Infrared Sauna Frequently Asked Questions

Far infrared heat penetrates directly into body tissues, allowing for effective therapy at lower, more comfortable temperatures compared to traditional saunas’ hot air approach. See here for more info on traditional vs infrared saunas.

Far infrared saunas offer the most researched and safest form of infrared therapy, providing optimal benefits at comfortable temperatures without the potential risks associated with other infrared wavelengths.

Yes, you’ll likely sweat as much or more, but the sweat is produced through direct body heating rather than from hot air, making it a more comfortable experience.

Due to lower temperatures, most devices work just fine in an infrared sauna.

Quality far infrared saunas use specific heater materials with high emissivity rates. Unlike NIR heaters that glow red, far infrared heaters won’t change color during operation. But you will feel heat from the heaters as they generate FIR waves.

Yes! Follow this guide: Essential Oils & How to use them.

These saunas are generally energy efficient, using about the same power as a standard hair dryer when operating. See here for more information on sauna heater efficiency.

Quality far infrared saunas reach optimal temperature within around 10-15 minutes, much faster than traditional saunas.

Quality far infrared saunas can last at least 15-20 years or indefinitely with proper maintenance and care. See here on how to care for your sauna.

Far infrared saunas typically require minimal ventilation compared to traditional saunas as the air temperature is lower. Active ventilation is highly recommended though to ensure both a more comfortable environment as well as minimizing CO2 and maximizing oxygen during your session. See here for more information on ventilation.

While possible, far infrared saunas are best used indoors where temperature and humidity can be controlled for optimal performance. Sauna wood is specifically chosen to minimize off-gassing and should have little or no treatment to make sure your session is as healthy as possible. A sauna outdoors would need either a special enclosure to protect the wood, or the wood would need to be treated to withstand nature, which would create unhealthy off-gassing.

Active ventilation is a High Tech Health exclusive feature that maximizes oxygen and minimizes carbon dioxide in your sauna cabin. In an enclosed space, CO2 levels rise rapidly. Our active ventilation system exchanges the air inside your sauna with fresh outside air, reducing CO2 by 46% compared to passive systems. This keeps the environment healthy, maximizes your body’s ability to detoxify, and prevents stuffiness.

A: High Tech Health saunas are the only infrared saunas with patented technology that mitigates BOTH electric fields and magnetic fields. Most companies claiming “low EMF” only address magnetic fields while ignoring electric fields entirely. Our patented Clean Heat™ technology (U.S. Patent No. 9,770,386 and U.S. Patent No. 10,765,597) reduces nearly all EMF exposure, making our saunas one of the lowest sources of EMF in your home. Learn more about our EMF mitigation

Electric fields and magnetic fields both affect your health by flooding brain and heart cells with calcium ions. This can cause dysfunction in the brain by altering neurotransmitter and hormone release, manifesting as sleep disturbances, headaches, depression, anxiety, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, memory changes, and numbness/tingling. Most saunas only address magnetic fields, leaving you exposed to electric field levels as high as 2000-3000 V/m. High Tech Health addresses both for complete protection.

ELF stands for “Extremely Low Frequency” and refers to the 60 Hz frequency of the electric power grid in the United States. The term applies to both ELF electric fields and ELF magnetic fields. Some companies misleadingly advertise “low ELF” when they mean only partial mitigation of electric fields, while still exposing users to high EMF. High Tech Health provides comprehensive mitigation of all EMF components – both electric and magnetic fields at all frequencies. Read more about ELF terminology

Look for third-party testing that measures BOTH electric and magnetic fields at the heater surface where your body actually sits. Beware of companies that only provide magnetic field data, test far from heaters, or test heaters with different voltage than what’s in their actual saunas. High Tech Health provides complete transparency with verified third-party testing showing our industry-leading low EMF levels for both electric and magnetic fields.

Yes. Our saunas are independently verified to have the lowest total EMF – including both electric fields and magnetic fields – of any infrared sauna on the market. Our patented Triple Antifield™ heaters with Clean Heat™ technology, combined with comprehensive wiring mitigation throughout the entire cabin, make our saunas one of the lowest sources of EMF exposure in your home.

Yes. High electric and magnetic fields in other saunas reduce your body’s antioxidant resources, which increases the harm caused by toxins in your body and reduces your body’s ability to excrete those toxins. EMF exposure creates oxidative stress that works against the detoxification benefits you’re seeking from sauna use.

Studies show EMFs have biological effects at magnetic fields as low as 2-3 mG and electric fields below 300 V/m. In a typical infrared sauna without proper mitigation, you may be exposed to levels as high as 150 mG and 2000-3000 V/m. Since you’re surrounded by high-power heaters in a sauna, it would be your highest EMF exposure in daily life without proper protection. High Tech Health’s patented technology makes EMF exposure almost non-existent.

