Unlocking the Benefits of Infrared Saunas: A Path to Wellness
Infrared heat penetrates tissue directly, triggering serotonin, vasodilation, and immune adaptation. What follows is a protocol — not a luxury.
Video·Michael Kummer·11 min read·June 2026
Infrared saunas are more than warmth — from circulation and stress relief to immune resilience and skin health, here is what the research shows.
What Infrared Actually Does
The distinction begins before you feel warmth. In a traditional steam sauna, heat warms the air around you first, and your body absorbs that energy from the outside in. Infrared light moves differently — it penetrates tissue directly, reaching muscle and connective tissue without first heating the surrounding atmosphere. At equivalent comfort levels, infrared operates at lower ambient temperatures, making the practice accessible to those for whom a conventional steam room is too intense.
When skin temperature rises under infrared exposure, the brain responds with precision. Serotonin — the neurotransmitter most closely associated with mood stability and a grounded sense of ease — is released into the system. This is not passive relaxation. It is a specific neurochemical event: the body interpreting sustained warmth as a signal of safety and shifting its chemistry toward calm. The stillness that follows a session is not accidental; it reflects a biological sequence that infrared light reliably initiates.
Regular sauna bathing lowers cortisol — not just in the hour after a session, but as a measurable trend that develops with consistent practice. The nervous system adapts over weeks; stress reactivity decreases, and the body's ability to return to calm after disruption becomes more reliable. Equally striking is what a single session can accomplish: studies show that one infrared sauna treatment can significantly reduce symptoms of major depression. That finding reflects the depth of the nervous system's relationship to heat, and what deliberate warmth can do for mood and mental resilience.
This is what separates a deliberate sauna practice from general relaxation. The mechanisms are specific — serotonin release, cortisol modulation, parasympathetic activation — and each produces an outcome that is felt, not just measured: clarity that lingers, a quality of calm that makes the rest of the day more restorative, a capacity for stillness that deepens with each session. The sauna, understood this way, is not a luxury. It is a nervous-system ritual with documented physiological roots.
What makes infrared particularly suited to this role is its adaptability. Unlike modalities that require extremes to yield results, infrared sauna bathing delivers consistent physiological benefits across a range of temperatures and durations. The body does not need to be overwhelmed; it needs to be engaged. Warmth, sustained and intentional, is sufficient to trigger the cascade — from serotonin release to cortisol reduction to the equilibrium that follows. The ritual itself becomes part of the mechanism.
hey guys welcome back to the channel in today's video I want to talk about the 11 health benefits of infrared Sonos and at the end of the video we'll also talk about some of the potential side effects that I think you should be familiar with and before we get started as always make sure you subscribe and you check out my medical and affiliate disclaimer in the description [Music] infrared saunas are a relatively new phenomenon at least in comparison to traditional steam solos but Studies have shown they offer a lot of health benefits and we're gonna dive into those in today's video so let's start with health benefit number one sauna bathing relieves stress and tension and that's because you know being in a hot environment generally makes you feel good but especially when the skin gets heated up or is exposed to heat the brain releases serotonin one of the feel good hormones that makes you just feel better sauna bathing over its owner bathing all the lower cortisol levels in fact Studies have shown that a single sauna treatment can significantly reduce the symptoms of major depression that's pretty amazing and so I recommend making
sauna bathing a regular part of your routine especially if you're on a lot of stress and tension number two infrared sauna bathing improves circulation and blood flow and that's because the infrared light dilates your blood vessels to allow more oxygenated blood full of nutrients to reach the various part parts of your body and or the tissues and the interesting thing is in Studies have shown that only 15 minutes of infrared sauna bathing increase the blood flow in the brachial artery by 68 that's pretty significant and even better your dilated blood vessel and the improved blood flow remains so for up to 30 minutes after the sauna session so if you you know enjoy the sauna for 30 minutes and it takes approximately 15 minutes or so before significant blood flow kicks in and so you get the 15 minutes in the sauna plus 30 extra minutes with increased blood flow that can help reduce inflammation speed up recovery and all of the things associated with increased blood flow and the cool thing about being vasodilating
