Sauna Etiquette: How Not to Be That Person (A Global Guide)

Last Tuesday, a man walked into my gym's sauna, sat down directly on the bench (no towel), pulled out his phone, and FaceTimed his mother. In Spanish. For twenty minutes.

I don't speak Spanish, but I'm pretty sure his mom was asking about grandchildren. The rest of us, a mix of strangers united by our desire to sweat in peace, exchanged the kind of looks that transcend language barriers. The universal expression of "are you seeing this?"

Here's the thing: nobody teaches sauna etiquette. Schools don't cover it. Gyms post a laminated sign with generic rules nobody reads. And so we end up with grown adults doing things in saunas that would get them deported from Finland.

Speaking of Finland, let's start there. Because if you want to understand sauna etiquette, you need to understand the people who invented it.

The Finnish Way: Where Sauna Is Sacred

Finland has 3.3 million saunas for 5.6 million people. That's roughly one sauna for every 1.7 humans. Before they had hospitals, Finns gave birth in saunas (the cleanest, most sterile room in the house). Before they had therapy, they processed grief, made business deals, and proposed marriage in saunas.

This isn't just a hot room to the Finns. It's a cultural institution with 2,000 years of tradition behind it.

And they have rules.

Silence (or near-silence) is expected. The sauna is for relaxation and contemplation. If you must talk, keep it quiet and meaningful. Nobody's discussing last night's game or office politics. The Finnish word "saunarauha" roughly translates to "sauna peace," and it's treated as sacred.

Nudity is standard and non-negotiable. Wearing a swimsuit in a Finnish sauna is like wearing shoes in a Japanese temple. It's not just weird; it's vaguely insulting. The sauna is meant to be a great equalizer. No status symbols, no barriers, just humans experiencing heat together.

The loyly ritual matters. Loyly (LOO-lu) is the steam that rises when water is thrown on hot stones. In Finland, there's an art to this. Too little water, and you're not getting the full experience. Too much, and you've turned a pleasant heat into an aggressive assault on everyone's airways. The person nearest the stones typically controls the loyly, and others ask before adding more.

Vihta (birch branches) aren't weird. You might see Finns gently slapping themselves or each other with leafy birch branches. This is called "vihtominen," and it's for circulation, gentle exfoliation, and releasing aromatic oils from the birch leaves. It feels surprisingly good and smells like a forest. Don't knock it until you've tried it.

Beer comes after, not during. The post-sauna beer is a Finnish tradition. Drinking inside the sauna is not. Your blood vessels are already dilated from heat; adding alcohol is asking for trouble.

Universal Rules That Apply Everywhere

Regardless of what country you're in or what type of sauna you're using, these rules are universal. Break them, and you deserve whatever judgmental looks you receive.

Always Shower Before Entering

This is non-negotiable. You're about to share a small, hot, enclosed space with strangers. The least you can do is rinse off the day's accumulation of sweat, dead skin, deodorant, sunscreen, and whatever else is living on your epidermis.

In Finland, this would be considered basic human decency. In Germany, you might get yelled at. In America, people will silently resent you while posting about it on Reddit later.

Just shower. With soap. It takes 60 seconds.

Sit on a Towel

Wood is porous. You are sweating. This is a public space. Connect those dots and sit on a towel. Always. Every time. No exceptions.

This protects the bench from you and, more importantly, protects you from whoever sat there before you.

No Phones

Not on silent. Not "just to check one thing." Not even for music. Leave. The phone. Outside.

This isn't just about respecting others (though it is). It's about respecting yourself. You came here to disconnect and relax. Your phone is designed by teams of engineers whose entire job is preventing that. The sauna should be the one place your phone literally cannot reach you.

Also, batteries and extreme heat don't mix. Your $1,200 iPhone wasn't designed to be baked at 180 degrees. And if you're thinking "but my AirPods," please see the previous sentence.

Keep Your Voice Down

If the sauna has other people in it and you must speak, whisper. Or at least keep it to a soft murmur. Think "library voice" but even quieter.