EMF exposure has been shown to cause neuropsychiatric symptoms including difficulty sleeping, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Recent research has also shown potentially more dangerous effects including oxidative damage, premature aging of cells, DNA breakage, and increased cancer risk. When using a sauna for health and detoxification, high EMF exposure works directly against these goals.

The Transcend Smart Sauna from High Tech Health is the world’s first intelligent infrared sauna, combining state-of-the-art low EMF heater technology with AI-powered personalized wellness features. It includes Sauna Fitness™ tracking, the research-driven Sauna Guide™ calendar, remote control via app, voice commands, guided breathing exercises, and entertainment features – all while maintaining the industry’s lowest EMF levels through our patent-pending Smart EMF Mode™. Explore the Transcend Smart Sauna

The Smart Sauna includes all the features of our Foundation Series (lowest EMF, 34% more effective heaters, active ventilation, chromotherapy, premium audio) plus intelligent features like Sauna Fitness™ measurement, Sauna Guide™ personalized recommendations, remote app control, voice control, guided breathing, session scheduling, usage history tracking, and a 10.1″ HD touchscreen display. It’s your personal wellness command center.

Smart EMF Mode™ is our patent-pending technology that automatically disables WiFi, Bluetooth and all other signals during your sauna session when you don’t need them, eliminating EMF exposure during therapy. You can also choose to use the always-safe Ethernet wired connection. This ensures you stay connected without EMF exposure – a feature unique to High Tech Health Smart Saunas.

Yes! Start your sauna remotely from anywhere using our app – whether you’re leaving the office, finishing a workout at the gym, or just downstairs. Your sauna will be ready when you arrive. You can also receive temperature notifications, schedule sessions days in advance, and monitor your progress from your smartphone.

Yes. Control your sauna effortlessly with voice commands. Stay fully relaxed as the sauna adjusts to your preferences without lifting a finger or opening your eyes. Unlike typical voice assistants, our sauna processes commands locally – no data is ever sent over the internet. This feature is also ideal for vision-impaired users.

The Smart Sauna includes premium Bluetooth audio with on-screen playback controls (displaying song, artist, and album details), guided breathing exercises, meditation programs, chromotherapy lighting control, Ambient Soundscapes, YouTube, Amazon Music and the ability to stream video content via the patent-pending tablet holder. New apps and activities are continually added to our exclusive ecosystem.

Yes! The Smart Sauna allows you to schedule multiple sessions days in advance. You can even wake up to a perfectly warmed sauna by setting it to preheat before you rise. Ultimate convenience for your wellness routine.

The Sauna Guide™ is High Tech Health’s innovative breakthrough that predicts your body’s reaction to heat therapy at a molecular level. Using 27+ years of infrared sauna expertise and thousands of data points collected from real users, it creates personalized recommendations for optimal session settings and shows you exactly when you’ll gain maximum benefit from your next session. Learn about Sauna Guide

For first-time sauna users, the Sauna Guide makes your journey simple, effortless, enjoyable, and maximally effective with no expertise needed. The Sauna Guide knows you and recommends settings each session tailored to bring you the best experience possible. It’s like having a team of experts with you every day.

For seasoned biohackers, the Sauna Guide quantifies your progress, records your detailed usage history, and helps you gain and maintain a level of results beyond anything previously possible from infrared therapy. It tracks thousands of data points and see exactly how your body is responding at the cellular level.

Sauna Fitness™ is a patent-pending indicator developed exclusively by High Tech Health that measures your body’s benefit from sauna use at the cellular level. It’s the world’s first sauna technology that can show you a real-time predictor of your body’s cellular benefit and track your adaptation to heat therapy with thousands of data points. It gauges how effectively you’re gaining the health benefits of regular sauna use. More about Sauna Fitness

Sauna Fitness™ is calculated using our proprietary research into modeling physiological adaptation to heat. Based on your rise in core body temperature and your pattern of use, the system predicts your percentage of heat acclimation. This tracks how your body is producing heat shock proteins at the cellular level – the key marker of sauna therapy benefits.

Yes! The Transcend Smart Sauna records your complete usage history and shows your Sauna Fitness™ percentage progress over time. You can see exactly how your body is adapting to heat therapy and how effectively you’re building and maintaining cellular-level benefits from your sessions.  Customized graphs also display your sauna fitness over time, showing both increases and decreases in heat benefits based on usage habits.

Carbon heaters are typically large panels and provide less focused heat, while other heaters such as all metal heaters can produce more intense, focused heat directed toward the body. See here for more information on sauna heaters. See here for an expert’s guide on heaters.

