Everything You Need to Know About the Fitness and Recovery Benefits of Infrared Sauna

Infrared saunas have become a sworn-by tool used by influencers and athletes alike. And for good reason: They offer a host of benefits ranging from strengthening your immune system to improving your skin. What’s more, they can serve as a vital component in your fitness routine, aiding in your recovery after workouts.   

Unlike traditional saunas, which can use everything from hot stones to electrical heaters, infrared saunas warm the body through infrared light emitted by lamps. “Infrared light penetrates deeply into the body's tissues, reaching muscles, joints, and deeper structures,” says Bjørn Ekeberg, co-founder and CEO of Recharge Health, the company behind FlexBeam, a portable infrared-light device. “At a cellular level, infrared energy increases circulation by dilating blood vessels and improves oxygen delivery to tissues, enhancing cellular metabolism and repair. This leads to reduced inflammation, relief from muscle and joint pain, and improved tissue healing.”

These benefits are optimal for a range of folks, especially athletes. Below, check out expert tips on the benefits of infrared saunas, how to decide if they’re right for you, and what to know ahead of your first try.

What Is Infrared Light?

According to a study published in a 2018 issue of Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, infrared light is “electromagnetic radiation” that has varying wavelengths. This light, particularly when experienced in a contained sauna setting, can help the body regenerate on a cellular level, bolstering mitochondrial function—key for the body’s ability to produce energy—while addressing inflammation and circulation, says Jeremy Brown, DPT, physical therapist at Bespoke Physical Therapy in San Diego.

In an infrared sauna, the light can be issued in a variety of expressions, or “bands:” near, mid and far. Each of these bands distinguishes the intensity of the wavelengths, which offer different benefits, says Candice Bruder, founder and CEO of Pure Sweat Studios.

For example, “’Far’ penetrates the deepest, reaching toxins stored in fat and tissue, breaking them up so they can be released through sweat. [Far wavelengths] can help struggling cells get back into shape, so they are stronger to fight disease, viruses and inflammation,” she says. “Meanwhile, ‘mid’ infrared light “targets muscles and joints, supporting pain relief and recovery,  and ‘near’ can help you score glowy skin.”

What’s the Difference Between Infrared Saunas and Red-Light Therapy?

Various light therapies have emerged as positive solves for a range of conditions and needs. However, they aren’t interchangeable. Infrared light provides deeper penetration into the body, which can trigger a number of responses, from ridding the body of toxins to encouraging muscle repair, as Bruder explained. They are also hotter, with temperatures ranging from 110°F to 150°F (43°C to 65°C), says Brown.

Meanwhile, red-light therapy “relies on specific wavelengths in the red to near-infrared range that energize cells without relying on high heat,” says Ekeberg.

Benefits of infrared sauna for performance and recovery

With their various intensities, infrared saunas can act as an additional tool in your fitness kit, potentially providing a swath of robust and diverse gains.

Infrared saunas may help your muscles repair faster.

Because infrared light encourages faster cell regeneration, targeting deep within the muscle tissue, muscles can repair faster, helping athletes recover more efficiently. “Infrared saunas have been embraced by fitness enthusiasts for their ability to support muscle relaxation and recovery. The penetrating heat helps ease tight or overworked muscles, which can speed up the time it takes to bounce back after intense workouts,” said Ekeberg.

In an infrared sauna, nitric oxide is released in the body, which helps “increase circulation and oxygen,” says Brown. This, in turn, helps the body to flush out “metabolic waste” like lactate, which can build up during a workout, “allowing for quicker muscle repair and decreased soreness.” 

Indeed, one small study in a 2024 issue of Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Sciences found that four consecutive days of 30-minute sessions of infrared lamp therapy provided “accelerated recovery” from muscle damage in female soccer players compared to those who didn’t undergo the treatment.

They might help boost cardiovascular health.

When you enter an infrared sauna, you may find that the heat causes your heart rate to pick up. “The heat of the infrared sauna increases your heart rate, mimicking the effect of light aerobic exercise,” says Brown. “Consistent utilization of saunas improves your cholesterol balance, increases blood flow, and even lowers your blood pressure.” And, as your body adapts, your cardiovascular system will strengthen, and your heart will become increasingly capable of performing more intensely and for a longer duration.

“Many of the physiological effects of infrared sauna are like those elicited during exercise,” says Bruder. “Within minutes of sitting in an infrared sauna, the heat temperature triggers your body’s blood vessels to widen and promote oxygenated blood flow throughout your body, also lowering blood pressure. Your heart rate increases, creating passive, cardiovascular exercise.”

