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Dealing with tight muscles, stiffness, or soreness post-workout? It must have been a great session! But here’s the good news — a sauna for muscle recovery may be exactly what you need. An effective way to enhance your post-workout routine and overall health, infrared saunas combine soothing heat with advanced light therapy to reduce soreness, improve circulation, and speed up recovery.
In this blog, we’ll dive into the science behind infrared saunas and how they can help you bounce back stronger after every workout. We’ll explore:
- Infrared sauna for muscle recovery — how it works
- What are the benefits of an infrared sauna?
- Is sauna good for muscle recovery?
- How to make the most of a sauna after workouts
- And more!
What is an infrared sauna and how does it work?
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Infrared (IR) saunas warm the body directly using infrared light (a type of safe-to-use electromagnetic radiation), unlike traditional saunas, which heat the air. This use of light creates a more comfortable experience and can lead to a deeper sweat with health benefits that we’ll explore below. Red light therapy (RLT) uses low-level red light at specific wavelengths to support cellular recovery and improve skin and tissue health.
Combining these treatments into one recovery service offers added value (an option for Anytime Fitness members at certain locations — check with your local staff!) and can help you take your post-workout recovery practice further. This is a new amenity that will be rolling out as a one-stop solution, combining the benefits of multiple recovery modalities while allowing you to train harder and stay more consistent with fitness.
5 powerful benefits of infrared saunas
Because the benefits of infrared saunas go beyond traditional heat therapy, they’re a popular recovery tool for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, wellness seekers, and anyone looking to give their body a little extra TLC. From helping promote recovery to supporting deep relaxation, these innovative saunas provide a holistic approach to improving physical and mental well-being. Check out a few of their major benefits below.
1. Reduces muscle soreness and speeds recovery
Infrared saunas use infrared light to penetrate deep into muscle tissue, offering targeted relief that goes a step further than traditional heat sources. This gentle yet effective heat therapy increases blood circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients directly to tired muscles while helping flush out metabolic waste products that can contribute to soreness.
The infrared energy also reduces inflammation at the cellular level, which is key to faster recovery after intense workouts or physical activity. Regular infrared sauna sessions can also significantly decrease delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), helping you recover more quickly after your training sessions.
2. Supports muscle growth and flexibility
Infrared saunas can help support muscle growth and flexibility by increasing blood flow and circulation, which delivers essential nutrients and oxygen to muscles. This process is important for muscle repair and recovery. The heat also helps improve tissue elasticity, promoting flexibility. Regular sauna use has also been linked to an increased production of growth hormone, which is also essential for muscle repair and development.
3. Enhances circulation for faster healing
By using light waves to penetrate the skin and reach deeper tissues, infrared saunas are conducive to increased blood flow and circulation. This process helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to damaged areas, speeding up healing.
4. Helps reduce inflammation after workouts
If you think post-workout inflammation is just something you need to live with, think again. Infrared saunas are a powerful tool for reducing inflammation after workouts. As mentioned above, infrared light is able to reach deep into tissues, which leads to increased blood flow and helps flush out inflammatory markers. This helps with faster recovery and reduced soreness, leaving you with less stiffness and discomfort following an intense workout.
5. Promotes relaxation and stress relief post-exercise
Taking a few minutes for yourself after exercising is often an underrated part of a solid workout routine. After pushing your body to new levels, an infrared sauna is the perfect opportunity to unwind and relax. Because the gentle heat improves blood circulation, sending oxygen and nutrients to tight muscles, tension is released, along with physical and mental stress. The more often you make time for this calming effect, the better you’ll feel! You can even think of it as sauna therapy — after all, it’s offering your body a wide range of benefits.
In addition to the benefits above, infrared saunas may also help support:
- Healthier skin
- Healing of musculoskeletal injuries
- Improved athletic performance
Traditional vs. infrared sauna: What’s the difference?
Let’s take a deeper dive into the key differences between infrared and traditional saunas. For starters, they’re heated using different methods. Traditional saunas use high heat and steam to warm the air, creating a shorter, more intense experience. (Perhaps you’ve personally experienced the feeling of reaching your limit in a traditional sauna after a short period of time.)
