Infrared sauna FAQs.

More than most people expect. A Finnish study that followed 2,315 men for about 20 years found that those who used a sauna 4 to 7 times a week had fewer fatal heart events than once-a-week users (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015 (opens in a new tab)). A single session has been shown to lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness (European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2018 (opens in a new tab)), and infrared heat after training may help muscles bounce back (Biology of Sport, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Most long-term research used traditional saunas, but the deep, relaxing warmth is the same idea.

It may help. Athletes who sat in an infrared sauna after a strength session recovered their jump power faster and felt less sore than when they simply rested (Biology of Sport, 2023 (opens in a new tab)), and an earlier study found a similar benefit after endurance training (SpringerPlus, 2015 (opens in a new tab)). Add water and a good night's sleep and it's an easy win for a training week.

Many people find it does. In a survey of 482 regular sauna users, relaxation and stress relief were the top reasons people went, and 83.5% reported sleep benefits (Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2019 (opens in a new tab)). Research on warm baths suggests why: heating up an hour or two before bed helped people fall asleep faster (Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2019 (opens in a new tab)). An evening session is worth a try.

Your skin may thank you. A controlled study found that regular sauna users had a steadier skin barrier, better skin hydration and faster recovery of skin pH than people who skipped the sauna (Dermatology, 2008 (opens in a new tab)). That study used a traditional sauna. Rinse off in your shower afterward, and moisturize if your skin runs dry.

You'll sweat a lot, and sweat carries more than water: a systematic review found arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury in sweat, with cadmium more concentrated in sweat than in blood (Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2012 (opens in a new tab)). Your liver and kidneys still do most of that work, so think of the sauna as a great sweat rather than a cleanse. Drink water before and after.

Some. Your heart rate and blood pressure climb in the heat to levels similar to moderate exercise (Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2019 (opens in a new tab)), so you burn more than you would sitting still. It isn't a replacement for training, and most of the drop you see on the scale afterward is water, so rehydrate. Our sauna calorie calculator gives a rough estimate.

A sauna warmed by infrared heaters built into the walls, rather than a stove of hot rocks. The heaters warm you and the wood around you more than the air, so it feels like sitting in strong sunshine instead of a hot, stuffy room. You'll still sweat, plenty.

Up to about 170°F. It feels milder than that number sounds, because the heat warms you directly rather than every bit of air in the room. Give it five or ten minutes and you'll be sweating.

On a first visit, 10 to 15 minutes per round is a comfortable place to start, and shorter is fine. As you get used to it, you might stretch a round to 20 minutes. Whatever the clock says, get out when your body tells you to, and stand up slowly.

A swimsuit, or shorts and a sports top: anything you're happy to sweat in. Sit on one of the towels, and take off rings, necklaces and watches first, because metal gets uncomfortably hot.

Step out. There's no minimum and nobody is timing you. Cool off with the plunge or the shower, sip some water, and go back in when you're ready. If you feel dizzy, sick or lightheaded, end the round and sit somewhere cooler.

A traditional sauna heats the air, usually with a stove and rocks you can splash water on for steam. An infrared sauna runs at a lower air temperature and warms you more directly, so the heat feels drier and gentler. Lots of first-timers find it easier to settle into.

Yes. There's room on the bench for up to three. Add a guest when you book and you'll share the whole suite.

Yes. A remote changes the color of the light inside the sauna, so pick red, green, purple or whatever suits your mood.

We'd leave it outside the sauna, somewhere in your suite. Phones overheat quickly at sauna temperatures and some shut themselves off. Prop it up outside the glass and you can still play your music.

Sunlighten infrared saunas. You'll spot the logo on the glass door.

For most healthy adults, a sensible session a day is fine, and our memberships are built around one a day. In the long Finnish study, the strongest links to heart health showed up in people who used a sauna 4 to 7 times a week (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015 (opens in a new tab)). Keep rounds comfortable, drink water, and skip it when you're unwell or have been drinking. If you have a heart condition, blood pressure concerns, are pregnant or take regular medication, check with your doctor first.

Please ask your doctor or midwife before you book. Heat raises your core temperature, and whether that's okay for you is a question for someone who knows your pregnancy, not for us.

Drink water. Cool down at your own pace with the plunge, a cool shower or a few minutes sitting still. Give yourself a moment before you drive, especially after a long session.

If you like. Going from heat to cold and back again is the classic way to use the suite, and it's what people mean by contrast therapy. A sauna-only session is completely fine too.