Experience the Ultimate in Outdoor Relaxation with Our Infrared Sauna

by Wes McMahon June 14, 2023

Don't you wish there was a magic box that would boost your health, spend time outdoors, elevate your backyard, add an extra layer of hygge (coziness) to your home, and help you create the ultimate oasis?

The outdoor infrared sauna may be just the thing for you.

Benefits Of An Outdoor Infrared Sauna

Why buy an outdoor sauna?

Same reason you'd buy an indoor sauna: They're great for your health and well-being!

Saunas offer many proven health benefits, including fighting stress, reducing joint pain, and lowering blood pressure, to name just a few.

Of course, if you’re using saunas regularly, it may just be a logical purchase.

The cost of booking individual sessions will add up. In fact, many devoted sauna users find that purchasing their own saunas actually saves them money in the long run.

Outdoor Or Indoor Infrared Sauna?

Indoor and outdoor infrared saunas both offer the same general benefits, and feature many of the same elements, such as stereo systems. They also use the same kind of heaters, and have similar interiors.

As with indoor saunas, you can choose a full spectrum or far infrared heater.

If you have a yard, you may want to opt for an outdoor sauna. Who doesn’t want a beautiful private respite to go to at the end of the day?

Outdoor saunas are hard to beat for aesthetics.

That isn't the only benefit, though.

Why Choose An Outdoor Infrared Sauna?

There are quite a few things to consider when deciding between an outdoor and indoor sauna.

Here are a few reasons to go with an outdoor infrared sauna:

Ultimate Backyard: If you have a pool house, guest house, or even a patio area that opens out to a deck or pool, saunas are the perfect way to maximize the potential of that space.

Endless Summer: Saunas are really all-season personal wellness care spaces. A sauna allows you to look out onto your back yard or area, allowing you to enjoy that peaceful view through tempered glass windows, even when it's snowing.
Incorporate Ice Baths: Many people use both heat and cold as elements of their wellness care. You may also find that you enjoy going for a swim or taking a cold plunge before or after your sauna sessions.
Zen Time: Outdoor saunas allow the additional benefit of spending time in nature. Just looking at trees or pretty scenery can be relaxing. You don’t have to have acres and acres of land for this: there are outdoor saunas that will fit into even the smallest backyard.
Additionally, a custom audio station lets you control the vibe with music or podcasts, so you can create your perfect escape ... right in your backyard.

Stress Relief: Many people spend their workdays sitting in front of computers these days. Spending time in nature boosts our spirits, reduces stress and tension, and just relaxes us.
Versatility: Outdoor saunas come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and configurations. A barrel sauna may be a great choice for someone looking for that Scandinavian aesthetic, while a small cabin-style sauna may be the perfect fit for someone who wants to make a remote area or perhaps a camp a bit more special and luxurious.
Size Range: You can also find gorgeous luxury outdoor spas, or small ones that are basically the size of a shower or telephone booth.
Placement Choices: An outdoor sauna may also give you more options, as far as style and size. Think about what you want it for. Do you plan to use the outdoor sauna for hot yoga? Larger saunas are a better fit for that purpose.

Hidden Amenities And Perks Of Outdoor Infrared Saunas

Another reason to consider an outdoor infrared sauna?

They can increase the market value of your home.

That's something to consider if you're planning to put your house on the market soon.

Why Choose Outdoor Saunas?

One reason to opt for outdoor saunas?

They're absolutely gorgeous.

The warm look of natural wood immediately puts you at ease.

You don't have to give up functionality or longevity in choosing outdoor saunas. As far as materials, saunas made for outdoor use are typically made of high grade, engineered wood.

Wood is typically used because it is durable enough to withstand the elements, and stands up to humidity well. It also offers a sleek, Scandinavian look with groove walls.

Your outdoor sauna will of course be waterproof, durable, and well-insulated, with a door that closes securely.

The best outdoor saunas are also equipped with must-have features, such as Bluetooth stereo, double-pane windows, and controls that let preheat your sauna remotely.

Does Infrared Sauna Use Melt Fat?

Are you struggling to drop extra pounds? You're not alone.

Losing weight is hard. Really hard.

A 2016 study from the CDC showed that 49.1% of U.S. adults had tried to lose weight in the prior year.

Infrared saunas can melt fat. Infrared light penetrates beneath the skin, reaching that subcutaneous skin layer. This is important because of the way infrared heat affects fat.

Weight loss is one of the most important benefits of infrared sauna use. Infrared saunas can be a helpful weapon in the battle of the bulge.

Fat begins to break down at about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It also becomes water soluble at that temperature. As your body begins to sweat, your infrared sauna session will reach that fat layer.

Infrared saunas help with fat loss in another way: through increased heart rate. The heat in a sauna--whether indoor or outdoor--speeds up your metabolism.

As your body copes with the higher temperatures, your heart rate increases, and your blood flow increases. The increased heart rate alone causes a similar effect as a moderate workout, as far as calorie burn.

So, in a way, sitting on a bench, basking in that infrared heat is almost like a workout.

Raising your core temperature also increases enzyme and hormone production, which also boosts metabolism.

