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"We first met Sarah on a chilly November morning, clutching her coffee and full of questions about home saunas for weight loss. Like many who walk through our doors, she was skeptical. 'I've tried everything,' she told us. 'Why would sitting in a hot box be any different?'"
6 months later, we couldn't help but smile when Sarah bounded into our showroom, 20 pounds lighter and glowing with energy. But it wasn't just the weight loss that caught our attention - it was how she described her journey.
As she settled into one of our display chairs, we listened to her story unfold. The first week was rocky - she could barely last 15 minutes in her new sauna. Now? Her daily 30-minute session had become sacred time. "It's not just about sweating anymore," she explained. "It's my daily reset button."
What fascinates us most isn't just the numbers on the scale - though those are impressive. It's watching people discover that weight loss doesn't have to mean another punishing diet or grueling workout routine. Sometimes, it's about creating space for your body to heal and reset.
Whether you're standing where Sarah stood six months ago, full of questions and maybe a little skepticism, or you're just curious about alternative approaches to weight management, we invite you to explore how this ancient practice might be the modern solution you've been seeking.
Type of Sauna and How They Work
SaunaLife Model EE6G Sauna Barrel
The first important question is: Does the type of sauna matter?
For actual weight loss, the type of sauna doesn’t really matter. However, a dry sauna will make you sweat more than a steam sauna if you want to lose water weight.
SAUNA TYPE | HOW IT WORKS |
Uses a stove to heat sauna stones, creating high temperatures with low humidity. | |
Electrically Heated | An electric heater warms the room, producing high heat with low humidity. |
Steam Rooms | Also called a "Turkish bath," it has lower temperatures but 100% humidity. |
Uses light waves to heat your body directly without heating the air, offering similar benefits to traditional saunas. |
Saunas work the same way when it comes to how your body reacts, even though temperatures and humidity levels may differ.
You might notice a slight drop in weight while sitting in a sauna, but that’s just water weight from sweating. Once you drink fluids again, that weight comes right back.
Infrared saunas, however, might help burn more calories. A 2017 study found that 30 minutes in an infrared sauna could burn 400–600 calories. The same research also noted that an average person could lose around 1 pound of sweat per session.
Since saunas expose you to high heat, your heart rate increases, like during light exercise. But this only slightly boosts calorie burn—nowhere near enough for significant weight loss.
While saunas might help you burn a few extra calories, relying on them alone won’t lead to real weight loss. It’s best to combine them with a healthy diet and regular exercise for better results.
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Different Ways To Use Sauna To Lose Weight
Four persons in a sauna
For the best results, here are five important tips to consider if you want to use sauna for weight loss:
1. Try Sauna Sessions After a Workout
Using a sauna after exercise can enhance weight loss efforts. When you work out, your metabolism stays elevated for a while.
Sitting in a sauna post-exercise prolongs this effect, helping your body burn more calories after you finish working out.
Plus, it aids muscle recovery and reduces soreness.
2. Stay Hydrated and Sweat More
Your skin temperature increases to 104ºF (40ºC) and the body temperature to 102.2ºF (39ºC) when under the sauna's heat.
This causes enhanced blood circulation in the skin and sweating to cool the body.
Drinking plenty of water before and after using the sauna helps your body sweat more efficiently.
Sweating removes excess water weight and flushes out toxins, making you feel lighter. Proper hydration also prevents dehydration.
3. Heat Cycling
Heat cycling is when you alternate between a sauna session and a cold shower or ice bath.
This technique can boost circulation, improve metabolism, and increase calorie burn.
The sudden temperature shift forces your body to work harder to regulate its temperature, leading to more energy (calorie) expenditure.
4. Combine with the Right Workouts and Diet for Weight Loss
Once you have a schedule for your sauna sessions, integrate complementary workout sessions and healthy eating before the sauna bath.
Cardio-based workouts like brisk walking, running, swimming, or cycling helps to burn the most calories and can be done at a moderate to high intensity.
This assists you burn more fat in a shorter period of time.
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5. Use a Sauna Suit for Extra Sweating
If you want to sweat like an athlete, wear a sauna suit inside (or while working out before your sauna session).
It traps heat and makes you sweat even more, which can help drop some quick water weight.
QUICK TIP:
Excessive sweating without proper fluid replacement is risky. So keep it in moderation.
How Long Should You Be In A Sauna To Lose Weight?
Interior of the Finnmark FD-5 Trinity XL Infra-Steam Sauna
We’ve already established that a sauna won’t help you lose a lot of weight in a lasting way since most of the weight you lose is just water from sweating.
For muscle recovery after workouts and overall wellness, sauna sessions should last about 15 to 20 minutes.
If you’re new to using a sauna, start with short sessions and gradually increase the time as your body gets used to it.
The Bottom Line
Saunas help you relax, reduce stress, and improve blood circulation.
However, they don’t burn many calories compared to exercise, and any weight you lose is mostly water, which comes back once you rehydrate.
The water weight loss alone is only helpful if you need to weigh in for a sport-related competition.
Actual body mass loss requires more than just sweating in a sauna.
