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There is a lot of debate over which type of sauna is better: infrared saunas or traditional saunas. Both have their own unique benefits and drawbacks, so it ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences. Some people prefer the traditional sauna because of its hot, humid air, while others prefer the infrared sauna because it is more gentle on the skin and doesn't produce as much heat.
While subjective factors like these above ultimately drive the buying decision for most, it has been shown that there is scientific evidence to suggest infrared saunas are indeed "better".
In this article, we'll be looking at both the subjective and scientific factors to explain why infrared saunas are often viewed as superior to traditional saunas.
An infrared sauna is a type of sauna that uses infrared light to create heat. This type of sauna is said to have originated from John Harvey Kellogg in the early 1890s through what he called Incandescent Light Baths. However, it wasn't until the mid-1960s in Japan did ceramic far infrared heaters get used specifically for treatment.
It was then that the first patient was treated using a far-infrared sauna. Initially, infrared saunas were used as a way to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis, however, over time it was discovered that infrared saunas also produced many other health benefits.
The earliest known sauna structures, however, are debated to have existed around 2,000 BC in the region of Northern Europe. This long history of traditional saunas is somewhat rooted in our ancestral evolution. Therefore, it makes no surprise that the resurgence of sauna bathing in the 21st century through the means of infrared saunas is having such an impact on today's culture.
If you haven't seen one by now, an infrared sauna typically looks like a small room with a few benches inside. The walls, ceiling, and floor are all made of wood, and there is a door that leads in and out of the sauna. Infrared heaters line the walls inside the cabin and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, however, they all have one common goal: to emit infrared radiation.
Many infrared saunas today include some form of lighting such as Clearlight's medical-grade chromotherapy. Exclusively to Clearlight® Saunas, however, are the Red Light Therapy and Halotherapy upgrades that can be retrofitted to any Clearlight® Sauna for additional wellness therapies.
One of the most notable differences between infrared saunas and traditional saunas is the way in which they generate heat. Traditional saunas use steam heaters to produce heat, while infrared saunas use infrared light to create heat. This difference is what gives infrared saunas many of their unique benefits, such as being more gentle on the skin, detoxification and not producing the same level of heat.
Traditional saunas use steam heaters to produce heat, which in turn heats the body. When you step into a hot room, the hot air increases your core temperature as it begins to sweat, and this also activates the cardiovascular system. Your skin starts to sweat, and the sweat then evaporates, which causes the body to cool down.
The purpose of a traditional sauna is to heat the moisture in the air as high as it can go, to increase the temperature of the room. So when you step into a traditional sauna, the surrounding hot air makes direct contact with your skin and raises your core temperature. This is also known as convection heating.
In convection heating, an object heats up from direct contact with the hot air. A very effective method at heating a large, open area. Traditional saunas and steam saunas are typically heated using heated stones and water to create steam. This also allows for extremely high temperatures and is the top reason why people opt for a traditional sauna.
The myths around higher air temperatures for greater health benefits have been busted over recent years. Studies have found that it is the temperature of the body that produces health benefits, and that there are more efficient and safe ways to raise the core temperature without exposure to extremely high room temperatures. To understand this, we first have to look at how the temperature in a sauna is measured.
Sauna thermometers are an important part of the sauna experience, after all, you don't want the sauna too hot or too cold. All have one common goal: to measure the temperature inside the sauna. Some are digital, while others are analog, some are designed to be mounted on the wall, while others can be handheld.
A thermometer works by using mercury to measure the change in temperature. The metal strip that runs through the thermometer is filled with mercury, and when the temperature changes, the metal strip expands or contracts. This expansion or contraction is what moves the mercury up or down the thermometer, and this is what ultimately measures the change in temperature. Why does this matter?
The wonderful health benefits of a sauna do not depend on the air temperature around you. They - more specifically - depend on your core body temperature. While traditional saunas are fantastic at heating the air through convection heating, they become limited in how to heat the core body temperature. They can only do this by using hot moisture in the air to be in direct contact with the skin.
Infrared saunas are different. Utilising advanced technology that has been around since the late 1800s, infrared saunas specifically heat the core body temperature using infrared light. Infrared light bypasses the skin to cause the water molecules in the body to vibrate, which is how infrared saunas produce heat.
This is a more gentle process than traditional saunas, which can be harsh on the skin. Additionally, infrared saunas produce lower temperatures in the cabin because they bypass the heating of the air, making them extremely more energy-efficient at heating the body, a better option for people who are sensitive to heat and a more relaxing experience.
Pro: Infrared light heats the core body directly, keeping the cabin air temperature low for a more comfortable experience for longer session times.
