Do saunas help you lose weight?

If you enjoy relaxing in the heat, you may love the Finnish wellness practice of dry sauna bathing. And while there are real health benefits of sauna bathing (meaning sitting in a small room where there is dry heat), you may also wonder: Do saunas help you lose weight? Below, we’ll explore saunas’ weight loss potential (both in the short- and long-term), risks, safety tips, other actually proven weight loss strategies, and more. 

Unfortunately, not really. While saunas do appear to help you lose a minimal amount of water weight temporarily, saunas offer few long-term weight loss benefits. Here’s what the research shows: 

Saunas put your body under thermal stress

When you’re in a high-heat environment, your body has to work harder to keep your core temperature regulated. Sauna bathing triggers sweating, your body’s main cooling mechanism, and it increases your heart rate, which improves blood flow. This process may slightly bump up your calorie burn. 

One small study showed that men with overweight burned between 73 to 134 calories in 10 minutes of sauna usage. The number of calories your body burns will depend on a range of factors, but this study concluded that people with a higher body mass, and more body fat and muscle tend to expend more calories in a sauna. 

In addition to increasing sweating, sauna-related calorie burn could be related to the rise in heart rate. Heart rate is influenced by how long you stay in the sauna, your age, sex, and physical fitness.

Is this form of minimal calorie-burn a good long-term solution for weight loss? Unlikely. 

Saunas encourage you to lose water weight

Due to the heat-related sweat response, your body loses fluid when in a sauna, which can be reflected on the scale as weight loss. Essentially this is a state of being dehydrated. The men in the previously mentioned study lost about 1.4 pounds after 40 total minutes in the sauna due to sweat. However, since this is water weight loss, it is a temporary effect. Once you rehydrate, you’ll replenish the lost fluids, and you can expect your weight to rebound.

Saunas may reduce stress

While saunas may not directly help much with long-term weight loss, stress reduction is one indirect way they could help with the overall picture. 

If sitting in the heat is something you enjoy, time in a sauna can help you relax and can act as a wonderful buffer to stress. Increased stress triggers the production of cortisol, a hormone that can promote increased appetite and storage of excess fat in the belly. Decreasing stress may then help trim abdominal fat, leading to weight loss. And practicing stress management has been shown to help reduce BMI. What’s more, stress has an effect on what you eat, and a reduction in stress can help you stick to a healthy, balanced diet.

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Overall, sauna bathing is largely considered safe for most people, especially for those who don’t have issues with their heart health. However, there are a few risks to keep in mind:

Dehydration

If you sweat more than you sip, you can be at risk for dehydration. Along with water loss, you also lose electrolytes (like sodium and potassium) when you sweat, which are essential for normal muscle and nerve function. Symptoms of dehydration include:

• Increased thirst

• Dry mouth

• Weakness or fatigue

• Decrease in urination (or dark-colored urine)

• Dizziness or lightheadedness 

• Muscle weakness or cramps

• Heart palpitations

• Confusion or difficulty concentrating

• Irritability

Hyperthermia

One complication that can sometimes go along with dehydration is hyperthermia, a condition also known as heat illness, or a dangerously elevated core body temperature. The effects of hyperthermia can range from heat exhaustion to heat stroke, a dangerous condition that impairs your nervous system, causing confusion, loss of muscle control, delirium, or even seizures.

Alcohol use 

Yes, sometimes we like to pair one de-stressing activity with another. However, avoid drinking alcohol inside a sauna, as imbibing in a sauna can increase the risk of low blood pressure (which can cause fainting), abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), and sudden death, especially if you have pre-existing cardiovascular disease. 

Saunas are not safe for everyone. Avoid sauna bathing if you have:

• Unstable angina

• Experienced a recent heart attack

• Severe aortic stenosis

In addition, if you are prone to orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure upon standing), you should be cautious about getting into a sauna, as the heat may increase your risk of fainting.  

If you have a history of cardiovascular disease, sauna use might still be safe for you (and some studies even suggest potential benefits for heart health), but you should check with your healthcare provider before stepping into one.