meaning increasing the diameter of your blood vessels is that its sauna bathing can also decrease blood pressure so inverts on a bathing has been shown to improve both or to reduce both use systolic and diastolic blood pressure so if you suffer from high blood pressure regular sauna bathing can alleviate those symptoms items in addition of course with making some of the other lifestyle changes that might be causing your high blood pressure in the first place the fourth benefit also closely related to increased blood flow is a reduction in pain so infrared sauna bathing can reduce your pain be that pain caused by a chronic unconditional my arthritis maybe or something that's injury related to more acute pain and that's because again it goes back to increased blood flow whenever blood flow increases to an affected area that you feel tender or that you know is painful your pain perception goes down at least temporarily but infrared sonipating also triggers the release and that's caused by the infrared light a release of pain blocking molecules that can temporarily provide relief now obviously that pain
relief is not going to be permanent once you get out of the sauna after a while you'll probably feel the pain again but at least you can get temporary relief and in the long mid and long term speed up recovery reducing inflammation and get rid of the pain once and for all number five infrared sauna bathing mimics a cardiovascular in a workout and I've done measurements in our infrared sauna and I've noticed that my heart rate goes to up to about 110 beats per minute and in comparison my resting heart rate is about somewhere between 45 and 50 beats per second so I can get a significant increase in heart rate by spending 20 25 30 minutes in an infrared sauna and that mimics a mild cardiovascular workout so if I go for a brisk walk or for a light chalk my heart rate goes roughly to the same levels around 110 maybe 120 depending on how fast I run um and I can get the same benefits or very similar benefits by just spending 30 minutes in the song and of course when your Hardware goes up and that leads us to the next benefits we
burn extra calories so sauna bathing infrared sauna bathing can be a tool to support your weight loss efforts and I've done measurements I mean you know measuring calories burned during a workout active calories Etc is not exact science because none of the wearables that I have access to really Act accurately measure calorie burn but at least you get a rough indication and the comparison of how you know a certain certain types of workouts compare as far as calorie burn is concerned and I've noticed that during a 30-minute sauna sessions I burn up for close to 200 calories again very comparable to a brisk walk or to a to a light run and so it can be a great tool to burn some additional calories and to maybe help with your weight loss efforts if you combine that of course with an appropriate diet and without a lifestyle changes that are conducive to losing weight or maintaining your weight number seven infrared sauna bathing increases your resistance to illness and that's for very there are various reasons for that number one heat stress especially
if you sauna bathe at very high temperatures and for an infrared sauna that's probably around 150 degrees Fahrenheit and if you think that well but that's not hot enough I've talked about that misconception in a separate video that I'm going to link down below but even at 150 degrees Fahrenheit it infrared sauna can induce enough heat stress to trigger the release of heat shock proteins and those are Parts part of your body's immune response that can help fight pathogens infrared sauna bathing or the associated heat stress can also lead to a increase in white blood cells interference and some of the other molecules the immune system uses to fight pathogens so if we go into the sauna and you do Sonic mix Sonic painting a regular part of your routine especially with infrared on it but also with steams on us of course Studies have shown that you can decrease your risk of catching a cold by 50 that's quite significant and that's one of the reasons why we make sauna bathing a regular part of our routine especially during the colder months of the Season benefit number eight sauna bathing can help your body get rid of toxins sweat
is one of the preferred ways besides urine and feces and some other Pathways of getting rid of toxins so sweating profusely is a great way to get toxins out of your body that might be stored and difficult to remove otherwise and that's particularly true for heavy metal and for more so if you have mold sensitivities mold issues if you have been exposed to heavy metals through diet or other lifestyle factors sweating a lot in a solid and infrared sauna in particular is a great way to help your body detoxify number nine infrared sauna bathing has been shown to increase flexibility and mobility and range of motion in fact there are some studies that suggest that stretching Inland infrared sauna so while you're sauna bathing while you're exposed to the infrared radiation can help improve your range of motion by 300 percent that's quite significant so this order we had in the past wasn't unfortunately big enough for us to do any sort of stretching but the new one we got I'm gonna have a dedicated review coming up
