Do you burn calories in a Sauna

No. Likely, you burn less calories than normal because your heart rate slows down.

I am not sure if you do either, however I would think that your heart rate would go up to cool your body.

Your heart rate does go up as it is compensating for the heat. My heart rate will go up to about 120 while sitting there. When I get out, it spikes to 130ish. Which the higher the heart rate, the more calories your burn. Now is it productive calorie burn? Probably not.

Not sure if sitting in there that long is good. Be sure to drink lots of water afterwards to compensate for the water loss. My personal trainer tells me to sit in there for 10-15 mins to flush toxins from the body.

Which the higher the heart rate, the more calories your burn.

Unfortunately that is not correct, there is no direct relationship between the heart rate and calories burned. Apart, of course, from the tiny amount burned by the heart itself which after all is a muscle. If someone creeps up behind you and says "Boo" your heart rate may rise, but you haven't just burned a bunch of calories, just because your heart rate has gone up.

Heart rate monitors are able to estimate the amount of calories burned **during exercise which causes the heart rate to rise** purely because exercise raises the heart rate by a fairly predictable amount.

However, it is not the heart rate being elevated per se which burns the calories.

So, for instance, if you were sat perfectly still and relaxed strapped into in a rollercoaster, scared out of your wits with your heart banging away, you wouldn't be burning calories at anything like the same rate as if you were running enough to make your heart rate rise to the same rate.

According to the Guyton's Textbook of Medical Physiology, you burn .568 calories to release 1g of sweat. This doesn't sound like much, but if you lose 1 pound of sweat, that would be 257 calories. I just attempted to do a quick search for sauna related weight loss, but didn't find any studies on it, though I'm sure they've been done. One study i did find showed that people's heart rates ranged in the 140's in the sauna for 20 minutes and averaged a pound lost.

How do u sit in it for 30 mins!?

10/15 mins and I have to get out of there

I wouldn't count it as additonal burn. Just consider it a bonus. You would naturally burn about most of it just sitting around anyway.

but what if you work out in a sauna? i lift weights (2 pounds) and do leg lifts and twisting exercises. It seems to be difficult. i also dance in the sauna to keep "working out" after I have done my eliptical workout prior to getting in.

No

are you doing aerobics while in the sauna? maybe take a stationary bike in with you. sex in a sauna, that'd burn a few calories. Sitting on your backside getting a sweat on? Um, no. Nice thought though. On the plus side they're great for your complexion, muscle tension and even your lungs.

130 - 146 degrees?!? That sounds painful as hell!!

It's just the air temperature. Air isn't a great conductor of heat. Now if you were in water with a temp of 130-146 degrees that would be dangerous.

I grew up with a sauna (wood fired stove) and we routinely took them at much higher temperatures than 130-146. You just don't stay in that long, take cooling breaks and for the really brave jump in some cold water or roll in the snow.

When I go to Finland I loose # every time!!! I eat more but use the sauna on a regular basis I can't figure that one out . Maybe I am more relaxed it's a mystery to me. Come back home and I fight to keep my weight down.

Good old exerise here at home and counting those calories.

I wouldn't because I am sitting down. That is NO effort. BONUS!

Well, I have not changed my eating habits, get in the sauna nearly every day or every other day, and my clothes are looser after 2 weeks of this. Humm...