Set a specific time to allow yourself plenty of time to relax. Turn on your sauna heater at least 30 minutes before you enter the room, unless you have a heater that provides instant heat. This will give enough time to heat the room to the proper sauna bathing temperature. Average temperatures range from 150°F to 195°F (66°C to 91°C).

You can take your sauna wearing a bathing suit, towel, or nothing at all. Many sauna users sit on a towel for hygiene and put another towel over their head if the face feels too hot but the body feels comfortable. It will take your body a short time to adjust to the high heat, so do not worry about the initial discomfort. Remember that the temperature will be cooler towards the floor and higher towards the ceiling. If you have an upper and lower bench, you can sit on the upper bench for hotter temperatures, and the lower bench for cooler temperatures. You can sit on your towel if you’d like.

To control humidity and comfort, pour 1 to 2 ladles full of water over the hot sauna stones to produce steam, which will aid in perspiration. After 10-20 minutes, or whenever you feel ready, exit the sauna and cool down by taking a cool shower or plunging into a refreshing pool or lake. Rest for a while in a cooling room or area.

If you are designing a sauna, it is convenient to have a dressing room and shower close by. Be sure to spend about the same amount of time cooling down as you have spent in the sauna.

If you like, you can repeat the process with sauna, shower, and cooling down. Finish with a final shower. Then, relax with your favorite beverage and enjoy that wonderful after-sauna feeling!