here shortly so stay tuned is big enough so we can actually do some stretching in this order to help improve our range of motion and flexibility and sauna bathing has also been associated with improved muscle gains or an increase in lean muscle tissue and obviously just sitting in the sauna is not going to make you stronger and grow your muscles how however the recovery aspect of infrared Sonos the increase in blood flow especially after intense workouts the speeding up of your recovery the improving of your range of motion all of that combined can help you then outside of the sauna meaning in the gym to gain muscle tissue more rapidly so you can strategically leverage sauna bathing in infrared saunas in particular to support your work of routine and to help you improve your gains when you're working out another benefit that's closely associated with the heat stress that or stress in general is an increase in growth hormone now in all of the studies that I've seen associated with or that show that sauna bathing can cause a spike in growth hormone release we're done using wet saunas however even
Andrew huberman who is one of the leading resources in you know all different types of stressor speed cold Explorer as well as heat exposure acknowledged that you can likely get the same benefits from other types of stressors and I have based on my experiments and base of the research I've seen infrared saunas can cause the same type of heat stress the same intensity of heat stress as Steam sauna so I would argue that the studies in regards to steam saunas in causing a spike in growth hormone also applied to infrared Zone as I firmly believe that just based on the heat stress that I experience in an infrared so in comparison to our Steve Zone with both at home so I kind of can compare side by side and so the bottom venue really is that if you expose your body to stress like from infrared radiation the heat transferred into your tissue by the infrared radiation you can significantly increase your output in growth hormone and that can obviously then help with athletic performance with recovery and with a lot of other things that growth hormones are known for the last benefits of infrared's on us doesn't apply to all
infrared zones it particularly applies to infrared's owners that also emit near infrared radiation and that is near infrared lights from a infrared sauna for a fourth Spectrum infrared so I like the one we have in our backyard can improve skin Health can increase the production of collagen and elastin and many of the other things that are typically associated with red light therapy and near infrared radiation so if you're looking to improve the health of your skin the appearance of your skin the resilience of your skin to UV light for example so you burn less likely when you're out in the sun without protection near infrared radiation is a great thing so that's why we picked a Ford Spectrum infrared sauna that offers near Mid and far infrared typically most infrared saunas only offer fire infrared but if you can find a full spectrum infrared sauna that's in your price range I highly recommend that in particular if skin health and improving the appearance of your skin is important to you now that we talked about the 11 health benefits of infrared saunas let's talk about the potential side effects because
they are important to consider and number one is sauna bathing in general but in particular exposure to infrared radiation is a stressor to your body we talked about it briefly you know in this video already when I said you know heat stress heat stress is a stressor so if you already run run down and stressed and anxious and don't know what to do to kind of calm down going into an infrared sauna at the highest temperature possible and exposing your body to heat stress to more stress is probably counter-intuitive there is such a thing as too much stress even if that stress is considered a good stress or a HoMedic stressor so I highly recommend to listen to your body to figure out how much stress you can take and then adjusting your infrared sauna exposure appropriately that could maybe mean that using your infrared sauna at a lower temperature or staying in for less time or a combination thereof you know very often you get a lot of the benefits even at lower temperatures especially as far as you know releasing the tension and
releasing anxiety and reducing your stress overall can be perfectly achieved in an infrared sauna it may be 130 degrees Fahrenheit instead of 150. the second thing is we talked about it infrared light causes your blood vessels to dilate and it lowers your blood pressure if you already is suffer from low blood pressure you want to be careful not to overdo it because you might pass out if your blood pressure gets too low so those are related to only main potential side effects that I've experienced I haven't experienced them personally but that I've read about and I can and I can see that can happen generally speaking sauna painting is relatively safe but of course I always recommend talking to a knowledgeable Healthcare professional before you start any new Wellness routine now with that we're gonna wrap it up one more thing I want to mention if you're interested in any of the scientific evidence behind those benefits I mentioned I have a very detailed blog post on michaelcoomer.com about the health benefits with links to individual studies and more explanation about those benefits I mentioned in the video If you like this video give it a thumbs up if you didn't like it let me
know what I could have done better until next time
Transcript auto-generated by YouTube. Verbatim — duplicates intentionally preserved.
