The idea of shedding calories while simply sitting and sweating in a sauna sounds almost too good to be true. But is it? In this blog, we’ll answer that question head-on by exploring how sauna sessions impact your body, how many calories you can realistically expect to burn, and what factors influence that number. We’ll also share practical tips to help you enhance the calorie-burning potential of your sauna routine. If you want to make the most of your wellness journey, you’re in the right place.
Does the Sauna Burn Calories?
There are many misconceptions out there about saunas, but is burning calories one of them? Sitting in a sauna actually can burn some calories (we’ll explore just how many later). Still, it’s not a substantial amount nor a substitute for working out or other fat-reduction strategies. To understand the role of a sauna in burning calories, it’s essential to understand how your body burns calories in the first place.
Understanding How Your Body Burns Calories
Weight management is predominantly determined by your metabolic rate, often referred to as the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Our BMR represents the minimum amount of energy needed to keep the body functioning while resting, which includes maintaining core body temperature, supporting the functions of essential organs, and ensuring cellular processes run seamlessly. Simply put, our BMR measures how efficiently our bodies use energy for these fundamental roles.
That said, individuals with a higher metabolic rate consume more energy at rest and during exercise, which means they’ll need more calories to maintain a certain weight. On the other hand, those with a slower metabolic rate burn fewer calories when resting and moving, which means they’ll need to limit caloric intake to prevent gaining weight.
So, how does this information affect whether saunas burn calories? The heat from the sauna elevates your heart and metabolic rates, with similar effects experienced during light exercise. This can lead to calorie burn, increasing metabolic rates up to 30%. Your metabolic rate and several other factors impact how many calories you burn during a sauna session.
How Many Calories Can You Burn in the Sauna?
The answer to this question isn’t very clear. While some say that a 30-minute sauna session could burn 50–100 calories, numerous factors affect this number, including your weight, the temperature of the room, and the type of sauna. In comparison, a 30-minute brisk walk burns about 150–300 calories. The best way to determine how many calories you’re burning in the sauna is to monitor your heart rate, which gives you a tangible measure of your body’s response to the heat and the potential calories burned.
In short, depending solely on sauna sessions to burn calories and lose inches most likely won’t help you meet the goals you’ve set for yourself. Combining sauna sessions with a regular exercise routine can provide the benefits you want if you’d like to lose weight or live a healthier lifestyle.
7 Factors Impacting Calories Burned in a Sauna
As stated previously, several elements could impact the number of calories burned in a sauna, including:
- Body Weight
- Metabolism Rate
- Height, Age, & Gender
- Fitness Levels
- Current Health Status
- Sauna Duration, Temperature, & Frequency
- Type of Sauna Used
Individuals with higher body weight and lower heat tolerance may burn more calories. In contrast, healthier or more physically fit individuals tend to burn fewer calories under the same conditions.
Infrared vs. Traditional Saunas For Burning Calories
The type of sauna you use significantly impacts the calories burned during a session. You could choose from two primary types of saunas: traditional or infrared.
An infrared sauna uses infrared light waves to heat the body directly. Temperatures typically range between 120°F and 140°F, making them more comfortable than traditional saunas. A 30-minute session in an infrared sauna can burn between 200 and 600 calories. The infrared heat deeply penetrates the body, increasing the metabolic rate (potentially releasing more toxins through sweating) and burning more calories.
A traditional sauna uses wood or electricity to warm the air around you, indirectly heating the body. Temperatures in these heated rooms reach up to 150°F and 200°F. Depending on your health and how long you’re inside, you can expect to burn about 150-500 calories during a 30-minute session. The calorie burn is primarily from losing water weight, making it a temporary but quick weight loss opportunity.
In general, infrared saunas are shown to lead to a higher calorie burn than traditional ones due to the distinct heating mechanism of infrared light. However, it’s important to know that scientific research on calories burned in the sauna is ongoing. Both infrared and traditional saunas provide immense benefits apart from weight loss or burning calories, meaning they can significantly benefit your health routine.
What Research Says About Calories Burned in the Sauna
Is there evidence that saunas can burn calories? Here are a few studies regarding calories burned in infrared saunas:
- A 2003 study found that sauna sessions were effective in burning calories and possibly for fat loss, especially for athletes. Sessions included three 20-minute sauna exposures with 5-minute cooling intervals, with both male and female participants experiencing notable weight loss, ranging from 0.86 to 1.96 pounds. With further research, this equals an estimated calorie burn of 495–1125 calories per 1-hour session. This translates to 165–375 calories burned during a 20-minute infrared sauna session.
- Another study in 2019 revealed that four 10-minute sauna sessions with 5-minute cooling intervals led to a loss of 1.43 lbs, primarily water weight. About 73–134 calories were burned in these 10-minute sessions, totaling around 200 calories burned in a 30-minute infrared sauna session. It’s important to note that the weight loss recorded was temporary, emphasizing that sauna sessions aren’t the answer for long-term weight management.
Infrared saunas kept at 160°F have been recognized as superior for raising the core body temperature, which could lead to enhanced fat loss and calories burned compared to traditional saunas.
How to Enhance Calories Burned in the Sauna
While the sauna offers some calorie-burning potential on its own, there are ways to enhance its effects. Here’s how you can maximize the number of calories burned during your sauna sessions:
- Hydrate & Stay Safe: Drink plenty of water before and after your session, properly replenishing fluids you lose through sweating. Additionally, certain individuals, like pregnant women and those with preexisting heart conditions, should avoid sauna use or consult with a healthcare professional before doing so.
- Pair Your Session With an Exercise Routine: Don’t rely on the sauna alone to lose weight or get in shape. Pair your workouts with regular sauna sessions to maximize health benefits and potentially increase the number of calories burned. Living a holistically healthy lifestyle, including paying attention to what you eat, makes it more likely that you’ll burn calories consistently rather than relying on sauna use alone.
- Need some ideas? Read our blog about sauna workouts to get started.
- Focus on Calorie Control: Burning calories through sauna use is only effective if you’re also creating a caloric deficit—that is, consuming fewer calories than you burn overall, including those expended during a sauna session.
- Improve Your Metabolism: Regular physical activity, solid sleep, and a nourishing diet of protein and fiber can help increase your metabolism, boosting calorie burn inside and outside the sauna.
Maximize Your Health Routine With Qontrast Saunas
While saunas alone won’t replace a balanced diet or regular exercise, they can be a powerful tool to support your overall wellness and boost calorie burn. Whether you’re looking to relax, detox, or enhance your fitness routine, Qontrast’s custom, state-of-the-art saunas, whether infrared or traditional, offer premium quality and thoughtful design to help you get the most out of every session. Elevate your health journey—start with Qontrast. Contact us to schedule an appointment at our showroom and begin creating a healthier lifestyle today.
