Wearing bathing suit, boardshorts are preferable. Full nudity is not accepted (bottoms must be worn) tops off is allowed.

• Wearing a banya hat can really improve your whole banya experience because there are several benefits to wearing a banya hat.  First and foremost, it protects your head!  When you are inside the room, the head heats up faster than the rest of your body, as it is more exposed to the heat.  A banya hat acts as a layer of insulation, helping to keep you cooler and prevent your head from overheating.

• This is very important, obviously, as the point of your visit to the banya is to improve your health and not hinder it!  When your head heats up faster than the rest of your body it can leave you feeling dizzy or even nauseous.  Wearing a hat helps prevent this from happening and you will find that this improves your banya experience overall.

• Also, consider that heat rises, so the area highest on your body (your head) is most exposed to the heat.  A banya hat helps to level the playing field with the rest of your body.
• The more you acclimatize to the heat; wearing a banya hat helps this process and allows you to adapt faster.
• The banya hat also protects your ears and hair.  A banya hat is excellent protection for the top of the ears keeping them nicely insulated from the heat and protects your har.  Some people find that the heat from banya (especially a dry sauna) can make their hair dryer and more brittle.  Wearing a hat can prevent this and keeps your hair in great condition that it already in.

Accessories such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, and even glasses and watches should be taken off before entering a sauna.  Saunas reach extremely high temperatures, causing jewelry to get hot with the potential of even causing burns to the skin.

• Use a towel to sit or lie down on.  It’s hygienic and will also put a comfortable buffer between your skin and the hot wood.  You’ll also want a towel for sponging off your dripping sweat.  Never sit directly on the benches, you must have a towel you can sit on and take it with you when you leave.

Always stay hydrated, before, during and after.  Because of the high temperatures, your perspiration cannot evaporate, so even though you are losing fluids, you are not cooling down.  Your body is going to continue to perspire for an unlimited amount of time.  If you don’t drink water, you’re going to get dehydrated very quickly.  Drink room temperature water, not Cold or Freezing water.

• No food allowed in the sauna.
• Don’t go in the sauna hungry, or with a full stomach.  A good meal after sauna feels much better and helps you restore the energy.

• For the first timers, do not stay longer than 10-minute session.

• In case you choose to lie down to enjoy it, keep in mind that for the last 2 minutes you should sit to equalize your circulation.  That way you don’t feel lightheaded when you stand.

• Showers or the cold plunge will make you feel refreshed between sessions.  Remember, cold plunge is a STRESS for your body, which means you should avoid if you have high blood pressure or any other cardiovascular conditions.

• The extreme temperature contrasts strengthen your blood vessels and improve your immune system.  After the sauna/steam and cold plunge, your body needs oxygen, it is important to take deep breaths as you relax outside with the fresh air.

• When you pour water on the sauna’s heated rocks, it creates a powerful burst of hot and soothing steam.  It feels amazing.  But some people don’t like it.  So, before you pour water on the sauna rocks, ask everyone in the sauna if that is okay.  You need unanimous consent for this one.  Also don’t water the rocks too much or you will create clouds of steam that will swiftly cover and consume the entire sauna and rise the temperature to an intolerable level.

• Essential Oils: On a related note, some people like to drizzle essential oils on the sauna rocks to give themselves some aromatherapy.  Some essentials oils can be strong and potent, you must seek permission from the owner of the sauna to use essential oils within it. 

• Essential Oils Must Not be poured directly on the rocks, you add few drops to your water bucket.

• Keep conversation low and do not employ rowdy behavior.
• Leave your smart phones outside, the sauna is about relaxing and getting away from the world, so why bring the distraction of the smartphone into such a sanctuary.  Besides, the heat of the sauna isn’t good for your phone.

Saunas are for relaxing.  It’s not a hot yoga room.  Don’t go in there to stretch and do push-ups before your workout.

The sauna is not intended for use in athletic competitions.  You may try to show how strong and in shape you are by outlasting your colleagues or other people in there, but if this is your goal, you won’t be able to relax, and even worse, it’s not safe.  The sauna should be comfortable and relaxing.

This is something that everyone should already know.  Under no circumstances should you spit while you are inside the sauna.  It is really terrible etiquette and is very unhygienic.

A period of rest is an integral part of the sauna banya experience.  There is no rush to get back to the sauna room.  It is also recommended to drink tea, water or juice to restore the body’s reserves of water and minerals.