Many people turn to sauna sessions for relaxation and health benefits. Whether it's a public or home sauna, choosing the right clothing can make all the difference in maximizing your experience while also following proper etiquette. This guide explores different clothing options for saunas and provides essential tips on what to wear in various settings.
Before heading to your local gym or hotel sauna, it's important to understand the do's and don'ts of sauna etiquette. This ensures you can fully enjoy your sauna session without accidentally committing a faux pas. Following these guidelines shows respect for others and enhances the overall experience for everyone present.
Although it may be tempting to jump straight into the sauna after your gym workout, it's important to consider the needs of others. Standard etiquette suggests showering before heading to the sauna, ensuring that all the sweat, dirt, and oils are washed away. This helps prevent any unpleasant odors and creates a clean and refreshing environment for everyone to enjoy.
When using a sauna, sweat is the main by product that helps eliminate toxins from your body. Nonetheless, if you enter with sweat, it not only results in unpleasant odors but also reduces the effectiveness of the sauna and limits toxin release. Shower before to cleanse yourself and allow the heat in the sauna to work its wonders more effectively to optimize results.
An important practice in sauna etiquette involves putting a towel down before you sit on the wooden benches. Trust me, there’s nothing more embarrassing than getting up to leave the sauna and finding a huge pool of sweat on the wooden benches. Sitting on a towel keeps things clean and maintains the hygiene and comfort level of the sauna environment.
When you're about to sit on a sauna bench, it's always a good idea to place a towel underneath first. This simple step can serve multiple purposes that often go unnoticed. By creating a barrier between your skin and the bench surface, you not only avoid contact with sweat and grime left by others but also maintain overall sanitation in public facilities. This action can contribute significantly towards ensuring cleanliness for everyone who uses the sauna throughout the day.
Saunas are a wonderful place to relax and unwind, so try to resist the urge to stalk your ex on Facebook while enjoying the tranquil experience.
If you are sharing a sauna with other people, using your phone can be annoying and intrusive. Other people may not appreciate hearing your music or watching you scrolling through social media while they’re trying to relax. Saunas are also a place where semi-nudity is socially acceptable and the presence of a camera might make people feel uncomfortable. Your sauna session is a time to disconnect from the world of technology and leave your mobile devices and digital distractions behind. Therefore, for the purposes of sauna etiquette and the privacy of others, leave your phone outside!
When it comes to protecting your hair from the intense heat of a sauna, whether you're at a public facility or in the comfort of your own home, taking precautions is not uncommon. One popular method involves wearing a sauna hat. These hats provide insulation that shields your hair from the high temperatures inside the sauna. Not only do sauna hats offer practical benefits by keeping your hair healthy and happy, but they also add a stylish touch to your overall sauna experience.
A common choice for dressing in public saunas is to wear a towel around the waist, striking a balance between comfort and modesty. Doing so can ensure their privacy while also avoiding direct contact of sweat and body oils with the sauna bench by letting the towel absorb it all.
When choosing a towel for the sauna, it's recommended to opt for cotton-made towels. Cotton is an excellent choice since it's soft, porous, and breathable, a perfect material for those hot sauna sessions! These absorbent towels effortlessly wipe off sweat, allowing you to enjoy your session comfortably. Moreover, they're easy to clean and maintain, keeping things hygienic inside the sauna room.
Some people prefer to wear swimsuits or swimwear in public saunas instead of towels. However, choosing the right swimwear is crucial for a comfortable and safe experience. PVC fabric used in many swimwear options can be risky in a sauna setting. Wearing PVC fabric obstructs skin breathing and limits ventilation, leading to discomfort and potentially harmful effects caused by high temperatures. Additionally, PVC fabric can release toxic fumes when melted due to high temperatures.
Opting for loose-fitting, natural fiber swimsuits or swimwear is crucial when wearing them in a sauna. Cotton is an excellent material to choose from in this scenario. Natural fibers allow for better airflow and ventilation, preventing excessive heat buildup and enhancing your sauna experience. Avoid swimsuits with dangling decorative pieces, as they can become hot and potentially burn your skin.
For individuals who enjoy wearing clothes while using the sauna, lightweight and loosely-fitted cotton garments are an outstanding choice. Cotton allows air to circulate freely, resulting inefficient regulation of body temperature and avoidance of overheating. Loose-fitting cotton shorts, oversized t-shirts, or cotton wraps provide maximum comfort and ventilation for your skin during a sauna session.
Ensuring the cleanliness and freshness of the cotton garments you opt for is crucial. Wearing previously worn or used attire, such as an old gym t-shirt or clothes worn during exercise, can result in unpleasant odors due to bacteria thriving on sweat. Wearing dirty clothes can lead to unhygienic and uncomfortable conditions inside the sauna room. Avoid wearing tight cotton undergarments as they could restrict airflow and cause discomfort. If you choose to wear a bra, ensure that it doesn't have an underwire as it could be uncomfortable during high temperatures and humidity in the sauna.
