Should you sauna before or after a massage? This seemingly simple question has layers of complexity that aren’t immediately obvious. After exploring sauna and massage forums on social media, we found a strong consensus—most people believe sauna before massage is the way to go.

Masseuses most definitely agree—they say a sauna session helps loosen up the muscles and get your circulation going before the massage, allowing for a deeper and more relaxing massage. But a sauna after a massage is also highly beneficial, helping your muscles relax after all the kneading, rubbing, and stretching.

As sauna connoisseurs, we think taking a sauna before and after a massage gives you the best experience, with a quick shower and cool down period after each session. If that isn’t an option, choosing a sauna before or after massage still works great. 

Caveat: If you have underlying health conditions like high or low blood pressure, heart disease, medical implants, or skin sensitivities, consult your doctor before using a sauna or getting a massage to make sure it’s safe for you to do so.

Should You Get a Massage Before or After a Sauna?

If anyone knows the best way to combine a sauna and a massage, it’s the massage professionals.

We dug through massage and sauna forums to see what experienced masseuses had to say on the matter. Most agree that starting with a sauna sets the stage for a more effective, deeply relaxing massage.

More importantly, is an infrared sauna better than a steam sauna for pre- or post-massage wellness? Again, it depends.

Infrared saunas use deep, penetrating heat to relax muscles, improve circulation, and boost flexibility—perfect for preparing your body for a massage. They also produce less sweat, which some therapists prefer. One of our best infrared sauna models is featured below.

Steam saunas, on the other hand, open pores, hydrate skin, and promote heavy sweating for detoxification. They also help with respiratory relaxation, making them ideal if you enjoy a steamy, cleansing experience before your massage. Our best-selling barrel saunas do exactly that.

But we’re drifting away from the main topic, so let’s go back to the main discussion.

Benefits of Sauna Before Massage

A sauna’s health benefits can enhance the massage experience by loosening muscles, boosting circulation, and deeply relaxing your body before you go on the massage table.

The deep, penetrating heat of an infrared sauna (or the enveloping warmth of a traditional sauna) loosens tight muscles, increases blood flow, and helps flush toxins, making your body more receptive to the benefits of massage therapy.

In fact, when you go on the massage bench already relaxed, the masseuse can spend less time warming up and loosening your muscles and more time working on deep-seated  tension. They can focus more on deep tissue work without causing undue discomfort, giving you longer-lasting relief from soreness and tension.

The heat and sweating of a sauna also helps flush toxins from your system, such as lactic acid that causes muscle soreness.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown explaining why using a sauna first might be the best approach:

1. Warm Up and Relaxes Muscles

Heat increases muscle elasticity, making it easier for a massage therapist to work on knots and tension. It reduces the chance of post-massage soreness by prepping soft tissues beforehand.

2. Improves Blood Circulation

Sauna heat causes vasodilation (widening of blood vessels), increasing oxygen and nutrient flow to muscles. Better circulation means faster recovery and deeper relaxation.

3. Enhances Detoxification

Sweating in the sauna helps flush out toxins before the massage, reducing the load on the lymphatic system. This may lead to less post-massage soreness from toxin release.

4. Prepares the Nervous System for Deep Relaxation

Heat exposure activates the parasympathetic nervous system ("rest and digest" mode), making it easier to fully relax during the massage. It can reduce stress hormones like cortisol, allowing for a deeper, more restorative massage.

5. May Reduce the Need for Deep Pressure

Since muscles are already loosened and warm, you may not need an intense deep tissue massage to break up tension. This can make the massage more comfortable and enjoyable.

Benefits of Having a Sauna After a Massage

If you prefer to hit the sauna after your massage, go for it! A post-massage sauna session amplifies relaxation, flushes out metabolic waste, and extends the benefits of bodywork.

Since a massage stimulates circulation, breaks down muscle tension, and releases toxins, following it up with sauna heat can help your body better process these benefits.

1. Enhances Muscle Recovery & Reduces Soreness

A deep massage can leave muscles feeling tender, sore, or slightly inflamed. 

The heat from a post-massage sauna session increases circulation and oxygen flow, which speeds up the recovery process.

It also helps flush out lactic acid and other metabolic waste released during the massage.

2. Promotes Deeper Detoxification

Massaging stimulates the lymphatic system, pushing toxins into circulation. The heavy sweating that occurs in a sauna helps expel these toxins more effectively. This can reduce any post-massage sluggishness or mild headaches caused by toxin release.

3. Extends Relaxation & Stress Relief

A massage + sauna combo helps keep you in a state of deep relaxation for longer. The sauna heat helps prolong the drop in cortisol (stress hormone) triggered by massage. This encourages a meditative state that’s perfect for unwinding after the intense massage.

4. Increase Flexibility & Mobility

A massage loosens muscle knots and fascia, while a post-massage sauna heat keeps them relaxed longer. This is a wonderful benefit for athletes or anyone with stiff joints, chronic tension, or mobility issues.

Improves Sleep Quality

5. Both massage and sauna sessions activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps with deep sleep and recovery. Having a sauna after a massage provides a gradual cooling-down process that naturally signals your body to wind down, making it a great pre-bedtime routine.

Best Practices For a Sauna + Massage Combo

When you take a sauna before a massage, we recommend you follow some best practices to get the best out of the wellness session.

