Regardless if you’re planning to use a public or a personal sauna, it’s usually a good idea to shower before and after your session to prevent spreading and picking up germs and bacteria. Aside from health and hygiene purposes, good sauna etiquette adds to the longevity of a sauna by keeping it clean and free of stains and germs. 

How to Get Ready for a Sauna Session 

Before you hop into any type of sauna, you’ll want to ensure that you’re hydrated and haven’t just finished a large or heavy meal. Especially if you’re planning on using a public sauna, you’ll want to shower beforehand and use soap to wash your skin. Everyone carries bacteria on their skin, most of which are beneficial to you, but not everyone’s skin flora is beneficial for everyone else. Taking a few minutes to wash away those germs will keep you from passing them along to others. 

In addition to germs, many of us  will have oils on our skin from hair and beauty products like lotions and sprays. You’ll want to remove these residues from your skin before you head into a sauna. You’ll want to take a lukewarm or even a cool shower before you sauna since you’re heading into a very hot environment and there’s no need to heat yourself up in the shower beforehand. 

After your shower, you can throw your hair up in a messy bun if you have long hair, slip on some sandals and grab two towels, one to sit on and one to dab your sweat if you feel the need. Stash any jewelry and electronics safely away and make your way into a warm, sweaty sauna cocoon. Since most people limit their sessions to 10 to 20 minutes you likely won’t need to bring water to drink with you, but can if you’re worried about being thirsty. Try to relax and listen to your body and exit if you become uncomfortable for any reason. 

What to Do After You Use a Sauna

For similar reasons pre sauna, you’ll likely want to also take a shower afterwards to wash away sweat, bacteria, germs, dirt, oils and anything else you’ve sweat out or come in contact with. Even if you’re using a private sauna, it’s still beneficial to give yourself a quick rinse afterwards and it tends to feel nice, especially if you opt for a cool shower to counter the heat. Your body will continue to sweat for a while after you exit the sauna, so many people like to use a cool shower to help with the cooling down process.  

In Nordic countries where sauna bathing is an integral part of life and culture, a hot sauna sweat is often followed by a cold plunge. While a cold shower isn’t quite the intensity level it can feel good after a hot sauna. Cold showers, ice baths and chilly outdoor swims are all versions of cold water therapy that people have been using for centuries. Folks claim that cold water therapy can help with circulation, improve sleep, give you extra energy and even reduce inflammation.

Saunas increase blood flow in your body by dilating your blood vessels, conversely, an ice bath causes your blood vessels to initially constrict which increases blood flow to your vital organs but restricts blood flow to your extremities. Once you get out of the cold tub and warm up, the blood vessels supplying blood to your extremities dilate, causing increased blood flow to those areas. When you expose yourself to cold temperatures, your body amps up the release of cold shock proteins and heat exposure causes a spike in heat shock proteins, both creating different healing responses in your body. 

Whether you opt for a cold plunge after your sauna or not, make sure to shower before and after for hygiene purposes and enjoy all of the relaxing benefits that come with using a sauna. If you have questions about using your sauna give us a call at 970-879-4390 or drop us a note.