A good sauna doesn’t need to be fancy. It needs to feel intentional. Here’s what I’m using to enhance my sauna experience.

 

 

Investing in your Wellness

Take a gander at any of my socials, and you’ll likely be able to tell the prominent role that the sauna plays in my family’s life as we have come to realize not only the health benefits but the therapeutic benefits of time spent in our sauna.

As it becomes a permanent part of our health and wellness routine, we continue to adorn the cozy NorthUp Sauna that sits in our backyard with practical, beneficial sauna accessories. Over time, we’ve learned that it’s not the temperature alone that makes a sauna restorative — it’s the small details that help your body soften, your mind slow down, and the whole experience feel complete.

Just as you use equipment at the gym or step into the shower with all of your favorite products waiting for you, the sauna is no different. I’ve taken the last year to really reflect on how we can enhance our sauna experience using wellness tools. These are the pieces we reach for again and again. Not because they’re trendy, but because they work.

 

 

But first, what are the benefits of using a Sauna?

The Nordic practice of letting your body rejuvenate through the heat of a sauna has been around for centuries. As the heat works through you, the sauna gives you the opportunity to realign your focus, connect with your breath, and reflect. This powerful setting is traditionally known for facilitating deep connections with family, friends, and even strangers, as it signals a collective escape into nurturing your physical and mental well-being.

Just spending time in a sauna and letting the heat flow through your body offers incredible health benefits. It’s when you take the next step of equipping yourself with knowledge of this time-honored experience and practical add-ons where it can truly become an all-encompassing wellness ritual. Not because it’s flashy, but because this is your moment to give space and time for your health. I encourage you to check out my blogs below as we go through this sauna experience together

 

• The difference between Infared and Traditional Nordic Saunas
• Guided vs Free-Flow Sauna: Which one is Right for you?
• The benefits of Contrast Therapy: Sauna + Cold Plunge

 

 

A Guide to Beneficial Sauna Accessories

This isn’t about excess – it’s about making the most of your sauna time, using it as a restorative practice for your entire body. Below is a list of high-quality sauna accessories that are typically used and you should consider adding to your experience. Think of this as a collection of tools that turn heat into ritual.

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1. Essential Oil Drops (Simple, Grounded Blends)

We keep our essential oil blends uncomplicated. A few drops go a long way — especially in heat.

Our go-to combinations:

• Eucalyptus + Fir Needle — clean, open, forest-like
• Lavender + Cedarwood — grounding and calming
• Orange + Clove — warming, nostalgic, almost kitchen-like

We add a few drops to water and ladle it onto the stones, or keep a small bowl nearby so the scent slowly rises with the heat. It’s less about intensity and more about atmosphere — the kind that settles your nervous system instead of overwhelming it. I also like placing peeled oranges onto the sauna stove rocks for a fresh, inviting scent.

(I’ve shared a full post on how we make and use our essential oil sauna drops — I’ll link that here.)

 

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2. Lymphatic Dry Brush

Do this before the sauna, always.

Dry brushing wakes the skin up, supports lymphatic movement, and makes the heat feel more effective once you’re inside. It’s a quiet, almost meditative step — brushing toward the heart, slow and intentional. Doing this works to kick-start your circulation before you even step foot in the sauna.

It’s one of those habits that doesn’t feel dramatic, but your body notices when you skip it.

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3. Hair & Scalp Oil

Sauna heat is wonderful — but it’s still heat.

We oil our scalp and hair beforehand to protect strands, support scalp health, and turn the sauna into a treatment instead of a stressor. The warmth helps the oil penetrate, and washing afterward leaves hair soft instead of stripped.

This step alone changed how my hair handles winter, sauna, and cold plunges combined.

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4. A Bag of Hay (Yes, Really)

This one surprises people.

A small cloth bag of dried hay placed in the sauna adds something you can’t quite replicate with oils alone. The scent is warm, sweet, grassy — like a barn in late summer or fresh bedding on a cold day.

Hay has been used in traditional European sauna practices for generations. When warmed, it releases a gentle, earthy aroma that feels deeply familiar and calming. It doesn’t shout. It hums.

And when you’re done with it, you can use it to start your future fires.

It brings the outdoors in — and reminds you that sauna was never meant to feel sterile.

 

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5. Wool Sauna Hat

This one is a Non-negotiable.

A wool hat (I stitch our wool sauna hats up right at home!) I still have a few more stitch colors available in my shop. They protect your head and hair from excessive heat, allowing you to stay in longer without feeling dizzy or drained. It keeps the experience steady instead of overwhelming. Plus, there’s something grounding about putting it on. It signals to your body that you’re entering a different pace.

For my fellow contrast therapy partakers, it also holds the heat in when we go outside or dip in the cold plunge.

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6. Wool Slipper Booties & Wool Socks (Especially for Cold Plunge)

Cold ground is no joke — especially in winter. The minute you step out of the cold plunge onto the frozen rocks or ground, they stick to your bare feet, you’ll thank me!

Wool booties or thick wool socks keep your feet warm between sauna rounds, during cold plunges, or when standing on frozen ground. Warm feet help regulate your nervous system and make the contrast therapy feel supportive instead of shocking. These wool booties are especially essential if you are doing your cold plunge in a pond, lake, or beach.

 

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7. A Good Swimsuit or Sauna Shorts

Comfort matters, the time in your sauna is precious relaxation that doesn’t need to be interrupted by uncomfortable clothing.

