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Sauna Timer
Choose a session, leave the device outside the hot room where you can hear it, and press Start as you go in.
Round 1 / 3
Two 8-minute rounds with a 10-minute cool-down between them: 26 minutes in all.
Three 15-minute rounds with 10-minute cool-downs between them: 65 minutes in all.
One 15-minute round, for after the gym or when time is short.
Sauna rounds and total session time
| Session | Sauna | Cool-down | Rounds | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First time | 8 min | 10 min | 2 | 26 min |
| Classic | 15 min | 10 min | 3 | 65 min |
| Single round | 15 min | After you finish | 1 | 15 min |
| Infrared (set with steppers) | 20–30 min | After you finish | 1 | 20–30 min |
The timer ends with the last sauna round, so the final cool-down is yours to take at your own pace. Times are general guides for healthy adults in a traditional sauna at about 150–195°F (65–90°C); leave sooner whenever you want to.
How to use it
- Pick a session. If you are new to saunas, use First time; the 8-minute rounds sit inside the 5 to 10 minutes advised for beginners.
- Drink a glass of water, then put the phone or tablet outside the door or by the glass with the volume up. Electronics are not rated for sauna heat, so the device stays out.
- Press Start and go in. Three short beeps and a longer tone end the round; step out and cool down with a shower, fresh air or a dip while the timer counts 10 minutes.
- Go back in when it beeps again. To change the round length, cool-down or number of rounds, use the steppers; the page remembers them.
How long to stay in a sauna
Beginners should keep to 5 to 10 minutes. Regular users commonly sit for 15 to 20 minutes per round, and most guidance says not to stay more than about 20 minutes at a time. A traditional Finnish sauna runs at about 150–195°F (65–90°C), and the top bench is much hotter than the bottom one, so moving down a level is a way to ease a round without ending it.
Infrared sauna time is different because the cabin is cooler, about 120–140°F (50–60°C). Sessions there are often a single stretch of 20 to 30 minutes. Set that with the steppers: one round, the length you want, no rest.
Why sauna rounds alternate with cooling off
Traditional Finnish practice is not one long sit. It alternates time in the heat with cooling off and rest: a shower, fresh air, a swim or a plunge, then a few quiet minutes before the next round. The break lets your body temperature and heart rate come back down, which is why the cool-down here is as long as 10 minutes. If you use a cold plunge between rounds, keep it brief and get in gradually.
Drink water before and after, skip alcohol, and leave at once if you feel dizzy, nauseated or unwell. People with heart conditions, low blood pressure or uncontrolled high blood pressure, pregnant women, and anyone taking medication that affects sweating or blood pressure should ask a doctor before using a sauna. Children need much shorter times and an adult with them.
Common mistakes
- Taking the phone into the hot room. Heat and humidity can damage the battery and screen; leave it where the beeps carry through the door.
- Staying in to finish the round when you feel light-headed. The clock is a ceiling, not a target, so step out and sit down.
- Drinking alcohol before or during a session. It dehydrates you and dulls the warning signs.
- Cutting the cool-down to two minutes to fit in another round. Going back in while still hot makes the next round harder, not better.
- Standing up fast at the tone. Sit up, wait a few breaths, then stand, because blood pressure can dip in the heat.
Questions people ask
How long should you stay in a sauna for the first time?
Five to 10 minutes, on a lower bench, and leave earlier if it feels like too much. The First time session runs two 8-minute rounds with a 10-minute cool-down between them.
How many sauna rounds should I do?
Two or three is typical. The Classic session is three 15-minute rounds with 10-minute cool-downs, 65 minutes from start to finish. One round is a complete session too.
How long is an infrared sauna session?
Often 20 to 30 minutes in one stretch, because infrared cabins run cooler at about 120–140°F (50–60°C). Start at the short end and follow the maker’s guidance for your unit.
Can I use this as a sauna cold plunge timer?
Yes. The cool-down phase covers the walk out, the plunge and the rest afterward. Spend only a short part of it in cold water, and use the steppers to change the 10 minutes if your routine differs.
Where should I put my phone while the timer runs?
Outside the sauna, near the door or against the glass, with the volume up and Keep screen on switched on. The background color changes between Sauna and Cool down, so you can read it through a window.