Infrared saunas have quickly gained popularity for their ability to deliver heat therapy at lower temperatures. But are they truly as beneficial as traditional saunas when it comes to health, longevity, and mental well-being?
Recent research is shedding light on the unique effects of infrared saunas, particularly in treating depression. But this doesn’t mean they replace everything traditional saunas offer.
From core body temperature to cardiovascular benefits, there are some critical differences that are worth understanding — especially if you’re using sauna therapy for long-term health optimization.
Jump to:
- Infrared vs. Traditional Saunas: Core Differences
- Infrared Sauna and Depression: A Promising New Use Case
- Traditional Saunas: Proven Longevity and Heart Health Benefits
- Stacking Heat with Exercise: A Synergistic Strategy
- Heat and Brain Function: Mood, Memory, and Stress Resilience
- Timing Matters: When to Use a Sauna for Maximum Impact
- Final Thoughts: Should You Use an Infrared Sauna?
Infrared vs. Traditional Saunas: Core Differences
Infrared saunas use infrared light to heat the body directly, rather than heating the air like traditional saunas. This results in a lower ambient temperature — typically 120–140°F — compared to the hot environment of a Finnish or dry sauna, which may reach 175–200°F.
Because of this temperature difference, the physiological stress on the body is lower in an infrared sauna unless the session is extended significantly — often by more than double the time you’d spend in a traditional sauna.
Still, that lower heat level can make infrared saunas more tolerable for certain users and open the door to unique therapeutic applications.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Infrared Sauna and Depression: A Promising New Use Case
One of the most exciting studies on infrared saunas has come out of the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Ashley Mason and her team have been investigating a treatment model called the “heat bed” — a full-body infrared sauna that elevates core body temperature by about 2°F while keeping the head cool.
In her most recent work, participants with major depressive disorder underwent up to eight sessions of this intense heat therapy combined with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The results? A staggering drop in depression symptoms, as measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.
“A clinically meaningful drop in the Hamilton scale is 3 points,” Mason explained. “We saw improvements of up to 16 points.”
However, it’s worth noting that many participants found the sessions physically intense — more than an hour of sustained heating is required to elevate core body temperature adequately. Most people using infrared saunas casually won’t reach those therapeutic thresholds.
Traditional Saunas: Proven Longevity and Heart Health Benefits
The benefits of traditional sauna use are well-established in large-scale population studies, particularly in Finland. Regular sauna use — between 4 to 7 times per week — has been linked to:
- 50% lower cardiovascular disease mortality
- 40% lower all-cause mortality
- Improved blood pressure and vascular function
- Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress
These effects are believed to stem from the body’s thermoregulatory response — the rise in core temperature causes blood vessels to expand, heart rate to increase, and sweating to initiate. These mirror the same responses seen during moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Sauna as Passive Cardio
Interestingly, what’s happening physiologically in a traditional sauna is very similar to what happens during steady-state cardio:
- Increased heart rate
- Elevated cardiac output
- Boost in core body temperature
- Improved endothelial function and circulation
This makes sauna therapy a viable adjunct for people who may be unable to engage in regular aerobic training — or for those wanting to amplify results.
Stacking Heat with Exercise: A Synergistic Strategy
In one study, participants who combined cycling with a 15-minute sauna session saw greater improvements in VO2 max, blood pressure, and lipid markers than those who exercised alone.
“There’s an additive benefit when you stack the deliberate heat stress of a sauna onto an exercise session,” explained Dr. Rhonda Patrick. “It’s like doubling down on cardiovascular and metabolic gains.”
Heat and Brain Function: Mood, Memory, and Stress Resilience
Sauna exposure doesn’t just benefit the heart — it has remarkable effects on the brain as well. Rhonda Patrick shared how her early experiences with daily sauna exposure helped her regulate chronic stress in graduate school and possibly enhanced memory performance.
“I would rehearse talks in the sauna. I began remembering things better when I practiced in the heat,” Patrick said.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Her anecdotal experience aligns with findings from studies in animals, where heat stress was shown to boost IGF-2 — a growth factor linked to improved memory consolidation and learning.
Other neurochemical effects of sauna use include:
- Growth hormone spikes of up to 16x baseline
- Production of somnogenic cytokines, which promote deep sleep
- Increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF — based on rodent studies)
Timing Matters: When to Use a Sauna for Maximum Impact
Patrick rotates her sauna use depending on her goals:
- Evening sessions help relax the body before sleep through the rise and fall of core temperature and inflammatory sleep-promoting molecules.
- Post-workout exposure boosts cardiorespiratory adaptations and maximizes training stimulus.
- Morning use can help build mental resilience by priming the nervous system to handle daily stressors.
Hot baths and hot tubs can offer similar benefits, especially in improving blood pressure, though the magnitude and mechanisms will vary.
Final Thoughts: Should You Use an Infrared Sauna?
An infrared sauna can be an effective wellness tool — especially when used strategically and for extended durations. It shows exceptional promise in mental health interventions when high core temperatures are reached, but that requires structured protocols beyond most commercial use cases.
Traditional saunas, however, remain the gold standard when it comes to replicating aerobic-style cardiovascular stress, promoting longevity, and enhancing physical performance recovery.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
If time, temperature, and tolerance allow, each has a role — and the ultimate solution might just be a hybrid approach to maximize brain, heart, and mental health benefits.
