What Do You Wear in a Sauna?

By Heat Master

What Do You Wear in a Sauna

The aim of a sauna is to enhance not only a person’s physical wellbeing but also his emotional state as well. All of these is achieved through a natural and safe method and results in an overall feeling of wellness.

A sauna can help you unwind and relax as well as provide you with other health benefits. If you are new to this activity though, and you are wondering what do you wear in a sauna, then we’ve got you covered.

Here, we are not only going to talk about the proper attire when going to a sauna spa but also some other things you need to know before your first-ever sauna session.

First Things First: Check in With Your Sauna

Our bodies are wonderful and amazing, and we have to do everything we can to keep them in good working order. Many people, when they feel sluggish, tired, irritable, and have aching joints and muscles, are inclined to think that it is better and easier to pop a pill, ignoring the potential side effects.

If you’re not one for popping pills every time you feel something, then a sauna is perfect for you. This can be achieved by either buying a personal sauna or going to a sauna shop. If you decide to do the latter, then you should know what the sauna dress code is.

In order to put your mind at ease, it may be a good idea to check with your sauna shop and ask them their rules with regards to the dress code. Some people like to go the authentic way and go full-on nude, while others feel uncomfortable doing so.

In most saunas, you can enjoy a wonderful spa experience by wearing a bathing costume or a towel. Then again, you can also choose to go fully or partially naked. The key is really about finding out which route is comfortable for you.

Nevertheless, you have to remember that it is important for spa resorts that their guests feel welcome and relaxed. After all, spa treatments are all about feeling comfortable and relaxed. Thus, never be embarrassed about wanting to wear what you want to wear—or not wear.

What Do You Wear in a Sauna?

Wherever you are in the world, you will find that the sauna dress code is set up quite differently. For instance, what is the norm in Germany is very different to what people do in Turkey, Sweden, the USA, and Hungary. There are countries that are known to offer a shared sauna experience wherein the sexes are together, while there are also some that prefer to have them separated.

The idea of going to a sauna is to sweat and clear the pores, and this can only be achieved when the pores and exposed to open way. This is why, in countries like Germany and Scandinavia, nudity in a sauna is considered the correct way to do it.

On the other hand, other countries such as the UK and Spain, do not allow nudity in their mixed-sex saunas. For those who are based in the United States though, it is required that swimwear is worn in these coed saunas.

Many people going into mixed-gender saunas bring a light cotton sarong with them, which they use to cover themselves with. Certainly, however, when the etiquette of the sauna is nudity, then it is best to adhere to their rules. After all, not conforming would be considered bad form.

Why Do You Need a Towel?

To enjoy all that a sauna offers, you want to go dressed correctly. You also need to bear in mind that a public sauna is a space shared by a number of people so you want to protect yourself from germs and bacteria. It is why you can take along a small, dry towel with you to sit on. You also have the choice to wrap a towel around you.

If the idea of a public sauna doesn’t appeal to you, you can buy your own private home sauna—a portable infrared sauna, which comes with everything you need to sauna bathe at home and the way you like.

Make Sure Your Bathwear Is Sauna-Appropriate

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of going nude in the sauna, don’t let it put you off from enjoying its benefits. It is fine to sit in your swimsuit. True, the idea is to wear as little clothing as possible, but a swimsuit will suffice.

Saunas can get hot so make sure your bathing suit doesn’t have any metal fasteners as this will get piping hot and burn you. You’ll still want a towel to sit on for comfort and cleanliness when opting to wear a swimsuit.

Also, when it comes to watches and jewelry, most saunas will provide a locker, so you can safely store your personal items while you enjoy the treatments and other facilities.

Forgetting about the kind of people you meet in saunas, the dry or wet heat sessions offered in the sauna have some wonderful therapeutic benefits, promoting sweating and cleansing and bringing about a sense of relaxation and wellbeing.

Other General Tips

  • Don’t ever wear tight fitting clothes as the skin needs to breathe.
  • Don’t wear dirty clothes as the heat loosens the dirt, releasing it onto your skin.
  • No shoes in the sauna, although slippers and flipflops are always a good idea. The sauna may well provide you with a cheap pair as a complimentary gesture, but otherwise, bring along your own. Flipflops are a safe, comfortable, practical choice.

Final Thoughts

So what do you wear in a sauna then to benefit from it in a meaningful way? Nothing, a towel, or a bathing costume? There are essentially no serious rules when it comes to visiting a sauna, and the way it is done depends essentially on the country you’re in and the particular sauna.

It is important not be hung up or bogged down by what to wear. It certainly won’t do you any good to sit starkers if you feel ill at ease and tensed; it defeats the whole purpose of relaxation. The idea is to relax, enjoy a couple of drinks and simply to revel in the experience of having a cleansed body and mind.