Here’s the Right Way to Relax With Alcohol and Hot Tub Safety

Oakwell Beer Spa is a lovely little contradiction in the best way: it’s part social hangout and part relaxing spa escape. You’ve got the taproom, the herbal beer baths, and the infrared sauna to enjoy, plus a seriously good zero-gravity massage.

But for alcohol and hot tub safety, there’s one important thing to keep in mind: heavy drinking and heat don’t mix. 

That doesn’t mean your visit has to be rigid. A pint or two in the sauna or the beer bath is part of the fun here, along with drinking plenty of water. Still, we don’t recommend drinking to excess, because the whole point of an Oakwell experience is to leave happy and relaxed.

Learn about the do’s and don’ts of heat safety at Oakwell, from guidelines on who should skip the heat to tips for staying safe. 

Here’s Why Alcohol and Heat Don’t Mix

Oakwell Beer Spa uses gentle heat in our baths and infrared saunas to help you relax and let go. Still, our beer baths never go above 100°F. That’s close to your body temperature, so the water feels soothing rather than hot.

The infrared saunas stay below 160°F and warm your body directly, which is how infrared differs from a traditional sauna: you sweat at a lower air temperature.

Moderate heat is still heat, though. You’re free to take your Oakwell tumbler and craft drinks into the beer bath or the infrared sauna with you, as long as you know how heat and alcohol affect your body.

A warm soak or a sauna widens your blood vessels, which lowers your blood pressure, according to Harvard Health, and that can make you dizzy or lightheaded. Heat also raises your heart rate, and alcohol and heat both make you lose fluids faster. Combined, heat and alcohol can make drowsiness, dehydration, dizziness, and poor judgment come on more easily.

Quick Alcohol and Hot Tub Safety Guidelines

We don’t want to be a buzzkill, so here are a few simple but important drinking rules at Oakwell Beer Spa. It all comes down to enjoying drinks in moderation and listening to your body.

Go Easy in the Infrared Sauna

Alcohol and sauna heat need the most care, because the air around you feels comfortable while your body temperature rises. If you aren’t paying attention, your body can overheat. 

Instead of powering through a long sauna session: 

• Keep each round short. Most guests spend 15 to 20 minutes in the sauna at a time, then cool off in the rain shower or soak in the bath. If you’re new to saunas, start with a shorter round.
• Step out whenever you feel too warm. There’s no prize for lasting the longest. Cool off, sip some water, and go back in if you like.
• Set the heat for you. If the sauna feels like too much, ask your Beer Therapist to lower it to a more comfortable temperature.
• Sip, don’t chug. A cold alcoholic beverage in the sauna is part of the Oakwell experience. Still, you should drink water between pours, and save the second beer for the taproom.

Don’t Drink Until You Get Drunk

The classic circuit in a private spa suite is the sauna, a cool rain shower, and then the warm bath—all within 90 minutes. That’s two rounds of heat back to back. Having several drinks while you’re in the heat can catch up to you, so go easy on the alcohol.

If you’re planning to do both the sauna and the bath, we strongly recommend you don’t drink until you feel drunk. Expect to feel sick if you do: nausea, a pounding head, even throwing up. Headache, nausea, and vomiting are among the signs of a heat emergency, according to MedlinePlus, and drinking alcohol before or during heat makes one more likely. 

If you feel bad, get out of the heat, cool off in the rain shower, sip cold water, and ring the room service bell if you need assistance.

A pint or two over the whole visit, with water in between, is the sweet spot. If you want more, the taproom is open after your session for as long as you like. Just make sure you have a safe ride home!

Who Should Check With a Doctor First

Some people should be extra cautious with heat at a spa, and for others, the safest move is to skip the heat-based part of the experience altogether. 

During Pregnancy

You’re already avoiding alcohol during pregnancy, and heat needs a doctor’s approval, too. According to the Cleveland Clinic, hot tubs and saunas aren’t safe during pregnancy. 

Both raise your core body temperature; saunas can also dehydrate you, and hot tubs lower your blood pressure, which can make you dizzy when you stand up.

Check with your doctor before you book a heat-based experience at Oakwell. If your doctor says it’s fine, ask one of our Beer Therapists to lower the heat of the bath and sauna. 

Don’t worry, though: the taproom also has charcuterie boards, artisan chocolate bonbons, and non-alcoholic drinks for a lovely visit without the booze.

Health Conditions

Heat affects you differently if you have a heart condition, or high or low blood pressure. The same goes for seizures, diabetes, metal or silicone implants, recently broken bones, or a chronic illness. 