The ambient sound of a sauna should be the hiss of steam, the creak of wood, and perhaps some deep breathing. Not your fantasy football analysis or your take on what Kevin from accounting said at the meeting.

Don't Touch the Thermostat Without Asking

If there are other people in the sauna and you want to adjust the temperature, you ask. Simple as that. Those people might have been slowly acclimating for the past 15 minutes, and your need to "crank it up" isn't more important than their session.

A simple "mind if I add some water to the stones?" or "anyone opposed to turning this up?" is all it takes.

Know When to Leave

The sauna is not an endurance contest. There's no prize for lasting the longest. If your body is telling you it's time to go, you get up and leave. No explanation needed.

You can always come back after cooling down. You cannot un-faint or un-heatstroke yourself.

The Naked Question: Navigating Global Nudity Norms

Here's where things get interesting, because the rules change dramatically depending on where you are.

The Nude Cultures (Finland, Germany, Austria, Netherlands)

In these countries, the sauna is a textile-free zone. Wearing a swimsuit isn't just unusual; in many German saunas, it's literally against the rules. You'll be asked to remove it.

The German "FKK" (Freikoorperkultur, or free body culture) takes this seriously. Their Aufguss ceremonies, where a trained attendant wafts hot air around the room, are done completely nude, and nobody thinks twice about it.

The logic is simple: swimsuits are unhygienic (they trap bacteria and chemicals from detergent), they limit the skin's ability to breathe and sweat, and the sauna is supposed to be a natural, equalizing experience.

If you're from a culture where this feels uncomfortable, here's the secret: everyone else is also naked. Nobody is looking at you. They're focused on their own experience. After about 90 seconds, you stop noticing.

The Clothed Cultures (USA, UK, parts of Asia)

American gym saunas typically expect swimwear. Same with most UK facilities. This isn't prudishness as much as it is liability concerns and cultural norms.

If you're in a US gym sauna, wear something. A swimsuit, gym shorts, a towel wrap. The rules are usually posted, and if they're not, look at what others are doing.

The "It Depends" Cultures

Korea's jjimjilbang culture involves gender-separated wet areas (nude) and common areas (clothed in the provided shorts and t-shirts). Japan is similar: nude in the bathing areas, clothed elsewhere.

Russia's banya culture tends toward nudity in private settings but varies in public ones.

When You're Unsure

Ask. Or observe. Walk in, see what others are doing, and match it. When in doubt, bring a towel and be prepared for either scenario. Nobody has ever been criticized for having too many towel options.

Country-by-Country Quick Reference

Finland: Nude. Quiet. Ritualistic. Loyly is important. Beer after, never during. If you must speak, keep it soft and meaningful.

Germany: Nude mandatory in most saunas. Aufguss culture is serious business. The sauna masters are professionals. Follow their lead during ceremonies.

Russia: Banya culture is more social than Finnish sauna. Veniks (birch branches) are used vigorously. Steam can be aggressive. Vodka might appear, but proceed with caution.

Korea: Jjimjilbangs are a whole experience. Nude in wet areas (gender-separated). Clothed in common areas. Very clean-focused. Hard-boiled eggs are traditional.

Japan: Similar to Korea. Extremely clean-focused. Tattoos may be prohibited (perceived yakuza association). Shower thoroughly before the bath.

Sweden: Similar to Finland but slightly more private. Apartment buildings often have shared saunas with booking systems.

USA: Swimwear expected in public saunas. More talking is tolerated. Temperature is often lower than traditional saunas. Wild West rules at gym saunas (more on this below).

Gym Sauna Survival Guide: The Wild West

Let's be honest: gym saunas are where etiquette goes to die. They're the frontier lands of the sauna world, largely unpoliced, filled with people who've never been taught the rules.

Here's what you'll encounter and how to handle it:

The Phone Criminals: They're checking emails, scrolling Instagram, or (God help us) on video calls. You have options: passive-aggressive sighing, politely asking them to take it outside, or simply leaving. There's no great solution here.

