Infrared vs. Traditional Sauna: What’s the Real Difference?
Infrared vs. Traditional Sauna: What’s the Real Difference?
Traditional saunas have research-backed health benefits, including cardiovascular support, improved circulation, and heat adaptation, while many of the claimed benefits of infrared saunas remain less studied or not yet conclusively proven. If your goal is to experience the well-documented health benefits of sauna bathing, most practitioners and researchers recommend choosing a traditional sauna over an infrared sauna.
Infrared saunas use infrared light to heat the body directly at lower air temperatures (typically 110–140°F).
Traditional saunas heat the air first, creating higher ambient temperatures (170–200°F+) and a more intense full-body heat experience.
Key differences:
Infrared: lower temperature, faster warm-up, gentler heat.
Traditional: higher temperature, stronger sweat response, classic sauna experience.
Infrared heats the body directly; traditional heats the surrounding air.
Traditional saunas create more humidity control and higher cardiovascular load.
Choosing between them depends on heat tolerance, experience preference, and overall wellness goals.
The Rise of Home Saunas
Over the past decade, interest in home sauna use has exploded. From biohackers and athletes to families looking to build a nightly ritual, more people are asking the same question:
Should I choose infrared or traditional?
At first glance, both promise sweating, detoxification, recovery, and relaxation. But the experience (and the physiological response) are very different.
Let’s break it down clearly.
What Is an Infrared Sauna?
Infrared saunas use infrared light panels to heat your body directly rather than heating the air around you.
Because the air itself stays cooler, most infrared sessions happen between 110 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The sensation feels milder and less suffocating to people who are sensitive to high heat.
Why People Choose Infrared
Lower ambient temperature
Faster warm-up time
Often marketed for “deep tissue penetration”
Feels less overwhelming for beginners
Infrared can be appealing for those who struggle with traditional high heat or prefer a gentler experience.
However, the lower air temperature also means the sweat intensity and cardiovascular demand are generally lower compared to traditional heat.
What Is a Traditional Sauna?
Traditional saunas heat the air first. This can be done with electric heaters, wood-burning stoves, or heated stones that allow water to be poured over them to create steam.
Air temperatures typically range from 170 to 200+ degrees Fahrenheit.
Instead of warming your body directly, the hot air surrounds you. The result is a more immersive, full-environment heat experience.
Why People Choose Traditional
Higher heat and deeper sweat
Authentic Finnish-style experience
Humidity control (dry or steam)
Stronger cardiovascular response
Traditional sauna bathing has been practiced for centuries, particularly in Nordic countries, and is often considered the “classic” sauna experience.
The Real Physiological Difference
The biggest distinction between infrared and traditional saunas comes down to heat delivery and temperature intensity.
Infrared saunas use radiant panels to heat the body directly, typically operating at lower ambient air temperatures between 110-140°F.
Traditional saunas heat the surrounding air first, often reaching temperatures between 170–200°F or higher. This creates a full-environment heat exposure that surrounds the body and raises core temperature more aggressively.
Because traditional saunas operate at significantly higher temperatures, they generally produce:
Heavier sweating
Faster heart rate elevation
Greater increases in core body temperature
Stronger thermal stress adaptation
Most of the long-term sauna research (particularly the large Finnish cohort studies) has been conducted using traditional high-heat sauna environments. These studies consistently associate regular, high-temperature sauna bathing with cardiovascular, metabolic, and longevity-related benefits.
For many experienced sauna users, this higher heat intensity is not a drawback, it is the purpose.
Which Is Better for Detox?
“Detox” remains one of the most searched sauna-related terms.
Both infrared and traditional saunas promote sweating. However, sweat is primarily composed of water, sodium, and trace minerals. Sauna use should not be positioned as a primary detoxification method, as the liver and kidneys handle most detox processes.
The more meaningful, research-supported benefits of sauna bathing include:
Cardiovascular conditioning
Increased circulation
Heat shock protein activation
Improved stress resilience
Enhanced relaxation response
Importantly, most of the scientific literature demonstrating these effects comes from studies using traditional high-heat sauna exposure. Higher thermal load appears to create a stronger cardiovascular stimulus, which may explain why many researchers emphasize temperature and consistency as key variables.
While infrared saunas are growing in popularity, long-term outcome data at comparable scale is still limited.
Which Is Better for Muscle Recovery?
Both infrared and traditional saunas increase circulation, which can support muscle recovery and reduce stiffness.
Infrared is often marketed as providing deeper tissue penetration due to radiant heat. However, traditional high-heat environments generate:
Greater vasodilation
Higher sweat output
Stronger overall thermal stress response
Athletes and performance-focused users frequently prefer traditional sauna because the full-body immersion at higher temperatures more closely mimics heat conditioning protocols studied in endurance and cardiovascular research.
Again, consistency and temperature appear to matter.
Why Heat Intensity and Frequency Matter
Across decades of sauna research, two variables consistently show up:
Higher heat exposure
Regular, repeated sessions
The majority of evidence linking sauna use to cardiovascular and longevity benefits comes from populations using traditional saunas at high temperatures multiple times per week.
Infrared technology is relatively newer, and while promising, long-term population-level data remains limited.
If your goal is to experience sauna in the way it has historically been studied (high heat, consistent exposure, full immersion) traditional sauna aligns most closely with the existing body of evidence.
The Experience Factor
Beyond science, sauna is about ritual.
Infrared often feels modern and clinical.
Traditional feels elemental and immersive.
The crackle of a stove.
The rush of steam.
The intensity of real heat filling a space.
For many, that experience matters.
How North Shore Sauna Fits In
North Shore Sauna builds portable traditional-style sauna tents that deliver real hot air heat, without permanent installation.
You get:
High ambient temperatures
Portable setup
Authentic sauna environment
Outdoor durability
For people who want the traditional sauna experience but don’t want to build a permanent structure, portable traditional heat offers a compelling middle ground.
Final Thoughts
Infrared and traditional saunas both offer benefits. The right choice depends on:
Heat tolerance
Desired intensity
Ritual preference
Space constraints
If you prefer lower temperatures and gentler sessions, infrared may fit your lifestyle.
If you want high heat, full immersion, and a classic sweat experience, traditional sauna delivers something different.