A Simple Session Log for a Two-Person Infrared Sauna

I keep a notebook on the shelf next to our two-person infrared sauna. It isn’t a wellness journal — no mood ratings, no long entries. Each session gets five lines, and those five lines have saved me from guessing more than once.

The first line is the date and time. That’s it. But when something changes — a smell, a longer warm-up, a heater that cycles differently — I can flip back and see when it started instead of trying to remember.

Second line: the temperature when I switch it on. Our unit reads ambient, so in winter it might show 62°F and in summer 78°F. That number matters because warm-up time depends on it. A 30-minute warm-up from 62°F isn’t the same as one from 78°F, and without the starting number I’d blame the heater for something that’s really just the room.

Third line: warm-up time to my target, and whether I hit it. I write something like “24 min to 130°F, hit target.” If it drifts to 30 minutes two weeks running, that’s my cue to check ventilation and the door seal.

Fourth line: heater behavior and smells. Just a few words. Did the panels click on and off evenly? Did one side seem slower? Any smell — hot dust, plastic, or something faintly sweet? I note it, then air the room out. A new smell after a cold snap is usually dust burning off the elements, but I still write it down so I know whether it repeats or fades.

Fifth line: service notes. Wiping the benches, vacuuming the floor vent, checking the door hinge, swapping a towel. If I cleaned the panels, I note which cloth I used, because the wrong one leaves streaks I notice for weeks.

I borrowed this format from an infrared sauna owner log early on, then trimmed it to what I actually use. Maintenance schedules and warranty terms differ by maker, so I check my manual and the manufacturer’s current guidance rather than trusting a notebook.

Five lines, maybe two minutes. Worth it.

— Sarah Collins