The Loud Talkers: Two buddies catch up as if they're in a sports bar. Your choices are limited. Earplugs (without the phone, just the silence) or waiting them out.

The Space Invaders: The sauna is empty except for you. Someone walks in and sits directly next to you. Why. Why do people do this. Move if you need to. It's not rude.

The Temperature Terrorists: They touch the controls the moment they walk in without acknowledging the three people who were perfectly happy at the current setting. If this happens before they ask, it's acceptable to say something. "Hey, we've been at this temperature for a while, mind leaving it for a bit?"

The Stretchers and Exercisers: Someone is doing yoga poses, stretching across two benches, or worse, doing actual exercises. Beyond being annoying, they're flinging sweat onto everyone. There's no polite solution; this person has already demonstrated they don't care about social norms.

Be the change you want to see. Follow the rules yourself. Model good behavior. Occasionally, it catches on.

The Hall of Shame: Crimes Against Sauna Culture

Some behaviors are so egregious they deserve special recognition. If you've done any of these, there's still time to change.

The FaceTime Call: We covered this. It remains the cardinal sin. Your video call is not that important. It is literally never that important. The person on the other end does not want to see the inside of your gym's sauna, and the people in the sauna definitely don't want to be in your video.

Grooming Activities: I have personally witnessed people clipping toenails in public saunas. I have heard reports of shaving. In a public sauna. Where others are sitting. These people walk among us.

The Soundtrack DJ: Playing music from your phone speaker, even "quietly," is not acceptable. Even if you think everyone loves Fleetwood Mac. They might, but not right now, and not from your tinny iPhone speaker bouncing off wooden walls.

Street Clothes and Shoes: The guy who walks in wearing his gym sneakers and sits down in his cotton t-shirt. What is happening. How did you get here. What do you think is about to occur.

The Aggressive Interrogator: "Is this your first time? What's your routine? What do you do for work?" Some people seem unable to sit in silence. The sauna is not a networking event.

The Workout Enthusiast: Push-ups in the sauna. Sit-ups in the sauna. Whatever that thing where you're pressing your hands together really hard is. Stop. This isn't hot yoga. You're flinging sweat and making everyone uncomfortable.

The Temperature Complainer: Someone who walks in, immediately complains it's too hot (or too cold), adjusts the settings, and then leaves after five minutes anyway. Why did you come here?

How to Be a Great Sauna Host

If you're lucky enough to have your own sauna, you have responsibilities when inviting others.

Ask about temperature preferences. Some people like 160F. Some like 200F. Check before heating up.

Explain your house rules. Is it a nude sauna? Swimsuit optional? Let people know beforehand so nobody's caught off guard.

Offer the loyly. Make sure guests know they can add water to the stones (if applicable) and how much is appropriate.

Have towels available. Multiple towels. For sitting, for drying, for whatever.

Prepare the cool-down. A shower, a cold plunge, or even just a comfortable place to sit and recover. The post-sauna experience matters.

Refreshments ready for after. Water is mandatory. Electrolytes are a nice touch. Beer is traditional (in moderation). Have it ready for when people emerge.

Quick Reference: The Etiquette Cheat Sheet

Do:

Shower with soap before entering
Sit on a towel, always
Hydrate before and after
Respect silence (or keep conversation quiet)
Ask before adjusting temperature
Leave when your body tells you to
Observe and match the local norms

Don't:

Bring your phone
Sit directly on the bench
Shave, clip nails, or groom
Talk loudly or make calls
Adjust temperature without asking
Stare at others
Stay longer than you should to prove something
Wear street clothes or shoes

The Bottom Line

Sauna etiquette isn't complicated. It mostly comes down to basic respect: for the space, for others, and for a tradition that spans thousands of years and countless cultures.

The Finns figured this out millennia ago. The Germans codified it. And the rest of us are slowly catching on.

Be the person who makes the sauna better, not worse. Shower first. Sit on a towel. Put your phone away. Keep your voice down. Read the room. Respect the heat.

And for the love of everything sacred, don't FaceTime anyone.

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