What Research Says About the Benefits of Infrared Saunas?

Infrared saunas attract huge attention as people look for simple ways to feel healthier. Many claims sound exciting, but what does real research show? 

This article breaks down proven benefits, from heart health to sleep and stress relief, using clear studies so you can decide if infrared saunas fit your lifestyle and wellness goals today.

• Support Heart Health: Infrared saunas gently improve circulation and can help lower blood pressure.
  
  

• Relieve Muscle Pain: Deep heat reduces soreness and speeds post-exercise recovery.
  
  

• Enhance Skin and Slow Aging: Regular sessions stimulate collagen and elastin for firmer, smoother skin.
  
  

• Reduce Stress and Improve Sleep: Heat relaxes your body, calms your mind, and promotes better rest.
  
  

• Boost Brain, Metabolism, and Immunity: Saunas support cognitive health, calorie burn, detoxification, and immune function.

You can experience two very different sauna types. Infrared saunas use light to heat your body directly at lower temperatures, providing gentle, deep warmth for longer sessions, ideal for pain relief and muscle recovery. 

Traditional saunas heat the air with rocks at higher temperatures, giving intense, enveloping heat for shorter sessions, promoting vigorous sweating, relaxation, and a ritualistic experience.

Infrared saunas support heart health by gently raising your core temperature, which makes your heart work harder in a way similar to light exercise. 

This heat causes blood vessels to widen, improving circulation and helping blood flow more easily, which can lower blood pressure over time. 

Supporting this process, a study published in the Canadian Journal of Diabetes found that participants who used infrared saunas for 20 minutes, three times per week over three months experienced an average drop of 6.4 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure safely overall.

Infrared saunas support muscle recovery by delivering deep, gentle heat that increases blood flow to tired muscles. 

This improved circulation helps deliver oxygen and nutrients while speeding the removal of metabolic waste that contributes to soreness and stiffness. 

The heat also relaxes muscle tissue and calms the nervous system, making post-exercise discomfort easier to manage. 

Research backs this up. One study on male basketball players found a single infrared sauna session reduced muscle soreness and helped preserve explosive performance after intense training. 

Another six-week study in female athletes showed regular post-training infrared sauna use improved long-term power output.

Infrared saunas support skin health by gently heating the skin from within, stimulating dermal fibroblasts that produce collagen and elastin. 

This process helps improve skin firmness, smooth texture, and reduce the appearance of fine lines by enhancing the skin’s natural repair cycle. 

Supporting this, a study published in the Yonsei Medical Journal found that infrared radiation increased collagen and elastin production and led to noticeable improvements in skin texture and wrinkles after consistent long-term use over time with regular exposure sessions.

Infrared saunas help mental well-being by gently heating the body, which relaxes muscles, lowers stress hormones, and triggers the release of feel-good chemicals like endorphins. 

As your body unwinds, the brain shifts into a calmer, more efficient state, helping you feel mentally refreshed and focused. 

Research supports this effect. One study found sauna sessions increased relaxing brain wave activity and improved mood and reaction time. 

Another long-term study showed frequent sauna use was linked to a significantly lower risk of psychotic disorders, highlighting its potential benefits for mental health.

Infrared saunas help improve sleep by gently raising core body temperature, relaxing muscles, calming the nervous system, and triggering a cooling response afterward that signals the body it’s time to rest. 

According to Complementary Therapies in Medicine, a survey found 83.5% of regular sauna users reported sleep improvements, reinforcing saunas’ role in better rest.

Infrared sauna sessions are gaining attention not just for relaxation, but also for potential brain health benefits.

Research highlighted by PLOS One Journal shows that alternating hot sauna and cold water can enhance brain efficiency, increasing theta and alpha activity, improving pre-attentional processing, and speeding up responses in cognitive tasks. 

Participants also reported greater physical relaxation and mental clarity after sessions. Meanwhile, studies discussed in Frontiers in Neuroscience Journal suggest that near-infrared light therapy may offer neuroprotective effects for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by supporting neuronal survival and slowing brain cell degeneration. 

Scientists propose several mechanisms behind these benefits: heat-induced increases in blood flow deliver more oxygen and nutrients to the brain, while elevated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes neuron growth and connectivity. 

Sauna heat also triggers protective heat shock proteins, reduces inflammation, balances neurotransmitters and stress hormones, aids detoxification, and enhances mitochondrial energy production. 

Together, these effects create a brain-friendly environment that may support memory, focus, and long-term cognitive resilience.

Infrared saunas can help burn calories by raising your heart rate and warming your body, which supports weight loss naturally. 

They also boost metabolism by stimulating circulation and improving energy use in cells. Many people notice reduced belly fat when they combine sauna sessions with a healthy diet. 

A typical session lasts 20–40 minutes, enough to get these benefits without overdoing it. While generally safe, people with heart conditions should check with a doctor first. 

Using the sauna 3–4 times a week often gives noticeable results, helping your body burn more calories consistently.

Research shows that infrared saunas help the body release toxins through deep, heavy sweating, which clears harmful metals and chemicals. 

This sweat process supports natural detox and reduces stress on the immune system. As body temperature rises, white blood cells become more active and fight infections better. 

Regular sessions also lower inflammation, which often weakens immunity over time. Studies suggest that consistent sauna use helps the body respond faster to illness. 

When people use infrared saunas a few times each week, they often feel stronger, recover faster, and stay healthier overall.

Can infrared saunas help with respiratory health? Research suggests they might. A long-term study of middle-aged men found that those who took sauna baths 2–3 times per week had a lower risk of respiratory diseases like asthma, COPD, and pneumonia, with even greater benefits for those bathing four or more times weekly. Heat and infrared radiation can relax airway muscles, improve circulation, and thin mucus, making it easier to breathe and clear congestion. According to the Cleveland Clinic, regular sauna use may support lung function in people with asthma or COPD, while warming the airways helps move mucus more effectively. Infrared saunas offer gentler, lower-temperature heat, which can be more comfortable for sensitive individuals, while traditional saunas provide higher heat and humidity for immediate relief. While saunas aren’t a replacement for medical treatment, they may help reduce airway inflammation, improve mucus clearance, and temporarily ease breathing difficulties, making them a potentially valuable addition to respiratory wellness routines.

Yes, infrared saunas gently raise your core body temperature by using light to penetrate your tissues, warming you from the inside out. This deep heating triggers sweating similar to a mild fever, helping your body eliminate toxins, improve circulation, and boost metabolism. While core temperature rises are modest, the effect mimics mild exercise, supporting overall wellness comfortably.