Saunas provide more than just a relaxing way to unwind after a long day. When used correctly, saunas—both traditional (which use heat generated from a heater within the room) and infrared (which use light to generate heat)—can provide science-backed benefits for your overall health—including your sleep

Learn more about the benefits of sauna use, effects of sauna use seen in Oura member data,  and how to incorporate it into your daily routine. 

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The Sauna Habits of Oura Members Around the World

Oura’s data science team reviewed de-identified, aggregate Oura member data around sauna use, which revealed that our members around the world enjoy heating things up—especially our Finnish members. 

  • More than 75,000 members tagged “sauna” in 2024.
  • The average duration of sauna sessions was 41.8 minutes.
  • On average, members tagged sauna 1.65 times per week.
  • Finland took the lead as the country with the highest “sauna” tag per member (3.43 tags per member).
  • After Finland, the countries with the highest sauna tag counts are Australia, Czechia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Austria.

Sauna use also seemed to positively impact Oura members’ data. Oura members who tagged “sauna” experienced the following changes in their data, compared to the previous day:

Member Tip: Want to see if using a sauna improves your sleep? Tag when you use a sauna and check your data. If you tag sauna regularly, you may receive a personal discovery, highlighting any correlation between biometric changes and sauna use.

The Sleep Benefits of Sauna

If you’re looking to get better sleep, saunas offer a variety of sleep-boosting benefits — starting with how heat impacts your body temperature. After your body temperature rises in the sauna, it will cool off when you exit—which signals your body to produce melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Melatonin helps you fall asleep faster, and may lead to deeper, more restorative sleep.

Spending time in a sauna before bedtime can also help you relax, both physically and mentally—a key element in falling and staying asleep.

READ MORE: 9 Daily Habits to Help You Sleep Better at Night

Additional Health Benefits of Sauna

In addition to helping you sleep more soundly, research shows that deliberate heat exposure in a sauna can provide a variety of other health benefits. 

  • Pain relief: If you struggle with pain, saunas may be able to help. One study found that spending time in a sauna twice a day for five consecutive days measurably reduced low back pain.
  • Improved immune function: Spending time in a sauna may also support immune function. This study found that sauna bathing (and the following cool down) immediately stimulated the immune system and increased white blood cell count. (The immune system boost was more pronounced for athletes vs. non-athletes.)
  • Improved circulation: Studies also show that sauna sessions improve circulation; the improved circulatory response is a way to control body heating.
  • Improved heart health: Research has found that the risk of cardiovascular death decreases with sauna use—and the risk decreases linearly as weekly sauna sessions increase. (Or, in other words, the more you sauna, the lower your risk of cardiovascular death.)
  • Increased metabolism: Raising your body temperature in a sauna—and subsequently lowering your temperature —may also increase metabolism. One study found that metabolic rate increased by 25 to 33 percent one day following a 12-minute sauna session and six-minute cool-down.
  • Reduced stress levels: Saunas don’t just feel relaxing; they actually reduce stress levels. Research has shown that saunas decrease cortisol, also known as the stress hormone.
Member Tip: Check your Daytime Stress graph to see if regular sauna use helps. You may notice a spike in your physiological stress levels when you’re in the sauna, due to the heat, but then a rapid decline in stress as you cool down and recover.

What’s the Difference Between Infrared and Traditional Sauna?

There are two types of saunas: traditional sauna, also known as a dry sauna, and an infrared sauna. The main difference between the traditional sauna experience and an infrared sauna is how heat is delivered, as well as the intensity of that heat.

The temperature in a dry sauna can range from 150 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit (about 65 to 90 degrees Celsius). While some people love the heat, the high temperatures can feel too intense for others.

Infrared saunas can offer a less intense alternative. An infrared sauna is a type of dry heat therapy that doesn’t use water or add humidity; instead, it uses infrared light, which is in the invisible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Plus, you’ll feel warmer faster, and you can enjoy deeper heat penetration into your muscle tissues and other areas without feeling too hot or uncomfortable. The typical temperature in an infrared sauna runs from 113 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (45 to 60 degrees celsius lower) than traditional saunas.

These types of saunas are typically easier to handle, making them more suitable for people who can’t bear high temperatures due to certain health issues or personal intolerances.

Which is Better: Infrared Sauna or Traditional Sauna?

If you’re looking to use a sauna strictly for the health benefits, you won’t find much of a difference between infrared saunas and traditional saunas.

If you’re thinking about using a sauna to get better shuteye, infrared saunas might offer a slight advantage over a traditional sauna—in the form of an additional melatonin boost. Research suggests that the red light wavelength used in infrared saunas stimulates melatonin.

RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Melatonin

How to Incorporate Sauna Into Your Routine

  • For better sleep: Hit the sauna in the evening to trigger a sleep-inducing response. But make sure to give yourself at least 30 minutes after leaving the sauna before going to bed. This will give the body a chance to drop back down to its core temperature, which can make it easier to fall asleep.
  • For overall health benefits: The amount of time you spend in the sauna is important. For general health benefits, aim to spend one hour per week in the sauna, split between two to three sessions, suggests Andrew D. Huberman, PhD, associate professor of neurobiology at Stanford University, on his website, The Huberman Lab.
  • For cardiovascular benefits: Huberman recommends spending between five and 20 minutes in the sauna between two and seven times per week. However, it’s also important to listen to your body; if you find the heat to be too intense, start with shorter sessions and slowly increase the time as you feel more comfortable.
Member Tip: Monitor your cardiovascular health using Oura’s new heart health features: Cardiovascular Age and Cardio Capacity (VO2 Max).

Finally, in addition to when you use the sauna—and how long you stay there—consider how you spend your time in the sauna. To reap the most health- and sleep-boosting benefits, use this time to practice meditation and/or deep, mindful breathing.

READ MORE: 10 Simple Breathing Exercises for Sleep and Relaxation

Who Should Avoid Sauna Use?

If you have high or low blood pressure, approach saunas with caution (and doctor’s approval). 

In addition, sauna use is not recommended for people who have heart disease, kidney problems, women who are pregnant, people who are already dehydrated, have problems with dizziness, or are using alcohol and/or drugs. 

READ MORE: Chill Out: 8 Science-Backed Benefits of Cold Exposure Therapy