A whole sauna day: how to plan your schedule, meals and breaks
A whole sauna day is something different from a quick visit after work. You have time for several rounds, long breaks, lunch and perhaps a book in the relaxation room. To keep the day relaxed rather than turning it into a marathon, a rough plan helps: when you arrive, how you spread out rounds and breaks, what you eat and what goes in your bag. Here you will find a sample schedule, practical tips for the afternoon slump and a packing list for the whole day.
Contents11
- Before your sauna day: arrive well prepared
- A sample schedule for your sauna day
- Finding your rhythm: rounds, breaks, infusions
- Eating and drinking on your sauna day
- The lunch break and the afternoon slump
- The packing list for a whole sauna day
- Everything in one set
- Alone or in company?
- After your sauna day
- Conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
Before your sauna day: arrive well prepared
A relaxed day starts the evening before. If you are still looking for towels in the morning and set off in a rush, you'll need the first two hours just to arrive.
- Choose the facility: check the opening hours, day tickets and infusion schedule. Many saunas publish it online.
- Consider the day of the week: during the week, many facilities are quieter than at weekends. If you are flexible, a day off on a weekday is worth it.
- Pack your bag the evening before: then all you have to do in the morning is fill up your water.
- Have a light breakfast: don't go into the first round on an empty or very full stomach.
- Plan your journey: if you'll be tired after a long sauna day, it's better to take the train or get someone to pick you up.
A sample schedule for your sauna day
The following plan is a guide for a day from about 10 am to 5 pm. Adjust it to the opening hours of your sauna and the infusions you are interested in.
| Time | What |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Arrive, get changed, shower thoroughly, dry off |
| 10:30 | First round in a milder cabin, then cool down and rest |
| 11:30 | Second round, perhaps in the Finnish sauna |
| 12:30 | Light lunch |
| 13:00 | Long rest break: read, doze, lie in the relaxation room |
| 14:30 | Third round with an infusion |
| 15:30 | Break, have a drink, get some fresh air |
| 16:00 | Last, gentle round – or a visit to the steam room |
| 16:45 | Shower at leisure, care for face and hands, get dressed calmly |
How many rounds you do is up to you. More is not automatically better. You will find guidelines for the length of a round and the breaks in the article How long should you stay in the sauna?
Finding your rhythm: rounds, breaks, infusions
On a whole sauna day, the temptation is great to take in as much as possible: every cabin, every infusion, every pool. That tends to make you tired rather than relaxed. A calm rhythm works better:
- Start mild, intense in the middle, end gently: a milder cabin in the morning, the infusion in the afternoon, something gentle again to finish.
- Choose your infusions: two infusions a day are enough for most people. Pick the ones that really interest you.
- Take breaks seriously: rest between rounds at least as long as you were in the cabin – on a whole day, ideally much longer.
- Pay attention to signals: if you feel tired, dizzy or unwell, skip the next round. If you have health questions, check with a doctor beforehand how much sauna is right for you.
Eating and drinking on your sauna day
Over a whole day you lose quite a lot of fluid through sweating. So drink regularly during the breaks, ideally water, unsweetened tea or juice spritzers. Alcohol and heat don't go together according to common advice – the beer comes, if at all, at the very end.
When it comes to food: keep it light and not directly before a round. A salad, a soup or a small dish at lunchtime is ideal. Plan a longer break after eating before going back into the cabin. Nobody eats in the cabins themselves. Whether you may bring your own snacks is set out in the house rules.
The lunch break and the afternoon slump
Many people notice a slump in the early afternoon. That's not a sign that something is wrong, but a good opportunity for the longest break of the day. Lie down in the relaxation room, read a few pages or have a nap. How to behave considerately there is explained in our relaxation room etiquette.
For this long break, your own lounger towel that doesn't slip is worth having. The Ocean StayOn hammam towel (200 × 70 cm) is pulled over the backrest of the lounger with its sewn-in pocket.
The packing list for a whole sauna day
A small bag is enough for a short visit. For the whole day you need a little more:
- Two to three towels: hammam towels such as the Ocean hammam towel (approx. 180 × 100 cm, approx. 400 g) are flat-woven and dry quickly between rounds. In our experience at the Meri Sauna, a hammam towel takes about 30 minutes to dry in the sun and about 60 minutes indoors.
- A lounger towel: for the relaxation room, for example the StayOn.
- Bathrobe: light and quick-drying, such as the Trimita Barok bathrobe made of 100 % Turkish cotton.
- Bathing sandals for all walking outside the cabin.
- Care products: shower gel, facial cleanser, face cream, hand cream.
- Water bottle: according to the manufacturer, the IZY La Dolce Vita insulated bottle (500 ml) keeps tea hot for up to 12 hours.
- Little extras: a book, hair tie, change of clothes, a bag for wet things.
You will find a detailed list for every occasion in the article Packing your sauna bag.
Everything in one set
Our Mein ganzer Wellnesstag set (€140) contains a Trimita Barok bathrobe, a matching Barok hammam towel (180 × 100 cm) in the same colour, a VEGAN FOX shower gel, the cleansing foam for normal skin, the face cream with almond and avocado oil, a facial peel with 2.5 % lactic acid and the Nourishing hand cream. That covers your care for the sauna day. The facial peel, however, is intended for a quiet evening at home – not directly before or during the sauna.
You will find more sets in our collection Gift ideas for sauna and wellness.
Alone or in company?
A sauna day on your own has its own appeal: you decide every break, every book and every infusion yourself and often relax particularly well. In company the day becomes more sociable, but it needs a little coordination because everyone experiences the heat differently. What matters most then is that everyone can go at their own pace and that you meet up during the breaks. How that works is explained in the article Going to the sauna as a pair.
After your sauna day
A long day in the warmth makes you pleasantly tired. Don't plan anything strenuous for the evening. At home, hang the towels up to dry straight away so they don't get musty. Many people sleep particularly well after a sauna day – a lovely end to a day that is all yours.
Related reading: Cooling down after a sauna session: fresh air, shower, plunge pool · How to Recognise a Good Sauna: The Checklist for Guests · Drinking in the sauna: before, during the breaks and afterwards
Conclusion
A whole sauna day thrives on breaks, not on as many rounds as possible. With a rough schedule, a light meal, enough water, two to three quick-drying towels and the right care products, the day stays relaxed from the first round to the last.
Frequently asked questions
How many rounds make sense on a whole sauna day?
That's individual. Many people do three to five rounds spread across the day with long breaks. Listen to your body and skip a round if in doubt.
How many towels do I need for a whole day?
With quick-drying hammam towels, two to three plus a lounger towel are usually enough.
May I eat in the sauna?
Not in the cabins. Many facilities have a bistro or lounge area. It's best to ask beforehand whether you may bring your own snacks.
When should I arrive on my sauna day?
Ideally at opening time or in the late morning. Then you have enough time for long breaks and don't have to rush.
What do I do if I get tired at midday?
That's normal. Use the slump for the longest break of the day and lie down in the relaxation room.
Is a sauna day worth it in summer too?
Yes, many people especially enjoy the outdoor area then. On hot days, plan for milder cabins, more shade and even more water.
Shop the Mein ganzer Wellnesstag set
Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam and sauna operator at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.