Can you use a sauna for weight loss? Only in a narrow sense. The number on the scale usually drops after a session, but that drop is mostly sweat, and it comes back once you drink and eat normally. Your heart rate rises in the heat, so you do burn some extra energy, but the research on calories is small and the evidence that sauna use alone reduces body fat is limited. A sauna can be a pleasant, relaxing part of a healthy routine built on food and exercise. It is not a fat loss tool, and it should never be used to cut weight fast.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting sauna sessions, especially if you have a health condition, take medication or are pregnant.
Sauna for weight loss: what changes after one session
Heat makes your body work to cool itself down: you sweat and your heart beats faster. That is where both the “weight loss” and the calorie claims come from. Here is how each one holds up.
| What changes | What sources say | Does it last? |
|---|---|---|
| Scale weight (water) | Harvard Health says the average person sweats about a pint during a short sauna stint. A 2024 study measured average drops of 0.14 kg and 0.3 kg after 20 minute sessions. | No. It is fluid, and you need to replace it. |
| Calories burned | The same study estimated about 119 kcal at 80 C and about 186 kcal at 120 C over 20 minutes, using heart rate monitors. | Modest, and estimated indirectly in one small group. |
| Body fat | We found no reputable source showing sauna use alone reduces body fat. | Evidence is limited. |
| Heart rate | Harvard Health says pulse can jump by 30 percent or more. | Returns to normal as you cool down. |
Water weight: why the sauna scale drop comes back
Sweat is mostly water. Lose a pint and the scale shows it; drink afterward (which you should) and the weight returns. The goal after a session is to replace the fluid, not to keep the lower number.
Harvard Health’s guide to saunas and your health advises drinking two to four glasses of cool water after each sauna, staying in no more than 15 to 20 minutes in a traditional sauna, and avoiding alcohol and medications that may impair sweating and produce overheating. Cleveland Clinic’s article on infrared sauna benefits adds that sweat can lower your body’s fluid levels, recommends bringing water in with you, and says sports drinks with electrolytes may also be a good option.
Why a sauna is not a weight cutting tool
Sitting in heat to drop pounds before a weigh in or event works only by dehydrating you, stacking heat stress on top of fluid loss. If you compete in a weight class sport, follow your doctor and your sport’s medical staff, not a sauna timer.
Calories burned in sauna sessions: what one study found
Solid calorie numbers are hard to find; most figures online come from calculators or sellers. The best example we could open is a peer reviewed study by Podstawski and colleagues in Frontiers in Public Health (January 2024):
- 22 young women who had used a sauna only one to three times before.
- Two 20 minute dry sauna sessions a week apart, one at 80 C (176 F) and one at 120 C (248 F).
- Energy expenditure was estimated indirectly with heart rate monitors: about 119 kcal at 80 C and about 186 kcal at 120 C.
- Average body mass dropped by 0.14 kg (about 0.3 lb) and 0.3 kg (about 0.66 lb).
- At 120 C, three of the 22 women fainted near the end of the session. The authors recommended 80 C for occasional users and called 120 C excessive.
The group was small and all young women, and the estimate came from heart rate, not direct measurement. The rooms were also far hotter than a home infrared cabin, which typically tops out around 149 F. The numbers do not transfer neatly to infrared, and they are not a reason to turn up the heat.
Does sauna burn fat?
Not in any way the research has shown. Burning a little extra energy while your heart works harder is different from losing body fat over time, which depends on your overall diet and activity. Our review of infrared sauna benefits sorts the common claims by strength of evidence, and the weight loss and “detox” claims came out weak.
Using a sauna alongside exercise and diet
If your real goal is fat loss, your food and movement do the heavy lifting. A sauna fits around them:
- After training, not instead of it. Cool down and drink water first. Our guide on whether to use a sauna before or after a workout covers the timing in detail.
- Short and moderate. Longer and hotter is not better for weight. See how long to stay in an infrared sauna for session length by experience level.
- Weigh yourself at a consistent time, not right after a session.
Who should avoid the sauna or ask a doctor first
- Pregnancy: Cleveland Clinic, citing ACOG, says sauna use, especially early in pregnancy, can be harmful to the fetus. It also advises caution when trying to conceive.
- Heart conditions and blood pressure: Harvard Health says people with uncontrolled high blood pressure and heart disease should check with their doctors before taking a sauna.
- Alcohol: both Harvard Health and Cleveland Clinic say to avoid it when using a sauna.
- Illness and other conditions: skip the sauna when you are sick. Cleveland Clinic says people with multiple sclerosis should use saunas cautiously, and anyone with a pre-existing condition should check with a healthcare provider first.
Leave right away if you feel dizzy, confused or nauseated.
Home saunas we carry
If you want a sauna for relaxation as part of a healthy routine, here are a few options. Specs and prices come from our listings; any health claims in listings are the manufacturer’s.
| Model | Type | Seats | Listed heat | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hemlock two person far infrared indoor sauna | Far infrared, hemlock | 2 | 1,500 W, 5 heaters, max 65 C (149 F) | $1,561.99 |
| One person infrared sauna with red light lamp | Far and near infrared | 1 | 1,170 W, 7 carbon panels, max 65 C (149 F) | $1,714.99 |
| Fiji 2 person carbon far infrared sauna | Carbon far infrared, hemlock | 2 | 2,020 W, up to 149 F | $2,859.99 |
| Vanity Art extendable far infrared sauna VAS01 | Carbon far infrared, hemlock | 1 | 6 carbon heaters, 68 to 149 F, 120 V | $4,494.80 |
| Dundalk CT Harmony 4 person barrel sauna | Outdoor barrel, Eastern White Cedar | 2 to 4 | Heater not listed | $5,555.16 |
| Dundalk CT Elation 4 person barrel sauna | Outdoor barrel, Eastern White Cedar | 2 to 4 | Wood or electric heater, sold separately | $6,976.00 |
The Fiji timer goes up to 90 minutes; that is a device limit, not a recommendation. The Dundalk barrels are traditional outdoor saunas, and the Elation listing gives a warm up time of about 30 to 40 minutes. Browse more from Dundalk LeisureCraft, and use our home sauna buying guide for sizing, placement and power. A licensed electrician and your local code have the final word on wiring.
Frequently asked questions
How much weight do you lose in a sauna?
Usually a small amount, nearly all of it water. In the 2024 study above, average losses were 0.14 kg and 0.3 kg. Drink to replace it.
How many calories are burned in a sauna?
Evidence is limited. One small study estimated about 119 kcal in 20 minutes at 80 C from heart rate. Home infrared cabins run much cooler, so that figure may not apply.
Does sauna burn fat?
We found no reputable evidence that sauna use alone reduces body fat. Diet and exercise drive fat loss; a sauna can be a relaxing extra.
Is infrared or traditional sauna better for weight loss?
Neither has been shown to cause meaningful fat loss. Our guide to what temperature a sauna should be explains the heat ranges.
Questions about choosing a home sauna? Call The Everything Depot at 866-777-2590, Monday to Friday, 9AM to 6PM PST. Orders of $999 or more ship free by freight, and orders below that ship for a flat $200.
