# Sauna Score: HRV & Sleep — Proof your sauna is working

> Quantify sauna's effect on HRV, sleep, and heart rate. (iPhone/iPad app by Gaialab Inc.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sauna-score-hrv-and-sleep/id6775070983 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Gaialab Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1837082796)
- Category: Health & Fitness, Lifestyle
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.4 · 88 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2026-06-05
- Data updated: 2026-07-09
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sauna-score-hrv-and-sleep/id6775070983/reviews.md

## What is Sauna Score?

**Did the sauna actually move your numbers?**

You sit at 180°F three times a week and watch your HRV wander. Was that the sauna, or last night's dinner?

Sauna Score answers that one question. It pulls your HRV, resting heart rate, and sleep from Apple Health and compares the weeks you hit your protocol with the weeks you missed. The Finnish longevity study ran the same comparison across 2,300 men for 20 years (Laukkanen, JAMA Internal Medicine 2015). Here, both groups are you. Works with whatever you already wear: Apple Watch, Garmin, Oura, Whoop.

=== Pick a protocol. We hold you to it. ===
Every study behind sauna's reputation measured how often people went. So you pick a cadence and the app tracks whether you keep it.

Laukkanen — 4–7×/week, 20 min at 174°F. The longevity default. (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015)
Søberg contrast — 57 min hot + 11 min cold plunge per week, finish cold. (Cell Reports Medicine, 2021)
Japanese totonou — the 3-set ritual, for the parasympathetic rebound
Beginner ramp — three weeks to get you to Laukkanen

=== Results by the week ===
Once a week you get your HRV, resting heart rate, and sleep on target weeks next to off weeks, your eight-week trend, and where you sit against people your age and sex.

The honest part: the Finnish numbers are observational, and the controlled trials since have been more guarded. We built the app knowing that. Every figure carries a confidence label (signal probable, below threshold, or needs more data), and when the evidence is thin the app tells you so instead of inventing a trend.

=== Daily heat readiness ===
One of three calls each morning: Go hot, Go gentle, or Skip. The call weighs your HRV against your typical week, last night's sleep, your resting heart rate, and the heat exposure you've already banked. There is no score out of 100 and no streak to protect.

=== Your wearable can't follow you in ===
A sauna runs 80–95°C. Most wearables are rated to about 35. Even one that survives won't tell you much in there: everyone's pulse races at 100°C, so a high reading just confirms the room is hot.

So the app skips in-session readings on purpose. It reads your morning baseline before you go and your overnight recovery after.

=== End-of-session alarm ===
Your phone stays outside the cabin. When the timer hits zero it rings or vibrates, loud enough to reach you through the door.

=== A real sleep score from Apple Health ===
Every morning, a 0–100 read built from five inputs: Performance (duration), Efficiency (time awake), Restorative (Deep + REM), Bedtime (drift from your 7-night onset median), and Interruptions (awakenings). The targets come from AASM consensus (35% combined Deep + REM; 3–5 awakenings as the normal adult range), not numbers we made up.

=== Built for people who want receipts ===
iOS-first and native to Apple Health, so it works with the watch already on your wrist. Honest about what the data shows and what it doesn't.

## Key features

- Track HRV, resting heart rate, and sleep
- Compare protocol weeks vs. off weeks
- Set and track custom sauna protocols
- Receive daily heat readiness calls
- Integrates with Apple Health
- End-of-session sauna alarm

## Recent user reviews (2 of 2)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sauna-score-hrv-and-sleep/id6775070983/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great to log and see some stats such as sleep and hrv

*2026-06-08*

I have been using for several days now, and it is really easy to use and great to track your sessions. I still have to see how it affects the body in term of hrv and sleep since it takes several weeks

### 5/5 — Finally a good app for Sauna data!

*2026-06-06*

I love this app, I’ve been looking for a way to actually track how sauna impacts my recovery, and this is exactly it. 
It pulls your data from health and shows the real effect on your HRV and sleep scores. 
Super clean and well made.

## Frequently asked questions about Sauna Score

### What is Sauna Score?

Sauna Score is a health and fitness app designed to help you understand the impact of your sauna sessions on your body's recovery and overall health. It tracks metrics like Heart Rate Variability (HRV), resting heart rate, and sleep quality.

### How does Sauna Score track my data?

Sauna Score pulls your HRV, resting heart rate, and sleep data directly from Apple Health. It is compatible with popular wearables like Apple Watch, Garmin, Oura, and Whoop.

### Can I set my own sauna routine in Sauna Score?

Yes, you can pick and commit to a specific sauna protocol within the app. Sauna Score then tracks whether you adhere to your chosen cadence, such as the Laukkanen protocol (4-7 times/week) or the Søberg contrast method.

### What kind of results does Sauna Score provide?

Each week, Sauna Score presents your HRV, resting heart rate, and sleep data for 'on target' weeks versus 'off weeks'. It also shows your eight-week trend and compares your metrics against others of your age and sex.

### Does Sauna Score give a daily readiness score?

Yes, Sauna Score provides a daily 'heat readiness' call each morning: Go hot, Go gentle, or Skip. This call considers your HRV, recent sleep, resting heart rate, and banked heat exposure.

### Does Sauna Score have ads?

No, Sauna Score is ad-free. It focuses on providing a clean and uninterrupted user experience for tracking your health data.

### What is the sleep score based on in Sauna Score?

The sleep score is a 0-100 read derived from five inputs: Performance (duration), Efficiency (time awake), Restorative (Deep + REM), Bedtime (drift from median), and Interruptions. These targets align with AASM consensus.

### Is Sauna Score available on Android?

Currently, Sauna Score is an iOS-first application and is native to Apple Health. It is designed to work with the Apple Watch and other compatible devices on the iOS platform.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.0.001 — 2026-07-03

- Added direct support for Oura Ring
- Authentication to save logs on cloud and change device

### 0.9.040 — 2026-06-05

No release notes.

## More apps by Gaialab Inc

- [Tendra: Plant & Garden Care](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tendra-plant-and-garden-care/id6751827971)

All apps by Gaialab Inc: https://appshunter.io/developer/1837082796

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-09.*
