10 Benefits of Infrared Saunas: How They Promote Better Health

Quick Overview

This guide is for anyone interested in learning about the benefits of an infrared sauna, whether you're new to sauna therapy or looking to deepen your understanding. Understanding these benefits can help you make informed decisions about incorporating infrared sauna therapy into your wellness routine. 

Infrared saunas can enhance cardiovascular health, aid in detoxification, help alleviate chronic joint pain, and support better skin health. They are easy and quick to use, are generally less expensive than traditional saunas, and come with a bunch of health benefits. Infrared saunas are also generally more energy-efficient than traditional saunas, requiring less electricity to operate. This is why they’ve become so popular in recent years. In this guide, we dive into each of the main benefits of an infrared sauna to help you understand what they do.

Below are some of the primary benefits you may experience when you use an infrared sauna on a regular basis.

Before we get into each benefit, let's explore a short background on the evolution of saunas from traditional to infrared.

From Old School Traditional Saunas to Modern Infrared Saunas

Saunas have been in use for thousands of years, and may very well be one of the oldest known forms of self care. Many ancient societies understood the benefits of traditional saunas: they were a staple in Roman times and were used as communal places. In fact, the Laconicum, or Roman steam room, sometimes used dry heat instead of moist heat from primitive steam generators, as infrared saunas do today.

Romans and Scandinavians weren’t the only cultures to appreciate the benefits of a good sweat session. Many people all over the world also used saunas, steam rooms, or sweat lodges, for purification and healing.

Steam sauna use has always been particularly popular in Scandinavia. In fact, nearly every house and apartment building in Finland includes a sauna, whether private or communal.

Like everything else in the world, at home saunas have gotten a modern makeover recently, especially with the rise of infrared saunas and how they work. Unlike traditional saunas that use an electric heater and rocks to create heat, infrared saunas produce a gentle heat by emitting infrared light that penetrates your body directly and increases your core body temperature while maintaining a lower air temperature. The infrared sauna experience is often described as more tolerable and less intense than traditional saunas, making it suitable for most healthy adults.

The incorporation of infrared heat retains the benefits of traditional sauna, but also elevates it, adding new benefits as well. More and more research is finding that infrared saunas – sometimes called IR saunas – can help with many health conditions. Let's dive in!

1. Better Cardiovascular Health

While there is certainly more research to be done on the health benefits of infrared sauna therapy overall, one area that we know regular sauna use is particularly helpful is to improve cardiovascular health, as it can enhance circulation, support heart function, and promote overall wellness (improving cardiovascular health).

Infrared saunas emit infrared light, similar to what the sun produces. Infrared heating panels radiate infrared light heat, which penetrates more deeply into the body than hot air in traditional saunas, while feeling more like a gentle warmth. This causes the heart to respond by pumping faster. That increased heart rate offers similar benefits to exercising moderately.

Several studies have found a correlation between sauna use and better heart health. Regular sauna use was linked to several health improvements, including reducing arterial stiffness and lowering blood pressure.

2. Improved Blood Flow

One of the most remarkable effects of using an infrared sauna is its ability to increase blood flow. Heat exposure while sitting in a sauna can cause your internal body temperature to rise by as much as 3-5 degrees Fahrenheit! Just like most other materials, blood vessels constrict in the cold and expand or widen when it’s warmer. So, the high heat causes your blood vessels to expand and promotes good blood circulation.

The increased blood flow during regular sauna sessions also leads to more downstream positive effects. Opening up the blood vessels promotes enhanced circulation, which then helps oxygenate cells and muscles, providing fuel for them. And, because blood carries waste back to the kidneys and liver, infrared sauna heat also helps with detoxification (more on that later).

Getting rid of that excess waste can also help reduce pain and soreness and in general, promotes better tissue health and overall facilitates better organ function.

3. Detoxification

Detoxification is one of the most well-known health benefits of sauna bathing. When you step into an infrared sauna, one of the first things your body does, even in relatively lower temperatures (145 Degrees F), is start sweating.

Sweating cools the body down, and helps remove toxins. As you may know, the liver and kidneys are the body’s main ‘cleansing’ organs, so to speak. However, sweat glands also release toxins (though, very little), via the body’s largest organ: the skin. Studies show that sweat produced from sauna sessions contained various heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. Infrared sauna therapy also promotes sweating to help eliminate BPA and other environmental toxins that can accumulate in the body.

