How this is calculated
Inspect the versioned inputs.
| Constant | Value | Scope & source |
|---|---|---|
| kihdFrequencyBands | [{"min":1,"max":1,"label":"1 per week"},{"min":2,"max":3,"label":"2–3 per week"},{"min":4,"max":7,"label":"4–7 per week"}] reported visits per week | Observational baseline categories; zero or more than seven must be labeled outside these original categories rather than clamped. kihd-mortality-2015 ↗ Verified 2026-11-08 |
| daysInWeek | 7 days/week | Exact unit definition or derived time/volume conversion. nist-unit-tables ↗ Verified 2026-11-08 |
Input defaults that are not sourced measurements are illustrative planning assumptions. Exact unit definitions, the 52-week convention and algorithm details are in the shared methodology.
Worked example
An example you can inspect.
Visits of 10, 12 and 15 minutes in the selected week total three visits and 37 minutes. The two–three label is a research category, not a recommendation.
Define what one row represents.
Enter one row for each visit you want to record, with its calendar date, duration and sauna type. Multiple rows on the same date count as multiple entered visits. The tool cannot infer whether two rows describe separate visits or separate rounds during one visit. Choose a consistent logging convention and keep that choice in mind when reading the frequency label. An accidentally duplicated row raises both the count and the minutes, so review the list and remove duplicates before exporting it.
Read the calendar window carefully.
The selected ending date is included, together with the six preceding calendar dates. That makes a seven-calendar-day window, rather than the last one hundred and sixty-eight hours from the present moment. Rows outside that window remain in the in-memory log but do not contribute to the displayed totals. Changing the ending date is a way to inspect another window. It does not rewrite the underlying entries. Check both the dates and the type labels when a total looks different from what you expected.
Separate a descriptive band from a target.
The KIHD labels reproduce frequency categories from an observational research context. They are not goals, prescribed doses or estimates of an individual's benefit. Zero visits and more than seven visits are explicitly outside the listed study categories rather than being forced into a band. The total minutes are a separate descriptive measure. Equal minutes can arise from different visit patterns, temperatures and equipment, so the tool does not convert them into equivalent physiological exposure.
Know what persists and what leaves the page.
The list remains only in the current page's memory. Reloading clears it, and a shared URL omits its health-related entries. The optional CSV export creates a local file containing the rows you selected to record; the site does not upload that file or provide cloud backup. Store or share it according to your own preferences after downloading. If you need a durable personal record, export before leaving the page. The tool does not reconstruct past visits or claim that an incomplete log represents your actual weekly exposure.
Use the visualization descriptively.
The bars summarize recorded minutes and visits in the selected window. They are not progress toward an evidence-based minimum and do not reward a larger total. Comparing two windows can reveal a logging pattern, but it cannot establish a change in health status. Keep the sauna-type caveat visible, especially when a mixed log is shown near frequency categories derived from traditional sauna research.
Questions, considered
Questions about this tool
How should I interpret the weekly heat dose tracker result?
The study’s self-reported habitual frequency is not equivalent to a one-week log. Logs are in memory only; download an optional CSV yourself before closing the page. Log visits in memory, total a rolling seven-day period and compare frequency labels with observational research without turning them into targets.
Which assumptions matter in the weekly heat dose tracker?
Select an end date; include that date and the preceding six calendar dates. Each row is one reported visit. Sum visit minutes and count visits. KIHD baseline groups were one, two–three and four–seven weekly visits; zero and more than seven sit outside those categories. Different sauna types are kept visible. No equivalent heat dose, personal risk reduction or therapeutic target is calculated.
Primary sources
Follow the source.
- Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events ↗
Abstract, Results; original cohort of 2,315 middle-aged Finnish men; DOI 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8187
The baseline frequency categories were one, two to three, and four to seven visits per week. They are observational exposure groups, not assigned weekly doses or goals. Keep sessions, total minutes and temperature distinct; the tracker cannot convert these to a validated therapeutic heat dose.
Checked 2026-11-08