New Year's resolution: how to make regular sauna visits stick
"This year I'm going to the sauna more often." We hear that sentence a lot in January. Whether you will really go to the sauna regularly rarely depends on willpower and much more on organisation: a fixed date, a packed bag and a rhythm that fits your everyday life. In this article we show you why sauna resolutions often fizzle out in February and which levers turn a resolution into a habit.
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Why sauna resolutions so often fail
Most resolutions do not fail for lack of motivation, but because of small hurdles. The bag is not packed, the sauna towel is still in the wash, the day was long and the sauna is half an hour away. Each hurdle on its own is small. Together they are enough to turn "today" into "next week".
Then there is a second mistake: too much at once. If you plan three visits a week in January, you will rarely keep it up. After the first missed date, the whole resolution feels like a failure. A plan that still works in a stressful week is better.
Regular sauna visits: five key levers
- A fixed weekday: A date in your calendar is more binding than "when it suits me". Enter it like a doctor's appointment, with a time.
- A packed bag: If your sauna bag is ready in the hallway, one excuse disappears.
- A realistic rhythm: Better once a week for good than three times and then not at all.
- An arrangement: If you have arranged to meet someone, you are less likely to cancel.
- A short journey: A sauna close to your home or workplace makes it easier to stick with it.
The right rhythm for you
There is no rhythm that suits everyone. Many sauna-goers go once a week, some every two weeks, others twice a week. What matters is that you can keep your rhythm up for months. A good test: would you still be able to keep the date in a week with overtime, a cold in the family or visitors? If not, choose a looser rhythm. Anyone who wants to go to the sauna regularly is best off starting small and only increasing once the basic rhythm is in place.
A habit needs a trigger
Habits form more easily when they are linked to something that already exists. Examples: "On Fridays after the shopping I go to the sauna" or "On Sundays after breakfast". The trigger is the anchor your sauna visit hangs on. The clearer it is, the less you have to decide anew each time.
The sauna has to fit your everyday life
If you want to go regularly, choose your sauna not only by its facilities but also by how well it fits your routine. Three questions help: Do the opening hours suit your fixed date, including evenings or weekends? Is the journey short enough that you are happy to make it in rain and darkness too? And are there rates that pay off if you come often? Many saunas offer multi-visit passes or memberships – just ask at the reception. In the long run, a sauna that is easy to reach often beats a nicer one that is further away.
Obstacles and solutions at a glance
| Typical obstacle | What helps |
|---|---|
| "No time" | A shorter visit with two rounds instead of three is better than none |
| Bag not packed | A dedicated sauna bag that is repacked right after every visit |
| Towels still wet or in the wash | Quick-drying hammam towels and a second set |
| No motivation on your own | A fixed arrangement with your partner, a friend or a colleague |
| Entry fees add up | Ask your sauna about multi-visit passes or memberships |
| Missed once, resolution "broken" | Rule: never miss twice in a row |
The sauna bag that is always ready
The most important practical lever is a bag that is only used for the sauna. You grab it, leave, done. We have described in detail what belongs in it in our article packing your sauna bag. Here is the short version for your basic kit:
| Contents | Our suggestion |
|---|---|
| Towel for the lounger | Ocean StayOn hammam towel, 200 × 70 cm |
| Towel for the bench and for drying off | 2 × Ocean hammam towel, 180 × 100 cm |
| For the breaks | A light bathrobe, e.g. Trimita Barok |
| For the shower | VEGAN FOX shower gel, 200 ml |
| To drink | Your own water bottle |
The advantage of hammam towels for anyone who goes to the sauna regularly: they are light, take up little space in the bag and dry quickly. The hammam towel set Single contains exactly the combination from the table: 2 × Ocean (180 × 100 cm) and 1 × StayOn (200 × 70 cm) for €89.90 instead of €104.70 when bought individually. The Trimita Barok bathrobe is made of light Turkish cotton (not terry) and dries quickly – handy if it needs to go back into the bag just two days later.
After the sauna is before the sauna
The moment when most routines break is not the sauna day but the evening after. The wet bag stays in the hallway, the towels end up in the laundry basket, and half of it is missing at the next visit. So make it a rule:
- Unpack immediately: Hang up or wash towels and bathrobe straight away.
- Repack immediately: As soon as everything is dry, back into the bag. In our experience, hammam towels dry indoors in about an hour.
- Check the shower gel: Almost empty? Put it on the shopping list right away.
- Confirm the next date: Tick off the visit in your calendar and look at the next date.
If you have two sets of towels, you can wash one while the other is in the bag. With the hammam towel set Pair (4 × Ocean + 2 × StayOn) you have either two complete sets for yourself or one set each for two people.
A plan for the first twelve weeks
It takes a while for a resolution to become automatic. If you want to go to the sauna regularly from January, a simple plan for the first quarter helps:
- Weeks 1–4: Once a week on your fixed day. The only goal is to go – duration and number of rounds are secondary. At the start, showing up is what counts.
- Weeks 5–8: Repack your bag immediately after every visit. Ask a sauna buddy whether they would like to come along.
- Weeks 9–12: Check whether the rhythm suits you. If it feels easy, add a second visit per month.
A tally in your calendar or on your phone helps you keep going. Every week with a sauna visit gets a tick. Nobody likes to break a chain of ticks.
One final note: if you have health questions or are unsure whether regular sauna visits are right for you, talk to your doctor first.
Related reading: How long should you stay in the sauna? Rounds, breaks and the whole visit · After-work sauna: relaxed in two hours after the working day · Drinking in the sauna: before, during the breaks and afterwards
Conclusion
Going to the sauna regularly is above all a question of planning. A fixed date with a clear trigger, a realistic rhythm, a packed bag with quick-drying towels and the rule to repack straight after every visit – and your January resolution becomes a habit that still holds in spring.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I go to the sauna?
That depends on you and your daily life. Many people go once a week. More important than the frequency is that you can keep up the rhythm. If you have health questions, talk to your doctor.
What do I do if I miss a date?
Don't make a drama of it. Catch up in the same week or simply go again on your next fixed date. Just try not to miss twice in a row.
Do I really need three towels?
It is convenient: one for the lounger, one for the bench, one for drying off. That is exactly the combination in the hammam towel set Single.
Does it help to go with someone?
For many people, yes. A fixed arrangement makes it harder to cancel on a whim. If two of you want to go regularly, you motivate each other even on evenings when one of you would rather stay at home.
Which towels are best if I go to the sauna regularly?
Light, quick-drying towels such as hammam towels. You will find an overview in our hammam towel collection.
View the hammam towel set Single
Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam and sauna operator at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.