For thousands of years, people have enjoyed saunas and shared the benefits. When I was in a lot of pain with a collapsed hip bone and torn pelvic cartilage, I can honestly say the infrared sauna helped to ease my pain, and definitely had a soothing effect. The dry, heated wooden structure is designed to help you relax.
Lately, there’s been more of a buzz about infrared saunas, and I experienced those benefits myself last year, so I can personally attest to this. I caught up with Dr. Rachelle Reed, PhD, MS, to gather her expert insight on the power of different types of saunas, the differences between them, and more. Dr. Reed is the scientific advisor for Perspire Sauna Studios, and she has in-depth knowledge in this area, sharing plenty of reasons why we should step into that hot, wooden room and sweat.
What’s the difference between infrared and traditional saunas?
Traditional saunas heat the air to higher temperatures of around 160 to 200°F using wood stoves, electric heaters, or the more old-fashioned methods of using wooden fires or throwing hot water onto stones. Traditional saunas have higher humidity, often with added steam, and they take longer to heat up. The air is heated first, and then your skin, and finally, your core body temperature increases.
Infrared saunas are different because instead of heating up the air in the room around you, they heat the body using infrared light at lower temperatures, typically ranging between 100 and 150°F. Dr. Reed explains that “traditional and infrared saunas are two forms of deliberate heat therapy. While traditional saunas heat the air around you, which in turn, elevates your core body temperature indirectly, infrared saunas rely on infrared wavelengths that penetrate your soft tissue, raising your core body temperature more directly.”
Infrared saunas have lower humidity and temperature
At Perspire Sauna Studios, Dr. Reed explains they use “Clearlight’s full spectrum infrared heaters that emit near, mid, and far infrared wavelengths. Due to the infrared wavelengths’ abilities to penetrate soft tissue, our infrared saunas offer a more comfortable experience for Perspire Sauna Studio members at lower temperatures.”
With the lower humidity and temperature, many people find infrared saunas to be more comfortable, and even when I wasn’t feeling so good last year, I managed to stay in the infrared sauna at the lower temperature for 30-45 minutes each time. Granted, I occasionally opened the door during some sessions and quickly sipped on my cold water, but I made it through.
What are the benefits of traditional saunas?
As a graduate student in exercise science at the University of Georgia (MS, PhD), Dr. Reed learned about a wide range of modalities like heat therapy, cold therapy, and compression. As she points out, it’s the regular exposure to heat stress that triggers adaptations such as plasma volume expansion, increased sweat rate efficiency, and the upregulation of heat shock proteins.
In other words, the heated room prompts your body to regulate your temperature, which induces metabolic changes and prompts the production of those heat shock proteins. At the cellular level, these heat shock proteins can enhance bodily functions, including those of your cardiovascular system and immune system. Researchers revealed regular sauna bathing can benefit those with risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol. Frequent sauna use is protective for your heart health and promotes longevity.
Dr. Reed shares that “the use of deliberate heat therapy to improve aspects of mental and physical health is supported by decades of peer-reviewed research. In the short term, saunas can improve mood, promote relaxation, and improve sleep. In the long term, consistent sauna use is associated with a 30% reduction in mortality from cardiovascular disease and a lower risk for cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia.”
Here are some of the proven benefits:
- Researchers found that sauna bathing provides protection against the development of dementia. The researchers noted that more studies are needed.
- Studies revealed sauna bathing lowers the risk of sudden cardiac fatality, fatal coronary and cardiovascular diseases, and all-cause mortality.
- Researchers found that sauna use can reduce pain and symptoms associated with musculoskeletal diseases, as well as helping with the treatment of chronic headaches.
What are the benefits of infrared saunas?
The infrared sauna provides many of the same benefits as regular saunas. More studies are needed specifically on infrared saunas, but growing research has shown that they can be beneficial in the treatment of long-lasting and chronic conditions, including:
- High blood pressure
- Dementia
- Heart failure
- Headaches
- Arthritis
- Type 2 diabetes
As Dr. Reed explains, “adapting to the stress of heat therapy, like infrared sauna, is associated with a host of heart-health related benefits. For example, cohort data from Finland suggest that regular sauna use can improve blood pressure, vascular health, and even cardiorespiratory fitness. Most impressively, perhaps, is that evidence suggests that adults who self-reported using the sauna regularly for years were 30% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease-related deaths than those who did not report using the sauna regularly. While most of the longitudinal studies have been conducted on people who used Finnish saunas for years and years on end, studies have also looked at the impact of infrared saunas on various health outcomes. This paper by Dr. Rhonda Patrick does a nice job outlining some of those benefits.”
Heat therapy for reducing pain
Dr. Reed outlines the different ways heat therapy can reduce pain, including:
- “On a basic level, heat increases blood flow, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues and helps clear metabolic byproducts that can contribute to soreness.
- Heat also reduces muscle stiffness by relaxing connective tissue, which can improve mobility and comfort.
- On a neurological level, heat can dampen pain signaling by stimulating thermoreceptors in the skin, which, in simple terms, can override some of the pain messages being sent to the brain.”
When should you choose an infrared sauna or a traditional sauna?
So, when is the right time to choose a traditional sauna or an infrared sauna? Last year, it made sense for me to use the infrared because, firstly, it was what they had available at my local spa, and secondly, the lower temperature was more comfortable for me when I wasn’t feeling so good overall. It’s up to you what you think works best for your goals and situation.
Dr. Reed shares that it’s like any health behavior, and “it depends on what you’re using it for. If you’re adding heat therapy as a way to improve your performance or extend cardiovascular adaptations to exercise, you’d want to consult the literature in that area (e.g., adding post-workout sauna sessions for a period of time to elicit specific adaptations). If you’re using it as a preventive wellness tool to reduce your risk of all-cause mortality, you’d want to consult the literature on that topic (several times weekly for years).
Infrared is my preference. I appreciate how it delivers heat at a more comfortable ambient air temperature that elevates heart rate, improves circulation, and promotes recovery, without feeling overwhelming. For me, it’s not just about relaxation; it’s a modality that aligns with my goal of preventive wellness and an investment in the long game.”
