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If you ask me, 2024 is the year of the sauna. Here at FM HQ we're not just fond the sweat session itself, but the culture of sauna bathing, the DIY sauna builds, and all the tiny details, right down to what type of hot rocks you use to create that good, good heat. But what's best, dry sauna or wet sauna?
that are part and parcel to creating a unique experience that goes beyond health benefits (although, there are many), that makes it an invaluable part of a wellness routine.
Of the many aspects of a sauna session that impact both the health benefits (of which there are many) the overall experience for the body and mind, such as the type of heat and humidity levels. Trust me, after building my own sauna kit and making sauna part of my daily wellness routine, I understand the way different elements—like steam or a lack there of—can dramatically affect your sauna experience.
In this dry sauna guide, I'll share my experience and the knowledge gleaned from other experts to dive into the hot topic of temperature, relative humidity levels in a sauna, steam, heat, and so much more.
Dry Saunas 101
Dry saunas, also known as traditional Finnish saunas, are wooden rooms that use electric or wood-burning heaters to create a dry heat, and typically ranges from 150 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. While inside a dry sauna room, the heat warms air, causing your body temperature to rise which results in a detoxifying and relaxing sweat session.
Historically, outdoor saunas might resemble a rustic cabin or structure in nature, but today, a sauna can take on many different forms (like barrel saunas) and have become even more popular for home, providing easy access to this ancient healing ritual.
Dry Sauna vs Wet Saunas
As mentioned, a dry or traditional sauna is a wooden room designed to utilize a high temperature and low humidity created by an electric heater or wood burning stoves with heated rocks to warm the interior with hot, dry air.
Wet saunas have a similar design, but instead bathers pour water over the heating rocks to raise the humidity levels from 20-40% (which is typical of dry saunas) to as high as 100% in a wet sauna, which is why it's often called a steam sauna. High humidity will make the sauna feel much hotter than it is, when it actuality, a wet sauna session will typically have a lower temperature of around 100-120 F, however, it's up to the user to decide what feels best.
Overall, a dry sauna will be hotter with less humidity and allow sweat to more quickly evaporate from the skin, while a wet sauna (which like a steam room, is akin to being in a tropical rainforest) has much higher humidity levels and less heat.
Some sauna users enjoy the intensity of a dry sauna, while others feel best enveloped in a steam sauna's lower temperatures and soothing humidity. Whatever you choose, it is truly a matter of personal preference. In addition to traditional saunas (dry saunas) and wet saunas, an infrared sauna creates a different sauna experience, here's a quick overview.
A Quick Glance at Infrared Saunas
Infrared saunas use infrared light technology to directly heat your body rather than heating the air in the room. The temperature is typically much lower and it doesn't use an electric sauna heater with hot rocks, but instead creates heat with high-tech panels.
The gentler heat and lower temperatures of an infrared sauna are great for those who might have an increased risk and experience adverse side effects in high heat. An infrared sauna has also been shown to have health benefits that go beyond skin deep—rejuvenating the body on a cellular level. Depending on your available space and preference for indoor saunas or outdoor sauna, the infrared sauna can be both.
Dry Sauna Benefits & How to Get the Most Out Of Sauna Sessions
There is more and more research backing up the centuries old claims that a dry sauna is good for you. A recent study showed that regular dry sauna bathing has several health benefits that does more than improve overall well being, but even target specific conditions.
In every sauna session, the focus is on embracing relaxation while bathing high temperatures—this leads to improved circulation, relieving stress from stiff muscles (which is beneficial for muscle recovery post-workout), and a cleansing sweat that's great for opening pores, possibly even improving mild skin conditions.
On a therapeutic level, the study, Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review studied repeat sauna use to gather medical evidence that showed users with certain medical conditions can successfully use sauna therapy as a way to alleviate the symptoms or even improve chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, rheumatoid arthritis cardiovascular disease, allergic rhinitis, heart disease, and weight loss.
When pairing a sauna session with a cold plunge, you're able to rid the body of excess heat; anecdotally, many sauna users experience a feeling of deep relaxation followed by a jolt of energy and endorphins from exposure to the cold. Some even claim this thermoregulatory practice leads to an increased metabolism, but the jury is still out!
