Whether you use one after a workout or relax after a day of work, saunas offer health benefits.
Well, the amount of time you can spend - healthily - in a sauna is determined by a range of factors, but most importantly, your health and hydration before climbing in. If you're not adequately hydrated, you shouldn't stay inside a sauna for longer than 20 minutes, as you're risking dehydration.
However, if you're fit, healthy, hydrated, and you are an expert sauna user. In that case, you can stretch this out into a significantly more extended period, in the area of 30 - 45 minutes, even an hour.
Keep in mind that the timer starts when your body starts to sweat, this is when the health benefits begin to kick in.
While some experienced sauna users, especially in Finland, may endure a long time in the sauna, please don't overdo it if you are not one of them.
What Happens If You Stay Too Long In A Sauna?
Contrary to popular belief, higher temperatures do not correlate with more health benefits from a sauna; as long as your body begins to sweat, you've initiated the healing process. If you stay in a sauna too long, particularly a hot-air sauna, you risk severe dehydration and symptoms of heat-stroke like dizziness and headaches.
Most specialists recommend one 15-minute sauna session one to three times a week for maximum benefits without damaging your health.
