Anyone going to the sauna for the first time usually asks the same thing: what do I need to bear in mind, and how long can I stay? The good news: the most important sauna rules are quickly explained. Shower beforehand, sit on a towel, don't stay too long, then cool down and rest.

This article summarises what experts and health insurers recommend, including statements from the circle of the Deutscher Sauna-Bund. There is no fixed rule on duration and frequency, and the sources give slightly different ranges. The figures are therefore each given with their source. The text is no substitute for medical advice.

Photo: Basile Morin /Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The most important sauna rules at a glance

If you keep to these points, you will hardly go wrong as a beginner:

Not on a full stomach, but not hungry either: A heavy meal before your sauna session is unhelpful; a light snack is fine.
Shower beforehand and dry off well: This is part of good hygiene and helps the body to sweat.
Always sit or lie on a towel: Sweat should not get onto the wood. This applies to your feet as well.
No swimwear in the traditional sauna: In Germany it is not customary, for hygiene reasons. Textile saunas are an exception.
Keep quiet: Speak quietly in the cabin. Eating and drinking are taboo there.
Leave when it becomes uncomfortable: An hourglass is no yardstick, but your body is.
Cool down, rest, drink: First fresh air, then water, then a break with water or tea.
No alcohol: Neither beforehand nor during the breaks.

Before your sauna session: showers, towels, clothing

Showers and towels

Shower with soap before your sauna session and then dry yourself. This is the advice given in the Apotheken Umschau sauna master Olaf Wimmer, trainer and lecturer at the Deutscher Sauna-Bund. According to the article, the water should be neither very hot nor very cold. The same article contains the mnemonic “No sweat on the wood”.

Two large towels are practical: one to sit on, one for drying yourself and wrapping up. The SRF gives as a rule of thumb that your whole body, including your feet, should be on the towel. In the steam room, the expert interviewed there, Rolf Piper of the Deutscher Saunabund, recommends a towel of your own to sit on, because the wet tiles can harbour germs.

Naked or in swimwear?

In German saunas, swimwear is not customary for hygiene reasons, according to Apotheken Umschau. According to Olaf Wimmer, anyone who feels uncomfortable may wrap a towel around themselves. An alternative is textile saunas, where swimwear is expressly permitted. You can read more in the article on the Textile sauna in the Black Forest.

Eating and drinking before the sauna

A heavy meal puts a strain on the circulation, because the body needs blood for digestion. But you should not start completely hungry either; a light snack is recommended. This is reported by Apotheken Umschau. You should avoid alcohol: BARMER advises against it before and during sauna bathing.

Sauna session: how long and how often?

The question “how long should a sauna session last?” cannot be answered with a single figure. The overview below shows what various sources state:

Source	Duration per sauna session	Sauna sessions per visit	Visits
BARMER (as of February 2026)	about 5 to 20 minutes, ideally 8 to 15 minutes	usually 2 to 3	no fixed figure
Apotheken Umschau (December 2024)	no fixed time; according to Prof. Karl-Ludwig Resch (Vice-President of the Verband Deutscher Badeärzte): “Hands off the hourglass”	2 to 3 sensible	according to Resch, twice a week is the minimum, three times “great”
fitbook with information from the Deutscher Sauna-Bund	at least 6, better 8 to 10, at most 15 minutes	3 to 4	1 to 2 per week (Finnish sauna)
SRF with Rolf Piper (Deutscher Saunabund)	15 minutes is enough; he himself usually stays about 8 minutes	3	for a wellness effect one visit a month, for a health effect weekly to fortnightly

From these figures, beginners can conclude: around 8 to 10 minutes per session and two to three sessions fall within the range where the sources overlap. According to the fitbook article, a fourth round brings no additional health benefit and can be an overload for the inexperienced. More important than the clock is how you feel on the day: after poor sleep or alcohol the evening before, you will tolerate less heat.

Listen to your body

Leave the cabin as soon as the heat is no longer pleasant. Beginners are better off staying on the lower or middle bench; the air is hottest on the upper one (fitbook). If you have been lying down in the sauna, sit up for about two minutes before leaving and move your legs. BARMER and fitbook recommend this to avoid dizziness. The SRF expert names getting up too quickly as the main danger, because the blood can pool in the legs.

Photo: Wellnesshotel Sonnenhof & Sonnhalde

Cooling down and resting after the sauna session

After the sauna session comes cooling down. BARMER recommends going out into the fresh air first and then cooling down with water. It does not have to be ice cold. In the BARMER article, the cardiologist Prof. Schmermund describes ice-cold cooling as a considerable strain on the circulation.