For instance, you need to give your body time to adjust, hydrate, and cool the core to avoid overheating. On that note, learn how to maintain a safe sauna temperature with this guide.

Since both saunas and massages stimulate circulation and the lymphatic system, jumping from one straight into the other can be too much for your body to handle. Here are some of the factors to keep in mind:

• Keep the sauna short – A sauna session should last 10–20 minutes before a massage—long enough to warm up muscles and improve circulation, but not so long that you feel drained.

• Hydrate before entering – Sweating depletes fluids, and dehydration can lead to dizziness or sluggish circulation. Drink a full glass of water before stepping into the sauna to ensure your body is well-hydrated for both heat exposure and massage.

• Choose the right sauna type – Infrared saunas are often preferred before a massage because they penetrate deeper into tissues without excessive external heat, allowing muscles to relax without leaving you feeling overheated. Traditional dry or steam saunas can also work, but they may lead to more fatigue if used too long.

• Let your body cool slightly before the massage – Stepping from extreme heat straight onto the massage table can make you feel overheated or lightheaded. After your sauna session, allow your body 5–10 minutes to cool down naturally before starting the massage.

• Avoid over-sweating – Excessive sweating before a massage can leave your skin too slick, making it harder for the therapist to apply the right amount of pressure.

After your sauna, a quick lukewarm rinse before your massage can help remove excess moisture without cooling your muscles too much. This is particularly important if you tend to sweat a lot—your masseuse will thank you for it.

Best Practices For Taking a Sauna After a Massage

Follow these steps for a safe and effective pre-massage sauna experience.

• Take a short break before entering the sauna – Wait 10–15 minutes before entering the sauna to allow your heart rate to normalize. This helps prevent dizziness or lightheadedness.

• Stay hydrated – Massage releases toxins and encourages fluid movement, while saunas make you sweat. If you don’t replenish fluids, you risk dehydration. Drink at least one glass of water before entering the sauna and sip more as needed.

• Keep your session short – Since your body has already experienced physical stimulation, limit your sauna time to 10–20 minutes to avoid overtaxing your system. Infrared saunas are gentler than traditional steam saunas, but either way, listen to your body and step out if you feel too hot.

• Cool down properly – After your sauna session, take a lukewarm or cool shower to rinse off sweat and bring your body temperature back to normal. This helps close your pores, refresh your skin, and prevent lingering fatigue.

• Relax before resuming activity – Don’t rush back into daily tasks right away. Spend a few minutes resting, sipping water, or even enjoying a light snack to restore electrolytes and energy levels.

Remember, a sauna and massage can be as taxing to the body as a workout session. They force the heart to work harder to circulate blood, regulate body temperature, and support detoxification. As your blood vessels dilate (vasodilation), your heart rate increases, similar to moderate cardiovascular exercise.

This increased circulation is beneficial but can also be demanding on your system, especially if you’re dehydrated, have low blood pressure, or are sensitive to heat. That’s why it’s crucial to listen to your body, stay hydrated, and allow time to recover—just as you would after a tough workout.

When to Avoid a Sauna and Massage Combination

Before we conclude, it’s important to ask: should you even have a sauna and massage together? While a sauna and massage combination can be highly beneficial, there are times when it might do more harm than good.

We’ve already noted that anyone with underlying health conditions should consult a doctor before taking a sauna and massage. There have been cases of people collapsing and even dying due to heat stress, alcohol consumption, heart conditions, seizures, stroke, dehydration, and unstable blood pressure.

If you have any of these following conditions or risk factors, proceed with caution—or avoid the combo altogether.

Similarly, avoid saunas with massages if you have low immunity or recently suffered a serious injury, bruising, or inflammation. Massage and sauna heat increase circulation, which can worsen swelling or inflammation from a recent injury.

If you have fever or illness, a massage or sauna could help you recover more quickly, but it could also worsen your condition. Consult your doctor on this to avoid overtaxing your immune system.

Can Pregnant Women Have a Sauna With Massage?

If you’re pregnant, don’t take a sauna and massage without clearance from your doctor. They can affect circulation and body temperature, which may be unsafe during pregnancy. They can also cause problems for your unborn baby, so it’s better to err on the side of caution on this one.

What If You Have Heat Sensitivity and Dizziness?

If you’re prone to heat exhaustion, dizziness, or fainting, the combination of massage and sauna could be overwhelming. Don’t take back-to-back sessions if you feel lightheaded, weak, or disoriented. If in doubt, first consult your doctor before taking a sauna and massage combo.

Verdict: Should You Sauna Before or After a Massage?

There’s no universal answer—whether you sauna before or after a massage depends wholly on your goals and preferences.

• Use a sauna before a massage if you want to loosen up tight muscles, improve circulation, and enhance the effectiveness of deeper massage techniques.

• Use a sauna after a massage if you want to extend relaxation, flush out toxins, and aid muscle recovery.

💡 The Best Choice? If your body handles heat well, you could even try both—a short sauna session before your massage to prep your muscles, and another after to enhance recovery.

Just be sure to stay hydrated, listen to your body, and avoid excessive heat exposure. And, if taking multiple saunas proves too much for your wallet, shop our wide selection of indoor saunas for your home so you can take as many saunas as you wish, whenever you wish.