and stimulating blood circulation.
The temperature in one session can range from 60-100°C, allowing individuals to find their preferred level of heat and steam intensity.
Leili sauna – the art of contrasts
Leili sauna, also known as traditional Estonian or Finnish sauna, is based on the alternating experience of dry heat and steam.
The temperature typically ranges from 70-100°C, with the intensity of the experience depending on how often and how much water is thrown onto the stones.
This process, known as “throwing steam,” raises humidity and intensifies the heat sensation.
The heart of the Leili sauna lies in the hot stones, onto which water is thrown.
This water quickly evaporates, raising humidity and intensifying the sensation of heat.
This process, known as “leili viskamine” (throwing steam), creates a thermal contrast that enhances circulation and is easier on the respiratory system.
Although the air is typically dry, pouring water over the hot stones (called leil in Estonian) adds temporary humidity and intensifies the heat sensation.
Proper ventilation in the sauna ensures that the steam dissipates quickly, offering a balanced sauna experience.
The Leili sauna is deeply rooted in Northern European culture and tradition.
The importance of throwing steam in leili saunas
Throwing water onto the sauna stones increases humidity, intensifying the heat sensation, even though the actual temperature may remain unchanged.
This act is essential to the Estonian sauna experience, stimulating circulation, deepening sweating, and providing a unique sensory experience.
The dry, hot air combined with the steam encourages intense sweating and relaxation.
You can further personalize the experience by adding essential oils or herbs to the water, enhancing the aroma and therapeutic effects.
The health benefits of leili saunas are vast:
- they reduce stress;
- stimulate the cardiovascular system;
- accelerate metabolism;
- relieve muscle tension.
Additionally, the alternating effects of hot and cold temperatures can strengthen the immune system and improve sleep quality.
This dynamic sauna experience offers both physical and mental rejuvenation.
Steam sauna – a mild and gentle experience
The steam sauna is one of the oldest types of saunas, dating back to Ancient Greece and Roman thermal baths.
Known today for its high humidity (up to 100%) and low temperatures 40–50°C, it creates a foggy, enveloping atmosphere that’s especially suitable for those who find dry or intense heat uncomfortable.
This moist heat relaxes both the body and mind, making it a popular choice for people seeking gentle warmth and respiratory or skin benefits.
The skin and respiratory benefits of steam saunas
One of the main benefits of a steam sauna is its positive effect on the skin and respiratory system.
The high humidity opens up the pores, promotes sweating, and helps cleanse the skin of dirt and toxins.
At the same time, the moist air soothes the airways, helping to relieve congestion, coughing, and mild respiratory issues.
This makes steam saunas a great option for people with mild cold symptoms, asthma, or allergies, offering both therapeutic and relaxing effects.
How steam saunas benefit your skin and lungs?
It is recommended to use a steam sauna in short sessions, typically 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
After the session, rinsing the body with cool water helps to stimulate circulation and boost the immune system.
Steam saunas are also excellent as a pre-treatment before a massage or other relaxing therapies, helping to prepare both the body and mind for deeper relaxation.
The health benefits of steam saunas are extensive:
- Opens pores and purifies the skin;
- Relieves muscle tension;
- Improves respiratory conditions (e.g., congestion, asthma, allergies).
Hammam
The Hammam, or Turkish bath, offers a humid, lower-temperature environment, typically 40–50°C with extremely high humidity.
Unlike a classic steam sauna, the Hammam experience usually includes a series of spaces and rituals, such as the steam room, cleansing with water, and exfoliating treatments.
Hammam saunas offer a wide range of health benefits
- Deep skin cleansing and detoxification
- Muscle relaxation
- A cultural ritual rooted in Middle Eastern and North African traditions, offering both physical and emotional rejuvenation.
Salt sauna
In a salt sauna, the air is enriched with natural salt particles, released through salt-covered walls or halotherapy generators.
These saunas are valued for their respiratory and skin health benefits.
The salt helps to cleanse the airways, ease skin conditions like acne and psoriasis, and strengthen the immune system.
The temperature is usually lower than in traditional saunas, around 50–70°C, making it a gentle yet therapeutic option.
The health benefits of salt saunas are exceptional:
- Relief for asthma and allergias;
- Improvement of skin issues;
- Support for immune function.
Infrared sauna – a softer alternative
Infrared saunas work differently than traditional saunas.
Instead of heating the surrounding air, infrared radiation heats the body directly, allowing for deeper muscle relaxation at lower temperatures, typically between 38–65°C.
This makes it a great option for people who find traditional heat too exhausting.
Infrared saunas provide deep therapeutic advantages:
- Ideal for those sensitive to traditional heat;
- Provides deeper muscle relaxation at lower temperatures;
- Less strain on the respiratory system.
What is the ideal temperature for a beginner in the sauna?