Ideal Spectrum™ heaters are High Tech Health’s patented, all-metal heater design that delivers optimal far infrared wavelengths with industry-leading low EMF technology. They’re independently proven to be 34% more effective than other heater architectures, providing faster heat-up times, deeper penetrating therapy, and the best energy efficiency in the industry. Learn about our heaters

Triple Antifield™ heaters are our patented heaters with Clean Heat™ EMF mitigation technology. They mitigate all three components of EMF: electric fields, magnetic fields, and the frequency component. This comprehensive approach makes them the only heaters capable of reducing nearly all EMF exposure, protected by U.S. Patent No. 9,770,386 and U.S. Patent No. 10,765,597.

Independent calorimetry testing proves our Ideal Spectrum™ heaters deliver 34% more effective infrared output compared to standard carbon panel heaters. This means your body temperature rises more quickly and efficiently, allowing you to achieve greater therapeutic benefits in less time. More infrared output equals more health benefits!

No. Our heater technology is protected by U.S. patents. It is not possible to make a low electric field AND low magnetic field heater without infringing our patent. Any claims of comprehensive low EMF by other companies are either false or patent infringement. We pioneered this technology and continue to lead the industry.

Heated environments cause poor-quality woods to release harmful compounds. Chemical treatments, glues, and naturally occurring toxins in woods can off-gas when warmed, causing respiratory irritation, headaches, allergic reactions, eye irritation, skin sensitivity, and worsening of chemical sensitivities or asthma. High Tech Health uses only premium, ultra-low VOC woods with no toxic treatments. Learn about sauna woods

We offer two wood choices: medical-grade Poplar and hypoallergenic Canadian Hemlock. Both are sourced sustainably, use ultra-low VOC standards, and contain no chemical treatments, no formaldehyde-based glues, or toxic stains. All our saunas feature 100% single-wood construction with no mixed woods or plywood.

Look for certifications indicating low-VOC materials, ask for test results showing zero off-gassing, and verify that no chemical treatments or glues were used in construction. See here for more info on sauna wood.

You should only detect mild, natural wood scents. Any strong, chemical, or artificial odors are red flags indicating potential toxic materials.

Quality saunas using proper materials should require minimal to no off-gassing period. If a manufacturer suggests a lengthy “break-in” period, this could indicate poor material quality.

Avoid pressure-treated woods, engineered woods, or any woods treated with chemical preservatives, stains, or varnishes that could release toxins when heated. See here for more information on sauna wood.

No. We use 100% single-wood construction only. We never use plywood, engineered wood, or mixed woods that contain glues and adhesives that off-gas when heated. This ensures the purest, healthiest sauna experience, especially important for those with chemical sensitivities.  Most budget saunas bought from large online retailers or hardware or big box stores will have a significant amount of plywood construction.

A: Basswood was introduced by competitors attempting to copy High Tech Health’s Poplar saunas at a lower cost. Basswood has a peculiar odor that many find objectionable. A 2002 study found Basswood dust potentially causes genetic damage. Additionally, every Basswood sauna uses Spruce wood for frames, eliminating any claim of being hypoallergenic. We don’t recommend Basswood for anyone seeking a healthy sauna experience.

Poplar is the most expensive and highest-quality sauna wood available. It’s the wood of choice for health clinics worldwide due to its truly hypoallergenic qualities and minimal odor. Even the most discriminating medical facilities, like Dr. William Rae’s Environmental Health Center, only use Poplar saunas. Poplar is the only choice for those who are chemically sensitive or dealing with environmental illness, as it allows even the sickest people to detoxify safely.

Hemlock has a more visibly defined wood grain and a very slight wood character, providing a distinctly more traditional wood-sauna experience. Our analysis found that aged Canadian Hemlock is much lower in formaldehyde than Cedar with a lower VOC profile. Hemlock is less expensive than Poplar and provides an option to save money while still benefiting from High Tech Health’s unique low-EMF design. However, Hemlock is not recommended for those who are chemically sensitive.

Cedar contains terpene hydrocarbons that off-gas when heated, contributing to your toxic burden. Many people eventually grow tired of the cedar smell constantly permeating their home, and some develop allergies. While Cedar resists wet conditions and insects, infrared saunas don’t have the moisture issues of traditional saunas, eliminating the need for Cedar’s properties while avoiding its drawbacks.

Yes, far infrared saunas are safe for regular use when proper guidelines are followed. They offer gentle, therapeutic heat without the risks associated with extreme temperatures or other infrared wavelengths.

Yes! Far infrared saunas are ideal for heat-sensitive individuals because they operate at lower temperatures while still providing therapeutic benefits.

While far infrared heat can support recovery, always consult your healthcare provider about using a sauna during injury recovery. See here for more information on joint pain and sauna therapy.

