by One Playground
The ancient ritual of sitting in a heated room has become a modern recovery essential. From athletes to busy professionals, more people are rediscovering what Scandinavian cultures have known for centuries: traditional saunas deliver benefits that go far beyond a sweat.
At One Playground, our locations in Haymarket, Urban Oasis, Marrylands, and North Sydney each feature a traditional sauna designed to deliver this time-honoured experience. No booking required.
Traditional Saunas: The Ultimate Guide to Their Benefits
Regular sauna use reads like a wellness wish list: less stress, faster recovery, improved cardiovascular health, better sleep, and even potential cognitive protection. While research continues to evolve, there’s already strong evidence that this simple heat therapy can elevate your health routine. Here’s what you need to know to use saunas safely and effectively.
What Is a Traditional Sauna?
A traditional sauna is a compact, wood-lined room (often cedar or pine) with bench seating at different heights – the higher you sit, the hotter it feels. Heat is generated by a stove or heated rocks, creating a dry, penetrating warmth.
Temperatures typically range from 65°C to 90°C with humidity below 20%. You can add a small amount of water to the rocks for a brief burst of steam, but the core experience remains dry heat.
Traditional vs. Infrared Saunas
Infrared saunas warm your body directly using infrared light rather than heating the air. This means the sensation is often more gentle as the air temperature is lower. Traditional saunas, by contrast, heat the air first, creating that deep, enveloping heat many people find uniquely relaxing and rejuvenating.
5 Key Health Benefits of Traditional Saunas
1. Stress Reduction and Better Sleep
A sauna session quickly nudges your body into a calmer state by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and shifting your body into “rest and digest” mode. You’ll often feel tension melt from your muscles and your mind start to quiet. Studies show regular sauna use can reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and may improve mood and overall mental wellbeing.
Sleep quality often improves, too. As your body cools after a session, it mirrors the natural temperature drop that signals sleep onset. For best results, time your sauna 1–2 hours before bed to support deeper, more restorative sleep.
2. Muscle Recovery and Pain Relief
Athletes and active individuals have long used saunas as a recovery aid. The heat causes your blood vessels to dilate, boosting circulation by up to 60%. This improved blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to tired muscles while helping flush out lactic acid and other metabolic waste.
For those with chronic pain, from rheumatoid arthritis to general stiffness, the heat can reduce muscle tension, improve tissue elasticity, and ease discomfort. Your heart rate will climb to levels similar to moderate exercise, delivering cardiovascular conditioning without additional joint stress.
3. Cognitive Support
One of the most fascinating discoveries about sauna use comes from Finland, where researchers followed over 2,300 men for 20 years. Those who used saunas 4–7 times per week had a 66% lower risk of dementia and a 65% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who went only once weekly.
While more research is needed, scientists believe the benefits stem from improved cardiovascular health, enhanced blood flow to the brain, and the activation of protective “heat shock” proteins that help preserve brain cells. Regular stress relief and better sleep, two by-products of sauna use, likely contribute as well.
4. Respiratory Relief
Traditional dry saunas can be complemented with occasional steam to lightly humidify the air. This can hydrate the respiratory tract, loosen mucus, and open airways, helpful for some people with asthma or mild respiratory issues. The brief increase in breathing rate during a session can also provide a gentle “workout” for the lungs without physical exertion.
5. Skin and Immune Benefits
Sauna heat works wonders for the skin. The heavy sweating opens pores, flushes out impurities, and increases circulation to the skin’s surface.
Your immune system can benefit as well. Heat exposure mimics a mild, controlled “fever” response that can stimulate white blood cell activity. Some studies suggest frequent sauna users experience fewer colds, likely thanks to this immune priming plus the stress-reduction effects.
Myth Busting: Saunas and Weight Loss
You’ll sweat a lot in a sauna, and the scale may dip right after, but that’s water weight, not fat loss. Once you rehydrate (as you should), your weight returns to baseline. Saunas slightly elevate heart rate and metabolism, but the calorie burn is modest, closer to a walk than a workout.
Use saunas for what they do best: recovery, stress relief, sleep support, and overall wellbeing. Treating them as a weight-loss shortcut can lead to risky behaviour like dehydration without any lasting body composition benefits.
How to Use a Traditional Sauna Safely
Maximise benefits and minimise risk with a few simple guidelines:
- Start slow: New to saunas? Begin with 5–10 minutes and work up to 15–20 minutes per session. More isn’t always better; beyond 20 minutes, risks rise without added benefit.
- Hydrate well: Drink at least 500 ml of water beforehand. Rehydrate during and after, especially if you’re sweating heavily. Avoid alcohol before or after sessions.
- Cool down gradually: Sit in a moderate environment post-sauna. If you love cold exposure, ease into it rather than jumping straight into ice water.
- Listen to your body: If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or unwell, exit immediately.
- Check with your doctor: If you’re pregnant, have cardiovascular conditions, or take medications that affect blood pressure or heat tolerance, get medical guidance before regular use.
Where to Find Traditional Saunas at One Playground
You can access traditional saunas at four convenient locations around Sydney, all with walk-in availability:
- Urban Oasis: The Urban Oasis is a dedicated sanctuary for recovery. Find both a traditional and infrared sauna in the recovery area, as well as mineral showers and a wellness lounge.
- Haymarket: In the heart of the CBD, perfect for post-work recovery. Find a traditional sauna in each of the male and female changing rooms.
- Merrylands: Traditional saunas are also found in our Western Sydney location in the male and female changing rooms. You can also access the private recovery suite for a more personal experience.
- North Sydney: Our newest location is also home to traditional saunas to complete your workout.
Each facility maintains proper temperature control and ventilation to preserve the classic sauna experience. The drop-in model makes it easy to integrate sauna sessions into your routine without the hassle of advance planning. Simply arrive and relax.
Your First Session: A Simple Game Plan
- Pre-hydrate and arrive clean (quick rinse helps)
- Warm up on a lower bench for 5–10 minutes
- Take a short cool-down break outside the sauna
- Return for another 5–10 minutes if you feel good
- Finish with a gradual cool-down and rehydrate
- Optionally, take a gentle, cool shower at the end
Pro tips:
- Bring a towel to sit on and one for drying off
- Remove metal jewellery (it can heat up)
- Avoid heavy meals and alcohol beforehand
- If you’re training, try a sauna session after your workout to support recovery and sleep
Try a Traditional Sauna Today
Traditional saunas are more than a relaxation ritual; they’re a practical, science-supported way to improve recovery, reduce stress, sleep better, and support overall health. With walk-in access at Haymarket, Urban Oasis, Marrylands, and North Sydney, it’s never been easier to experience the benefits for yourself. Give yourself 15–20 minutes, step into the heat, and feel the difference, session by session.
Not a One Playground member? Book a visit to one of our locations here to discover how you can enjoy traditional saunas as a part of your fitness and wellness routine.
