What should you wear in a sauna blanket? You should wear loose-fitting, breathable, moisture-wicking clothes when using a sauna blanket. You should cover all your skin from toes to shoulders to prevent direct contact between your body and the hot internal surface. Alternatively, you can use a sauna blanket insert – and enjoy some comfort and freedom. This article covers everything you need to know about sauna blanket clothes.
Sauna Blanket Clothes: What You Need to Know
Did you know, you need to be fully clothed when using a sauna blanket? Yes, it’s true. You need to cover your skin so that it does not come into contact with the hot internal surface of the sauna blanket. Things get pretty hot in there and the last thing you want to feel is the discomfort of hot fabric brushing up against your skin.
You’ll also need to choose fabrics that are breathable and moisture-wicking. These materials allow hot air to escape the surface of your body and draw sweat and moisture to the outside of the clothing. In short, they will help you get the most from your session by facilitating airflow. And, if you’d prefer not to dress from head to toe, there’s the option of using a sauna blanket insert, see below.
Full Body Coverage
If you’re using an infrared sauna blanket you need to wear clothes that provide full body coverage. Your entire body from toes to shoulders needs to be covered in suitable clothing. This is to prevent your skin from coming into direct contact with the hot internal surface of the sauna blanket.
Your neck and shoulders will always be the outside, so these can remain uncovered. However, you’ll need to cover your arms, legs, feet, and torso. You should wear a pair of full-length bottoms, a long-sleeved top, and some socks. You don’t want any part of your body coming into contact with the hot blanket interior.
Clothing will not only protect you from the discomfort of direct contact with the hot blanket interior – it also soaks up your sweat and helps keep the blanket clean. The only alternative to being fully clothed is to use a Sauna Blanket Insert, more on this below.
Breathable Materials
When choosing sauna blanket clothes, aim for something breathable. It’s going to get hot in there. And, you’re going to experience an intense sweat. Therefore you need to choose clothes that are made from a breathable material.
Breathable clothing allows air to pass through it. This is a must when enjoying an infrared sauna blanket session. Hot moist air needs to be able to escape from your body. The last thing you want to do is trap it in place and create an insulating effect.
Breathable clothing fabrics have ventilation features such as perforations, mesh weaving, or strategic placement of tiny open vents. This allows air to flow freely from one side of the material to the other. And, in a sauna blanket, this allows hot air to escape. The best options are cotton, polyester, and bamboo.
• Cotton
Cotton is a natural material and is also naturally breathable. It is an excellent choice for facilitating airflow. Cotton also works very well at soaking up sweat – a great feature for using with a sauna blanket. It’s also great at providing a soft protective physical barrier between your skin and the hot surface.
And, most of us already have cotton clothing to work with. However, it tends to retain moisture, unlike synthetic materials that have better moisture-wicking properties. Overall, cotton is our number one choice for sauna blanket clothing.
• Polyester
Polyester is a synthetic material that delivers excellent breathability. It also possesses strong moisture-wicking properties, more on this below. It’s one of the best fabrics you can use to help keep you cool.
However, it doesn’t deliver the same level of soft cushioning as cotton. And, its lightweight nature means it may not adequately comfort you and may not provide adequate levels of protection from the hot sauna blanket interior.
• Bamboo
Bamboo is another natural fabric that works well for sauna blankets. It demonstrates excellent breathability and moisture-wicking properties. And, it feels great against the skin. It’s often blended with other materials when used for clothing.
On the flip side, it can be expensive and most people don’t already possess a full shoulder-to-toe bamboo outfit. But, it’s a durable material and is worth the investment if you intend to use it for some time to come.
Moisture Wicking
Moisture wicking refers to the ability of a fabric to pull moisture away from the skin and move it to the outer surface of the material. It’s an important feature of sauna blanket clothes. And, it’s something we’ve spoken about already when assessing the suitability of cotton, polyester, and bamboo as sauna blanket clothes.
When you spend time relaxing in a sauna blanket, you’re going to sweat. Most people will sweat a lot. And, this means you want to choose clothes that help absorb and draw this moisture away from the body. Cotton, polyester, and bamboo all demonstrate strong moisture wicking – with polyester edging it.
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Loose Fitting & Comfortable
You should always choose clothes that feel comfortable. While breathability and moisture wicking are important. It’s vital you enjoy your sauna blanket session. And, choosing sauna blanket clothes that feel comfortable and allow you to relax is vital.
Natural materials work well. They feel soft and gentle against the skin. And, we like to wear clothes that are loose fitting. Nothing too tight or restrictive. This rules out tight yoga pants or leggings. And tight restrictive t-shirts are also a no-no.
My personal favorite is a loose-fitting long-sleeved t-shirt, long cotton bottoms, and a pair of regular cotton socks – pulled up onto the leggings so that no ankle skin is exposed during the session. Cotton provides the best physical barrier between your body and the hot blanket surface. And, it’s highly breathable and great for soaking up sweat.
Sauna Blanket Inserts
Have you tried using a sauna blanket insert? These devices are specially designed for use inside a sauna blanket. They protect you from the hot surface, absorb sweat, and feel incredible against your skin. Even better, you don’t have to be fully clothed from toe to shoulder.
In fact, with a sauna blanket, you can even try a naked sauna blanket session. And, why not? In the comfort and privacy of your own home. My personal preference is to use a blanket insert. It takes the experience to a whole new comfort level.
And, to be honest, having to dress to provide full body coverage can be a bit of a pain. This way you’re freed up. All you have to do is strip off and jump in. You can leave your underwear on if it feels more comfortable. But overall, an insert is our preferred option.
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Place a Towel Inside the Blanket
Many people like to place a towel inside the sauna blanket before they begin their session. This provides an additional layer of soft padding and comfort. It also soaks up sweat inside the blanket and makes your cleanup job much easier when you’re finished.
A towel is not essential, but it’s a nice touch – especially if you’re not using a sauna blanket insert. Top tip, place the towel inside the blanket before it heats up. It’s much easier to position while the surfaces are not hot to touch.
Remove All Jewelry
Jewelry is something that is often overlooked when discussing sauna blanket clothes. All jewelry should be removed before climbing inside an infrared sauna blanket. Jewelry can become superhot inside a sauna blanket as the metallic elements heat up.
This can cause discomfort and in extreme scenarios can burn the skin. Remove all jewelry, watches, smart watches, piercings, and other body accessories when using a sauna blanket. You have been warned, proceed with caution.
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About the Author
ELLIE COLE
• Health & Wellness Consultant
Ellie is a fully trained and highly skilled massage therapist. Hailing from sunny Florida, she brings a wealth of expertise to the health and wellness realm. She holds a LST qualification from the esteemed Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences and specializes in techniques that promote relaxation and healing.
Her experience extends beyond massage and encompasses a diverse range of therapies including infrared sauna. She developed her expertise at the Equinox Sports Club in San Francisco and has led sessions in pilates fusion, outdoor run clubs, and vinyasa yoga. Ellie is highly regarded for her ability to tailor treatments to individual needs.
When not immersed in the world of holistic wellness and local sports and fitness clubs she enjoys exploring Florida’s natural beauty and participating in outdoor activities. With her unique blend of expertise, experience, and passion for wellness Ellie looks forward to helping you discover the benefits of sauna and sauna therapy.