Circulation, Pressure, and the Relief of Pain
Infrared light's effect on the vascular system is among its most well-documented benefits. As the body heats under infrared exposure, blood vessels dilate, allowing more oxygenated blood to move through the circulatory system with greater ease. Studies have measured this effect directly: fifteen minutes of infrared sauna exposure increases blood flow in the brachial artery by 68 percent. That is a significant shift, and its implications for recovery, inflammation, and overall vascular health are correspondingly substantial.
What makes this effect particularly valuable is how long it persists. Vasodilation does not end when you leave the sauna. Research shows that elevated blood flow continues for up to thirty minutes after a session ends. A thirty-minute session — in which significant circulation begins around the fifteen-minute mark — therefore yields both in-sauna benefit and an additional thirty-minute window of enhanced blood flow after you step out. That extended reach amplifies recovery without requiring more time in the heat.
Over time, this pattern translates to meaningful changes in cardiovascular health. Regular infrared sauna use reduces both systolic and diastolic blood pressure — the two numbers that define the baseline load on the heart and arterial system. For those managing elevated pressure, a consistent sauna practice becomes a genuine complement to the dietary and lifestyle interventions that support long-term heart health. The practice does not replace those efforts; it reinforces them from a distinct physiological direction.
Pain relief follows naturally from improved circulation. When blood flow increases to an affected area — whether from chronic inflammation, as in arthritis, or from acute injury — pain perception decreases. More blood means faster delivery of the molecules involved in tissue repair and more efficient clearance of the metabolic waste that accumulates around sites of damage. The result is relief that is both immediate and progressive: a session provides temporary ease while the cumulative effect of regular practice deepens the underlying recovery.
Infrared light also triggers the direct release of pain-blocking molecules — a mechanism distinct from circulation alone, activated by the specific properties of infrared radiation rather than simply by heat. The combination of improved blood flow and this direct analgesic response means the practice addresses pain through multiple pathways simultaneously. Whether the source is chronic or acute, infrared sauna bathing supports the body's own capacity for healing. The relief is real; the pathway to it is layered.
There is also something worth acknowledging in the experience of relief itself. When pain recedes — even briefly — the nervous system registers the shift; stress decreases, and sleep often improves. Movement becomes possible again, enabling the rehabilitation and strengthening that address root causes rather than symptoms. Infrared sauna bathing, integrated into a broader recovery protocol, does not simply pause pain; it creates conditions in which the body can more effectively resolve what caused it.
a single sauna treatment can significantly reduce the symptoms of major depression
Immunity, Detox, and the Metabolic Case
Heat is a stressor — and in the right doses, that is precisely the point. When the body is exposed to significant warmth, it produces heat shock proteins: molecular structures that are part of the immune response, capable of identifying and neutralizing pathogens. This is hormesis at work — the principle that controlled stress, applied with intention, produces adaptation that strengthens the system rather than depletes it. The sauna does not simply soothe the immune system; it trains it toward greater resilience.
The immune benefits extend beyond heat shock proteins. Infrared sauna sessions are associated with increases in white blood cell and interferon production — two key elements of the body's pathogen defense system. White blood cells identify and neutralize foreign invaders; interferon signals other cells to resist viral infection. Together, they represent a meaningful upregulation of immune readiness. Studies show that regular sauna bathing can reduce the risk of catching a cold by up to fifty percent — a substantial return on a practice that asks relatively little of the body.
The detoxification case begins with sweat. The skin is one of the body's primary channels for eliminating waste, and infrared sauna sessions produce profuse sweating that supports the clearance of toxins that might otherwise accumulate in tissue. This is particularly relevant for heavy metals and compounds associated with mold exposure. For those navigating sensitivities in either category, a consistent sweating practice provides a meaningful pathway for removal, enhancing what the body's other elimination systems are already working to accomplish.