4. Pain Relief

Spending time in hot environments, whether heated by water, steam, or infrared heat, immediately affects nerve endings and can slow or decrease the pain signals those nerves send to the brain.

The scientific findings on this one are impressive. A 2018 study in Korea found that 70 percent of participants reported that regular sauna use was successful in reducing their low back pain. Another study, this one from Japan, revealed dramatic reductions in reported chronic back pain.

Nasa also did some research on this, and determined that infrared heat deeply penetrated the cells, triggering cell growth.

Infrared sauna therapy also aids in muscle recovery by reducing muscle soreness, enhancing blood circulation, and accelerating healing after workouts or physical activity.

Last but not least, a 2013 study also revealed that a single sauna session increased the participants’ white blood cell production, also reducing inflammation and swelling. While this study took place in Finnish saunas, the temperature was kept relatively low - around 100 Degrees F - so it’s reasonable to infer the same reaction in an infrared sauna.

Infrared Sauna Sessions Can Relieve Joint Pain

In addition to reducing chronic pain in general, one of the infrared sauna health benefits I appreciate the most is a noticeable reduction in joint pain - especially in my knees.

This is because the heat of a sauna helps boost circulation, pushing blood through the body. Better circulation means increased cell oxygenation. This in turn helps reduce inflammation and relieve swelling, both of which are often factors in chronic pain. Many studies have shown that sauna sessions can help ease symptoms of arthritis and joint pain. Athletes also enjoy increased recovery time after a hard workout.

Like a traditional sauna, infrared saunas have been used to relieve pain not just in the low back, but also from rheumatoid arthritis, headaches, chronic pain, muscle soreness, and soothe symptoms from rheumatic disease.

5. Reduced Stress

Spending time in your sauna is also great for your stress levels and mental health. The heat promotes relaxation by facilitating both mental and physical calm, easing muscle tension, and creating a soothing environment that helps reduce stress. As anyone who has ever wanted to unwind with a hot bath or shower can attest to, the heat is just naturally very relaxing.

Relaxing shouldn’t be something one considers a luxury: it’s important to personal health! Stress has been linked to several harmful conditions. It not only is a huge risk factor for strokes and heart attack, but it also contributes to weight gain, headaches, muscle tension, depression, anxiety, and impedes cognitive health. Regular use of infrared saunas can lower cortisol levels, promote a sense of calm, and reduce stress and anxiety. In addition, consistent infrared sauna sessions can support mental clarity by enhancing cognitive function and mental well-being.

One common question first-time sauna users ask is: "Can I bring my phone in a sauna?" It's really not recommended. Even though phones today are hardier than ever, they're still electronics, and generally just don't really do well at extreme temperatures.

That said, even if you can bring your phone into the sauna, that doesn't mean you should. After all, infrared saunas are a place to relax, rewind, and unplug.

Many infrared saunas have Bluetooth capacity. Consider leaving your phone outside, and pulling up a playlist for the infrared sauna Bluetooth speaker instead.

6. Lower Blood Pressure

Regularly using an infrared sauna may also help reduce blood pressure. Improved circulation and other cardiovascular effects are one reason for this. High blood pressure is also often closely tied to stress, which is another thing that infrared sauna sessions may help with.

High blood pressure has been linked to many harmful conditions, but it's particularly bad for the heart, and increases the risk of stroke and cardiac arrest. 

Not one for the gym? Don’t worry: Intense workouts aren't the only option for burning calories. Sauna sessions offer the same exercise benefits as a brisk walk or another type of moderate exercise, such as yoga or Pilates.

While for most of us, lower BP numbers would be a good thing, this is something for people with low numbers to be aware of, as it would be recommended that they consult their doctors before using an infrared sauna.

7. More Energy

The things listed above—improved cardiovascular health, increased blood circulation, improved blood pressure, reduced stress, and better immunity—all have a direct effect on your energy levels - they get better!

Using an IR sauna can also contribute to improved sleep quality by relaxing the body, reducing cortisol levels and calming the nervous system, which helps you feel more restored and energized the next day.  I've also noticed, personally, that when I get a bad night of sleep I feel better the next day if I use the sauna. I don't know why, but I do!