Infrared saunas, on the other hand, use infrared light to heat the body directly at lower temperatures, allowing for longer, more comfortable sessions. Infrared light not only heats the space, but also provides a variety of other benefits due to the nature of its effects on our cells, as covered above. Unlike traditional saunas, which simply increase the body’s core temperature, infrared light also provides benefits related to:
- Muscle recovery
- Sleep
- Anti-aging
- Heart health
- Immunity
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Using an infrared sauna for muscle recovery — tips for proper use
To make the most of the benefits of an infrared sauna for muscle recovery, it’s important to learn how to use it effectively and safely before trying it out. Here are some practical tips to help you incorporate sauna sessions into your routine and start enjoying the health and recovery perks they offer.
Should you use a sauna after workouts or before?
Both options are acceptable! You can use an infrared sauna whenever it makes the most sense to you. However, we recommend pairing it with your exercise routine, as there are immediate benefits both pre- and post-workout. Remember — consistency is key. Infrared sauna with red light therapy is most effective when used several times (think two or three sessions) per week.
Pro tip: Avoid using the sauna immediately after a heavy meal to prevent discomfort, and make sure you’re properly hydrated prior to your sauna session!
Hydration tips before and after sauna use
Drink at least eight ounces of water before your session to prepare for the heat. (However, we also recommend being properly hydrated throughout your workout and throughout the whole day!) After your session, drink plenty of water for several hours following your session. You may also consider choosing drinks or snacks that will help with electrolyte replacement, such as sports drinks, bananas, leafy greens, and nuts.
Cooling down safely after sauna sessions
After your sauna session, allow your body to cool down naturally. Stay hydrated and continue drinking plenty of water after your session. Take five to 10 minutes to allow this to happen before leaving the gym or jumping into the shower (a great time to stretch and drink your water!).
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More recovery resources to love at Anytime Fitness
In addition to infrared saunas available at some Anytime Fitness locations, use the Anytime Fitness App to access even more recovery resources and tools — anywhere you are. From guided meditations to yoga, you can use the app pre- or post-gym to rest, restore, and take time for you. For even more one-on-one recovery guidance and support, you can also work with a Coach!
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Frequently asked questions about infrared saunas
Curious about how to get the most out of your infrared sauna sessions? In this section, we’ll tackle some of the most common questions about using infrared saunas, from their benefits for muscle recovery to tips on temperature and session duration.
Is the sauna good for muscle recovery?
Yes! As mentioned above, infrared saunas can help ease muscle soreness and facilitate recovery. Heat alone is a great tool for recovery and temporary pain relief. Infrared light heats the body from within and increases circulation and blood flow, and this healthy circulation is critical for proper healing.
This process is achieved with help from the red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients to the site of the strain or inflammation. This helps to create new blood vessels and tissues at the site of healing.
What temperature should a sauna be for muscle recovery?
This will vary by location and can depend on how the sauna is being used, but typically the recommended temperature range for infrared sauna with red light therapy is 100-140 degrees Fahrenheit.
How long should you stay in the sauna?
This is really up to personal preference. If you’ve never used an infrared sauna with red light therapy, it is best to start with 15 minutes and see how you feel. At Anytime Fitness, we recommend 20-30 minutes in the infrared sauna. This amount of time is ideal for experiencing the benefits listed above, and also takes into account the comfort level of most gym-goers (expect to sweat — it gets toasty!).
Pro tip: Wear light, loose-fitting clothing (think: shorts with no shirt, or a sports bra or swimsuit, etc.).
Experience infrared sauna recovery at certain Anytime Fitness locations
Using an infrared sauna for muscle recovery can be the unexpected step you didn’t know your fitness routine needed. It’s a unique and effective way to improve your overall well-being by reducing muscle soreness and inflammation, promoting relaxation and flexibility, and more.
Whether you're an athlete looking to optimize performance or simply seeking a way to unwind and recharge, incorporating infrared sauna sessions into your routine can make a significant difference. Ready to experience the benefits? Step into the warmth and discover how infrared saunas can transform your recovery journey — starting with as little as 15 minutes.
Interested in trying an infrared saunas for yourself? Take the first step toward faster recovery, reduced soreness, and total relaxation — contact an AF location near you to find out about the options.
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