Can Infrared Sauna Use Improve Athletic Performance? What the Research Says
In high-performance circles, recovery isn’t downtime—it’s strategy. And increasingly, athletes are turning to infrared sauna therapy not just to relax, but to gain a measurable edge.
Unlike traditional saunas, which heat the air around you, infrared saunas use light waves to penetrate the skin and warm the body directly. This deeper, more targeted heat can trigger powerful adaptations: improved circulation, faster muscle recovery, hormonal shifts, and even cardiovascular conditioning.
Let’s break down what the research actually says—and why elite athletes are making infrared heat a core part of their training regimen.
The Physiology of Heat Stress: More Than Just a Sweat
When exposed to infrared heat (typically between 120–170°F), your body reacts as if it's undergoing mild cardiovascular exercise. Core temperature rises. Blood vessels dilate. Heart rate increases. The result? A cascade of recovery-boosting effects.
In a 2015 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found that regular sauna use was linked to a significant reduction in cardiovascular mortality. While this was focused on Finnish dry saunas, the circulatory benefits also apply to infrared heat, which produces similar cardiovascular responses with lower ambient temperatures—making it easier to tolerate post-training.
Another key adaptation is the upregulation of heat shock proteins (HSPs). These cellular repair agents are activated during thermal stress and help refold damaged proteins, reduce oxidative stress, and accelerate tissue recovery. A 2018 study in Temperature found that sauna use post-exercise increased circulating HSP levels and helped reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Endurance and Heat Acclimation
Heat exposure can also act as a form of “passive training.” In a landmark 2007 study in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, distance runners who added post-run sauna sessions to their training improved time to exhaustion by 32%. The proposed mechanism? Improved blood plasma volume and thermoregulatory efficiency—two critical performance factors in endurance events.
The takeaway: regular infrared sauna use mimics some of the cardiovascular benefits of aerobic training and can help athletes adapt to thermal stress, improving overall work capacity.
Hormonal and Sleep Benefits
Growth hormone (GH) is another major player in athletic performance—and sauna use may help increase it naturally. In a 1989 study by the Annals of Clinical Research, participants who used a sauna twice a day for a week saw a 16-fold increase in GH levels. While results can vary, even short-term boosts in GH can aid in muscle repair and lean tissue development.
Additionally, infrared sauna use has been associated with improved sleep quality—critical for athletic recovery. The rise and subsequent drop in core temperature following a session promotes melatonin release and deeper, more restorative sleep cycles.
Why Infrared Over Traditional Heat?
Traditional saunas typically operate at 180–220°F. While effective, that kind of heat can be tough post-training. Infrared saunas work at lower temperatures, allowing you to stay longer and tolerate the heat more comfortably, while still receiving deep-penetrating therapeutic benefits.
Infrared also tends to produce a more profound sweating response, which supports detoxification and helps flush out metabolic byproducts like lactic acid—particularly valuable after intense training sessions.
How to Use Infrared Sauna for Athletic Gains
For strength and endurance athletes, sauna timing and frequency matter.
Post-Workout: Wait 30–60 minutes after your training session to begin. This allows your heart rate to normalize before heat exposure.
Session Duration: Start with 15–20 minutes and build up to 30–45 minutes as tolerated. Hydration and electrolyte support are critical.
Frequency: 2–4 sessions per week is ideal for compounding benefits over time.
Stack It: For best results, combine infrared sauna use with cold plunge therapy in a contrast routine. The shift from vasodilation (sauna) to vasoconstriction (cold plunge) stimulates circulation, reduces inflammation, and accelerates nervous system recovery.
Bottom Line: Infrared Heat is a Performance Tool
Infrared sauna therapy isn’t just for relaxation—it’s a science-backed tool for serious athletes looking to level up. Whether you’re lifting heavy, logging miles, or chasing PRs in the gym, this modality offers a low-impact, high-reward way to recover faster, train harder, and sleep deeper.
Ready to add it to your performance routine? Book a session at Float Goats and see what targeted heat stress can do for your recovery, resilience, and results.