This list is not comprehensive. Always speak to your healthcare provider before making any significant changes to your routine.

If you’re interested in adding sauna use to your weight loss routine, ideally alongside a balanced diet, regular exercise, and other healthy lifestyle habits, here’s how to stay safe while doing it:

Consult your healthcare provider  

If you have any questions about whether you should be using a sauna, check with your healthcare provider, especially if you have a heart condition. Your provider may give you safe parameters for using a sauna, such as duration, temperature, and frequency.

Hydrate

Prevent dehydration by drinking fluids before, during, and after the sauna. You can even bring a water bottle into the sauna with you (or ask if the facility offers fillable paper cups) to easily sip while you sauna.

Limit your time

Studies have used 10 minutes as a starting point for sauna use, even for people who didn’t regularly use a sauna. Research participants also took regular breaks while using the sauna to allow themselves to cool down. (For example, being in the sauna for 10 minutes, followed by a five-minute break). If you’re feeling faint or having sensations of heart racing, it’s definitely time to get out — but taking regular breaks and staying hydrated should prevent you from ever reaching that point.

Avoid alcohol use

It’s worth repeating: Due to the dangers associated with drinking alcohol in a high-heat environment like a sauna, be sure to go into a sauna sober and never drink alcohol while relaxing in a sauna. 

If you’re going to pair your sauna usage with a workout, it’s better to exercise first, then go sit in a sauna. 

While there isn’t research comparing calorie burn or weight loss between pre- or post-exercise sauna sessions, there is a risk of dehydration in a sauna, and dehydration has been shown to decrease physical performance. In a state of dehydration, you may find it more difficult to push through a workout, and subpar exercise sessions could impact your ability to manage your weight. 

Last thing: There is some evidence that the physiological stress from sauna bathing may interfere with recovery in competitive athletes — if that’s you, you may want to rethink adding sauna sessions into your routine.

Given that sauna bathing isn’t an evidence-based weight loss method, you’d be better off focusing on approaches known to work. Strategies for safe, effective weight loss include the following:

• Reduce calories: There are many types of diets that can be effective for weight loss — and there’s no one “perfect” diet — but the most important factor is maintaining a calorie deficit. 

• Get moving: Physical activity is the perfect complement to following a healthy, balanced diet. Research suggests that as little as 30 minutes per week of aerobic exercise could be effective in reducing weight and body fat in those with overweight or obesity. That said, the researchers (and most experts) recommend 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise for the best results.

• Prioritize sleep: Believe it or not, one of the best things you can do for your weight is get a good night’s rest. People who said that their sleep quality was good on average were 33% more likely to be successful in weight loss. Aim for at least seven hours per night — the number linked to more weight loss success.

• Consider weight loss medications: Weight loss medications like Wegovy, Zepbound, Xenical, Alli, phentermine, Qsymia, or Contrave have all been shown to promote weight loss. These medications are not right for everyone, so ask your healthcare provider if you’re a good candidate, and which drug might be right for you. Have a thorough discussion of the risks and benefits before making a decision.

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Going into a sauna can be a really nice way to relax and reduce stress. Spending time in the heat can also be a beneficial source of physiological stress that causes your body to work harder to keep itself cool. But does that mean spending time in a sauna leads to weight loss? Unfortunately, it probably isn’t an effective weight loss strategy.

• Saunas increase sweating, which can help you lose water weight. However, this effect is temporary: Once you rehydrate and replenish lost fluids, your weight will go back to baseline. 

• Due to increases in heart rate, you may burn a few calories in a sauna, though research has not linked that to meaningful weight loss over time. 

• For most people, sauna bathing is a healthy, safe activity, but it’s not right for everyone. If you have a history of a heart condition or are concerned whether a sauna is safe for you, get the go-ahead from your healthcare provider before starting. 

• Make sure to stay hydrated by drinking water before, during, and after your sauna session. Leave if you start to feel lightheaded. Avoid alcohol use in a sauna.

• Habits that promote healthy weight management include following a calorie-deficit diet, getting regular physical activity, and getting at least seven hours of high-quality sleep. Weight loss medications can help, too, if appropriate for you.