Experienced sauna-goers often enjoy heat up to 100°C. However, 100°C is not recommended for beginners or for those with health issues.
However, temperatures around 100°C are not recommended for beginners or those with health concerns.
For beginners, a lower temperature of 60–70°C is advised, and it’s also suggested to take occasional breaks to help the body acclimate.
Lower temperatures are especially suitable for individuals with health issues to avoid overheating and potential health risks.
Temperature Preferences of Estonian Sauna Goers: How Heat and Sauna Duration Influence Choices
According to the “Sauna Book,” the most preferred sauna temperature in Estonia is 80-89°C, favored by about a third of sauna enthusiasts.
A quarter of sauna-goers enjoy temperatures ranging from 90-99°C, while temperatures below 80°C are predominantly preferred by women (40%) and those over 75 years old.
Men tend to enjoy hotter saunas, with 34% of men opting for temperatures above 90°C compared to just 12% of women.
People who sauna for longer periods, such as 3-4 hours, tend to prefer higher temperatures, often above 100°C.
Interestingly, individuals who spend 15 minutes in the sauna also prefer the moderate 80-89°C range, similar to those who spend hours in the sauna.
Those who sauna 2-3 times a week tend to favor a moderately warm sauna.
A fascinating trend is that those who sauna for 3 or more hours often prefer to throw the “leili” just before leaving, while those who sauna for less than two hours tend to do so before entering the sauna.
By highlighting temperature preferences, this article ensures you’re optimizing your sauna experience for maximum relaxation and health benefits.
Things to remember before and after sauna:
Proper sauna practices can significantly enhance your experience and health benefits.
Before and after a sauna session, it’s important to stay hydrated, avoid heavy meals, and practice proper sauna hygiene by cleaning all surfaces.
Cool down slowly, allow your body to recover with rest and fresh air, and avoid going to sleep immediately after the sauna to let your heart rate normalize.
The sauna experience doesn’t start with opening the door, but already before that:
- Stay hydrated – drink enough water before and after the sauna;
- Avoid heavy meals before the sauna – a light snack is suitable, but a full stomach may make the heat too much to handle;
- Maintain sauna hygiene by cleaning all surfaces after each session to ensure health benefits;
- Cool down slowly;
- After the sauna, give your body time to recover – a cold shower, fresh air, and rest help;
- Don’t go to sleep right after the sauna, as your heart rate is still elevated, and give your body time to calm down.
Listen to your body:
Although the temperature is important, it’s even more crucial to listen to your body.
If you feel uncomfortable, the temperature should be lowered immediately, or you should exit the sauna.
True sauna mastery lies in balance – enjoying the heat in a way that supports your health, not burdens it.
You should choose a temperature that suits your feelings and preferences.
If you experience dizziness, nausea, or discomfort, you should exit the sauna immediately.
Health benefits and optimal temperature by purpose
Sauna use is beneficial for health, as it stimulates circulation, relaxes muscles, and helps the body detoxify through sweating.
Not all sauna sessions are the same – depending on the goal, the ideal temperature may vary:
- For relaxation and stress reduction, a temperature of 60-70°C is recommended, which helps the body calm down without excessive strain;
- For detoxification and improving circulation, a temperature of 70-90°C is ideal – this activates sweating and stimulates circulation;
- For muscle recovery, such as after a workout, a lower temperature of 55-65°C can help reduce muscle tension and speed up recovery, especially in an infrared sauna;
- To strengthen the immune system, higher temperatures of 80-90°C are suitable, as they can stimulate the body’s resistance and adaptation to heat stress.
Sauna experience: optimal temperature for health
There is no fixed rule for the temperature to set in the sauna. Each person must feel it for themselves.
While there is a general recommendation for the temperature to range between 65–90°C, everyone’s experience is different.
For some, a 60°C sauna is just right, while for others, 100°C is ideal.
However, scientists who have studied the health benefits of saunas agree that the temperature in the sauna should not exceed 100°C.
It is important to consider that the temperature of the sauna is not the only factor affecting the sauna experience.
How well a person tolerates high temperatures depends not only on habit but also on the sauna’s dryness and relative humidity.
References:
- Harvard Health Publishing. “Saunas and Your Health.” Harvard Health. Last modified October 25, 2021. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/saunas-and-your-health.
- Forbes. “In-Home Sauna Maintenance Tips.” Forbes. Last modified February 10, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/bathroom/in-home-sauna-maintenance-tips/.
- Sauna book „SAUNA: history, culture, health, construction“. Authors: Urmas Hõbepappel, Liisa Hõbepappel, Silja Nellis, Siim Nellis. 2023, Publisher: Populus alba.
- My Sauna World. “How Hot Should a Sauna Be for Health Benefits?” My Sauna World. Last modified April 22, 2025. https://mysaunaworld.com/blogs/sauna-health-benefits/how-hot-should-a-sauna-be-for-health-benefits.
