The best time to use an infrared sauna depends on your specific wellness goals. Both morning and evening sessions offer unique advantages, but the deciding factor should ultimately be how your body responds and what fits your daily schedule.
The best time to use an infrared sauna depends entirely on your wellness goals. The most effective windows include:
Yes, saunas are a highly effective natural tool for managing high cortisol. While the intense heat initially spikes the stress hormone as your body adapts to thermal stress, regular sessions—specifically infrared or traditional saunas—lead to significantly lower baseline cortisol levels and better long-term stress management.
The "rule of 200" is a guideline for maintaining safety and comfort by balancing temperature and humidity. According to the rule of 200, the sum of your sauna temperature and humidity readings shouldn't exceed 200. For example, if your sauna is set to 170°F (76.6°C), the humidity level should be around 30%.
Yes, using the sauna while taking creatine is perfectly safe and highly beneficial for recovery. Creatine does not dehydrate you. Instead, it drives water into your muscle cells and can actually help your body tolerate heat stress better.
Saunas can assist in the excretion of certain heavy metals and environmental toxins through sweat, but they play a minor role in detoxification overall. Your liver and kidneys handle the vast majority of your body's toxin elimination. Saunas simply provide supportive benefits by promoting circulation.
The heat and relaxation can trigger the release of endorphins, the body's natural “feel-good” chemicals that reduce pain and promote feelings of pleasure and well-being. The increase in heart rate and circulation from spending time in a sauna is similar to the cardiovascular effects of mild exercise.
30 minutes in a sauna is physiologically comparable to light cardio, such as a brisk walk, light cycling, or moderate calisthenics.
Yes, infrared saunas are definitely hot enough. Instead of heating the air like traditional saunas, they emit radiant heat that penetrates your body directly.
Yes, you can absolutely sauna too much. Overexposure to intense heat can place significant strain on your cardiovascular system. To avoid adverse effects, healthy adults should limit individual sessions to 15–20 minutes and cap total daily exposure to 3 sessions.
This rise in hormones changes your appetite. You do not usually crave broccoli or grilled fish when you are stressed. Instead, you want foods that give you fast energy or make you feel comforted. Most people crave sugar, salt, and fat when their cortisol stays high for too long.
Joe Rogan primarily uses traditional Finnish dry barrel saunas manufactured by Salus Saunas. He has these 6-person cedar barrel saunas installed at both his Austin home and his podcast studio, featuring high-powered heaters that reach up to 200°F.
Norepinephrine increases in those accustomed to sauna bath. Sweating increases the production of antidiuretic hormone, and the renin–angiotensin system becomes activated. Of the anterior pituitary hormones, growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) secretion is increased.
Eat before an infrared sauna session, but time it right. Wait 1 to 2 hours after a heavy meal before getting in. If you are hungry, eat a light snack 45–60 minutes prior.
Even if you're an experienced sauna user, keep sessions below 30 minutes to avoid putting too much stress on your body. It's best to limit visits to three to four times a week, too. Stay hydrated. The sweat that pours out during a sauna session can leave your body's fluid levels low.
Starting your day with a session in the infrared sauna can provide a great boost to your morning routine. The heat and light from the sauna can help increase blood flow and energy levels, leaving you feeling refreshed and revitalized.
For most people, that's 165-175°F in a traditional sauna or 111-130°F in infrared. These ranges deliver proven health benefits without making sessions feel like endurance events.
Regular sauna use benefits the brain by increasing blood flow, stimulating the release of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters like endorphins, and activating protective heat shock proteins. Over time, these physiological responses support neuroplasticity, reduce neuroinflammation, and have been linked to a significantly lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Infrared saunas operate at lower temperatures than traditional saunas. For some, this gentler heat may result in less visible sweating, even though the body is still reaping the deep tissue benefits.
You typically burn between 200 and 600 calories during a 30-minute infrared sauna session. The exact number fluctuates based on your weight, gender, metabolic rate, and the temperature of the sauna.
Yes, regular sauna use helps lower cortisol, but the process has two distinct phases:
After a sauna, you should focus on cooling down gradually, rehydrating with water or electrolytes, and resting to maximize benefits like improved circulation and deep relaxation. Key steps include taking a cold or lukewarm shower to rinse off sweat, wearing loose clothing, and avoiding intense activity for 10–20 minutes.
Yes, you should hydrate during a sauna visit, but avoid drinking while sitting inside the hot room. Chugging ice-cold water in high heat can shock your system. Instead, step out into a cooler area during breaks to sip room-temperature water or an electrolyte drink.
Saunas trigger deep sweating, which helps your body naturally excrete a variety of impurities and metabolic byproducts. The primary toxins and substances released through post-sauna sweat include:
The heat helps ease muscle tension while nudging your nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode. It also sparks the release of endorphins — natural mood boosters — leaving you calmer and more at ease. “There's also a mental clarity that comes with it,” says Guarco.