Wearing Hats in the Heat: All About Sauna Hats
If you’ve stepped into a sauna recently, you might have seen someone rocking what looks like a felted wizard hat or a wool bell. Wearing a thick hat in a room designed to make you sweat seems like wearing a parka to the beach—counterintuitive, right? But as it turns out, the sauna hat is the secret weapon of seasoned spa-goers. Far from being a fashion statement, it’s a functional tool rooted in centuries of tradition.
Why Wear One? The Benefits
- Temperature Regulation: Heat rises. In a sauna, your head is the highest point and often experiences the most intense temperature. Because your brain is sensitive to overheating, your body might signal you to leave the sauna because your head feels “done,” even if your muscles haven’t fully relaxed yet. The hat acts as an insulator, keeping the air around your scalp at a consistent, lower temperature. Hats in the cold work the same way, except they keep the warm air around you and the cold air off instead. Sauna hats can be used while dry or wet. Using it dry offers maximum insulation, but soaking it in cool water first is refreshing.
- Hair Protection: High heat and low humidity are a recipe for “sauna frizz.” Intense heat can dry out the moisture in your hair shafts, leading to brittleness and split ends (especially if your hair is color-treated). A sauna hat acts as a shield, preserving your hair’s natural oils. But, it’s important to make sure the sauna hat covers your ears as well.
- Preventing Dizziness: Ever felt a bit lightheaded when standing up to leave the sauna? Rapid overheating of the head can lead to dizziness or “sauna headaches.” By keeping your head temperature stable, you reduce the risk of that post-steam wooziness.
From the Steppes to the Spa
The tradition of the sauna hat originates primarily from Northern and Eastern Europe, specifically Finland, Russia (where it’s called a shapka), and the Baltic states. In traditional wood-fired saunas, temperatures can soar. Ancient bathers realized that protecting the head—the most heat-sensitive part of the body—allowed them to enjoy the benefits of the steam (the löyly) for much longer. Today, the sauna hat has moved beyond rural villages and into high-end wellness centers worldwide as people rediscover the science behind keeping a “cool head.”
Materials Matter
There are two choices when it comes to sauna hats: cotton or wool. Cotton hats are lighter and easier to wash, though they offer slightly less thermal protection than heavy wool. Wool hats are thicker and a pain to clean, but are slightly better at wicking moisture. When choosing a material for yourself, it’s really a matter of preference.
There’s a variety of shapes and sizes that sauna hats come in. AKS&S owner Bobby uses the Emendo Sauna Hat, while Christy uses the Rento Kenno hair wrap. We keep both of these stocked. Got questions, or need a sauna to wear your new hat in? Stop by, we’d love to see you.
