Enter the sauna slowly and start on the lower settings and work your way up to the upper settings as you get accustomed to the heat.

The temperature range is usually 155°-195°F (70°-90° C). Some experienced sauna users can take it right up to the boiling point of water. The goal is to sweat freely but not feel faint or ill.

The heat stage can last for any length of time you are comfortable with. Most often it is upwards of 20 minutes and unless you are a very seasoned sauna user less than 40 minutes.

Whenever you move in the sauna you should get up slowly to avoid feeling light-headed. Blood Pressure is typically lowered in a sauna due to the expanded blood vessels.

Directions for using a sauna: 
Final cool downThe ideal situation is to shower or rinse off with soap and cool water. This will clean your skin, close your pores and slow the sweating.

Cooling off slowly is now the name of the game instead of the Polar Bear routine.

Air drying works better than toweling off since you will continue to sweat for some time still.

Reclining for 10 or 15 minutes is the preferred method to finish up and get ready to face the real world once again. This is why it is so nice to have a changing/relaxing area adjacent to your sauna.

It’s time to replenish your fluids. You loose about 1 quart of water each hour in a sauna. Water is fine but many people prefer juice or one of the power drinks since you loose vitamins and minerals along with the water.

After you wash down the sauna and leave the door open to dry you are done.

Pregnancy:
Pregnant mothers should probably not start taking saunas.

Sport injuries:
One no-no is treating injuries in the sauna. Muscle and tissue injuries should be treated with cold, compression and elevation first. Heat therapy can be applied after two days' healing.

Disclaimer: Check with your physician. 

If you do not feel comfortable in a sauna, maybe you should do without it. This information is provided for educational purposes only. Consult your own physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition.