Infrared Sauna Benefits: What to Know Before Your First Session

An infrared sauna heats you, not the room. Here's what it feels like, what the research actually says, and what to expect at your first session.

An infrared sauna warms your body directly with infrared heaters instead of heating the air, so it feels gentler than a traditional sauna. The benefit most people notice is relaxation. The recovery research is mixed: one small trial in 16 athletes found less soreness, but a review calls the overall evidence inconclusive.

How is an infrared sauna different from a regular sauna?

A traditional sauna heats the air around you, and the hot air heats you. An infrared sauna uses heaters that warm your body more directly, so the air can stay cooler while you still get warm and sweat. Many people find that easier to sit in, especially if a classic sauna has always felt stifling. See our infrared sauna page for what a session looks like here.

What are the real benefits of an infrared sauna?

Here is what we can say honestly:

• It is relaxing. Quiet, warm, and screen-free is a good combination for winding down.
• Some people like it after training. One small trial in 16 athletes found that a post-workout infrared sauna session was linked to less soreness afterward. That is one small study, not proof.
• The bigger picture is unsettled. A 2025 systematic review of heat after exercise found the evidence on recovery mixed and inconclusive.
• Most sauna research is on traditional dry saunas, not infrared ones. A 2018 systematic review gathered that research, but findings from dry saunas don't automatically carry over to infrared.

You may have read that infrared saunas clean out your body or work as a heart or blood pressure therapy. We don't make those claims. Sweat is mostly water and salt, and we see the sauna for what it is: a relaxing heat session.

Who shouldn't use an infrared sauna?

• Anyone who is pregnant
• Anyone with a heart condition
• Anyone with low blood pressure or who gets lightheaded easily
• Anyone who is sensitive to heat, or takes medication that affects heat tolerance

If any of those apply, check with your doctor before booking. If you've had surgery recently, get clearance from your surgeon first and bring it to your first session. See our disclaimer for more.

What should you expect at your first session?

Come hydrated, bring water, and start with a shorter session to see how you feel. Step out any time you feel dizzy or uncomfortable. Many people pair the sauna with red light or a NormaTec compression session for a longer recovery visit.

Ready to try it? DWT Wellness is at 14 Ridgedale Ave, Suite 262, in Cedar Knolls, NJ. Your first session is free. Ask us for current session and package pricing: (973) 908-1524.