Traditional Saunas vs. Infrared Saunas: Why Going Old-School is Better for Your Health

Traditional Saunas vs. Infrared Saunas: Why Going Old-School is Better for Your Health

Saunas have long been a cherished part of wellness rituals across the world. With the rise of modern wellness trends, new variations of this ancient practice have emerged, including infrared saunas. While infrared saunas claim to offer various benefits, many sauna enthusiasts argue that traditional saunas provide a more comprehensive, holistic experience. In this blog post, we’ll dive into why traditional saunas are better for your health compared to their infrared counterparts.

1. The Holistic Heat Experience

Traditional saunas, often called Finnish saunas, use either wood, gas, or electric heaters to warm the air inside the sauna to high temperatures, usually ranging from 150°F to 195°F (65°C to 90°C). The heat is dry, but water can be poured over hot stones to create steam, increasing humidity and making the heat feel more intense.

Infrared saunas, on the other hand, use infrared light to heat your body directly without significantly warming the air around you. They operate at much lower temperatures, typically between 120°F and 140°F (49°C to 60°C).

Why does this matter? The high, enveloping heat in a traditional sauna creates a full-body experience that goes beyond the surface-level warming of an infrared sauna. In a traditional sauna, your body must work harder to regulate its temperature, providing deeper cardiovascular and metabolic benefits.

2. The Sweating Factor: Traditional Saunas Make You Sweat More

One of the key reasons people use saunas is to sweat, as it’s believed to help detoxify the body and promote skin health. Traditional saunas create a much more intense sweating experience due to the higher temperatures and increased humidity. This deep sweat helps flush out toxins, improve circulation, and rejuvenate your skin.

While infrared saunas also make you sweat, the sweat tends to be lighter and slower. Traditional saunas encourage a more vigorous, all-encompassing sweat, which many believe leads to better detoxification.

3. Cardiovascular Benefits

The intense heat of traditional saunas significantly increases your heart rate and improves circulation. This mimics the effects of moderate exercise, helping to improve cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart disease.

In fact, a long-term Finnish study found that regular use of traditional saunas was linked to a lower risk of sudden cardiac death, coronary heart disease, and all-cause mortality. This benefit is largely attributed to the cardiovascular workout your body gets while it’s working to cool itself down in a traditional sauna.

Because infrared saunas operate at lower temperatures and don’t elevate the heart rate to the same extent, they may not provide the same cardiovascular benefits as traditional saunas.

4. The Steam and Humidity Advantage

One of the most significant features of traditional saunas is the ability to add steam by pouring water over the hot stones. This increases the humidity, which can have several health benefits:

• Improved respiratory health: The steam can help open up the airways, loosen mucus, and soothe irritated sinuses, making traditional saunas a great choice for people with respiratory issues like asthma or seasonal allergies.
• Hydrated skin: The steam in a traditional sauna keeps your skin hydrated and supple, whereas the dry heat of an infrared sauna may leave your skin feeling parched.

Infrared saunas, which lack this steam component, do not provide the same respiratory and skin benefits.

5. The Mental and Emotional Benefits of Ritual and Tradition

Traditional saunas are steeped in cultural and historical significance. In places like Finland, saunas are not just about physical health—they’re about mental and emotional wellness, social interaction, and relaxation. The ritual of sitting in a hot, steamy room, often in silence or in the company of others, creates a meditative experience that has been valued for generations.

Infrared saunas, with their lower temperatures and less intense environment, don’t offer the same ritualistic experience. While infrared saunas may be more accessible and tolerable for some people, they lack the profound sense of tradition and the mental benefits that come with the full sauna experience.

6. Full-Body Heat Penetration vs. Surface-Level Heat

Infrared saunas claim to offer deeper heat penetration due to the nature of infrared rays, which are said to heat the body directly without heating the air. However, the all-encompassing heat in a traditional sauna still provides more balanced and full-body exposure.

In a traditional sauna, the entire environment is heated, from the air to the stones and even the surfaces within the room. This creates a uniform heat that fully surrounds and penetrates the body, delivering a more comprehensive therapeutic effect.

7. More Intense Caloric Burn

While both infrared and traditional saunas can help you burn calories, the intense heat of a traditional sauna forces your body to work harder to cool itself down, resulting in a higher calorie burn. Because your body has to elevate its metabolic rate to cope with the heat, you may burn more calories in a traditional sauna than in an infrared sauna, making it a better option for those looking for weight loss benefits.

Final Thoughts

While infrared saunas have gained popularity for their lower temperatures and supposed deeper heat penetration, traditional saunas provide a more complete, well-rounded experience for both body and mind. From the intense sweating and cardiovascular benefits to the steam’s effect on respiratory health, traditional saunas offer a wealth of benefits that their infrared counterparts can’t fully match.

The timeless practice of sitting in a traditional sauna is not just about sweating out toxins—it’s about embracing a full-body and mind experience, rooted in centuries of wellness wisdom. Whether you’re looking for better detoxification, heart health, or a more profound relaxation ritual, the traditional sauna stands as the superior choice.

For those serious about health, wellness, and the authentic sauna experience, it’s worth sticking with the tried-and-true method of traditional saunas. You’ll not only sweat more, but you’ll also gain deeper benefits that will positively impact your physical health.