How to Use a Steam Room: Time, Heat and What to Wear

To use a steam room, shower first, sit on a towel and stay in for about 10 to 15 minutes (5 to 10 if you're new to it), then step out, cool down gradually and drink some water. Most steam rooms run at around 40 to 50°C with the air close to 100% humidity, which is why they feel hotter than the thermometer suggests. Wear light swimwear or a towel, leave jewellery and contact lenses in the locker, and get out straight away if you feel dizzy or unwell.

Below is a step-by-step routine, what to wear, how long to stay in, and how a steam room fits alongside a sauna if you use both.

How to use a steam room, step by step

Eat lightly and skip the alcohol. A heavy meal or a drink beforehand makes it harder for your body to cope with the heat. Aim to have eaten an hour or more before.
Drink a glass of water. You'll sweat freely, so start hydrated.
Shower before you go in. It's basic etiquette in a shared room, and clean skin sweats more evenly.
Take a towel to sit on. Benches are tiled and wet. Sitting on a towel is more hygienic and more comfortable.
Start low and short. Heat and steam rise, so the lower bench is gentler. On your first visit, try 5 to 10 minutes.
Breathe slowly through your nose. If the steam feels heavy, lower your head slightly or move nearer the door.
Leave when you've had enough, not when the clock says so. Dizziness, a pounding head, nausea or feeling faint are signals to step out now.
Cool down gradually. Sit outside for a few minutes, then take a lukewarm or cool shower. A cold plunge is optional, not required.
Rehydrate. Drink water afterwards and rest before driving or exercising hard.

What to wear in a steam room

Keep it simple: swimwear or a towel wrapped around you, plus flip-flops for the wet floor. In UK gyms and spas, swimwear is usually expected in mixed rooms, so check the house rules on the door.

Do wear: a swimsuit or trunks you don't mind getting hot and damp, and sliders or flip-flops.
Leave outside: jewellery and watches (metal heats up quickly), contact lenses (steam can dry or irritate eyes), make-up and heavy moisturiser, and your phone, which isn't built for 100% humidity.
Hair: tie long hair up, or wrap it in a towel if you want to protect it from the heat.

How long should you stay in a steam room?

For most healthy adults, 10 to 15 minutes per session is plenty, and beginners should start nearer 5 to 10. Longer isn't better: the aim is to feel warm and relaxed, not drained. If you want more time in the heat, take two shorter rounds with a cool-down and some water in between rather than one long stay.

Why steam feels hotter than a sauna at a lower temperature

It comes down to sweat. In dry heat, sweat evaporates from your skin and cools you. In saturated air it can't evaporate, so it just runs off, and your body loses its main way of shedding heat. That's why a 45°C steam room can feel as intense as an 80°C sauna.

A study from the University of Jyväskylä, published in July 2026, measured this directly. Researchers varied temperature and humidity across four sauna experiments with 50 healthy adults. Over ten minutes, average heart rate rose from 79 to 121 beats per minute and core temperature from 37.4 to 37.8°C, and the more humid the air, the higher core temperature climbed. Their explanation was the same: humid air slows sweat evaporation, so steam adds real strain, not just a feeling of heat. It's a good reason to keep steam sessions shorter than you might in a dry sauna.

Sauna or steam room first?

There's no single correct order, and it mostly comes down to what you enjoy. Two common approaches:

Steam first, then sauna: some people like the gentler temperature of steam as a warm-up before the drier, hotter sauna.
Sauna first, then steam: others prefer the dry heat first and finish with steam because it feels softer on the skin.

Whichever you choose, treat them as separate rounds. Cool down, drink water and rest for at least 10 minutes between them, and keep your total time in the heat modest. Doing back-to-back rounds with no break is where most people overdo it. If you're mainly using a sauna at home, our step-by-step guide to using a sauna covers temperatures and session lengths for dry heat.

Steam room vs sauna: what's the difference?

Insignia Hybrid-Gartensauna für 2–3 Personen mit Farblicht

Temperature: steam rooms usually run around 40 to 50°C; traditional saunas around 70 to 100°C; infrared saunas lower, around 45 to 60°C.
Humidity: steam rooms sit near 100%; a dry sauna is often 10 to 20%, rising briefly when you ladle water on the stones.
How it feels: steam feels wet and enveloping; dry heat feels sharper on the skin but easier to breathe for many people.
At home: a true steam room needs a sealed, tiled, waterproofed space and a steam generator, usually fitted as part of a bathroom build. A sauna cabin is generally simpler to install indoors or in the garden.

If you'd like humid heat at home without building a steam room, a traditional or hybrid sauna where you can pour water over the stones gets you some of that feel. Browse our saunas and steam range, including the Insignia 2 to 3 Person Hybrid Garden Sauna Cabin.

Is it safe to use a steam room every day?

Many healthy adults use a steam room several times a week, and some daily, without issues, as long as sessions stay short and they drink enough water. Listen to your body: if you finish feeling wiped out, headachy or lightheaded, cut back on time or frequency.

Who should check with a GP first?

Speak to your GP before using a steam room if you're pregnant, have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, a breathing condition, or take medication that affects blood pressure or how you handle heat. Avoid steam rooms if you're unwell, have a fever, or have been drinking alcohol. Children should only use one if the facility allows it, for short periods and with an adult.

Steam room etiquette in UK gyms and spas

Shower before you go in, and again before using a pool.
Always sit on a towel.
Keep conversation low; many people use the steam room to unwind.
Don't shave, apply products or scrub in a shared steam room.
Close the door quickly behind you so the steam doesn't escape.
Don't add essential oils or water to the steam outlet unless staff say you can.

Frequently asked questions

How hot is a steam room?

Usually around 40 to 50°C, with humidity close to 100%. It feels hotter than that because sweat can't evaporate to cool you.

Can you wear clothes in a steam room?

Wear swimwear or a towel. Ordinary clothes trap heat and get soaked, and most gyms and spas don't allow them.

How often should you use a steam room?

Two to four short sessions a week suits most people. If you go daily, keep sessions brief and stay well hydrated.

Should you shower after a steam room?

Yes. A lukewarm or cool shower helps you cool down gradually and rinses off sweat. Cold is optional.

Can you use a steam room after a workout?

You can, but wait until your heart rate has settled and drink water first, as you'll already have lost fluid through exercise.

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