Alright, let’s talk about this 80 degrees Celsius sauna thing. People ask, “Is that too hot?” Well, I’ve been in a few, and I’ve got some thoughts from my own skin, literally.

My First Encounter with an 80°C Sauna

I remember the first time I properly clocked a sauna hitting that 80°C mark. I was at this new place, kinda fancy, and they had all these different rooms. I’d done saunas before, sure, but mostly in the, you know, 65-75°C range. So, 80°C? Sounded a bit like stepping onto the sun, not gonna lie.

So, I decided, “What the heck, let’s give it a go.” Stripped down, quick shower, and then pushed open that heavy wooden door. Woah. That’s the first word that came to mind. It wasn’t a damp heat, like some steam rooms. This was that dry, intense heat that just kinda smacks you in the face the moment you walk in.

The Experience Inside

I found a spot on the lower bench first. Always my strategy in a new hot sauna – start low, see how it feels. The air was thick, you know? Like you could almost see the heat waves. My breathing changed pretty quick. Had to consciously take slower, deeper breaths.

After a couple of minutes, I thought, “Okay, not dead yet.” So, I moved up to the higher bench. Big difference. The heat up there was definitely more potent. I could feel my skin prickling all over, and the sweat started to pour. And I mean pour. It’s funny, you don’t realize how much you can sweat until you’re in one of these things.

I tried to just focus on relaxing. Let the muscles go limp. Some folks were in there just chatting away, like it was a coffee morning. Me? I was mostly concentrating on not turning into a crisp. I’d say I managed about 10 minutes that first time at 80°C. Here’s what I noticed:

• My heart rate definitely went up. Not crazy, but noticeable.
• The wooden bench beneath me got seriously hot. Had to sit on my towel.
• My throat felt a bit dry, even though I’d hydrated before.
• When I finally stood up to leave, I felt a bit light-headed for a second.

So, Is 80°C Too Hot? My Take.

Look, “too hot” is super personal, right? For someone who’s never been in a sauna, yeah, 80°C is probably gonna feel like an inferno. You might last two minutes and run screaming. And that’s okay! You gotta build up to it.

For me, now? 80°C is pretty much my sweet spot if I want a proper, deep sweat. It’s intense, no doubt. You can’t just lounge in there for an hour like it’s nothing (well, most people can’t). It demands a bit of respect for the heat. I usually do maybe 12-15 minutes at that temperature, then a cold shower, then maybe another round. That cycle works for me.

I’ve seen some old Finnish guys who probably practically live in saunas hotter than that. They ladle water on the stones like there’s no tomorrow, making it even more intense with that “löyly” (steam). Me, I’m a bit more cautious with the water at 80°C. A little bit goes a long way to ramp things up.

So, to wrap it up, 80°C isn’t inherently “too hot” across the board. It’s on the higher end of what many public saunas offer, and it provides a really good, strong heat session. But you gotta listen to your body. If it feels like too much, it is too much for you at that moment. Start lower, get used to it, and maybe 80°C will become your go-to as well. Or maybe not. The main thing is to enjoy the sauna safely, whatever the temperature.