Can You Wear an Apple Watch in the Sauna?

Can You Wear an Apple Watch in the Sauna? Can You Wear an Apple Watch in the Sauna?

The Apple Watch is popular for its cool features among people who like fitness and technology. But, like all gadgets, we need to think about where we use it, like in a sauna.



In this article, we’ll talk about using an Apple Watch in a sauna, the good and bad things, and how to keep it safe if it gets wet.

Can You Wear an Apple Watch in the Sauna?

  • Understanding Saunas and Their Benefits: A sauna is a small room or enclosed space designed to provide dry or wet heat sessions, explains Dr. Reuben Chen , a specialist in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Saunas have long been used for relaxation, detoxification, and socializing. The heat helps muscles relax, improves blood circulation, and generally makes you feel good.

  • Apple Watch Temperature Limits and Sauna Risks: The Apple Watch functions best between 32° and 95° F (0° to 35° C). The intense heat and humidity in saunas exceed these limits, which can cause the device to malfunction or break if exposed for too long.
  • Apple’s Warning Against Using Apple Watch in Saunas: Apple advises against wearing the Apple Watch in saunas, hot tubs, or steam rooms because the heat and moisture may damage the device. Although some people wear it without issues, doing so can void the warranty.

Pros and Cons of Wearing Apple Watches in a Sauna

Pros

It Can Help You Track Time

  • You can easily check the time while in the sauna: The Apple Watch helps you stick to your schedule and makes it easy to see how long you’ve been in the sauna so you don’t stay too long.

  • Setting timers and alarms helps manage your sauna time: You can use the watch to set reminders or alarms, making sure you take breaks or finish your sauna session on time.

  • The watch keeps you on schedule with calendar alerts: It works with calendar apps to remind you about meetings or appointments, so you don’t lose track of time.

  • Wearing the watch feels comfortable and looks good: The Apple Watch is stylish and comfortable to wear, so you can keep it on during your sauna session without any trouble.

  • It’s safe to wear the watch during everyday activities: You don’t have to worry about damaging it while jogging, swimming, or doing daily tasks, so it’s fine to keep it on in the sauna too.

It Can Help You Track the Temperature

  • Apple Watch shows temperature right away for your comfort: Using your Apple Watch lets you see the sauna’s temperature instantly, so you know if it’s too hot or just right.

  • Watching temperature helps keep the sauna comfortable and relaxing: By checking the temperature often, you can make sure the sauna stays at a good heat and add water for steam when needed.

  • Knowing temperature helps use the sauna safely for health reasons: Tracking how hot the sauna is helps athletes and people with breathing problems get the most from their sauna time.

It Can Help You Track Water Intake

  • Apple Watch helps you keep track of your water intake: The Apple Watch, with apps like GoPolar, can monitor how much water you drink and track your sauna sessions along with important health data. This helps you stay aware of your hydration needs during a sauna.

  • Staying hydrated is important to avoid dehydration in the sauna: Because the heat makes you sweat a lot, it’s easy to lose fluids quickly. Drinking enough water is necessary to replace what you lose and to get the full benefits of the sauna.

  • Apple Watch reminds you to drink water regularly: Using the watch’s reminder feature, you can set alerts to drink water often, which is helpful since it’s easy to forget to stay hydrated while enjoying the warm, relaxing sauna.

It Can Help You with Health Monitoring

  • It keeps a close eye on your heart rate: The Apple Watch tracks your heart rate carefully in the sauna, so you can notice if anything unusual happens.

  • It helps find irregular heartbeats with the ECG: The watch has an ECG feature that can spot abnormal heart rhythms and lets you share the results with your doctor easily.

  • It can call for help if you fall and can’t move: If you have a hard fall and don’t get up, the watch automatically calls emergency services to keep you safe.

Cons

Sauna Heat Can Damage Your Apple Watch

One major concern when wearing an Apple Watch in a sauna is the extreme heat. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures may cause damage to the device, affecting its functionality and lifespan.

Limited water resistance in Apple Watches can lead to damage.

Although Apple Watches are water-resistant, you can wear and use them during activities like exercise, rain, and handwashing without worry, but they are not fully waterproof. Their capabilities may be limited when it comes to handling the intense moisture and humidity found in saunas. This could potentially result in damage to the watch’s internal components.

The sauna can impact your watch’s battery life.

Extended periods in a sauna can drain your Apple Watch’s battery at a faster rate than usual. Therefore, it’s important to consider whether you’re comfortable sacrificing battery life for the convenience of wearing your watch in the sauna.

Wearing a watch may not be comfortable in a sauna.

A sauna is a place of relaxation, and some individuals may find wearing a watch to be uncomfortable or distracting from their experience. It’s important to prioritize your own comfort and enjoyment when deciding whether to wear your Apple Watch in the sauna.


Pros  Cons
Tracks time and helps manage sauna sessions Extreme heat can damage the device
Monitors temperature for safety Limited water resistance may lead to damage
Helps track water intake Sauna heat can drain battery life faster
Provides health monitoring (heart rate, ECG, fall detection) Wearing a watch may feel uncomfortable in a sauna


How to protect your Apple Watch in a sauna?

