Red Light Therapy vs. Infrared Sauna: They're Not the Same
Written by Wendy Graham, certified MagnaWave PEMF practitioner (not a physician or licensed clinician)
People mix these two up all the time. Both involve infrared, but that's where the similarities end. Here's the real difference.
This comes up all the time. Someone mentions red light therapy, and a friend says, "Oh, my gym has an infrared sauna." They're not the same thing. They both involve infrared, but they feel different and are used differently.
Infrared Saunas: It's About Heat
An infrared sauna uses infrared heaters to warm your body. You sweat, you relax, and for many people it's a great way to unwind. Research on saunas for workout recovery is mixed and inconclusive. One small trial in 16 athletes found less soreness after an infrared sauna session. We think of it as a relaxing heat session.
Red Light Therapy: It's About Light, Not Heat
Red light therapy uses visible red and near-infrared light from an LED panel. It feels gently warm, but it's not meant to make you sweat. The research is low-certainty: some evidence of less knee osteoarthritis pain at studied laser doses, and some evidence that light used before exercise reduces later soreness.
What Are the Key Differences?
- A sauna heats your whole body. A red light panel shines light on the area in front of it.
- Sauna sessions are about heat and relaxation. Red light sessions are about light, without much heat.
- You can aim red light at one area. A sauna warms everything.
- Heat isn't for everyone: skip the sauna if you're pregnant, heat-sensitive, have a heart condition or low blood pressure.
- Red light isn't for everyone either: check with your doctor if you take light-sensitizing medication or have eye sensitivity.
Neither one is "better" overall. They do different things, and plenty of people enjoy both. Read more about how red light therapy works or our infrared sauna page. If you're weighing a home device against in-office sessions, see home red light devices vs. professional sessions.
Not sure which to try? Your first session is free. Call (973) 908-1524 or contact us online.
Sources
- Ahokas EK et al. Post-exercise heat exposure, acute recovery and training adaptations: a systematic review. Sports Med Open, 2025.
- Ahokas EK et al. A post-exercise infrared sauna session and recovery after resistance training (16 athletes). Biol Sport, 2023.
- Stausholm MB et al. Low-level laser therapy for pain and disability in knee osteoarthritis: meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials. BMJ Open, 2019.
- Canez MS et al. Photobiomodulation, intermittent pneumatic compression and NMES for muscle recovery: systematic review with meta-analysis. J Bodyw Mov Ther, 2025.
Want to try this yourself?
We're at 14 Ridgedale Ave, Suite 262 in Cedar Knolls, NJ. Give us a call or book online.