It’s worth pointing out that sometimes people report feeling tired after using a sauna - at least in the short term. The reason for that is often simple dehydration. Drink a bunch of water before, during and after you get all sweaty and you should feel great.

8. Stronger Immune System

Saunas have long been thought to benefit the immune system. But is there any truth to this?

It turns out, there is scientific support for this.

One Finnish study found that those participants who used the sauna regularly (up to four times per week) had a significantly reduced risk of pneumonia than those who didn't use the sauna regularly. 

The reasoning may be much more familiar than one thinks. Heat—in this case, heat from an infrared sauna—causes the body to react as though defending itself from a virus.

We all know that one of the body's immune system responses for fighting illness is to raise the core temperature … or, as we commonly call it, spike a fever. This is a helpful defense because many viruses cannot survive high temperatures. It also prompts the body to release white blood cells, which battle viruses and germs. Sauna bathing imitates that fever, though the raised temperature is done artificially.

Exposure to high temperatures can prompt the body to release heat shock proteins. As the name suggests, these proteins are released in response to high heat conditions. They assist with a number of cell functions, including immunity responses and the destruction of toxins.

Those harmful toxins, which are essentially cell waste, damage cell structure, and have even been linked to aging. In large numbers, they clump together. This has been linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Heat shock proteins help repair cells, which may reduce the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

9. Possible Weight Loss

You may have heard that infrared sauna therapy only causes you to lose water weight, which returns quickly. However, several studies have shown that infrared sauna therapy does help with weight loss, and not just a temporary pound or two.

The heat in an infrared sauna raises your core temperature, which means your heart has to work harder to maintain proper circulation. Sauna bathing may increase the heart rate by as much as 30%. That in turn speeds up your metabolism, which is the rate at which your body burns calories.

Studies show that spending time in a sauna can burn as many as 600 calories an hour. That translates to about 300 calories in a 30-minute session, or 400 calories in 40 minutes, which is the maximum recommended time for most people. It's also the equivalent of doing a moderate workout. In fact, researchers have determined that spending time in an infrared sauna session is roughly the same as walking at a moderate pace.

Sauna use seems to be particularly effective in burning belly fat. In addition to the increased metabolic rate, the relaxation and stress relief provided by infrared sauna therapy may also play a role.

Stress has been closely linked to the hormone cortisol, also not-so-affectionately known as the belly fat hormone. Cortisol isn't the only link between increased stress and belly fat, however: stress can also trigger junk food binges and poor eating choices, and can cause a lowered metabolic rate.

Cellulite Busters

Here's a question many people may want answers to: do infrared saunas reduce cellulite? The short answer is yes, they can help. Cellulite happens when water, fat, and toxins build up in the subcutaneous layer of the skin.

Because saunas cause pores to open, they can help expel those toxins that are stored in fat cells. In fact, infrared saunas may have the traditional sauna beat on this one, because the light of infrared waves penetrates deeper beneath the surface of the skin than steam heat does.

10. Infrared Sauna and Skin Health

One of the standout benefits of infrared sauna therapy is its positive impact on skin health. The gentle heat from the infrared light boosts blood flow and oxygen delivery to your skin, which can help promote a clearer, more radiant complexion. As your pores open up during an infrared sauna session, your skin gets a deeper cleanse, helping to flush out impurities and reduce the appearance of acne and other blemishes.

Regular infrared sauna sessions can also stimulate collagen production, which is essential for maintaining skin elasticity and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The increased circulation and gentle warmth help reduce inflammation, leaving your skin looking healthier and more vibrant. Whether you’re aiming for a natural glow or seeking relief from skin conditions, incorporating sauna therapy into your routine can be a simple yet effective way to support healthier looking skin.

Infrared Sauna and Functional Medicine

Infrared sauna therapy is increasingly embraced by functional medicine practitioners as a supportive tool for holistic health. The gentle heat and increased circulation provided by infrared sauna sessions can help reduce inflammation, boost immune function, and promote overall well-being. In functional medicine, the focus is on addressing the root causes of health issues, and infrared sauna therapy fits perfectly into this approach by supporting the body’s natural healing processes.

