Infrared Saunas vs Traditional Saunas

On the Joe Rogan podcast he spelled out the differences between infrared saunas and traditional dry saunas. “You walk into the infrared and it’s like 155 to 158 degrees, most of them, there’s a couple that will go up to 170. Even though the air is cooler that actual photons of light that are being released by the panels. You are surrounded by infrared panels while you are in there. Those end up penetrating more deeply into the tissue, so you end up getting a deeper sweat. You can stay in there longer because it’s not as hot.”

There are issues in terms of the lack of research currently done with infrared saunas according to Greenfield. “You look at these studies from Finland, these studies that show 4 to 5 year lifespan increases from a weekly sauna protocol of 4 times a week for like 20 – 30 minutes. A significant drop in dementia and alzheimers and a lot of these mortality risk factors and you look at the studies that have been done in athletes where you get almost a like a blood doping effect from sauna exposure when done post workout. “ “all of these were done in a dry sauna.”

Joe Rogan himself uses a traditional dry sauna because there are few studies using infrared sauna. Greenfeild countered that there are some studies on detoxification using infrared saunas. “They analysed metal and detoxification in these infrared saunas and they found that you release more though your sweat. You get a deeper sweat. “