How many calories do we burn in an infrared sauna?
Among the many benefits we attribute to far infrared saunas, one topic that piques interest is that far infrared saunas burn calories. The claim that just one infrared sauna session can burn 300 to 600 calories has been circulating for years, initially based on a letter to the editor published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 1981. (1)
Far infrared saunas work by emitting infrared light waves that heat the body directly, inducing a deep, detoxifying sweat, while operating at lower air temperatures than traditional saunas, so it can be more comfortable. Beyond detoxification, research suggests that spending time in infrared saunas can also have an impact on calorie burning, reducing inflammation, supporting cardiovascular health, and so much more!
The burning question….
So do we really burn calories in an infrared sauna? Yes, we do, in fact, burn calories when using an infrared sauna!
When you’re exposed to the gentle heat of a far infrared sauna, your heart rate increases, mimicking the effects of moderate exercise. (2) This uptick in heart rate is your body’s way of cooling itself down in response to the heat. As your heart works harder to pump blood and your body sweats to regulate temperature, you’re also burning calories in the process.
A 2017 study on young men who did 4 x 10 minutes in a traditional sauna with 5 minute breaks between each 10 minute session were found to burn between 73-131 kcal during successive 10-minute sessions. Interestingly, the” individuals with higher body mass, body area, body fat mass and muscle mass expend relatively more calories during sauna bathing.” (2) The heating mechanism is different in an infrared sauna, however both induce an increase in core body temperature and the same physiological responses, so we can infer that a comparable amount of calories are burned in an infrared sauna.
So in a 30 minute sauna session there is potential to burn 300+ calories, but there are many physiological factors such as age, body mass, and body surface area, and heat acclimation that may all play a role in how many calories an individual may burn. It is fair to assume that the actual number can vary quite a bit from person to person..
On a cellular level, sauna use increases our basal metabolic rate, that’s the amount of calories we burn. A study comparing 30 minutes running on a treadmill to 30 minutes of passive heating with infrared shows a comparable increase in mitochondrial activity aka. metabolism. (4) Another study showed that repeated sauna use increased basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is how many calories we burn at rest. (5) Sauna users increase basal levels of Heat Shock Proteins (HPSs) from repeated thermal therapy which we achieve with Sauna Fitness™, which serves as a good indicator for increasing one’s basal metabolic rate.
Combining sauna and exercise: even better!
Studies comparing body fat mass loss with 30 minutes of heat therapy and 30 minutes on a treadmill showed comparable results, and an additive effect when subjects combined exercise and sauna. Similarly, the effect of sauna and running on treadmill for baseline metabolism were comparable and additive when combined. (4) So not only can a sauna help you to burn calories and reduce fat, but regularly using saunas and gaining Sauna Fitness means that these benefits are more profound and sustained.
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Long term sauna benefits
Sauna Fitness is achieved when the body becomes adapted to regular saunas use. Many long-term health outcomes are associated with maintaining Sauna Fitness, including improved insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation, and resistance to weight gain all contribute to better long-term health outcomes, commonly called healthspan. (5)
Incorporating far infrared sauna sessions into your wellness regimen can be a relaxing and rejuvenating way to support your fitness goals, and overall well-being. Whether you’re looking to enhance your workout recovery, detoxify your body, or simply enjoy some quiet time to unwind, the calorie-burning potential of far infrared saunas makes them a compelling addition to any health-conscious lifestyle. So, why not sweat it out and see for yourself?
- Dean, Ward. (1981). Effect of sweating.. JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association. 246. 623. 10.1001/jama.246.6.623.
- Laukkanen, J. A., Laukkanen, T., & Kunutsor, S. K. (2018). Cardiovascular and other health benefits of Sauna Bathing: A review of the evidence. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 93(8), 1111–1121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.04.008
- Podstawski, R., Borysławski, K., Clark, C. C., Choszcz, D., Finn, K. J., & Gronek, P. (2019a). Correlations between repeated use of dry sauna for 4 x 10 minutes, physiological parameters, anthropometric features, and body composition in young sedentary and overweight men: Health implications. BioMed Research International, 2019, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7535140
- Tamura, Y., Matsunaga, Y., Masuda, H., Takahashi, Y., Takahashi, Y., Terada, S., Hoshino, D., & Hatta, H. (2014). Postexercise whole body heat stress additively enhances endurance training-induced mitochondrial adaptations in mouse skeletal muscle. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 307(7). https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00525.2013
Henstridge, D. C., Bruce, C. R., Drew, B. G., Tory, K., Kolonics, A., Estevez, E., Chung, J., Watson, N., Gardner, T., Lee-Young, R. S., Connor, T., Watt, M. J., Carpenter, K., Hargreaves, M., McGee, S. L., Hevener, A. L., & Febbraio, M. A. (2014). Activating HSP72 in rodent skeletal muscle increases mitochondrial number and oxidative capacity and decreases insulin resistance. Diabetes, 63(6), 1881–1894. https://doi.org/10.2337/db13-0967