Integrating Sauna Therapy Into Your Wellness Plan

Practitioners may recommend infrared sauna therapy alongside other treatments such as nutrition counseling, stress management techniques, and mind-body therapies. By integrating sauna therapy into a comprehensive wellness plan, you can enhance your immune function, manage stress more effectively, and support your body’s ability to heal and thrive. Whether you’re looking to complement other therapies or simply want to take a proactive approach to your health, infrared sauna therapy offers consistent benefits that align with the principles of functional medicine.

Health Benefits of Infrared Sauna Therapy

There are three types of infrared heat used in saunas: near, mid, and far-infrared. Using an infrared sauna isn’t just for spa days any more. Regular infrared sauna use has been shown to aid in all aspects of a healthy life.

How to Maximize Infrared Sauna Benefits

To maximize the benefits of an infrared sauna, frequent sessions are recommended. Aim for 3-4 sessions per week for general wellness, as regularity is key to achieving the best results. I use the sauna 4-5 times per week - after every work out for 20 minutes, and one or two days with longer sessions in the sauna - up to 40 minutes.  

For specific health goals such as detoxification, pain relief, or enhanced recovery, more frequent sessions—up to 5-7 times per week—may be beneficial, depending on individual needs and responses.

If you’re new to infrared saunas, start with shorter sessions and gradually increase the duration as your body adapts to the heat. Most users find that 30-40 minute sessions provide the best results without causing discomfort. Always wear light, comfortable clothing or a towel during your sauna session to allow your skin to sweat freely. After your session, take a cool shower to rinse off sweat and toxins. If you experience any discomfort, dizziness, or dehydration, reduce the frequency and duration of your sessions. Infrared saunas are generally safe for most healthy adults, but pregnant women and those with medical conditions should consult a healthcare provider before use.

There are three types of infrared heat used in saunas: near, mid, and far-infrared, and understanding the types of infrared saunas: far, mid & near can help you match a unit to your wellness goals. Many modern infrared saunas combine all three types to provide a comprehensive therapy experience, which is why full spectrum infrared saunas and what makes them unique are so popular for people seeking all-around benefits.

Infrared saunas can be purchased directly from manufacturers or third-party retailers, with prices ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, so it’s worth learning how to choose the right infrared sauna before you buy. Many customers invest between $1,500 and $6,000 for a quality unit. Financing options, pre-order opportunities, and strong customer support are often available to make the purchase process easier and more transparent.

Infrared saunas are generally more energy-efficient than traditional saunas, requiring less electricity to operate, which makes well-designed indoor saunas especially appealing for everyday home use. Portable infrared saunas and infrared sauna blankets (which use far-infrared heating technology) offer compact, portable options, while outdoor infrared saunas are designed for exterior use and often feature wood construction and weather protection.

The direct heating method of infrared saunas allows for a more comfortable experience, especially for those who may find traditional saunas too harsh. Infrared saunas are used for relaxation, pain relief, improved heart health, and muscle recovery, and many shoppers start by browsing best selling saunas to see which models other users prefer. Near-infrared wavelengths can stimulate collagen production, improving skin tone and reducing wrinkles. Infrared saunas typically operate at temperatures between 110°F and 140°F, allowing for deeper tissue penetration and longer session durations. Using an infrared sauna can activate the body's natural detoxification processes, which may help improve resilience and reduce inflammation. Infrared saunas can also promote relaxation by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to reduce stress levels, especially when you opt for luxury saunas that add ambient lighting and audio for a spa-like experience.

Conclusion

Infrared sauna therapy offers a wealth of health benefits, from improved cardiovascular health and pain relief to enhanced skin health and immune support. Unlike traditional saunas, infrared saunas use gentle heat to warm your body directly, making each session comfortable and effective—even at lower temperatures. Whether you’re seeking stress relief, better sleep, or a boost to your overall wellness, regular sauna sessions can be a powerful addition to your self-care routine.

At Sun Valley Saunas, we’re passionate about helping you create a premium at-home sauna experience tailored to your wellness goals. With a wide selection of high-quality infrared and traditional saunas, flexible financing options, and dedicated customer support, we make it easy to bring the health benefits of infrared sauna therapy into your home. Ready to experience the difference for yourself? Explore our collection and discover how an infrared sauna can help you feel your best—every day.