Traditional vs. Infrared: Do you want a real sauna, or just a warm closet?

Infrared sauna companies love to use words like "detox" and "skin cell health". To put it

simply, infrared saunas are not much more than a warm closet in my opinion. They completely lack the thermal shock to the system that traditional Finnish saunas provide which trigger real cardiovascular benefits.

Here are the facts: In 2015, Dr. Laukkanen (Finland) published a landmark study in JAMA Internal Medicine (Journal of the American Medical Association). They followed 2,315 middle-aged men in Eastern Finland for over 20 years. This is what the study found; Men who used a traditional Finnish sauna 2–3 times per week had a 22% lower risk of sudden cardiac death. Following that... men who used the sauna 4–7 times per week had a 63% lower risk of sudden cardiac death. Lastly, men using the sauna 4–7 times a week had a 40% lower risk of dying from anything during the study period. This is where we see the 40% reduction in all-cause mortality.

The study’s benefits are largely attributed to "cardiovascular load"—the way your heart pumps faster to deal with extreme heat (175 degrees Fahrenheit +). In a Finnish sauna, your body thinks it’s in a literal furnace. Your heart rate climbs to 120-150 BPM because it’s trying to keep you alive. That’s a whole cardiovascular workout! How I would describe walking out of a Traditional Finnish sauna session is like experiencing "runner's high" without actually doing any running :) (my favorite part)!

Infrared saunas are much cooler (they reach between120 degrees Fahrenheit–150 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning your heart doesn't have to work nearly as hard. Most infrared saunas even struggle to reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that you are missing out on the great cardiovascular benefits that are unlocked at 175+. Basically, infrared saunas definitely feel warm, but that is all about all you get! I'll leave you with this - there are currently zero 20-year landmark studies proving that sitting in a warm closet with red lights produces the same 40% reduction in all-cause mortality.

Traditional Finnish Saunas are what actually make a difference in your life!