The metabolic dimension is equally concrete. Inside an infrared sauna, the heart rate rises — in a thirty-minute session, it commonly reaches approximately 110 beats per minute, a level comparable to that of a brisk walk or a light run. That cardiovascular engagement translates to caloric expenditure: roughly 200 calories over thirty minutes by measured estimate. For those managing body composition, the sauna becomes a tool for additional metabolic activity on days when a full training session is not possible or advisable.
The effects of consistent practice compound in ways that matter. Immune resilience, effective detoxification, and metabolic engagement are not discrete outcomes that happen once and reset — each session contributes to a pattern, and each pattern, sustained over months, raises the body's functional baseline. The return on that investment is felt across every system: less illness, more efficient elimination, a metabolism that remains active between training sessions. The ritual earns its place precisely because it does not deliver a single benefit but an interconnected set of them.
The research behind each of these points rewards attention. The fifty percent reduction in cold risk reflects what happens when people make sauna bathing a consistent practice, particularly during seasons when illness circulates widely. The detoxification findings, especially around heavy metals, are grounded in measurable outcomes rather than theoretical mechanism. And the metabolic comparison — sauna session versus brisk walk — comes from direct heart rate measurement, not extrapolation. These are practical benefits, earned through repetition and intent.
Recovery, Performance, Skin, and Knowing Your Threshold
Flexibility is not often the first benefit associated with sauna bathing, but the evidence is striking. Stretching inside an infrared sauna — while the body is exposed to direct infrared radiation — has been shown to improve range of motion by up to three hundred percent compared to stretching in ambient conditions. Warmth softens connective tissue, deepens the stretch, and reduces the resistance that limits mobility at normal temperatures. For those working to restore or develop flexibility, the combination of infrared exposure and deliberate movement is a protocol worth building into regular practice.
The recovery benefits extend naturally to muscle development. Infrared sauna bathing does not build muscle directly; rather, the improvements in circulation, range of motion, and post-session recovery create conditions in which the body can develop and repair muscle tissue more effectively. What happens in the sauna amplifies what happens in training. Faster clearance of inflammation, deeper sleep, more mobile joints — each removes friction from the recovery cycle, allowing each subsequent workout to build more cleanly on the one before it.
Growth hormone release is one of the more compelling outcomes associated with consistent heat stress. Most of the supporting research involves traditional steam saunas; however, the intensity of heat stress in an infrared session — measured by physiological response and core temperature elevation — is comparable. The same pathway engaged by steam heat is engaged by infrared radiation. The result is support for tissue repair, lean mass preservation, and metabolic function: outcomes relevant to both athletic performance and long-term vitality.
Skin health is among the reasons to seek out a full-spectrum infrared sauna — one that emits near, mid, and far infrared wavelengths rather than far infrared alone. Near infrared radiation promotes collagen and elastin production: the structural proteins that give skin its firmness and resilience, and that degrade with age and UV exposure. Regular sessions improve the skin's ability to withstand UV light, reducing the likelihood of burning. The result is skin that holds up better over time — denser, more elastic, more resistant to environmental stress.
A word on knowing your threshold. Infrared heat is a stressor, and like all stressors, it demands calibration to be productive rather than counter-productive. If the body is already depleted — from illness, poor sleep, or accumulated stress — adding more stress is unlikely to serve recovery. Lower temperatures deliver most of the benefits; there is no requirement to push toward extremes. The goal is engagement, not overwhelm, and a session at a more moderate temperature still delivers meaningful physiological value.
there is such a thing as too much stress even if that stress is considered a good stress
Those with low blood pressure should approach infrared sauna bathing with additional care. Vasodilation — the dilation of blood vessels that the sauna reliably induces — can exaggerate the condition and, in extended sessions at high temperatures, contribute to dizziness or lightheadedness. Starting with shorter durations and lower temperatures, then building gradually, is the right progression. The body will signal its tolerance; the practice is most valuable when it is listened to, not pushed past. Respect the threshold, and the ritual sustains itself.
