Sauna temperature and loyly: how to sauna well

Short answer: heat the sauna to 70 to 90 °C, wait until the heater stones are fully heated through, and build the session up in rounds of 8 to 15 minutes with cooling down and rest in between. Pour small ladles of water onto the stones (optionally with a few drops of sauna fragrance mixed into the water), never pure oil. And remember the golden rule: the best sauna session is the one where you step outside in time.

Temperature: where you sit determines what you feel

Hot air rises, so the temperature in the cabin is layered: it is hottest on the top bench, tens of degrees milder on the lower bench, and relatively cool near the floor. That is why sauna temperature is always measured at seat height on the top bench.

• Beginners: start around 70 °C on the middle or lower bench.
• Experienced sauna-goers: 80 to 90 °C on the top bench.
• With children or a mixed group: keep the heater lower and use the height difference: everyone chooses their own climate.

Let the sauna come fully up to temperature before entering. Not just the air, but also the stones and wood need to be heated through; only then do you get the soft radiant heat and good loyly steam. How to maintain the heater and stones is covered in sauna heater and sauna stones maintenance.

Loyly: the ritual of pouring water

Loyly (Finnish for the steam from pouring water on hot stones) is the act of ladling water onto the hot stones. The evaporating wave raises the humidity and, with it, the perceived temperature, without the air temperature actually rising much. Here is how to do it well:

1. Fill the bucket with clean water and optionally mix in a few drops of sauna fragrance. Never pour pure (essential) oil onto the stones: it can spatter, catch fire and damage the stones.
2. Pour one small ladle (roughly half a cup) evenly over the stones.
3. Wait a few seconds: the wave of steam arrives with a delay and moves down from the ceiling.
4. Repeat two to three times, to suit everyone in the cabin. Ask first; pouring water is not something you do unasked in company.

Small amounts are the secret. Half a litre at once makes the stones wet and cold instead of producing steam.

The complete session schedule

Bring a towel for every round that is large enough to sit or lie on entirely: it is more hygienic and protects the wood from sweat.

Cooling down: just as important as the heat

The contrast between hot and cold completes the sauna ritual. Build it up gently:

• Start with a few minutes of outdoor air and calm breathing.
• Then shower cold, starting from the feet upwards towards the heart, not directly on the chest.
• The coldest step is a cold plunge tub: 30 to 90 seconds is enough for the full effect.
• End every round with real rest. Jumping straight from the sauna into cold water and back into the heat skips the recovery the body benefits from.

What to avoid

• Alcohol before or during a sauna session: it widens the blood vessels and masks warning signs.
• Sauna sessions straight after a heavy meal or intense exercise: give your body an hour first.
• Pushing through dizziness: go outside immediately, cool down while seated and drink water.
• Contact lenses and jewellery: metal gets hot and lenses dry out; remove them beforehand.

Maintenance that shapes the experience

Two things quietly determine how your sauna feels. Ventilation: keep the air inlet low near the heater and the outlet high on the opposite wall slightly open, so fresh air keeps flowing through. And the heater stones: stack them loosely so air can pass through, and check them annually. Crumbling or saturated stones give a flat, stuffy heat; replace them when they do.