Citing the Deutscher Sauna-Bund, fitbook gives a water temperature of about 10 to 12 degrees; sensitive people can go up to about 15 degrees. A Kneipp hose is recommended, starting at the right foot, that is, far from the heart. According to this article, anyone with high blood pressure should skip the cold plunge pool. The SRF also advises moving around while cooling down outdoors rather than standing still in the cold.

Rest follows. According to Apotheken Umschau, you should rest for 30 to 45 minutes before the next round and drink while doing so. Water is enough; according to Prof. Resch, an isotonic drink is not necessary. The SRF expert Rolf Piper, by contrast, considers the breaks to be individual: after cooling down well, rest is not strictly necessary, but is certainly worthwhile for a sense of well-being. You can read how to combine sauna and Kneipp treatments sensibly in the article on Kneippen.

Behaviour in the sauna: a little etiquette

Quiet: Conversations are kept quiet, or left out altogether (Apotheken Umschau, Olaf Wimmer).
Take nothing into the cabin: Eating and drinking are taboo there, and plastic bottles should stay outside (Apotheken Umschau).
Aufguss: In public saunas, only the staff carry out Aufguss sessions. Overdoing it can lead to flash fires or allergic reactions (SRF). The article below explains how an Aufguss works Sauna Aufguss: types, procedure and etiquette.

Who should seek medical advice beforehand

The BARMER names the following groups, who should avoid the sauna or have it medically checked beforehand:

People with acute infections, fever or acute inflammation
People with low blood pressure, because there is a risk of fainting
Pregnant women should speak to their gynaecologist beforehand
People with certain heart conditions, such as recurring angina pectoris, a recent heart attack, uncontrolled high blood pressure or unstable heart failure

If in doubt: ask your GP before your first visit to the sauna. The article below provides information on the possible health effects of the sauna Is sauna healthy?.

Sauna at the Wellnesshotel Sonnenhof & Sonnhalde

We are as happy to welcome beginners as experienced sauna-goers. In our spa area in Ühlingen-Birkendorf, three saunas are available to you:

Panoramic sauna with forest views (Finnish sauna), 12:00 to 20:00
Garden sauna (swimwear allowed), 14:00 to 20:00
Herbal steam sauna (bio sauna), 16:00 to 20:00

Photo: Wellnesshotel Sonnenhof & Sonnhalde

For resting, there is the relaxation room “Garden” with infrared and deluxe relaxation loungers, and the relaxation room “Waldblick” with deluxe relaxation loungers. Outside, the sunbathing lawns “Garden” and “Waldblick” are inviting, and there are also two wellness tea stations and a Kneipp water-treading pool. The spa area is open daily from 9:00 to 20:00. The sauna is open to guests aged 16 and over.

Anyone coming without an overnight stay can book the Day spa for day guests from €29.90. You will find more about our offer under Sauna landscape in the Black Forest. If you would like to stay a few days with us, it is best to book directly through our Book page.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a beginner stay in the sauna?

The sources' figures overlap at about 8 to 10 minutes per session. BARMER gives 8 to 15 minutes as ideal, and fitbook, referring to the Deutscher Sauna-Bund, at least 6 and at most 15 minutes. Leave earlier if it becomes uncomfortable.

How many times a week can you go to the sauna?

Here too the recommendations differ: citing the Deutscher Sauna-Bund, fitbook gives one to two visits a week. Prof. Karl-Ludwig Resch sees two visits a week as the minimum and three as ideal. If you are just starting out, you can begin with one visit a week and pay attention to your own body.

Do you have to be naked in the sauna?

In traditional German saunas, swimwear is not customary for hygiene reasons. If you feel uncomfortable, you can wrap a towel around yourself. In textile saunas, on the other hand, swimwear is intended.

What do you drink between sauna sessions?

Water is enough. According to Prof. Resch, an isotonic drink is not necessary with normal sweating. Alcohol is taboo during the breaks.

When should you not go to the sauna?

Caution is advised in the case of fever, acute infections, low blood pressure and certain heart conditions. Pregnant women should speak to their doctor beforehand (BARMER). This article is no substitute for medical advice.

Sources

BARMER: Sauna – How healthy is it really? (updated 17 February 2026): duration, sessions, cooling down, contraindications
Apotheken Umschau (dpa): Sweating properly – how to avoid sauna faux pas (6 December 2024): etiquette, breaks, hygiene, clothing
fitbook: Sauna bathing the right way (2024, last changed 2 October 2025): information from the Deutscher Sauna-Bund on duration, sessions and cooling down
SRF Wissen: Sauna bathing the right way – tips for health and well-being: statements by Rolf Piper (Deutscher Saunabund)

Sauna rules for beginners: how often, how long and what to wear?

The most important sauna rules at a glance