Should you sauna or steam first?

Author: Adelle Purdy  |  Last update: Saturday, June 7, 2025

While there's no hard and fast rule for which is best to use first, some people prefer to start with the sauna and end with the steam room. Before you enter the sauna, drink one to two glasses of water and rinse off in a shower. Warm yourself in a dry sauna for up to 10 minutes without adding humidity.

Do you steam or sauna first?

  • Always shower before going to sauna or the steam room
  • Its customary to do sauna first, then the steam room, then take a cold shower again and rest 20 minutes
  • Doing steam room first usually helps adjusting to high temperature better - its your call what you like more.

Which order should you go steam room or sauna?

Starting with the Steam Room

Following the steam room with a sauna session can then help to further stimulate sweat production, enhancing the detoxification process. This can be beneficial for those looking to boost their cardiovascular health or improve overall wellbeing.

What is the correct way to use a sauna and steam room?

The optimum use of the steam room or sauna is between 5-15 minutes. If you would like to benefit from hot and cold therapy combined, have a cold shower afterward, let your heart rate return to normal and wait at least 10-15 minutes before re-entering.

What is the correct order for a spa?

Choose the right procedure for perfect relaxation!

Use the services in the following order: First, use the pool, then the whirlpool, then the saunas, and finally enjoy a massage.

Sauna or Steam Room: Which Is Right For You?

Should I do sauna or hot tub first?

Should I Hot Tub Before or After the Sauna? If you're using both, start with the sauna before transitioning to the hot tub.

Is it better to sauna or steam before a massage?

Sauna Before Massage

Firstly, the heat from the sauna can help to relax your muscles, making them more receptive to the massage. This can make the massage more effective and potentially more enjoyable. Secondly, the sauna can help to detoxify your body, which can enhance the detoxifying effects of the massage.

What is the etiquette for steam room and sauna?

If you want to know what you should wear in a steam room, a towel or a bathing suit tends to be the most acceptable form of attire. You should also take a towel to sit on so that it absorbs some of the sweat from your body. Some steam rooms allow nudity, but not all of them.

Do you burn more fat in a sauna or steam room?

Which One Burns More Calories? You'll sweat a lot in both a sauna and a steam room. Yet, saunas produce more intense sweat as the temperatures get a lot higher and they rely on dry heat—resulting in quicker and more sweat. Accordingly, saunas can be more effective for weight loss.

What is the best order to steam a sauna?

Combining Steam Rooms and Saunas
  • Start with a sauna: Begin with a dry heat session to help your body adapt.
  • Take a break: Give yourself at least 5–10 minutes to cool down. ...
  • Hop into the steam room: Enjoy 5–10 minutes in the moist heat.

What is the best order for spa treatments?

All of our experts agree that you should keep your menu of treatments in this general order: steam/sauna, bath treatment, scrub, massage, and then facial.

Is a sauna or steam room better for toxins?

Steam rooms and saunas are both believed to be equitably efficient for detoxing. The primary difference is that saunas use dry heat while steam rooms are filled with moisture. Both types of detox rooms can be effective, but which you use can depend on your personal preference.

Should you go in the sauna first or last?

Still, if you do want to hop in the sauna before or after a workout, experts typically suggest doing so afterward. In some cases, a pre-workout sauna might alleviate a little joint or muscle stiffness before exercise, but preliminary studies point to greater recovery benefits from post-exercise saunas.

What is the best protocol for sauna?

Try to stay in the sauna anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes per session and repeat the use of the sauna from 2 to 3x per week, or as often as 7x per week. More often does appear to be better with respect to cardiovascular health.

Can you bring your phone in a sauna?

The short answer is that it's generally not recommended to bring your phone into a sauna. The high temperatures and humidity levels can cause damage to your phone's internal components, and the risk of overheating or even explosion is not worth the convenience of having your phone with you.

Do you sweat more in a sauna or steam room?

Saunas make you sweat more than steam rooms do, says Dr. Pelz. And “One little-known benefit of sweating is that it flushes cholesterol out of your system, which is why studies show that regular sauna use improves cardiovascular health.”

Is it better to do sauna then steam room?

Saunas, with their dry heat, are renowned for improving circulation, promoting detoxification through sweat, and inducing muscle relaxation. On the other hand, steam rooms excel in respiratory benefits, providing relief for conditions like asthma and sinus congestion due to the moist, steam-filled air.

Is sauna good for belly fat?

Can saunas help you lose belly fat? Studies show that several sauna sessions can help reduce body fat mass, BMI, and other body measurement parameters. However, it is not clear whether fat reduction targets belly fat.

How many calories do 15 minutes in a steam room burn?

At a typical temperature, a 15-minute steam shower session can burn up to 150 calories. This is typically water weight but as the body generates sweat, its working harder resulting in the breaking down of calories and removal of toxins.

Should you shower after a sauna?

Cold showers after sauna sessions enhance blood circulation, reduce muscle soreness, and support muscle recovery by alternating between hot and cold temperatures.

Are you supposed to sit on a towel in a sauna?

Silence is the best course of action in order to allow everyone to unwind and relax while enjoying the sauna. Sit on a Towel: for hygienic purposes, please sit on a towel (no bare skin on the wooden benches).

What should you not do in a sauna?

Nicotine and alcohol should be taboo during the sauna bath. No sporting activities between sauna sessions. This would put unnecessary strain on the heart and circulatory system. In order to positively support the detoxification of your body, you should give your body enough liquid after the last sauna session.

What is the best order for sauna and steam room?

While there's no hard and fast rule for which is best to use first, some people prefer to start with the sauna and end with the steam room. Before you enter the sauna, drink one to two glasses of water and rinse off in a shower. Warm yourself in a dry sauna for up to 10 minutes without adding humidity.

Should you shower or sauna first?

People use their saunas for many different reasons. If you want to increase perspiration to encourage weight loss and removal of toxins you should shower before an infrared sauna (a hot shower) as this can help to up your perspiration levels. However, we do recommend that you should shower after an infrared sauna too.

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