What to bring
Genuinely not much. Most regulars travel light:
- Two clean towels — one to sit on, one to dry off. (We rent extras at the desk.)
- Sandals or flip-flops for the locker rooms and showers.
- A bottle of water. Plain water beats anything with sugar.
- Optional: swimwear, a clean change of clothes, a book for the cool-down room.
Leave at home: heavy cosmetics, jewelry, watches, and most of the worries you brought to work today.
The seven-step session
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Arrive a few minutes early
Give yourself ten minutes at the desk. We'll show you the locker rooms, where the showers are, and which sauna is open at this hour. Pay attention to the door signs — some sessions are mixed, some are single-sex, and the schedule changes through the week.
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Shower first — properly
A warm shower with soap, head to toe, before you set foot in the sauna. This is non-negotiable: it's hygienic for the people sharing the room with you, and your body responds far better to heat when your skin is clean and damp.
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Settle on the bench
Spread your sit-towel across the bench so no part of your skin touches the wood directly. The lower benches are noticeably cooler than the upper ones; if you're unsure, start on the lower bench. You can always climb up later. Sit or recline — whichever your body prefers — and breathe through your nose, slowly.
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Stay 8 to 15 minutes — listen to your body
The first round is shorter than you'd expect. Your body needs to warm up, not roast. Most newcomers do well at 8–10 minutes the first time. The signal to leave is when the heat tips from pleasant to I'd rather be elsewhere. Trust that signal.
Rule of thumb If your face flushes deep red, your heart starts pounding noticeably, or you feel light-headed — leave. Now. There's no prize for staying longer. -
Cool down — the part nobody warns you about
The cool-down is half the experience. Step out, walk slowly, and rinse off under a cool (not freezing) shower for thirty seconds or so. Sit in the cool-down room. Sip water. The point isn't to shock yourself — it's to let your body finish what it started.
Cold plunges are wonderful if you've done them before. If you haven't, save them for your second or third visit.
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Do another round, if you feel like it
Two rounds is the standard rhythm. Three is fine. Four starts to be too much for most people. Each round can be a little longer than the last, but only if you genuinely feel up to it. The cool-down between rounds should be at least as long as the round itself.
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Finish slowly
Final shower, dress unhurriedly, sit down with a glass of water or tea. Don't rush back into traffic. Most people feel a calm, slightly sleepy glow for an hour or two afterwards — it's the best part. Plan a quiet evening if you can.
How hot is too hot?
A typical Finnish-style sauna runs at 70–90 °C (160–195 °F) at bench level, with humidity that rises sharply when water is poured on the stones. That sounds extreme on paper. In practice, the dry heat and your sit-towel make it surprisingly comfortable — for the right length of time.
You don't control the temperature. You control how long you stay. That's the whole game.
Common first-time questions
Do I have to be naked?
It depends on the session. Mixed sessions allow swimwear; single-sex sessions are typically nude under the towel, in line with traditional practice. The door sign will be clear. Either way, your sit-towel goes between you and the bench.
Can I bring my phone in?
Please don't. The heat shortens its life, and the rest of us came here for quiet.
Will I overheat if I have a glass of wine first?
Yes, and the consequences range from "uncomfortable" to "dangerous." Save the drink for after, with food.
Can I go every day?
Plenty of regulars do. Two or three sessions a week is a comfortable starting rhythm. More is fine if your body handles it well — see the safety page.