Short answer
No. Skip alcohol before, during and right after a sauna. Medical reviews say drinking in the sauna raises the risk of low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and sudden death, and in a Finnish study half of the people who died in a sauna had been drinking. A sauna also does not sober you up or sweat alcohol out. Drink water instead.
A cold beer after a hot sauna is a classic image, especially in Finland. But alcohol and heat are a risky mix. Here is what the research and sauna makers say, and what to drink instead.
Why alcohol and saunas do not mix
In a sauna your heart beats faster and blood moves to your skin to help you cool down. Harvard Health notes that blood pressure can rise in some people and fall in others, and it advises avoiding alcohol and medications that may impair sweating and cause overheating, both before and after a sauna.
A review of sauna benefits and risks by Hannuksela and Ellahham (Am J Med 2001) found that very few heart attacks and sudden deaths happen in saunas, but that alcohol during sauna bathing increases the risk of low blood pressure (hypotension), irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and sudden death, and should be avoided.
What the Finnish data shows
Finland has about 2 million saunas for 5.2 million people, so it has a lot of data. A Finnish study of deaths in saunas from 1990 to 2002 (Kenttämies and Karkola, J Forensic Sci 2008) found that dying in a sauna is rare, at less than 2 per 100,000 people a year. But half of all those who died had been drinking. The authors conclude that prevention should focus on less drinking and on not leaving a drunk bather alone in the sauna.
Sauna makers say the same. The Clearlight Sanctuary 5 owner’s manual warns that alcohol, drugs or medications before or during a session may lead to unconsciousness.
Does a sauna sober you up?
No. The NIAAA (the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) says the body breaks alcohol down at a steady rate, regardless of how much you drink or of attempts to sober up with caffeine or by other means. Most of it is broken down in the liver. Sitting in the heat does not change that. It can make you feel worse, because heat and alcohol both affect blood pressure and judgement.
Can you sweat out alcohol?
Only a tiny amount. A BMJ review on alcohol in the body says more than 90% of alcohol is removed by the liver, and only 2 to 5% leaves the body unchanged through urine, sweat or breath. So you cannot sweat out a night of drinking.
Is a sauna good for a hangover?
A sauna will not cure a hangover. The Clearlight manual says it is not advisable to try to “sweat out” a hangover, and that being drunk lowers your judgement, so you may not notice when your body is struggling. If you still feel unwell, rest, drink water and skip the sauna. More on this in does the sauna help with a hangover.
When is it okay to drink after a sauna?
Rehydrate with water first. Harvard Health suggests two to four glasses of cool water after each sauna. Then wait until your heart rate and body temperature are back to normal before any alcohol. If you plan to go back into the sauna, do not drink at all. The NHS says an average adult processes about one unit of alcohol (10 ml of pure alcohol) per hour, but this varies from person to person.
What to drink instead
- Water before, during breaks and after your session; see should you drink water in the sauna.
- Non-alcoholic beer, if you want the ritual without the alcohol.
- Something light to eat afterwards; see what to do after a sauna.
Warning signs to get out
Leave the sauna, cool down and drink water if you feel dizzy, sick, have a headache or feel confused. These can be signs of heat exhaustion. The NHS says heat exhaustion usually does not need emergency help if you can cool down within 30 minutes, but heatstroke is an emergency. If someone with you has been drinking and seems unwell, do not leave them alone. See also dizzy, weak or cramps after a sauna and our sauna tips.
Frequently asked questions
Can you drink beer in the sauna?
It is best not to. A Finnish review says alcohol during sauna bathing raises the risk of low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and sudden death, and should be avoided. Water is the better drink.
Is it okay to drink alcohol before a sauna?
No. Harvard Health advises avoiding alcohol before and after a sauna, because it can lead to overheating. If you have been drinking, wait until the alcohol has left your system.
Does a sauna sober you up?
No. Your liver breaks alcohol down at a steady rate. The NIAAA says that rate does not change when people try to sober up with caffeine or other tricks, and heat is no exception.
Can you sweat out alcohol?
Hardly. A BMJ review says more than 90% of alcohol is removed by the liver and only 2 to 5% leaves unchanged through urine, sweat or breath. Sweating more does not speed this up much.
Is a sauna good for a hangover?
It is not a cure. A hangover often comes with dehydration, and a sauna makes you lose more fluid. Clearlight’s sauna manual says it is not advisable to try to sweat out a hangover. Rest and drink water.
How long after drinking can I use a sauna?
There is no exact rule. The NHS says an adult processes about one unit of alcohol per hour, and this varies from person to person. Wait until you are fully sober and well hydrated.
Sources
- Hannuksela ML, Ellahham S. Benefits and risks of sauna bathing. Am J Med 2001 (PubMed 11165553)
- Kenttämies A, Karkola K. Death in sauna. J Forensic Sci 2008 (PubMed 18471223)
- Harvard Health, Saunas and your health
- Clearlight Sanctuary 5 owner’s manual (alcohol and hangover warnings)
- NIAAA, The basics: defining how much alcohol is too much
- Paton A. Alcohol in the body. BMJ 2005 (PMC543875)
- NHS, Calculating alcohol units
- NHS, Heat exhaustion and heatstroke