Heat is stress. But that’s exactly why a sauna works: The right kind of stress in just the right amount can encourage your body to evolve. It’s like building a muscle—one with potential benefits for circulation, stress relief, skin, mood, relaxation, and recovery.
That said, science is just catching up to what sauna-goers have known for thousands of years. And it’s barely scratched the surface for infrared sauna, which works to heat the body from the inside out rather than the outside in. (The benefit of which is a much more comfortable, lower-temperature experience for the same amount of sweat.)
In an infrared sauna, infrared heat penetrates about an inch under your skin to energize the molecules of your body and raise your core body temperature. You can feel some of the heat-stress effects immediately: When your temperature rises, your blood vessels dilate and your heart beats faster, your blood pressure relaxes, and your heart-rate variability improves. (It’s a lot like what happens when you exercise.) Heat also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, increasing endorphins and slowing down cortisol reactivity—which contributes to that calm, euphoric feeling you may get after a sauna session.
Sauna consistently over time and the benefits build up, including effects that you wouldn’t consciously notice, like the fact that heat activates heat shock proteins, or HSPs, which help reduce inflammation in the body and improve your cells’ resilience to oxidative stress.
Of course, if you want to reap the benefits of consistent use, you have to work a sauna into your life. And there’s no better way to do that than to have a sauna at home. These days, there are options that suit just about anyone—from full build-outs to the infrared sauna blanket we’ve loved for years.
The All-In Sauna
The sauna: HigherDOSE Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna
Why we love it: This is the full monty—a real infrared sauna for home, just as good as you’d find at any studio. It uses far-, mid-, and near-infrared heat; it’s certified low EMF; and the heat is totally customizable up to 179 degrees. The color LED panel in the ceiling is a nice touch, as are Bluetooth and AUX inputs that allow you to turn on music or guided meditations.
When to go for it: You’re dedicated to your infrared practice, you’re feeling the benefits, and you’re ready to graduate from whatever your setup looks like now, whether that’s a sauna blanket or a membership at a studio. You want the hottest heat and the chicest look.
How to spend the time: Chilling out in a cute cotton bathrobe, hair doused in a hydrating mask, towel on your head, drinking lots of electrolytes.
Keep in mind: A sauna install will require (a) some advance planning for space, (b) capable electrical circuitry, and (c) white glove delivery if you’re not particularly handy or super strong.
The Pop-Up Sauna
The sauna: Lit Method InfraPod Portable Infrared Sauna
Why we love it: It sets up in all of five minutes, is lined with 100% cotton, heats up to 150 degrees, and it has red light panels, too. It’s fine to use indoors or outdoors. And unlike a permanent sauna, it plugs into a standard wall outlet.
When to go for it: You know you love infrared sauna enough to have one at home, but you’re not ready to make a permanent (or more expensive) commitment.
How to spend the time: Perhaps your idle sauna time would be nicely used for meditation? Or some expressive journaling? Start with the most beautiful linen-wrapped hardcover. This journal comes with a seven-day course we made with Open Journal—perfect for the sudden insights that tend to come in the sauna.
Keep in mind: Not much fuss here: All you need is enough space to pop it up (three feet by three feet) and an outlet close enough to plug it in. Assembly takes just long enough that it would be a drag to set up and take down every time you use it, but it’s easy enough if you just need it packed up every once in a while.
The Sauna Blanket
The sauna: HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket V4
Why we love it: We’ve been on the sauna blanket for years, and it’s still one of our favorite ways to sweat because it’s so easy and convenient. It only takes 10 minutes to preheat, and then you just tuck yourself in and soak in up to 45 minutes of infrared. There are nine heat levels, and the hottest is very hot—start low and work your way up. When you’re done, you just wipe it down, and it folds up to stash under your bed.
When to go for it: You want to solo sauna at home, but you’re not ready for a bigger investment. You don’t mind a little setup and cleanup. This option is great for city-dwellers and others who don’t have the space for something bigger or more permanent.
How to spend the time: Fire up a good audiobook or put on some relaxing music—something you won’t have to rewind or adjust, since it’s hard to maneuver once you’re in the blanket. Bonus points for a thoughtful setup: We recommend an acupressure wedge for your neck and few drops of your favorite essential oil in a diffuser. A hard, flat surface is ideal—just make sure it’s heat-resistant. (Your couch may not be.)
Keep in mind: The inside of the sauna blanket gets really hot—especially towards the lower legs and feet—and you’ll need to go in either fully clothed (long sleeves, long pants, and socks in cotton, modal, or merino) or with HigherDOSE’s towel insert. If you use it multiple times a week, you will be doing a lot of laundry.
