A Good Rule of Thumb: For new sauna users, spending 10-15 minutes per round with cool-downs in between (important) is recommended.

Your first round might be longer, especially if you start with a cold body temperature. That first sweat can take 10-15 minutes.

Consider 2-3 rounds with cold plunges in between to maximize health benefits.

The evidence for maximising the metabolic benefits suggests starting in the hot and ending in the cold and then reheating naturally.

If you’re in good cardiovascular and metabolic shape, going from a hot sauna into extremely cold water isn’t something your body struggles with.

However, we always recommend checking with a knowledgeable medical professional first before you expose your body to new stressors, especially if you have any underlying health conditions

If you suffer from high blood pressure, cold plunging may not be a good idea because the cold water causes your blood vessels to constrict, thus temporarily causing a further increase in blood pressure.

As a result, sauna bathing might be the better option for you because it causes your blood vessels to dilate, thus resulting in a temporary reduction in blood pressure. Either way, we recommend talking to your doctor before starting a new wellness regime.

Based on research from metabolic scientist Susanna Søberg, 11 minutes or more of cold exposure and 57 minutes or more of sauna bathing per week gives you the most benefits (see our health benefits page!)