Far infrared saunas may help support healthy blood pressure through improved circulation. However, always consult your healthcare provider, especially if you have blood pressure concerns. See Here about cardiovascular benefits of sauna use.

Many users report reduced chronic pain symptoms due to the deep-penetrating heat and improved circulation. The gentle warming effect can help relax muscles and reduce inflammation. See here for more information on Inflammation and infrared saunas.

Regular sessions may support immune function through increased circulation, detoxification, and the production of heat shock proteins that help cellular health. See here for more information on Infrared Saunas and the Immune System

Many users report improved skin health due to increased circulation and detoxification through sweating. The gentle heating can support skin renewal processes. See here for more information on skin and saunas.

Light exercise before is fine, but wait at least 15 minutes after exercising before sauna use. After your sauna session, wait until your body temperature normalizes before exercising. See Here for more info about athletes and saunas.

For MCS sufferers, only the highest quality, chemical-free woods should be considered. Even minimal off-gassing can trigger severe reactions.

High Tech Health has been recommended by more healthcare providers than any other sauna company since 1994. We’ve been featured in over 40 health books by respected doctors. Our staff includes a Medical Doctor, Chiropractor, Holistic Health Practitioner, Nutritionist, Biochemist, Biologist, Electrical Engineer, and Psychotherapist. When you consult with us, you’re speaking with true health experts.

Start with 10-20 minute sessions and gradually increase to 30-40 minutes as your body adapts. Listen to your body and stay within your comfort zone.  High Tech Health’s Transcend Smart saunas actually take that guess-work out.  They start out new users slowly, and ramp up using medical standard protocols for sauna use.  It then helps you schedule your sessions on the days and for the durations that best give you the most benefit.

Most people can safely use a far infrared sauna 3-4 times per week. Some users enjoy daily sessions once they’ve built up acclimation. See here for more information about how often to use your sauna.

You will see some improvements from using your sauna immediately. Others will take a few sessions, to a few weeks. See here for more information on when to expect changes from using your sauna.

The ideal temperature range is between 100°F to 140°F, with most users finding optimal comfort and benefits between 120°F to 130°F.  Our saunas limit sessions to 158°F, primarily for user safety reasons.  A lot of companies will boast that their products can be set higher than this.  An infrared sauna has no real purpose in getting any hotter.  All the maximum therapeutic benefits are gained at much lower temperatures.

While both require proper hydration, far infrared sessions are generally more comfortable and require less preparation. However, staying well-hydrated remains essential. See here about what to do before your sauna session.

Light, loose-fitting clothing or a towel is appropriate. Some users prefer minimal clothing or none to maximize infrared absorption. See here for more information on what to wear in your infrared sauna.

Wait an hour or so after a full meal, though light snacks are generally fine 30 minutes before use. Best practice is to listen to your body and ensure you feel comfortable prior to entering the sauna. See here about what to do before your sauna session.

A quick rinse before is optional, but showering after is recommended to wash away toxins released through sweating. Use warm, not hot water, and mild soap. See here for more info on what to do after your sauna session.

Drink plenty of water before, during (if needed), and after. Electrolyte beverages can be beneficial, especially for longer sessions or multiple sessions per day. See here for more hydration tips.

High Tech Health is the longest-running infrared sauna company in the United States. We started designing far infrared saunas in 1997 with our Thermal Life models and have been continuously innovating for over 27 years. Our decades of experience working with the medical community and environmentally ill patients have shaped our unmatched expertise.

Yes! High Tech Health has been carbon-negative since 2010. We offset greenhouse gas emissions from production and transport by partnering with organizations like the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to fund projects that capture and reduce carbon emissions. Our energy-efficient heaters consume much less electricity than standard panels, and our LED chromotherapy lighting minimizes power consumption. Learn about our eco-friendly approach

Make sure you research a sauna with energy efficient heaters. They are more environmentally friendly as well as cost less to operate.

We’re the only company with: truly low EMF (both electric AND magnetic fields), patented heater technology proven 34% more effective, active ventilation in every sauna, Smart Sauna technology with Sauna Fitness™ and Sauna Guide™, medical-grade materials designed for chemically sensitive individuals, over 27 years of industry leadership, staff of health professionals and scientists, and recommendations from more doctors than any other brand.

Cleaning is very simple. Occasionally wipe down surfaces with natural cleaners and a clean cloth. Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive materials. The far infrared light has antimicrobial properties that help prevent growth of mold, bacteria, and viruses, making High Tech Health saunas naturally cleaner and easier to maintain than steam saunas. Complete cleaning guide

Very little! High Tech Health saunas are designed for minimal maintenance. Occasional cleaning with natural products, keeping the sauna dry when not in use, and ensuring good ventilation in your room are the main requirements. Our saunas are built to last 15-20 years or longer with proper care.