Best Sauna Temperature: Ditch The Excessive 200-Degree Heat
If you’ve ever browsed around sauna shops, physical or online, you might have noticed they all pride themselves on the stoves and heaters they sell because with them, you can reach temperatures up to 230 F (110 C).
Some go as far as claiming 200 degrees (93 C) is the ideal sauna temperature or the “sweet spot,” which is far from the truth and always makes me cringe.
As so many sources just repeat what other sources are saying, without providing any evidence why hotter temperatures would be better or even safe, many people are left wondering how hot is a sauna supposed to be.
So, let’s clear up all confusion, answer the question what is the ideal temperature for a sauna, and show you don’t need higher temperatures even if you prefer a hotter sauna.
There really is a better way.
What’s The Best Sauna Temperature in Reality?
When contemplating the best sauna temp and time, what most people are truly asking is what is a healthy temperature for a sauna. The best sauna temperature range is 140-185 F (60-85 C), with 160-180 F (70-80 C) being the most optimal range.
When you heat your sauna to a maximum of 180-185 F, it can afford to cool down closer to 140 F when you’re nearing the end of your sauna session; you get even more steam and humid heat at the end, as the temperature has dropped a little.
You’ll achieve this easily by not adding wood, or by turning off your sauna heater a few minutes before you stop saunaing.
You might wonder why such a “low” seeming number is the best sauna temperature for benefits. That’s because the most promising results reported by the biggest and best sauna studies in the world have been achieved with sauna temperatures of around 170 F on average (75.9 C to be exact).
Between all the studied groups, there was very little variation in the average sauna temperatures used; they varied from 74.8 C to 77.4 C.
What about the time then; how long should you stay in the sauna? Saunaing for 30 minutes with breaks in between is a good rule of thumb, but if you want even more specific instructions, let’s see what the leading sauna researchers say.
Your heart rate starts to increase most significantly (which is good for healthy individuals) after 15 minutes of saunaing, which means that if you sauna less than that, you’re potentially not getting the most health benefits regarding circulatory health (Laukkanen et al., 2020, p. 34).
The vast sauna study with 2,315 men, monitored for almost two decades, showed that the group that had the least heart issues, saunaed for at least 19 minutes straight per session.
There are no known health benefits you’d only get with significantly hotter sauna temperatures. On the contrary, too hot a sauna is too dry and uncomfortable for most people, and at worst, it’s dangerous and even lethal.
Whenever you go higher in temperature, it always happens at the expense of steam.
As your sauna gets too hot and dry, and you try to make it more humid by throwing water, you do get steam but the sauna room also gets hotter temporarily. This is a problem when your sauna was too hot to begin with.
It’s exactly in these situations that you or anyone you’re saunaing with has to leave the sauna completely as they can’t bear the heat, or go sit on a lower-level bench where it’s cooler.
If you want to exceed the recommended range with an electric heater, you need approximately 30% more electricity to get the heat to 215 F.
That translates to a dry and unpleasant sauna in addition to a higher electricity bill.
What Temperature Is Too Hot for a Sauna & How Hot Sauna Is Safe?
Now that we’ve covered the ideal and normal sauna temperature range above, there are always some daredevils asking how much is too hot for a sauna.
Luckily we have very practical but sad information on this. There’s one group of people who tolerate higher temperatures, and that group consists of sauna competitors.
The last sauna competition ever was held in Finland in 2010. That competition led to serious injuries, two months in a coma for one finalist, and death to another finalist.
In the competitions, sauna temperature was always a minimum of 230 F (110 C), and half a liter of water (16,90 fl oz) was thrown on the rocks every 30 seconds. Even as a mere thought this kind of setting feels painful!
Third-degree burns all over the body were the cause of death for Russian finalist Vladimir Ladyženski. May he rest in peace.
The other finalist who survived, Finnish Timo Kaukonen, had 70% of his skin burnt, his respiratory tract got parched in the heat, and his kidneys stopped functioning.
