If you have ever stepped into a traditional sauna and felt the heat hit your face so hard you wanted to walk right back out, you are not alone. Infrared saunas work on a different principle, and the experience feels different too. Here is a plain-English look at how the two compare.
How a traditional sauna heats you
A traditional Finnish-style sauna uses a stove, often with hot rocks, to heat the air in the room. That hot air then warms your body. To get you sweating, the air has to get very hot, commonly somewhere between 150 and 195°F. Some people love that intensity. Others find it hard to breathe and can only last a few minutes.
How an infrared sauna heats you
An infrared sauna skips most of the step of heating the air. Infrared heaters give off invisible light that your body absorbs directly, a lot like the warmth you feel from sunshine on a cool day. Because the heat goes into you rather than the room, the air stays much milder. Our saunas typically run about 115 to 135°F, and you still build a deep, steady sweat.
Near, mid, and far infrared
Infrared comes in different ranges. A full spectrum sauna, like the Clearlight saunas in our studio, combines three:
- Near infrared: gentle warmth you feel on the surface of your skin almost right away.
- Mid infrared: an even warmth that settles into tired muscles.
- Far infrared: the longest wavelength and the main source of that deep sweat.
How the two feel
The biggest difference most people notice is comfort. In an infrared sauna you can breathe easily, relax fully, and stay for the whole session. Instead of the heat pressing in on you, the warmth builds from the inside out. That is why a 25-minute infrared session feels very doable, even for people who never enjoyed a traditional sauna.
Traditional saunas have their own appeal: the scent of cedar, the ritual of pouring water on the rocks, and a burst of steam. If you love intense heat, that may be your thing. If you want to unwind, read your body, and leave feeling warm and loose rather than wrung out, infrared is a great fit.
What guests tell us they notice
Everyone is different, but these are the things we hear most after a session:
- Looser muscles after workouts, long shifts, and days on their feet
- A calmer mind and a real break from screens and noise
- Deeper, easier sleep after an evening session
- A good sweat that leaves skin feeling fresh
Add color to the experience
Every sauna at Relax & Restore includes chromotherapy: 96 LED lights and 12 color settings you control from a handheld remote. You can set the room to a warm red, a cool blue, or anything in between.
Try it for yourself
A private 25-minute session is $35, and a guest can join you for $15, since our saunas fit two. If you think you will come often, our memberships include a session every day we are open.
General wellness information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, have a heart condition or blood pressure concerns, or take medications, please check with your doctor before using a sauna.
Try it for yourself.
Private infrared saunas with chromotherapy and zero gravity massage chairs, on Main Street in Richfield.
