Sauna and cold plunge at home: the benefits and how to do it safely
Heat, cool, rest, repeat
Regular sauna bathing has been linked with a lower risk of fatal heart disease, and cold water immersion may improve how the body handles sugar and fat. Together they make a simple routine: 5 to 20 minutes at 80 to 100 °C, a short cool-off, a rest, and repeat.
What the sauna research found
Compared with one session a week, men who used a sauna two to three times a week had a 27% lower risk of fatal cardiovascular disease, and those who went four to seven times a week had a 50% lower risk.1 All-cause mortality was 24% and 40% lower in the same groups.1
Longer sessions were linked with a lower risk of sudden cardiac death: 52% lower for sessions over 19 minutes than for sessions under 11 minutes.1 The study shows an association rather than proof of cause.
How a traditional sauna session works
A Finnish-style sauna is hot and dry, with steam from water thrown on the stones.
- HeatThe recommended temperature is 80 to 100 °C at head height, lower near the floor, with humidity of around 10 to 20%.2
- TimeStays in the hot room usually last 5 to 20 minutes.2
- Cooling offBetween rounds people cool off with a swim, a shower or a rest at room temperature.2
- How oftenA typical Finn has two to three sessions a week.2
What cold water does
A review of 104 studies on voluntary cold water immersion found it may reduce body fat, reduce insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity, effects that could help protect against cardiovascular and metabolic disease.3
Cold water counts as anything below 15 °C.4 It brings a fast rise in heart rate and blood pressure and a gasp for breath, which pass in less than a minute.4
Hot and cold, safely
Short sauna sessions followed by rapid cooling are generally considered safe for healthy people.2 People with heart disease are usually advised against rapid cooling after a sauna, and nobody should dive head first into cold water straight after a sauna.2
Leave alcohol out of your sauna routine, as the two together raise the risk of low blood pressure and heart problems.2 If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or are pregnant, talk to your GP before you start.
Setting up hot and cold at home
A garden sauna with somewhere to cool off nearby makes the routine easy to keep.
Outdoor Living Wellness Haven
A sauna room with its own covered porch and built-in seats, for resting between rounds without going indoors.
£21,999
Outdoor Living Wellness Horizon
A sauna room beside a covered side area, ready for the pail shower option: a cold drench straight after the heat.
£23,999
Outdoor Living Wellness One
A sauna room and a tiled second room under one roof, with a shower option, for a complete hot and cold space.
£41,999
For a cold plunge beside your sauna, see our ice baths, or browse all custom built garden saunas.
Questions people ask
What are the benefits of a sauna and cold plunge?
Regular sauna bathing has been linked with a lower risk of fatal cardiovascular disease in a long Finnish study, and research on cold water immersion suggests it may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce body fat.
How hot should a sauna be?
The recommended temperature for a traditional sauna is 80 to 100 °C at head height, with stays in the hot room of usually 5 to 20 minutes.
How cold is a cold plunge?
Cold water is anything below 15 °C. The first gasp and rise in heart rate pass in less than a minute.
Is a sauna and cold plunge safe for everyone?
Short sauna sessions followed by rapid cooling are generally considered safe for healthy people. If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or are pregnant, talk to your GP first.
Sources
- Sauna bathing is associated with fewer deaths from cardiac disease (Laukkanen et al.), JAMA Internal Medicine via EurekAlert!, 23 February 2015
- Cardiovascular and other health benefits of sauna bathing: a review of the evidence (Laukkanen, Laukkanen and Kunutsor), Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2018
- Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water: a continuing subject of debate (Espeland, de Weerd and Mercer), International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 22 September 2022
- Float to live: cold water shock, RNLI, accessed November 2026
Paul Margerison
Managing Director & Founder, Outdoor Living
Hot and cold is one of the oldest wellness routines there is, and the research behind it keeps growing. This guide sets out what is known so you can enjoy it safely at home.