Keep the sauna session short

Limiting the duration of your sauna session can reduce the exposure of your Apple Watch to humidity and high temperatures, decreasing the likelihood of damage.

Cover your watch with a wrist sweatband

Wrapping a wrist sweatband around your Apple Watch can provide an extra layer of protection against moisture and direct contact with heated surfaces.

Keep Away from Direct Heat

Avoid placing your Apple Watch in direct contact with hot surfaces in the sauna, such as metal benches or hot stones, as this can intensify the heat impact on the device. 



To protect it further, wrap your watch in a dry towel before entering and limit the time you wear it inside, helping reduce heat exposure and potential damage.

keep your Apple Watch dry

Prioritize keeping your Apple Watch dry by wiping off any sweat or moisture with a soft, microfibre cloth during and after your sauna session. 



Using this type of cloth helps remove moisture gently and prevents water from seeping into the device, protecting it from damage.

Choose a Lower Temperature Setting

Opting for a lower temperature setting in the sauna helps protect your Apple Watch, since regular models stay safe up to about 35°C (95°F), and even the Ultra shouldn’t go beyond 55°C (130°F)



This not only reduces heat risks for your watch but also keeps you more comfortable throughout your session.

How Does Sauna Humidity Affect an Apple Watch’s Internal Components?

  • Sauna humidity lets moisture inside the watch: The moisture in a sauna can sneak into the Apple Watch and cause condensation, which harms the delicate parts inside.
  • Moisture causes metal parts to rust and break down: When water gets trapped inside, it slowly corrodes metal components, weakening how the watch works.

  • Heat and humidity make waterproof seals fail: The watch’s seals aren’t made for sauna heat and humidity, so they can wear out and let water in.

  • Water inside the watch damages sensors, battery, and screen: Once water gets in, it can cause serious damage to key parts like sensors, the battery, and even the screen.
  • Using the watch in a sauna can shorten its life: Repeated sauna use can lead to expensive repairs or the watch stopping completely because of all the damage.

Is It Safe to Wear an Apple Watch in a Hot Tub?

While Apple Watch Series 2 and later are water-resistant up to 50 meters, they aren't built for hot tubs. 



High temperatures and chemicals like chlorine can damage the seals. If you must wear it briefly, limit time to under 10 minutes, keep it above water, use Water Lock, and rinse it off afterward—or better yet, leave it off entirely.

Is the Apple Watch Safe to Use in a Shower?

Wearing your Apple Watch in the shower is generally safe, especially if you have an Apple Watch Series 2 or later. 



However, the Apple Watch Ultra offers the most water protection, even for activities like diving and water skiing. 



To keep your watch safe, turn on Water Lock before showering, avoid direct contact with soap or shampoo, and use a water-resistant band. After showering, dry your watch thoroughly with a soft cloth to protect its features and sensors.

Can High Humidity Damage an Apple Watch?

High humidity can damage an Apple Watch. Moisture can enter the watch, leading to rust and damage to internal parts and the display.



To protect it, avoid wearing the watch for long periods in hot or humid conditions. This helps prevent moisture buildup and reduces the risk of damage.

Conclusion

Wearing an Apple Watch in a sauna can offer certain benefits, such as time tracking, temperature monitoring, and health tracking.



However, it is essential to carefully consider the potential risks involved, including damage from extreme heat and limited water resistance. 



By following the tips mentioned above, you can minimize the chances of encountering issues and prolong the lifespan of your Apple Watch.

FAQs

Can using an Apple Watch in a sauna void the warranty?

Using your Apple Watch in a sauna can void the warranty. Apple recommends using it only between 32°F and 95°F, saunas often exceed 150°F. Heat damage is considered misuse and isn’t covered by the warranty or AppleCare+. It's risky to wear your watch in that environment.

Does sauna exposure affect the accuracy of Apple Watch sensors?

Sauna heat can throw off your Apple Watch's health tracking. High temperatures, humidity, and sweat affect sensor accuracyh, eart rate may spike without activity, SpO2 readings can be off, and skin temperature sensors may misread sauna heat. For reliable data, it's best not to wear your Apple Watch in a sauna.

Is there a difference between dry saunas and steam rooms when it comes to Apple Watch safety?

Dry saunas mainly expose your Apple Watch to high heat, while steam rooms add moisture that risks water damage. Moisture from steam is more harmful long-term, so wearing your watch in a dry sauna is safer than in a steam room.

Are there alternative ways to monitor health in a sauna without wearing an Apple Watch?

If you skip the Apple Watch in the sauna, check your pulse manually by counting beats for 15 seconds and multiplying by four. Stay hydrated by drinking water before and after, and watch for dry mouth or dizziness. Use an infrared thermometer or touch your skin to monitor temperature. Stop if you feel nausea, headache, or extreme fatigue.

A man outside sauna

Ryan "The Sauna Guy"

Ryan has been using and writing about saunas extensively since 2019.