Has Anyone Lost Weight With Infrared Sauna?

Let's look at the science. While more studies are needed on the benefits of infrared saunas, the research we have is definitely interesting.

One study followed sauna users over a period of four months. The users partook in 30-minute sauna sessions, three times a week. At the end of the study, they had lost an average of 4 percent of their body fat.

That would be a yes.

What Is The Healthiest Infrared Sauna Temperature?

IR saunas are warmed by infrared heaters, and are cooler than a traditional sauna. However, both full spectrum and infrared heaters raise your core temperature more efficiently than traditional saunas do.

An infrared sauna works at temperatures around 155ºF to 158ºF. Some go up to 170ºF.

However, they feel hotter.

That's because the warmth from an infrared heater penetrates beneath your skin, causing that deep sweat. The infrared sauna doesn’t heat the sauna interior or the air around you: it just heats you.

You'll reap the rewards that have made saunas so many fans, but without the associated discomfort some people feel in traditional saunas.

This sparks one health benefit after another.

What Is The Best Temperature For Infrared Sauna Benefits?

Saunas all work the same way: the heaters warm the air, artificially raise your core temperature, and sparking several reactions.

That said, there's no one universal sauna temperature that's best for everyone. It really depends on what you want out of your sauna session.

If detoxification is your main goal, you may find that setting your sauna to the lower range of the possible temperatures. Whether your sauna uses full spectrum heaters, sweating at a lower temperature also helps ward off dehydration.

Don’t worry, though, you’ll still be sweating out all sorts of toxins, including mercury and lead, in the sauna.

Looking for pain relief or muscle recovery? Turn that heater up!

Infrared heaters penetrate beneath the skin, which causes your muscles to relax, similar to how a heating pad would. Athletes and those who want to ease aches and pains may want to crank their sauna heater up.

But if simple relaxation and stress relief is your goal, well, it comes down to what you find most comfortable. Even the lowest levels of heat in a sauna are good for you.

Some people like shorter sauna sessions at the highest temperature they can stand. Others prefer spending more time at a more comfortable level.

What Temperature Should An Infrared Sauna Be To Lose Weight?

Several studies have found that using saunas between 120 and 140 F helps with weight loss.

A study out of Finland followed 2300 men for two decades. Results showed that sitting in a 174-degree sauna for 20 minutes reduced all-cause mortality by a whopping 40 percent.

However, sauna use alone isn’t a magic solution. You’ll get the best results by combining your sauna sessions with regular exercise and a proper diet. Also, drink plenty of water, especially before and after using saunas.

How Do I Make The Most Of My Outdoor Sauna?

Is your yard a bit drab? Do you want to raise your property value, or just make your place as awesome as possible?

An outdoor sauna can transform your backyard into a private luxury spa. If you want to make the most of it, you’ll have to consider several factors and features when choosing one.

Where To Put Your Outdoor Sauna?

Location, Location, Location.

The old adage applies here.

Picking the right spot is key.

Here are a few Tips For Choosing The Perfect Place:

ACCESS

Do you want to be able to walk to the sauna without getting rained or snowed on? Consider installing your outdoor sauna in a spot with a covered entry.

AREA

It's best to choose the space first, and then shop with those measurements in mind. This not only helps ensure that you have enough space, it also allows you to picture what your yard will look like once the outdoor infrared sauna is installed.

ELECTRICITY

Some saunas operate on standard electrical outlets, using regular plugs. If you have a large enough property, and want the sauna away from the house, you may want to have electricity run under the ground to your chosen sauna spot. Getting the plugs sorted will add to the initial cost, but will be well worth it.

USE

Do you use a sauna just after working out? If you have a home gym, or just use a certain room for working out, position the sauna nearby.

VIEW

With an outdoor sauna, you can enjoy the additional peace of looking out at a pretty setting, whether it’s a small, enclosed urban yard, or a private patch of land.

If you really enjoy the experience of using an outdoor sauna in a more remote area, set it further away from your house, giving your bench time more of an outdoors experience feel.

Sauna Aesthetics

One of the best things about having a sauna is that they’re beautiful to look at. Consider what you can do to make the landscape around your sauna as inviting as possible.

You may also find that you prefer the looks of certain saunas.

For instance, some of the best outdoor saunas utilize a Canadian mahogany interior. One of the unique features of mahogany is that it does not shrink or warp, making it a perfect wood for an outdoor sauna. It also has a beautiful red color and offers great insulation.

It also works great with the double wall tongue construction used in many saunas.

Red cedar and hemlock are also great wood choices, and are used in many infrared and full spectrum saunas.

Infrared Heaters: Your Own Personal Sunshine

At the end of the day, your sauna is your private place to go when you need to recharge and relax.

There are so many things that we can't control in the world. Giving yourself a beautiful outdoor sanctuary to go to when you need to unwind may be one of the most crucial components of a good self-care routine.

You may find that the minute you walk through that sauna door, and find yourself in that beautiful wood interior, that bench and heater will melt your troubles away.

Do you need help choosing an outdoor sauna? Contact us anytime! We're happy to answer questions about anything and everything sauna.