And get this: the finale lasted only 6 minutes! When saunaing the wrong way, it doesn’t take any longer than that to die or to be on the brink of dying.
To recap, is 240 too hot for a sauna? Yes, without exception. I hope by now it’s clear why excessive heat that’s completely unnecessary in the first place is never a good idea.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Is 200 degrees too hot for a sauna?
Yes, it’s unnecessarily hot, dry, and unpleasant for the majority of people.
Most people who aim for this sauna temperature, thinking it’s the real deal, use saunas incorrectly in the first place. They don’t realize to pour water on the hot sauna rocks to produce steam (löyly) that not only is pleasurable and the whole point of saunaing but also makes the sauna feel hotter.
Since sauna temperatures significantly above 175 F (80 C) aren’t known to offer any extra health benefits, there’s no reason to aim for 200 F, let alone dangerous temperatures such as 220 F.
2. Is 120 degree sauna hot enough?
In Fahrenheit (F) and for a traditional sauna, 120 degrees is not enough, best range being 140-185 F.
But if this sauna temperature was in Celsius degrees, it would be dangerously or even lethally hot (250 F).
3. I’ve tried 170–185 F, but it’s not hot enough for me. What can I do?
If you think a 185-degree sauna isn’t hot enough, it’s likely you’re throwing too little water and maybe also too rarely.
Try pouring 2–4 ladles of water on the hot rocks every 2–3 minutes to see whether you can feel a difference.
When the sauna heater is still on or the fire is still going, and you throw water on the hot rocks, you not only get steam but always get more heat too.
4. What is the best sauna temperature for beginners?
The traditional sauna temperature range of 140-185 F (60-85 C) works well for beginners, too. If you’re nervous about the heat, 140 F is the safest starting point.
The idea that as a beginner, you can’t tolerate heat, and that you should build your stamina over time, is silly. There is no point in ever trying to exceed the average sauna temperature range discussed above.
If you’re completely new to saunaing, you may have doubts and concerns (i.e., mental barriers), but physically you’ll be fine when saunaing correctly; you should never feel a burning sensation or be uncomfortable in any way in a sauna. If you are, it’s best to leave immediately.
5. Wet sauna temperature vs. dry sauna temperature; what is the hottest type of sauna?
Traditional saunas are clearly the hottest, reaching temperatures above 200 F although unnecessary, with infrared heat rooms coming in second (up to 140 F), and steam rooms third (up to 120 F).
Regarding wet and dry sauna temperatures, it’s tricky to answer because of a major misunderstanding: all the degrees given in this article are for traditional saunas that are NEVER dry saunas.
The reason they’re not dry is because of the steam (löyly) that is formed when throwing water on the sauna rocks (= the sole reason for saunaing). Steam obviously doesn’t mean dryness but is the opposite of it.
That’s why it’s actually more accurate to call traditional saunas wet saunas, but since so many people think a wet sauna means a “steam sauna,” really a steam room, this confuses things even further.
Saunas always have a sauna heater, either wood-burning or electric, and sauna rocks on top of which you pour water. A steam room doesn’t meet this definition as it lacks both, a heater and rocks, and has a steam generator boiling water instead.
That’s why a “wet sauna” can never really mean a steam room as it’s not a sauna to begin with.
What about a dry sauna, then? Infrared saunas are the only ones that are truly used dry, but even there the concept of “dry sauna” is problematic as infrared heat rooms are not real saunas.
6. What is the 200 rule for saunas?
This made-up rule means the sum of both heat and humidity for the best sauna experience, and some even claim it’s a Finnish rule.
So, if your sauna had a temperature of 170 F, the humidity would have to be 30% in order for you to achieve the perfect score of 200 (170 + 30 = 200). This is not a terrible suggestion by any means, as the temperature is great and the humidity level is also somewhat realistic.
But since I’m of Finnish origin and bilingual, I can confirm this rule is completely fake. You can’t find any Finnish sources mentioning this or a similar rule.
They use Celsius degrees in Finland, so even if this “rule” was a thing, it wouldn’t be called the 200 rule, but more like the 93 rule or the 100 rule, but like stated, there is no such rule.