Choose something you’re not adjusting, tugging, or thinking about. Natural fibers where possible. Simple cuts. Pieces that let you relax instead of fidget. This is the one I get asked about all the time. I’ve also been eyeing this hemp-made variation. Check my Amazon storefront here

The sauna should feel freeing — not like another thing to manage.

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8. Luffa Sponge for Exfoliating

After sauna, the skin is warm and receptive.

A natural luffa gently exfoliates, improves circulation, and leaves skin ready to absorb moisture. Follow with tallow balm or oil while skin is still slightly damp — it seals everything in.

Skin care and body care go hand in hand.

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9. Glass Water Bottles

Hydration matters — and taste matters too.

We use glass bottles because they don’t hold onto flavors or odors, and they feel clean and simple. Cold water between rounds tastes better this way. It sounds small, but it changes the experience.

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10. Insulated Water Container (Outside)

This is especially helpful in winter.

Your body will shed approximately 16 oz of water while sweating, so hydration before, during, and after, is essential! An insulated container keeps water from freezing and makes it easy to refill bottles or scoop water for cooling off. Practical, yes — but it also keeps the flow of the experience smooth.

No scrambling. No interruptions.

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11. Bucket & Scoop

Simple. Traditional. Essential.

Each of us will take turns pouring a scoop of water over the hot stones above our sauna stove. The release of steam and watching it rise is half the magic!

A wooden bucket and scoop slow the process down and invite intention. One ladle at a time. No rushing. There’s even a Finnish word for this practice: löyly (LOW-lu), the steam that rises from hot sauna stones, representing renewal and connection. The water lifting up in steam represents adding soul to the room, building an environment of life and restoration.

 

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12. Card Games & Question Cards

Some of the best conversations happen in the sauna.

We keep simple card games and question cards nearby for after sauna rounds — nothing competitive, just things that spark stories and laughter. Phones stay out. Time stretches.

This is where memories get made and a reminder of the unique places where connection can take place.

 

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13. Wool Robe

Warm, breathable, and grounding. Having a robe during a sauna session feels like I’m treating myself, but with a durable item that will last

A wool or cotton robe holds heat without trapping moisture and feels especially good between sauna rounds or after a cold plunge. It’s functional, but it also adds to the sense that this time is set apart. This one’s been on my birthday list.

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14. Pranamat (or Acupressure Mat)

Take the time to do this during or after a sauna or before bed.

Lying on an acupressure mat helps release tension, improve circulation, and deepen relaxation. After heat and cold, it brings everything back into balance.

It’s one of those tools that feels intense, maybe intimidating at first — and then indispensable. Trust me, you’ll feel refreshed afterwards. You can also walk on it to stimulate circulation in your feet, a needed step in the winter for many.

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15. Wood Slicer & Carrier

If your sauna is wood-fired, these matter more than you think.

A solid wood carrier and slicer make tending the fire feel steady instead of chaotic. They’re part of the rhythm — gather, stack, feed the fire, rest.

 

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16. Melino Cedar Folding Chairs

(Swedish design, practical by nature)

Outside the sauna, we use Melino cedar folding chairs — a simple Swedish design that understands its role.

Cedar handles moisture well and smells clean even after long use. The chairs fold flat, move easily, and don’t demand a permanent place. We pull them out between rounds, tuck them away when we’re done, and let them weather naturally over time.

They’re used for:

• cooling down after the heat
• sitting wrapped in a towel, barefoot on the ground
• hanging out by the outdoor fire

They don’t try to elevate the experience — they support it. Function first, beauty as a byproduct.

 

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17. Outdoor Lighting That Works Beyond Sauna Night

(String lights, solar lights, rechargeable lanterns)

Lighting ends up being one of the most-used sauna accessories we own.

We rely on:

• Outdoor string lights to gently define the space
• Solar lights along paths for winter footing and early darkness
• Rechargeable lanterns that go far beyond the sauna

Those lanterns are with us for walking to and from the sauna, late-night plunges, emergency power outages, and long evenings of homework and puzzling after dark.

Good lighting doesn’t make the space brighter — it makes it usable, calm, cozy and safe year-round.

 

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18. Behlen Stock Tank Cold Plunge

Our cold plunge isn’t something designed for social media.
It’s a Behlen stock tank —(ours is 300 gallon) the same kind used on farms for generations.

Heavy-duty and built to live outdoors, unfussy about weather. It holds cold well, cleans easily, and doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not. I also built a cedar cover for ours so the ducks can refrain from swimming in our pond.

We use it year-round:

• after the sauna
• on hot summer evenings
• in the depths of winter when the cold does the work for us

There’s something grounding about using a tool meant for real labor as part of a restorative ritual. It keeps the practice honest and accessible — cold water, steady breath, in and out.

No upgrades needed.

 

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A Few Final Touches That Matter in your Sauna Setup

• Extra towels for, sitting, layering and head support
• A timer (remember you don’t have your phone)
• A notebook nearby for thoughts, entries from guests, or fun comments to keep that surface after
• Hanging Bowl for Oils – This bowl is made for diffusing essential oils by placing it above your heat source.
• Heat-Resistant Bluetooth Speaker – This heat-resistant speaker allows for soft, calming music to flow through our sauna area

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Questions about Sauna Care

 

 

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Final Thoughts

None of these sauna accessories are about excess.

It’s about creating a space where your body feels safe enough to let go, your mind feels unhurried, and your senses feel cared for. Sauna isn’t just heat — it’s a pause. And these accessories help protect that pause.

Over time, they turn a hot room into something much deeper.

 

More Natural Health and Wellness

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The Micro-habits I’m carrying into 2026

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