Infrared saunas may reduce inflammation and help treat pain.

As Bruder mentioned earlier, infrared light can be emitted in a range of intensities. “Mid” may be most successful in reducing pain and improving inflammation, she says. “This is because mid wavelengths penetrate and heat the body’s soft tissue, muscles, and joints, promoting increased circulation and oxygen to injured areas and thereby reducing inflammation while promoting cellular repair. This, in turn, alleviates pain, increases flexibility, and speeds the healing process.”

Brown agrees. “Infrared light reduces inflammatory markers helping aid in tissue recovery and reducing pain throughout the body,” he says. In fact, infrared light’s influence on inflammation is one of the most notable effects, per research in AIMS Biophysics. This is due to the light’s ability to cause the body to regulate “antioxidant defenses and reduce oxidative stress,” noting that exposure to this light can reduce inflammation in the brain, abdominal fat, wounds, lungs, and spinal cord. 

Risks of infrared saunas

While infrared saunas may offer a host of benefits, they aren’t without risk. As with trying anything new, it’s always a good idea to consult with a licensed medical provider to ensure infrared saunas are a good fit for your needs.

They may cause dehydration.

While in an infrared sauna, your body will warm up and potentially sweat. While this perspiration can help remove “mitochondrial waste,” it can also lower your electrolyte levels. “Sweating is a fantastic process for detoxification but can lead to excessive fluid loss leading to dizziness, fatigue, and headaches,” says Brown. 

They may cause dizziness or light-headedness. 

Infrared saunas can help lower your blood pressure (a positive), but this doesn’t come without potential side effects. “During a sauna session your blood pressure should decrease which can lead to dizziness, nausea, and even fainting. Be careful and stand up slowly if you are feeling light-headed,” advises Brown.

How to best use an infrared sauna for fitness and recovery 

Listen, we get it. Adding one more thing to your already-full calendar is a tall order. But with the benefits you stand to gain from trying an infrared sauna, it’s worth the schedule Tetris.

Given their muscle repair benefits, Brown and Bruder recommend stopping by an infrared sauna after working out or on your off and active-recovery days, depending on what your fitness schedule looks like. “Based on the proposed benefits, they are best utilized as a post-workout recovery tool to help promote muscle recovery, reduce muscle soreness and pain, and support cardiovascular health,” says Brown.

On an active-recovery day, Brown recommends approaching the sauna stop as a “tool to replicate a low-level cardiovascular exercise,” he says. “Additionally, you can incorporate breathwork or mediation during your sauna session to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to promote a compounding effect of recovery.”

While it’s best to check in with your physical therapist and the studio to customize how long you should sit in the sauna, the previously mentioned research has found short stints (ranging from 10- to 15-minutes) to be effective. However, if you’re unsure of how your body will respond, there’s never any harm in starting shorter and working your way up to longer durations. 

But try to build a habit. To encourage your body to adapt to the experience, Bruder suggests aiming to squeeze in three sessions over 10 days. “Consistency is key,” she says. “Just like exercise, you will see more benefits the more you sauna; and you will kick-in to your sweat sooner, faster, deeper with continued practice.”

Who should skip infrared saunas?

As mentioned, if you’re curious about trying an infrared sauna to boost your fitness performance and recovery, it’s best to check in with a licensed medical professional like a sports medicine doctor or physical therapist who can provide personalized guidance. According to Brown, the below groups should avoid infrared saunas:

• Pregnant people
• Folks with low blood pressure
• Individuals who have “trouble regulating their fluids and electrolytes, such as those with kidney disease.”
• Anyone who is heat intolerant.

How to prepare for your first trip to the infrared sauna

Got first-day jitters? Don’t stress. Below, check out tips from the experts on how to prepare and what to expect during your time in the sauna.

• Before You Go: Before your first trip to an infrared sauna, be sure to hydrate plenty—and bring water with you to your session. “Staying hydrated is key,” says Ekeberg.

• What to Wear: As Brown mentioned, temperatures in an infrared sauna can get toasty. Depending on the environment of the sauna and your comfort level, you might want to consider wearing light-weight clothing that you don’t mind getting sweaty, like cycling shorts, sports bra and rubber sandals or flip flops. But be sure to check in with the studio you’re visiting for their specific guidelines.

• During the Session: Hello, relaxation. Throughout the session, your body will begin to warm and sweat, says Brown. “You may feel a sense of relaxation and warmth promoted by the release of nitric oxide.” Sounds pretty great, right?