How hot should a sauna be? For a traditional sauna, aim for 70 to 90 degrees Celsius, with most people settling between 75 and 85. For an infrared sauna, 45 to 60 degrees is the sweet spot. Beginners should start lower in both cases and work up.
That is the short answer. The rest of this guide explains where those numbers come from, how humidity changes the way heat feels, and how to find the temperature that suits you. Temperature is personal. Two people can sit on the same bench and want very different things from it.
Sauna temperatures at a glance
| Sauna type | Typical range | In Fahrenheit |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional sauna | 70 to 90°C | 158 to 194°F |
| Traditional, beginner | 60 to 75°C | 140 to 167°F |
| Infrared sauna | 45 to 60°C | 113 to 140°F |
| Infrared, beginner | 40 to 50°C | 104 to 122°F |
What temperature should a traditional sauna be?
A traditional sauna heats the air around you, and the classic Finnish range is 70 to 90 degrees Celsius. Below 70 the room can feel more like a warm cupboard than a sauna. Above 90 the heat becomes hard work for most people, and the session gets shorter without getting better.
Within that band, it comes down to preference. Around 75 to 80 degrees gives a generous, enveloping heat that most regular users are happy to sit in for 10 to 15 minutes. Push towards 85 or 90 and every minute counts double. Our traditional saunas have touch screen controls, so you can set your temperature precisely and it will hold steady.
Heat also rises. The top bench in a sauna can be 10 degrees or more warmer than the bottom one, so you can change your temperature simply by moving. Beginners on the lower bench and veterans up top is a time-honoured arrangement.
What temperature should an infrared sauna be?
An infrared sauna works differently. The panels warm your body directly rather than heating the air, so the cabin only needs to reach 45 to 60 degrees Celsius for you to work up a deep sweat. If you judged an infrared sauna by its thermometer you would think it was barely trying. Give it 15 minutes and your body will tell you otherwise.
Because the air stays cooler, sessions can run longer. Half an hour in an infrared sauna is comfortable for most people, which is part of its appeal. If you are weighing up the two types, our guide to infrared vs traditional saunas compares them properly, and our explainer on what an infrared sauna is covers how the heat works.
What temperature should a beginner start at?
Start low and short. In a traditional sauna, set the temperature between 60 and 75 degrees and stay in for 5 to 10 minutes. In an infrared sauna, start at 40 to 50 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. If that feels easy, nudge the temperature or the time up on your next visit, not both at once.
It is always better to leave wanting more than to tough out a session that has stopped being pleasant. The benefits of sauna use come from regular, comfortable sessions, not from single heroic ones. Our guide on how long to spend in a sauna pairs well with this one.
How does humidity change how hot a sauna feels?
The thermometer never tells the whole story. In a traditional sauna, ladling water over the stones releases a burst of steam the Finns call loyly, and for a minute or two the sauna feels dramatically hotter without the air temperature changing much at all. Humid heat transfers to your skin far more effectively than dry heat.
This is why an 80 degree sauna can feel gentle one minute and fierce the next. If you like the ritual but not the intensity, use less water, or sit lower until the wave passes. It is the most enjoyable temperature control there is.
When is a sauna too hot?
Hotter is not better. Beyond about 90 degrees the risks start to outweigh the rewards for most people, and no sauna session should ever feel like an endurance test. If you feel lightheaded, dizzy or sick, leave the sauna, cool down slowly and drink water. Shorten your next session or drop the temperature.
Stay hydrated before and after every session, avoid alcohol around sauna use, and if you are pregnant or have a heart or blood pressure condition, speak to your GP before using a sauna. The benefits of sauna come from working with your body, never against it.
Sauna temperature FAQs
How long should I stay in a sauna at 80 degrees?
Between 10 and 15 minutes suits most people at 80 degrees. Newer users should aim for the lower end. Step out when you feel done, not when the clock says so.
Why does the top bench feel so much hotter?
Hot air rises, so the temperature climbs bench by bench. The gap between the floor and the ceiling of a sauna can easily be 20 degrees. Moving up or down a bench is the quickest way to adjust your session.
What temperature are saunas in Finland?
Finnish saunas commonly run at 80 to 100 degrees Celsius, hotter than most UK users prefer. There is no prize for matching them. The right temperature is the one you want to come back to tomorrow.
Do infrared saunas get as hot as traditional saunas?
No, and they are not meant to. Infrared panels warm your body directly, so the cabin stays at 45 to 60 degrees while you sweat just as hard. The two types deliver heat in different ways, which we cover in our infrared vs traditional comparison.
Find your temperature in person
Numbers on a page only get you so far. The best way to find your temperature is to sit in a sauna and feel it. Find your nearest Hekla showroom and try a session, or explore our full range of home saunas.