Get your doctor’s advice before you use the beer bath, the infrared sauna, or the zero-gravity massage. Our guide to beer bath contraindications explains when to skip heat, shorten it, or ask a doctor first.

Anyone Taking Drowsy Medications

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before you mix heat with medication that makes you sleepy or affects your alertness. MedlinePlus names both certain medicines and drinking alcohol among the things that raise your risk of heat illness. 

If you’d like to experience Oakwell without the heat, check out our zero-gravity massage. It’s a no-heat option that offers a full-body, hands-off massage you can enjoy fully clothed.

Tips for Safe Drinking in the Sauna or Beer Bath

If you want your visit to feel blissed-out instead of dizzy, a few smart habits go a long way.

Hydration Matters

Since heat and alcohol both can dehydrate you, drink water during your session. It may not be glamorous, but it’s effective. 

Hydration doesn’t have to be boring, either. If you want something more elevated, the taproom offers non-alcoholic drinks like:

• NA beer
• Kombucha
• CBD sparkling water
• Botanical spritzes
• Juice

Move Slowly

Harvard Health says that the heat of a bath or sauna can make you dizzy or lightheaded, especially if you have low blood pressure, and advises getting in slowly.

The best thing to do is to move slowly and intentionally, even if you don’t think you get lightheaded. Rise slowly, step carefully when getting in and out of the bath or sauna, and give yourself some time to adjust before you walk anywhere. 

Wet feet can also put you at risk, so think ahead. If you need to head to the restroom or the taproom mid-session, dry off and put on the robe and slippers available in your suite.

Listen to Your Body

If you start feeling:

• dizzy
• lightheaded
• nauseated
• overly flushed
• headachy
• unusually tired

…that’s your cue to stop the session, cool down, and hydrate.

How Oakwell Beer Spa Balances Drinks and Heat

The Oakwell Beer Spa taproom is where you can enjoy craft beer, connect with friends, and ease into the experience. 

The private spa suites, which include the beer bath and infrared sauna, are separate from the taproom. In these suites, you can relax in privacy and responsibly enjoy a cold beer, cider, or glass of wine while you kick back.

Relaxation is our goal, but never at the expense of safety. The whole visit is set up so you can fully unwind without second-guessing yourself. 

• Cold water everywhere. Cold drinking water is available throughout the spa, and you can ring the room service bell in your suite for a refill.
• A calm space, not a nightclub. Oakwell Beer Spa is a day spa and wellness space. Our team can refuse service to anyone who appears intoxicated, and we can cut an appointment short for the same reason.
• No drinks in the Relaxation Lounge. If your visit includes a zero-gravity massage, finish your drink first or save it for the taproom afterward.

Tips for Planning a Safe Visit

Beyond what to know before you go, a few habits set you up for a safe visit.

Plan Your Visit

We ask you to check in 30 minutes before your appointment, which gives you time to fill out the check-in form on a tablet at the front desk and pour your first drink from the beer wall. 

If it’s your first time, your Beer Therapist will walk you through how Oakwell works and what to expect. If you’d like them to lower the sauna temperature in your suite, let them know when you check in, along with any other safety or health concerns. 

Hydrate Before You Arrive

This isn’t the day to chug iced coffee. Starting your visit well-hydrated will make a noticeable difference in how your body handles heat. And be sure to drink water after your time in the beer bath or sauna, too.

Eat Something Light

You don’t need a full meal beforehand, but going into a heat session on an empty stomach can make the heat feel more intense. 

When you check in, add a charcuterie board to snack on in the taproom. Our menu is light bites, not meals, so check what you can eat and drink at Oakwell Beer Spa and plan a full meal before or after your visit.

Party Responsibly

Only guests 21 and up can drink alcohol. If anyone in your group is under 21, drinks stay out of the private spa suite for the whole group, so plan to enjoy them in the taproom.

If you’re pairing a brewery crawl with a beer spa and the breweries come first, switch to water and eat a snack when you arrive, then save the next beer for after your session. The same goes for birthdays and bachelorette groups that start celebrating early.

Relax First, Sip Later

When it comes to alcohol and hot tub safety, slow and steady are the way to go. Keep your sauna rounds short, cool off between them, and step out if you start to feel dizzy or too warm. There’s no prize for staying in longer.

A few simple habits will help you enjoy your Oakwell experience and leave feeling great. See how we make it easy to relax differently: Book your Oakwell spa day now.