Sauna & Cold Plunge Etiquette: Getting the Most Out of Your Practice

At The Studio, sauna and cold plunge aren't just recovery tools—they're practices.

Like any practice, a few simple habits can dramatically improve your experience. These aren't arbitrary rules. They're time-tested behaviors that help you get more benefits from the heat, more benefits from the cold, and a better overall experience every time you walk through our doors.

As a bonus, they also help preserve the environment that makes The Studio special.

Whether you're here to recover, improve resilience, reduce stress, build mental toughness, or simply disconnect from a busy day, these principles will help you get the most out of your contrast therapy session.

Shower Before You Sauna

Think of your shower as the beginning of your session.

Removing makeup, lotions, oils, sunscreen, and body products allows your skin to interact directly with the heat. It also prevents unwanted products from baking into the wood benches or ending up in the cold plunge.

Starting clean creates a more comfortable environment for your body and helps maintain the quality of the experience for everyone else.

Use a Towel

A towel isn't just about cleanliness—it's about comfort.

Sitting on a towel helps create a more enjoyable sauna experience while protecting the wood from sweat and moisture. It's a simple habit that helps preserve the sauna while making your session more comfortable.

Wiping away sweat from your body also keeps your sweat going. Your body sweats to cool itself, as you remove it via a hand towel your body will want to replace it. 

Quiet Is OK

One of the greatest benefits of sauna is the opportunity to slow down.

A quieter environment helps lower stimulation, reduce mental clutter, and create space to simply be present. Many members tell us the mental reset is just as valuable as the physical benefits.

Conversations are encouraged, and it's also ok to give yourself—and others—the gift of a little silence. It's perfectly fine to embrace a little quiet time. Read the room, and do what comes naturally as long as its within the boundry of being respectful to others time as well.

Stay Hydrated

Hydration directly impacts how well your body tolerates heat.

Coming into your session well-hydrated can help improve comfort, support recovery, and reduce the likelihood of dizziness or fatigue. Think of water as part of your sauna practice, not something you do afterward.

Listen to Your Body

This may be the most important principle of all.

The goal isn't to suffer through a certain amount of time. The goal is to develop awareness and resilience while respecting your body's signals.

Get as uncomfortable as you're comfortable getting.

Everyone's tolerance is different. For some people, ten minutes feels challenging. For others, twenty minutes feels comfortable. Neither is better.

A good target is 10–20 minutes per round, but the best guide is always your body. If you feel overheated, lightheaded, or unwell, step out, cool down, hydrate, and return when you're ready.

Rinse Before You Plunge

The cold plunge works best when the water stays clean and refreshing.

Before entering, take a moment to rinse thoroughly.

A good rule of thumb:

Rinse how you'd like someone else to rinse.

Clean water creates a better experience for everyone—including you on your next visit.

Buddy Up If It's Busy

Contrast therapy is often a personal experience, but it can also be a community one.

If things get busy, consider sharing a plunge when everyone is comfortable doing so. You'll often find some of the best conversations, encouragement, and friendships begin in moments like these.

Keep It Controlled

The cold plunge is a practice, not a performance.

Entering slowly and exiting intentionally helps you control your breathing, stay calm, and get more from the experience. The goal isn't to conquer the cold—it's to learn how to stay composed within it. You aren't doing yourself any favors by jumping in fast, freaking out for 2 minutes, and jumping out. By all means, audibly breathe, hum, "ohmmmm"...whatever you have to do to calm your nervous system, just make it a practice to stay slow and controlled. This can have real benefits that transfer outside these walls where stresses at like come at you unexpectedly.

And yes, no cannonballs.

More Doesn't Mean More Benefits

One of the most common misconceptions about cold exposure is that longer is always better.

In reality, most of the benefits occur within the first few minutes.

For most people, 2–4 minutes is the sweet spot. 6-8 minutes is on the high end of recommended time. Staying in longer doesn't necessarily create greater benefits. Focus on being more controlled than the last plunge rather than trying to beat a world record. 

Consistency beats extremes.

Dry Off & Dress in Designated Areas

Using the mats and designated changing areas helps keep the facility safe, dry, and comfortable.

Nobody enjoys wet floors, puddles, or slippery walkways—including you. A few extra steps help preserve the experience for everyone who walks in after you.

Leave No Trace

Leave the space a little better than you found it.

Returning towels, cleaning up after yourself, and treating the facility with care helps maintain the environment we all enjoy.

The Studio exists because of a community of people who value wellness, respect, and personal growth. Every small action contributes to that culture.

The Bigger Picture

Sauna and cold plunge aren't just about heat and cold.

They're opportunities to practice awareness, discipline, resilience, patience, gratitude, and presence.

The habits above don't just improve the experience for everyone else—they improve the experience for you.

And that's what we're after.

This is your time. Be present. Be respectful. Be well.