The short answer
In Finnish studies, risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure fell with each extra weekly session, with the lowest risk at four to seven a week. Two or three sessions a week was also linked with some benefit. Daily saunas are normal in Finland and safe for most healthy people. Build up gradually if you're new.
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What frequency did the studies look at?
The Finnish studies split people into three groups: one session a week, two to three, and four to seven. Almost everyone used a sauna at least once a week, because that is normal in Finland. In the best-known study of 2,315 men, 601 went once a week, 1,513 went two or three times and 201 went four to seven times.
What did they find?
Compared with once a week, after adjusting for other risk factors:
| Outcome | 2–3 times a week | 4–7 times a week |
|---|---|---|
| Sudden cardiac death (men) | 22% lower | 63% lower |
| Death from heart or circulatory disease (men and women) | 25% lower | 77% lower |
| High blood pressure (men) | 17% lower | 47% lower |
The two-to-three-times figures could partly be chance; the four-to-seven figures are clearer. In the study of men and women, risk fell steadily with each extra session, with no obvious threshold. See heart health for what these results can and can’t prove.
Is there a trial that tested frequency?
Not for long-term outcomes. The closest is an 8-week trial in which inactive adults followed an exercise programme with a 15-minute sauna after each workout; their blood pressure fell more than with exercise alone.
How should you build up?
- Weeks 1 to 2: one or two sessions a week, one or two short rounds each.
- Weeks 3 to 6: add a session or a round if you’re enjoying it and feel well.
- After that: whatever fits your life. Two to four sessions a week is realistic for most people with access to a sauna.
Drink water around every session and take a day off if you feel run down, unwell or have a fever.
Keep reading
- Using a sauna after the gym: benefits and how to do it
Should you use a sauna after a workout? What small trials show for endurance, recovery and blood pressure, plus a safe routine.
- Drinking water and hydration in the sauna
How much fluid you lose in a sauna, how much to drink before and after, whether you need electrolytes, and the signs of dehydration.
- How long should you stay in a sauna?
How long to stay in a sauna for beginners and regular users, what the Finnish studies used, and the signs that it's time to get out.
Common questions
Is it safe to use a sauna every day?
For most healthy adults, yes, as long as you keep sessions sensible, stay hydrated and avoid alcohol. Many Finns use one daily. If you have a heart condition, low or high blood pressure, or are pregnant, ask your doctor first.
Is once a week enough?
Once a week was the comparison group in the Finnish studies, so we can't say what it does compared with none. Most people there went two or three times a week.
Can you use a sauna twice a day?
Some people do, but there's no evidence it adds anything. Make sure you rehydrate fully in between.
References
- Laukkanen T et al. Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Laukkanen T et al. Sauna bathing is associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality and improves risk prediction in men and women: a prospective cohort study. BMC Medicine, 2018.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Zaccardi F et al. Sauna bathing and incident hypertension: a prospective cohort study. American Journal of Hypertension, 2017.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Lee E et al. Effects of regular sauna bathing in conjunction with exercise on cardiovascular function: a multi-arm, randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Physiology, 2022.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
First published 4 November 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll correct it. Read our editorial policy.