Sauna use helps sleep for over 83% of people, experts say

A 2019 Global Sauna Survey reported that about 83.5% of respondents perceived sleep benefits after sauna use, and small studies have linked sauna sessions to more deep sleep and less awake time at night. Experts explain this may relate to the rapid body cooling after leaving a sauna and to stress-relief effects such as endorphin release.

Saunas are appearing on wellness trend lists for 2026 and are increasingly available in wellness hubs, pop-ups, gyms and homes. Finland is the cultural origin of sauna bathing, and the practice has spread globally into a multi‑billion dollar market with growing interest in home saunas, according to Business Insider. Researchers and survey authors have reported links between sauna use and improved sleep, while some experts describe physiological reasons why heat exposure could affect sleep. Discussion of sauna benefits for sleep has focused on temperature regulation and stress relief as likely contributing factors. What researchers and experts report: - A 2019 Global Sauna Survey reported that 83.5% of respondents perceived sleep benefits after sauna use. - A small Finnish study that monitored five people found sauna bathing increased deep sleep by over 70% in the first two hours of sleep and reduced time spent awake at night. - Dr. Lief Hands described that the body naturally cools at sleep onset and that the rapid temperature drop after leaving a sauna may mimic that process and prompt melatonin release. - A 2022 Swedish study reported sauna users were happier and had better sleep, and social sauna settings are noted to correlate with improved sleep quality. Summary: Surveys and small studies report that many people perceive improved sleep after sauna bathing, and researchers link those reports to post‑sauna cooling, endorphin release and reduced nighttime wakefulness. Undetermined at this time.