What is an infrared sauna?
In a traditional sauna you sit in a hot room of 80°C to 105°C. In an infrared sauna the heat is warming your body directly, and only about 20% of it is warming the air around you. Your body absorbs the infrared heat and reacts to it.
That difference matters in practice. Because the air isn’t doing the work, the cabin is far more comfortable to sit in, and most people who find traditional saunas oppressive can manage a full infrared session without difficulty.
How it works
The gentle infrared heat raises your core body temperature and stimulates your metabolism, lymphatic system, immune system and cardiovascular system. Your body’s response to that is to sweat.
As well as the heat triggering a sweat, the water in our bodies resonates with far infrared heat, which is understood to contribute to the detoxification process.
Benefits
What to expect
Before
Arrive hydrated — drink water in the hour before rather than gulping it down on arrival. Avoid alcohol beforehand and don’t come on a very full stomach.
During
You sit in the cabin, usually in a towel or light clothing. It takes several minutes before you begin to sweat properly, which is normal — infrared warms from the inside out.
After
Cool down gradually rather than jumping straight into cold air, and rehydrate properly. A shower afterwards is fine with infrared, unlike the ozone sauna.
Building up
If you’re new to sauna, start shorter and work up. There’s no benefit in enduring a session you’re not enjoying.
Who it’s often used for
People come to us about all sorts of things. These are the ones that come up most often with this treatment — if yours isn’t listed, ask us.
Before you book
Heat therapy isn’t right for everyone. Let us know if you are pregnant, have a heart condition, low or unstable blood pressure, or take medication that affects how you regulate temperature or fluid.
Don’t use the sauna after drinking alcohol, and come out early if you feel light headed at any point. There is no prize for sitting it out.
Infrared Sauna FAQs
How is this different from a normal sauna?
Temperature and mechanism. A traditional sauna heats the air to 80–105°C and the hot air heats you. An infrared sauna heats your body directly, with only about a fifth of the energy going into the air, so the cabin feels far milder while you still sweat deeply.
Why am I not sweating straight away?
That’s expected. Infrared works from the inside out, so it usually takes ten minutes or so before a sweat builds. Give it time rather than turning the heat up.
Can I shower afterwards?
Yes. That’s a difference from the ozone sauna, where we ask you to wait a couple of hours.
How often can I use it?
Several times a week is reasonable for most people, provided you’re rehydrating properly. Your practitioner can advise based on what else you’re doing.
The treatments described here are complementary therapies intended to support general health and wellbeing. They are not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment, and nothing here should be taken as a promise of a particular outcome. If you have a health concern, please speak to your GP, and never stop or change prescribed medication without their advice.