Infrared sauna directory
Infrared saunas warm you with radiant heat rather than heating the air around you, so sessions often feel milder than a traditional dry sauna.
This guide explains how they work, typical temps, and how they differ from dry heat and steam. Use it to know what to look for at the gym.
What it is
An infrared sauna uses heaters that emit infrared light felt as radiant heat, which is absorbed at the surface of the skin. Cabins can be designed to look like a traditional sauna, so appearance alone does not tell you the type. Many gyms place them in recovery suites or private rooms.
On this site, listings use Infrared Sauna. Elsewhere, a bare “sauna” label can mean dry heat, steam, or infrared, so check the type when you can.
How it feels / typical temperatures
Air is usually milder than in a Finnish dry sauna, while heat is felt more directly on the body. Sessions often feel warmer than the room temperature suggests, and many people stay longer than they would in a hotter dry sauna.
Ambient air in an infrared sauna is usually about 104–140°F (40–60°C), compared with roughly 158–194°F (70–90°C) in traditional dry saunas. Gym temperatures vary and are often not posted.
How it works
Traditional dry saunas heat the body mainly by conduction and convection from the heated air, plus radiation from warm room surfaces. Infrared saunas rely primarily on radiation. Far infrared light in these cabins is often around 10 μm and is felt as radiated heat without heating the air around the body as much first.
Using an infrared sauna
Unlike traditional sauna heaters, infrared panels are not designed for water exposure. Do not ladle water onto them.
Bench height matters less than in a dry sauna. In a dry room, hot air rises, so lower benches are clearly cooler. In infrared, air is usually more even from top to bottom. Intensity depends more on your distance and orientation to the panels. Sitting lower may feel slightly cooler, but the effect is smaller than in a traditional dry sauna.
To make a session less intense:
- Lower the temperature setting if the gym allows members to change it
- Sit farther from the panels when the cabin layout allows
- Shorten the session or take breaks
Safety and shared-space etiquette
Gyms usually post house rules for infrared cabins. Panels are not built for water, and thermostats are often set by staff. The heaters can get hot enough to burn if touched. Shared cabins may have time limits or a simple leave-it-as-you-found-it expectation.
Dry vs steam vs infrared
- Dry sauna: hot air, low humidity. Heats mainly by heated air (convection and conduction) and warm room surfaces. Typical air about 158–194°F (70–90°C).
- Steam room: lower air temperature with high humidity.
- Infrared sauna: mainly radiant heat absorbed at the skin. Lower ambient air, often about 104–140°F (40–60°C).
What to look for at a gym
- The listing says Infrared Sauna, not only “sauna,” dry sauna, or steam
- Access is included in your membership, or which tier / recovery add-on applies
- Hours match when you train
- Private cabin vs shared recovery room, if that matters to you
- No water on the equipment (panels are not built for it)
Use Find gyms on this page to search listings that include infrared sauna.
Health cautions
If you are pregnant or have health complications, lower temperatures or skipping the sauna is often advised. Check with a clinician. This page is not medical advice.
