If you’re a fan of heat, then there’s a good chance you’ve spent some time using a traditional sauna. These saunas heat the air around you and typically operate at a temperature of 180°F to 200°F (82.2°C to 93.3°C). Traditional saunas use steam, fire, or electric heaters to make the air in the sauna hot, which eventually heats up your body from the outside in.

If you’re new to the world of infrared saunas, here’s what you need to know. First let’s start with infrared energy. Infrared is an invisible form of radiant energy that objects and all living creatures in the universe emit, and we feel this as heat. Two of the most obvious sources are the sun and fire.

An infrared sauna is a type of sauna that uses light to create heat. This type of sauna is sometimes called a far-infrared sauna — "far" describes where the infrared waves fall on the light spectrum.

A traditional sauna uses heat to warm the air, which in turn warms your body. Infrared saunas heat your core body directly without warming the air around you and only heat to about 150°F (66°C). This type of heat penetrates deeper into the body and is thought to impact and heal deep tissue and detox by sweating through your pores.

The appeal of saunas in general is that they cause reactions like those elicited by moderate exercise, such as vigorous sweating and increased heart rate. An infrared sauna produces these results at lower temperatures than does a regular sauna, which makes it accessible to people who can't tolerate the heat of a conventional sauna. But does that translate into tangible health benefits?

Far infrared therapy is one of the biggest breakthroughs in the health industry. The supposed benefits of using an infrared sauna are detoxification, weight loss, glowing skin, improved circulation, relief from sore muscles, improved circulation, stress release, relaxation, better sleep, and help for people with chronic fatigue syndrome. 

Detoxification - By pulling heavy metals and pollutants out of the body

It has been known for decades that sweating is a wonderful way to get rid of stored chemicals. Infrared saunas can help increase blood circulation and stimulate the sweat glands, releasing built-up toxins in the body. Daily sauna sweating can help detoxify the body as it releases heavy metals (lead, mercury, nickel, and cadmium) as well as alcohol, nicotine, sulfuric acid and other organic and inorganic compounds.

Weight loss

Because infrared penetrates deeper (up to three inches) it mobilizes and burns fat, which not only helps with detoxification but with weight loss as well, since many of the toxins we absorb are surrounded and trapped by fat.

While relaxing in the gentle heat, the benefits of infrared sauna include the body producing sweat, pumping blood, and burning calories. During each session, you can burn real calories (not just water weight), which of course leads to weight loss.  

Through sweating and detox, Infrared saunas help to burn fat and mimic the results of exercise. This is called a “passive aerobic workout,” because although the body is receiving all these benefits, it is not being stressed in the same way as a normal workout. The body is more relaxed and is in parasympathetic mode during that time. As the body increases sweat production to cool itself, the heart works harder to pump blood while boosting circulation. This increase in metabolism is also burning more calories.

Anti-aging and healthy glowing skin

Infrared saunas impact aesthetically related aging aspects like cell turnover, which helps produce more collagen and therefore promote healthier and firmer skin. The profuse sweating achieved after just a few minutes in an infrared sauna carries off deeply embedded impurities and dead skin cells, leaving the skin glowing and clean. Increased circulation draws the skin’s own natural nutrients to the surface for a natural glow. Many people report improved skin tone, color, elasticity and texture.