Con: Some people prefer to have the harsh hot air for more of a 'mental' challenge.
Pro: Infrared sauna heaters do not waste energy heating the air, making them more energy efficient.
Con: Some people like the cultural experience of pouring water onto hot rocks.
Pro: Traditional saunas heat up the air more quickly.
Con: Infrared sauna heaters need to always be on to get the additional health benefits of infrared saunas.
Infrared sauna companies have long been debating the advantages that infrared heat provides for health benefits in comparison to traditional steam saunas. traditional and infrared saunas do contain a majority of the same benefits from a scientific point of view.
Both traditional and infrared saunas are a type of therapy known as heat therapy - the application of heat as a therapy. Because of this, infrared and traditional saunas will provide deep relaxation and stress reduction, support weight loss, and activate the cardiovascular system to lower blood pressure and improve blood flow. While the heating system intended to do this may differ - heated air vs infrared light - the effects on the human body remain the same.
While the benefits of heat therapy remain the same, the infrared light has many additional properties that make infrared saunas superior to traditional saunas when comparing the sheer number of health and wellness benefits available.
This includes:
To see a full list of the health benefits provided by our infrared saunas, and to learn more about how they are achieved visit our infrared sauna health benefits page.
Pro: Infrared sauna and traditional sauna both heat the core temperature to provide the most health benefits.
Pro: Infrared heat bypasses heating the air for a more effective core body temperature rising.
Con: Infrared light doesn't heat the cabin during sauna use unlike a traditional sauna - which creates a heated room of extreme temperatures.
Now that we've explained how a traditional sauna provides the sauna bather with health benefits in comparison to an infrared sauna, let's explore what this actually looks like in a sauna session.
To use a traditional steam sauna, you first need to heat up the rocks with water. Then, once the sauna is hot enough, you can enter and sit on the benches. You can pour water onto the hot rocks to create steam, or sprinkle water over yourself for a cooling effect.
Also known as a wet sauna or regular sauna, the temperature difference during sauna use is notably higher than in an infrared sauna. Therefore your sessions will typically be shorter, more intense and cause a higher chance of dehydration, heatstroke and related risks.
Modern saunas like far infrared saunas and full spectrum saunas are your typical regular dry sauna bathing experience. Where you can have water everywhere traditional, dry saunas have very little to no moisture or water inside the cabin - only on your skin.
Because infrared emitters target the body directly the sauna room remains at a comfortable temperature allowing sauna bathers to use an infrared sauna longer than a typical steam room or traditional steam saunas.
If you're interested in learning how to maximise the different health benefits of infrared sauna use, we have a range of how-to sauna articles for you to read.
Pro: Infrared sauna sessions are dry and easier to participate in for longer
Con: Water is not suitable inside the cabin due to electrical components and soft timber
Pro: Infrared sauna uses less electricity
Con: Infrared sauna has a longer heat-up time
It comes as no surprise that an infrared (IR) sauna is a lot cheaper to purchase, build, run and maintain than your traditional sauna. This is mainly because a regular sauna is a complete structural build and professional craftsmanship and electrical and drainage work must be done correctly. With IR saunas, however, most components come in a flat-packaged and easy-to-assemble manner that is simply plug-n-play so to speak. Typically you would be looking at a purchase price of around $10,000 for a premium infrared sauna and anywhere upwards of $20,000 for a premium traditional sauna.
Notably, infrared sauna use is extremely cheap - averaging just over a dollar in electricity to run per hour for smaller models. Steam rooms and traditional saunas on the other hand need to use much more electricity to heat up the stones and generally need to be on for longer to do so. typically for three sessions a week you would be looking at under $10 for an infrared dry sauna and over $20 for a traditional sauna.
A sauna bath in and of itself can be dangerous so always keep in mind that extreme temperatures aren't something to mess around with. A traditional dry sauna for example can reach inside temperatures of upwards of 100ºC so the risk of heatstroke and dehydration is high during this type of sauna use.
Infrared radiation or far infrared light, however, rarely will heat the temperature of a cabin over 60ºC and thus is much safer to use. In general, the radiant heat of this thermal therapy remains one of the safest and most effective applications of thermal therapy that exists today. While you should be cautious of high temperatures at all times, regardless of the kind of sauna you are using, radiant heat will not only provide a safer experience, but also a more relaxing and enjoyable one at that.
The bottom line is that both infrared and traditional saunas have their own unique benefits and drawbacks, so it ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences. As always, we recommend doing your own research into all aspects of your buying decision - from cost to health benefits - and hopefully, you'll be confident in the choice you make. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which one is right for you - but if you would like to see what Clearlight® Saunas can offer contact us today!
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