Skip to content
Daughter putting cream for her mother after a relaxing sauna session

Can You Use The Sauna With Your Children?

The origins of saunas trace back to thousands of years ago and they’ve gradually become a significant health asset for people worldwide. While we know saunas can be safely used by most adults, what about children?
To keep your little one safe, there are some sauna rules you should follow.

Supervise

Accidents like minor burns, slips, and falls can occur in a sauna. As a parent, you need to teach your child about these hazards and accompany them until they show responsibility, which is usually around the age of 10. Lead by a good example while you’re in the sauna, and your child will follow!

Age

Saunas work by raising the temperature of both the room and the human body. While adults can easily and quickly adapt to those conditions, children under eight years of age can’t regulate this heat efficiently. This means the older the kid, the easier it will be to adjust.

Limit the heat exposure by sitting on lower level benches and limiting steam to a minimal level. When your child reaches the age of six, it’s okay to allow them to use the sauna for 15 minutes at most, but they should never be alone. Give them plenty of cold water in a basin so that they can play with or sit in and splash themselves to cool off as needed.


Woman enjoying a relaxing sauna session.

Rehydrate

Always provide a cool drink and salty snack to replenish salts lost due to sweating after a sauna session.

Notice the Red Flags

If your child begins to feel dizziness, cramps, or nausea, take them out of the sauna as soon as possible.

Also, pay attention to your child and keep an eye out for anything alarming. If you notice something, don’t hesitate to exit the sauna with them immediately. It’s better to prevent any potential problems. The symptoms listed above should all disappear as their endurance rises and they get accustomed to the sauna. However, if they continue, visit a doctor to get any potential underlying issues addressed.

Are Infrared Saunas a Safer Option?

Infrared saunas are different in the way they heat the body, making them more suitable for children. Infrared saunas operated at lower temperatures, warming you from the inside out as opposed to outside in, as in the case of traditional saunas. This means that children are better able to handle infrared saunas more readily compared to their traditional counterparts.
 
Most parents and guardians know that children tend to become curious and fidgety in a sauna due to a lack of other fun things to do. Since there’s no heater, the infrared sauna will prevent your kids from getting burnt if they’re moving around excessively. This also means the chances for anything going south are slightly slimmer than the steam sauna, but you shouldn’t let your guard down regardless!
 
Spend quality time with your little ones while soaking up all health benefits. Reach out to us at USA Health and Wellness, and we’ll get you a great deal on our range of premium quality infrared saunas and traditional saunas.

For more information, call us at 207-619-4291. 

Previous article What to Consider When Getting an Infrared Sauna for the First Time