What Are Infrared Saunas?

An infrared sauna is a type of sauna—or enclosed room with heated air—that uses light waves to create heat.

The difference between the various types of saunas out there comes down to how the air is heated and how much humidity (water vapor) is in the air, explains Joy Hussain, MD, PhD, a family medicine doctor based in Brisbane, Australia, who studies sauna bathing. 

Traditional Finnish-style saunas “heat the air through convection energy similar to how a stove heats a turkey,” Dr. Hussain explains. The surrounding air is heated by contact with a heating element (in this example, the stove), and the hot air then heats objects it surrounds (the turkey). But in the case of an infrared sauna, air is heated by radiant infrared energy with devices that emit heat and light in waves, somewhat similar to the sun, Dr. Hussain says. 

“Rather than the convection heat gradually being transferred, the infrared sauna directly heats your body without warming the air around you,” explains Victoria H. Maizes, MD, a professor of medicine and public health and executive director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. (More on why that’s helpful in just a bit.)

While air in a traditional sauna is raised somewhere between 150–195 degrees Fahrenheit, an infrared sauna is not nearly as hot, typically hovering between 110–135 degrees. That means it’s easier for some users to tolerate. 

“I've been using saunas for years and recently bought one for my home,” says Peloton instructor Ben Alldis. “I opted for infrared because it was super easy to install and I like that it doesn't get so hot, so I can spend a longer period of time in there.”

Unlike the super-high-humidity steam sauna, both infrared and traditional Finnish-style saunas are usually low-humidity. However, traditional saunas often involve pouring water over stones to create brief bursts of high humidity (called löyly), whereas infrared saunas are generally free of water, Dr. Hussain adds.