Proper hygiene and comfort are of utmost importance in public saunas, particularly emphasizing the significance of maintaining cleanliness inside the sauna room itself. Wearing shoes or flip-flops is considered impolite in such spaces. These facilities have strict hygiene policies in place, requiring barefoot entry to ensure cleanliness and prevent the spread of dirt and bacteria.
When heading to the sauna, it's recommended to wear footwear to maintain cleanliness. Dirty feet can compromise the hygiene of the sauna environment. For this reason, it's practical to choose clean flip-flops or slippers made of easily washable materials like rubber or plastic. They provide protection and comfort for your feet as you enter the sauna.
While shoes or flip-flops are not permitted inside the sauna room, they are acceptable and even encouraged in the common areas outside the sauna, such as changing rooms or relaxation areas. By adhering to these footwear guidelines, you contribute to the overall cleanliness and hygiene of the sauna while also ensuring ease of movement and personal comfort during your sauna experience.
Individuals who use infrared home saunas have a choice when it comes to what they wear, and many find that going without clothes is the most comfortable option. This allows the body to be exposed to maximum amounts of infrared heat, which can help improve circulation, promote detoxification, and aid relaxation. Going naked in an infrared sauna enhances skin penetration by the heating system's waves. Therefore, it facilitates more effective therapeutic effects on your body.
However, it's important to consider your personal comfort level and respect your privacy preferences. If you feel more at ease wearing minimal clothing or have privacy concerns, you can wear a towel around your waist or opt for a lightweight, loose-fitting garment made of breathable fabric.
When using an infrared home sauna, it doesn't matter whether you decide to go nude or wear clothes. What's crucial is choosing breathable materials for maximum comfort. To ensure that your skin can sweat and breathe properly, it’s recommended to wear fabrics made of cotton or linen as they enhance the sweat evaporation process and help regulate body temperature preventing overheating.
When preparing for an infrared home sauna, it's recommended to opt for lightweight and loose-fitting attire made of natural fibers. Loose clothing permits unrestricted movement enabling better air circulation during the session, which in turn enhances comfort levels. Choosing garments made of cotton or linen is advisable given their breathable nature and effective moisture-wicking characteristics while keeping you cool and comfortable amidst the heat generated by the sauna.
Choosing the right attire for a sauna session is important, and gym clothes might not be the best choice. Although designed to absorb sweat during workouts, gym clothes can restrict proper ventilation and heat release in saunas. While useful for exercising, moisture-wicking properties can trap sweat against saunas' skin, hindering natural cooling and causing discomfort.
It is advisable to refrain from wearing clothes made of synthetic materials such as polyester or nylon while in the sauna. These materials do not provide ample air circulation, thus snugly securing heat and dampness against the skin, which results in discomfort, irritation, and prevents body temperature regulation. As a replacement option, it is recommended that you choose natural fabrics such as cotton and linen. They are breathable materials that enhance efficient ventilation, hence creating better conditions for comfort during your sauna session.
During a sauna session, many people might be tempted to keep their smartwatches on or listen to must on their Airpods. However, the high temperature and humidity in the sauna can affect electronic devices negatively by damaging them or causing malfunctions. Airpods have even been known to explode. Furthermore, these electronic devices can get uncomfortably hot and cause skin irritation while wearing them during a sauna. To avoid potential damage and enhance relaxation during the experience, it's recommended that you remove all such smart watches, Airpods, and other wearable electronics beforehand.
Neoprene and sauna suits are popularly used in fitness activities to promote sweating and weight loss, but sauna sessions require more breathable clothing. These materials can impede proper sweat release and hinder the body's natural ability to regulate temperature inside the sauna. Such suits may cause overheating and discomfort and pose health risks if worn in a sauna session. It is best recommended to wear loose-fitting attire that allows air circulation, supports the natural sweating process, and helps cool down the body effectively while enjoying a relaxing sauna experience.
Selecting appropriate clothing for a sauna session is crucial to ensure a satisfying experience. By following these guidelines, one can prioritize comfort, observe etiquette, and avoid materials that impede relaxation and rejuvenation. The benefits of saunas are numerous and undeniable; therefore, it's important to embrace the sauna culture by selecting attires wisely and fully indulging in its wellness advantages.
I'm Jasper Knight, the founder of SecretSaunas.com. During my travels through Finland and Scandinavia in 2018 I was introduced to the thrilling local ritual of taking daily hot saunas and then cooling off by plunging into the dark icy waters of a frozen lake. This experience was so fulfilling that it felt like an addiction. My desire to return to the forests and lakes of Northern Europe led me to set up Secret Saunas with the mission of bringing that authentic Finnish sauna experiences home.