That said, the hot-cold cycle does have some evidence to support the belief that sauna sessions and cold plunges have several health benefits. What's for sure is that incorporating dry sauna sessions into your wellness routine is a great way to take care of your body, relax your mind, and after all that sweating, enjoy an even better sleep.
Optimal Dry Sauna Temperature, Duration, and Maximizing Health Benefits
Getting the most out of using a traditional sauna is always about listening to what's best for your body and not exceeding your limits. That said, a good temperature range for most sauna users is 140-160 F, for a slightly lower temperature and heat that isn't super intense, but will still provide all the health benefits. Crank it up to 160-195 F for a deeper heat and more invigorating sweat session, but do not exceed 210 F, because this super high temperature will have adverse side effects on the body.
Like with all types of saunas, it's important to drink plenty of water before, after, and even during the sauna session (do not bring stainless steel or metal water bottles into the sauna!) to prevent dehydration, and always avoid alcohol prior to using the sauna. Sauna is not recommended for those with acute cardiovascular disease, heart disease, pregnant women, and other high-risk medical conditions. If you have questions or concerns, talk to your doctor before the sauna.
The length of time for your sauna session is up to you, but a good rule of thumb is to sauna for 10-15 minutes, step out for five minutes to let the body cool down, and start the cycle again for as long as you feel comfortable. During repeat sauna sessions, always remember to adjust the heat when needed and listen to how your body feels. Exit if you feel lightheaded, experience extreme discomfort, or any other symptoms.
Dry Sauna Home Installation
Depending on your available space, budget, and personal preference, you can either install an indoor sauna or outdoor sauna. Personally, I put together an outdoor sauna kit in my backyard because I had the space and enjoy looking out the glass door at nature.
Many companies that make dry sauna kits—like Redwood Outdoors—which come as precut pieces that ship directly to your home to be assembled in one day or less. Another option is to hire a professional to assemble your sauna, build a totally custom sauna, or go all in and DIY!
Regardless, the basics of dry sauna home installation vary between indoor saunas and outdoor saunas, but can be narrowed down to a shortlist of key considerations.
Check with your municipality to obtain permits and building codes, if necessary
Pick a location with a level surface, good drainage, and ventilation if installing inside, for this you may need to hire a plumber or general contractor
Prep and build the foundation for outdoor saunas, or install a subfloor for indoor saunas. Note: some indoor sauna kits do not sell flooring and can be installed directly onto your existing surface, so always check to be sure
Assemble or build your sauna! Install the benches, footrest, doors, heaters, and other accessories
Hire a licensed electrician to install your heating elements—they can also hook up lighting if you prefer
Use the sauna installation manual that comes with your sauna kit as a guide. Oftentimes, the company has a wealth of online resources, such as video tutorials, photos, FAQs, and even a helpline. While building my two-person outdoor sauna, I heavily relied on all of these things and highly recommend preparing for the build to save yourself time!
Overall, it is installing and assembling a home sauna is remarkably easy even for those who have minimal building experience. Do your research ahead of time and don't be afraid to call in a professional if you need help.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a dry sauna hotter?
A traditional sauna is heated by an electric heater with heating rocks or wood burning stoves. To increase the heat, either turn up the dial on your electric heater or add more logs to your fire.
How long should I stay in a dry sauna?
The length of time is up to you, but it is recommended to start at 10-15 minutes in the sauna, with five minute breaks in between to hydrate and cool down your body temperature before reentering. Always listen to your body and do what feels best.
What's the difference between a dry sauna and a regular sauna?
A dry or traditional sauna uses an electric heater or wood burning stove with heated rocks to warm a wooden room designed to trap intense heat of around 140-195 F, with humidity levels of 10%-40%. A regular, or popular type of sauna, is a wet sauna, also called a steam sauna. It feels like a steam room, in that bathers pour water over hot rocks to create high humidity of 60% to as high as 100%. Often, steam saunas will have lower temperatures around 140 F, because the moisture will make it feel hotter than it is.
Published 05-10-2024
Updated 05-22-2024
