Key Takeaways
- A sauna is a small, heated room, usually lined with wood, that uses dry heat to raise your body temperature and make you sweat.
- Traditional saunas typically run 150°F to 195°F, while steam rooms run cooler with humidity near 100%.
- Start with about 5 minutes and work up to a maximum of 15-20 minutes per session.
- Wear clean swim attire, sit on a towel, and give yourself at least five minutes to cool down after exercising before stepping in.
- Hydrate before and after every session, and leave right away if you feel dizzy, nauseous, or unwell.
You’ve just finished your last set, and the sauna door is right on your way to the locker room. A few questions might hold you back, like how hot it gets, what to wear, and how long to stay. The answers are simpler than you might expect, and every Defined Fitness club across New Mexico is a gym with a sauna ready when you are.
What Is a Sauna?
A sauna is a small, heated room, usually lined with wood, that uses dry heat to raise your body temperature and make you sweat. Most sessions last 5 to 20 minutes.
To see what a sauna does and how it works, look at what happens once you sit down. Within minutes, your skin temperature climbs to about 104°F, and your pulse can rise 30% or more. Blood vessels near the surface widen as sweat kicks in to cool you off. Your body responds much as it does during a workout, which may explain many of the benefits linked to regular sauna use.
How Hot Is a Sauna?
A traditional sauna typically runs between 150°F and 195°F (about 65°C to 90°C) with humidity below 20%. Infrared saunas run cooler, usually 110°F to 135°F.
Dry air keeps a high sauna temperature tolerable, since sweat evaporates quickly. Heat also rises, so start on a lower bench for your first few visits and move up once you feel comfortable.
Sauna vs. Steam Room: How the Heat Compares
The main types of saunas and steam rooms all raise your body temperature, but humidity is where the dry sauna vs. steam room difference really shows.
| Type | Heat Source | Temperature | Humidity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional sauna | Electric heater or wood stove warming stones | 150–195°F (65–90°C) | Below 20% | People who prefer intense, dry heat |
| Infrared sauna | Infrared lamps that warm your body directly | 110–135°F (43–57°C) | Low | People who prefer a gentler air temperature |
| Steam room | Steam generator | About 100–120°F (43–49°C) | Near 100% | People who prefer moist, humid heat |
Steam rooms run cooler, yet the moist air can feel just as intense because sweat can’t evaporate easily. Neither type of heat has shown a clear advantage over the other, so the best choice is the one you’ll enjoy using. When you visit one of Defined Fitness’s clubs with a steam room, you can try both in one visit to find your preference.
How Long Should You Stay in a Sauna?
Most people should cap a sauna session at 15-20 minutes. If you’re new, start with about 5 minutes and add time gradually as your body adjusts.
Staying past 20 minutes can leave you feeling fatigued. The table below shows how long to stay in a sauna as you build tolerance, but how your body feels should always have the final say.
| Experience Level | Session Length | What to Focus On |
|---|---|---|
| First few visits | 5–8 minutes | Sit on a lower bench and leave at the first sign of discomfort |
| Building tolerance | 8–12 minutes | Add a minute or two only after the previous session felt easy |
| Regular user | 12–20 minutes | Stay within the 20-minute limit and rehydrate after every session |
How to Use a Sauna at Your Gym: 4 Steps
A little preparation makes your first session more comfortable for you and everyone sharing the room.
1. Cool Down Before You Step In
Give yourself at least five minutes after exercising before you head in. While you wait, catch your breath, let your heart rate settle, and drink some water.
A sauna session after your workout can help you relax and ease tight muscles, which makes it an easy add-on after a Les Mills class or a lifting session at Defined Fitness. If you’re using the sauna for muscle recovery, treat it as one piece of a broader recovery routine built on good sleep and nutrition.
2. Change Into Clean Swim Attire
Clean swim attire is the best answer to what to wear in a sauna at the gym. Change out of your workout clothes first to keep gym sweat out of a shared space. Metal jewelry heats up fast and can burn your skin, so leave rings, chains, and watches in your locker. Flip-flops are handy for the walk to and from the sauna.
3. Bring a Towel and Keep the Room Relaxing
Always sit on a towel to keep the benches clean for the next person. Once you’re inside, close the door quickly so the heat stays in, and keep conversation quiet.
Your phone, reading material, and snacks can wait in your locker. Leave the heater and rocks alone too, which means no pouring water on them. After your session, rinse off in the shower before heading into the pool or hot tub.
4. Hydrate Before and After
You’ll lose fluid through sweat, so drink water before your session and plan on two to four glasses afterward. Hydration matters even more in New Mexico, where New Mexico’s elevation and dry air add extra strain, whether you train at a Defined Fitness club in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, or Farmington.
Keep your bottle outside the sauna, since drinks aren’t allowed inside. When your session ends, move to a lower bench for a minute or two, then sit outside the room for a few minutes to let your heart rate settle before you shower.
Sauna Safety: When to Skip It or Step Out
Saunas are safe for most healthy adults when used sensibly, but a few situations call for caution.
- Leave at the first warning sign: Exit right away if you feel dizzy, nauseous, light-headed, or suddenly chilled, and seek medical help if the symptoms don’t pass.
- Skip it after alcohol: Alcohol and certain medications, such as antihistamines and diuretics, can affect how your body handles heat, so stay out of the sauna if either applies.
- Check with your doctor first: Avoid the sauna after a recent heart attack or stroke, and skip it while you’re sick. Get medical clearance beforehand if you’re pregnant or have heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure issues, or epilepsy.
- Keep younger kids out: Children under 13 aren’t permitted in the sauna or steam room at Defined Fitness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Saunas Good for You?
For most healthy adults, regular sauna use appears to be good for you. Research links it to stress relief, eased muscle soreness, and better heart health.
In a long-term Finnish study of 2,315 middle-aged men followed for about 20 years, those who used a sauna four to seven times a week had a 63% lower risk of sudden cardiac death and a 40% lower risk of death from any cause than once-a-week users.
How Often Should You Use a Sauna?
There’s no official guideline, but one to three sessions a week is a reasonable starting point. Build up gradually as your body adjusts.
How often you go depends on your goal. A short session after your usual workouts works well for relaxation, while heart health goals call for staying long enough to work up a steady sweat. Add minutes before you add visits.
Does a Sauna Burn Calories?
A sauna raises your heart rate, but there isn’t clear evidence that it burns enough calories or fat to support weight loss. Treat it as recovery time between workouts.
Do Saunas Help You Lose Weight?
Sauna weight loss comes from the water you sweat out, and it returns once you rehydrate.
Sweating off water is a form of dehydration, which is why the scale bounces back after you drink. Regular workouts and balanced meals will do far more for lasting results, with the sauna supporting your recovery.
Make Recovery Part of Your Routine at Defined Fitness
Sauna time becomes a habit much faster when the heat is waiting just down the hall from your last set. Every Defined Fitness club includes a sauna, and select clubs add a steam room, hot tub, or HydroMassage lounge. It all comes with one all-inclusive membership, so recovery never costs extra.
Explore our recovery amenities before your first visit. When you’re ready to try the sauna for yourself, start with a free trial at the club nearest you.