Although this rule is fake, we can still assess if it’s any good.
Going by my own sauna sessions, I’d get numbers like 237 (167 F + 70% humidity) and 220 (175 F + 45% humidity). The humidity ranges so much because the relative humidity overall was much higher in the first example.
As humidity varies and rises as you throw water, the rule of 200 isn’t a very useful metric even if you had a value of 200 at some point of your sauna session.
In order to know how humid it is in your sauna, or to be more exact, what levels of humidity you reach when pouring löyly, you need a hygrometer.
But if you’re not interested in turning your sauna sessions into math equations like select tech nerds, you can certainly get by without a hygrometer.
In fact, many saunas don’t have a hygrometer although all have a thermometer. I personally saunaed successfully for over 35 years without one, and only bought a hygrometer for readers’ sake (= so that I can occasionally feature it on this site).
The only thing I like about this fake rule is the acknowledgment of humidity in saunas in general; it helps clear up misconceptions such as labeling traditional saunas as dry saunas.
7. What is the best sauna temperature for weight loss?
None as saunaing isn’t an effective way of losing weight and burns only few calories.
Final Thoughts
Since I included a lot of information above, let’s recap the main points.
What is a good temperature for a sauna? The best sauna temperature range is 140-185 F (60-85 C).
What about the most ideal sauna temp and time?
The most researched sauna temperature for health benefits is around 175 F (80 C). Sauna sessions that last at least 15–19 minutes seem to bring the most benefits.
If you’ve been under the impression that sauna temperatures of 200 to 220 F are optimal or desired, it’s a brilliant idea for both your health and wallet to reduce the temperature significantly, which will also allow you to stay in the sauna for longer for better health benefits.
That, however, doesn’t mean you should aim for 15 minutes or longer even when you feel dizzy or otherwise unwell, which can be the case if you’re very fatigued or had an intense workout before saunaing, for instance.
Listening to your own body is the most important metric every time you go to sauna.
Sources:
Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events
Laukkanen, Tanjaniina, & Laukkanen, Jari (2020). Sauna, keho & mieli. Docendo.
Great articles. You write that “The best sauna temperature range is 140-185 F (60-85 C)”. I am just back from a week in Helsinki, going to a different sauna every day (and two in Tampere also). My favourite is Kotiharjun, a very traditional sauna with a massive wood-fired heater. The temperature on the top bench was 115C. I sat lower down; the very friendly locals told me that was about 100C. The saunas at Rauhaniemi and Rajaportti (the oldest public sauna in Finland) in Tampere were similar. Last year I visited Kalma Saun (1928) in Tallinn; much the same. However you recommend a maximum of 85C!
My background: Barrel sauna in my garden since 2009, made of red cedar and lasting very well. My heater is a Kastor wood-burning stove and thanks to your article, I now know its made by Helo! As you say in your article on barrel saunas, it heats up very effectively. I use a bucket shower to cool down between sessions. All barrel saunas sold here (Ireland) now come with a shingle roof. Back in 2009, no roof cover was supplied so I use a light tarpaulin.
Thanks for your well-educated comment, Donal! It’s interesting to hear from someone living in Ireland where I didn’t stumble on any saunas myself. (There was a time when I lived and worked in Cork, Ireland. I’ve never seen more gray brick walls and dog poop on the streets than I did there. But the greenery was beautiful!)
How nice to come across someone so invested in Finnish sauna tourism that you visited a different sauna every day during your stay. I’m also happy to hear about your own sauna, and that clear improvements have happened with roofing since 2009.
I’m actually very glad you brought up this temperature issue. What you’re describing comes down to specific public saunas vs. most home saunas. Since the absolute majority (95% +) of saunas in Finland are home/private saunas, the conditions in them are far from the best (and few) public saunas. For instance, the sauna stove in Kotiharjun sauna has 1,500 kilos (!) of sauna rocks, and it takes a cubic meter of firewood and about five hours to heat it. The sauna is famous for its soft löyly despite the harsh heat, which is achieved by that gigantic rock mass and the sauna room itself being so large. (Löyly can actually feel much more intense and sting your skin in a 2–3 person sauna that has about 80 C.) Also, in the men’s sauna specifically, the highest bench was added later and meant for those who want extreme heat.
Similarly, Rauhaniemi offers a large and a smaller sauna, the latter being less hot. The few public, wood-burning saunas that have a heat-storing sauna stove (kertalämmitteinen kiuas in Finnish) and that take hours and a ton of wood to heat, practically can’t avoid getting super hot because the temperature is difficult to control. Rajaportti, too, has a heat-storing sauna stove that requires meter-long logs every half hour, for six hours straight. Since wood isn’t added after this (unlike in most wood-burning home saunas), the stove reaches its maximum heat that it then keeps releasing for hours, until it inevitably starts to cool down. This also means you probably don’t sit in 115 C just before closing time, as that would be very poor planning on the business owner’s side.
In short, the fact that the temperature can be as high as 115 C doesn’t mean it’s what it should be, has to be, or that it would be the best temp.
Also, you’ve managed to pick (probably not by accident) the few, most famous, and hottest public saunas that Finland has to offer. What I mean is that most public saunas are far less hot. Had you tried some other, still fairly famous public saunas, in Kuusijärvi or Sipoo, for example, you would’ve experienced much less intense heat. I personally rarely go to public saunas, having several of my own, but I visited Hämeenlinna in spring 2025 and tried three saunas there, all having less or around 80 C. The biggest of them (electrically heated) was still intense since the feeling of hotness and löyly doesn’t fade away like it does in much smaller saunas.
Home saunas, on the other hand, are perfectly ready when they hit around 70 C. That’s when everybody knows it’s a good idea to enter the sauna; starting with less than that wouldn’t be ideal, but when you start with 70 C, the temperature can afford to get higher, which will happen if you’re adding wood (or the electric sauna heater is kept on). Hitting 80 C is still totally fine, but if the temp gets higher than 85 C, that’s just unnecessarily high, which almost everybody knows and agrees on (people themselves, sauna manufacturers, and health sources). It’s not that 85 C + is too much to bear, but it just doesn’t give you any added benefit. It only costs you more in fuel.
Finns know that if you truly prefer a hotter sauna environment, it can be achieved with more löyly pouring, not by increasing the temperature, which isn’t wise and only makes the air drier and makes it more difficult to breathe. For a truly hot sauna, as long as you keep the stones hot and have a max. of 80–85 C, you can keep pouring water, and get intense heat and löyly for as long as you like. This is always true if your sauna heater is big and effective enough. It may be that some of the people who think 85 C isn’t enough, don’t have a sauna heater that allows them to pour enough löyly to bring that intense heat they’re after. With an amazing sauna stove, such as IKI, you can actually have the temperature surprisingly low (50–60 C) and still enjoy intense heat and löyly that feel everlasting. That can’t be achieved with almost any other commercially available heater. It’s this exact principle (temp vs. löyly for heat) that so many people, especially in North America, don’t get.
There, of course, are few Finns that actually enjoy extreme heat (both in temperature and plenty of löyly pouring), but they certainly are a small minority. Usually they’re men, many of whom have bigger bodies (not because of muscle but mainly fat), which means they also have more “padding,” allowing them to tolerate extreme heat better.
Finally, the decades-long Finnish sauna studies (by Laukkanen & Laukkanen) with thousands of participants show that people sauna in slightly less than 80 C. That’s also the temperature where all the health benefits were achieved, not in 115 C!
All in all, it simply wouldn’t be accurate for me to say that the ideal or best sauna temperature is 115 C when the reality is so different. The experiences that saunas like Kotiharju and Rajaportti offer are very unique and special, and for many, they would lose their appeal if they suddenly became “normal” saunas. Like any attractions, they have to offer that something little extra.
I’m glad you’ve been happy with your Kastor stove (it really is a good brand) and hope you haven’t required 115 C from it! 😅