Is Infrared Sauna Use Good for Hangover Relief?
You wake up. Your head pounds. Your mouth feels like sandpaper. Every noise seems too loud.
Sound familiar? We’ve all been there after a long night out.
The internet is full of hangover cures. Cold showers. Greasy food. Hair of the dog. But what about infrared saunas?
Can sitting in gentle heat really help you bounce back faster?
What’s Actually Happening in Your Body
When you drink alcohol, your liver breaks it down into acetaldehyde—a toxic compound that’s actually more harmful than the alcohol itself. This stuff causes inflammation throughout your body and triggers oxidative stress at the cellular level.
Your body also gets dehydrated. Alcohol messes with your electrolyte balance. It disrupts your nervous system. Your blood vessels dilate, which can drop your blood pressure and leave you feeling dizzy.
A hangover is basically your body saying “we’re dealing with a toxic situation here.”
How Infrared Saunas Work
Unlike traditional saunas that blast you with hot air, infrared saunas use light waves to heat your body directly. They operate at lower temperatures—typically 120-150°F instead of 170-200°F.
The infrared light penetrates your skin and warms you from the inside out. This triggers sweating and increases blood flow without making you feel like you’re being roasted alive.
High Tech Health’s far infrared saunas use proven technology that’s backed by decades of research. The key difference? They target the far infrared spectrum, which has the most documented health benefits.
The Science Behind Saunas
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Better Circulation
Research shows infrared saunas significantly boost blood flow—sometimes doubling it from the normal 5-7 quarts per minute to 13 quarts per minute. When your blood moves faster, it delivers more oxygen and nutrients throughout your body while clearing out metabolic waste products.
That improved circulation can help ease the pounding headache and muscle aches that come with hangovers.
Fighting Inflammation
Multiple studies confirm that far infrared therapy reduces inflammatory markers in the body. One 2018 study found that regular sauna sessions lowered inflammation in patients with heart conditions. Another 2006 study showed decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines after infrared light exposure.
Since alcohol causes widespread inflammation, bringing those levels down can help you feel better faster.
Supporting Detoxification
Your body eliminates toxins through several pathways, and sweating is one of them. Research on detoxification shows that heavy metals, pesticides, and other compounds get excreted through sweat—sometimes at higher concentrations than in blood.
While your liver does the heavy lifting of breaking down alcohol, supporting your body’s natural detox processes through sweating can’t hurt.
The Relaxation Factor
Let’s not forget the mental side. Hangovers often come with anxiety and stress. Infrared sauna sessions trigger endorphin release and activate your parasympathetic nervous system—your body’s “rest and digest” mode. A 2021 study of 472 adults across 29 countries found that regular sauna users reported better mental wellbeing.
The Critical Warnings
Now hold on. Before you rush to the sauna with a hangover, you need to understand the risks, because they’re real.
Dehydration is Real
Alcohol already dehydrated you. Sweating in a sauna will dehydrate you more. This isn’t a small concern—it’s the main concern.
A key 1987 study published in the Annals of Clinical Research found that combining alcohol and sauna bathing affects your body’s ability to maintain blood pressure. The risk of fainting and accidents increases significantly.
Heart Risks
When you’re hungover, your heart is already stressed. Alcohol can cause cardiac arrhythmias during the hangover phase. Adding sauna heat on top of that stress could make things worse, not better.
The same 1987 study noted that “sauna bathing during hangover phase undoubtedly create real health risks.”
Timing Matters
Using a sauna while you’re still drunk or in the early hangover phase is dangerous. Your body needs time to process the alcohol first.
If You’re Going to Do It
Let’s be honest. Some of you will try this anyway. If you do, follow these rules strictly:
Wait Until Later
Don’t sauna while you’re still drunk or in the early morning after drinking. Give your body 12-24 hours to start processing the alcohol naturally.
Hydrate Like Your Life Depends on It
Because it might. Drink at least 16-20 ounces of water before getting in. Keep water with you during your session. Drink more after.
Add electrolytes. Your body needs to replace sodium, potassium, and other minerals.
Keep It Short and Mild
Set the temperature lower than usual—around 110-130°F for infrared saunas. Limit your session to 10-15 minutes max. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or weird in any way, get out immediately.
Listen to Your Body
This is not the time to push through discomfort. If something feels off, stop.
What the Research Actually Shows
The honest truth? There are no controlled studies specifically testing infrared saunas for hangover relief.
What we do have is research showing that:
- Far infrared therapy reduces inflammation
- Sauna use improves circulation
- Sweating helps eliminate certain toxins
- Regular sauna bathing supports cardiovascular health
A 2018 study on sauna detoxification found the regimen was well-tolerated and improved physical and mental health scores. But that study looked at long-term substance abuse recovery, not acute hangovers.
The cardiovascular benefits are real though. Studies show infrared saunas can lower blood pressure and improve heart function. But those benefits come from regular use in healthy people, not from using a sauna when your body is already stressed.
The Better Approach
Want to know what actually works for hangovers?
Water. Time. Rest. Food. Common sense stuff, right? Maybe not what you wanted to hear, but in this case, old school rest and basic care is still the best.
There’s no magic cure. Your liver needs time to process the acetaldehyde. Your body needs to rehydrate and restore balance. That takes hours, not minutes.
If you’re a regular sauna user and you understand and mitigate the risks, a gentle session later in your recovery might provide some comfort. The improved circulation could help. The relaxation might ease your stress.
But it won’t speed up your liver’s metabolism of alcohol. It won’t instantly rebalance your electrolytes. And if you’re dehydrated or still processing alcohol, it could make things worse.
The Real Value of Infrared Saunas
Here’s what often gets lost in these conversations.
The real power of infrared sauna therapy isn’t as a hangover cure. It’s as part of your regular wellness routine.
Regular use supports:
- Cardiovascular health
- Reduced inflammation
- Better circulation
- Improved detoxification pathways
- Stress reduction
- Better sleep
Studies show people who use saunas 4-7 times per week have better health outcomes overall. That’s the evidence-based approach—making it a habit, not a rescue mission.
Better Choices
Instead of reaching for the sauna when you’re hungover, try this:
Build a wellness routine that includes regular infrared sauna sessions. High Tech Health’s low-EMF technology ensures you’re getting the therapeutic benefits without the potential harm of electromagnetic field exposure.
Combine that with other holistic health practices—good nutrition, adequate sleep, stress management, regular movement.
And on nights when you do drink? Pace yourself. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water. Eat food. Know your limits.
Prevention beats cure every time.
The Bottom Line
Can infrared sauna use help with hangover symptoms? Maybe, if you’re careful about timing and hydration.
Should you count on it as a hangover cure? Absolutely not. In fact, any kind of sauna use during alcohol consumption or during early stages of a hangover can be outright dangerous.
The risks of dehydration and cardiovascular stress during the acute hangover phase likely outweigh any potential benefits. The scientific evidence specifically linking saunas to hangover relief just isn’t there.
What the research does support is using infrared saunas as part of your regular health routine—not as emergency medicine. Better circulation, reduced inflammation, and improved detoxification happen with consistent use over time, not from a desperate session when you’re already feeling terrible.
If you’re serious about supporting your body’s natural healing processes, invest in regular sauna sessions when you’re feeling good. Your body will thank you in the long run.
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References
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- Lin CC, Liu XM, Peyton K, et al. “Far infrared therapy inhibits vascular endothelial inflammation via the induction of heme oxygenase-1.” Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2008;28(4):739-45. PMID: 18202320.
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- Brunt VE, Howard MJ, Francisco MA, et al. “Passive heat therapy improves endothelial function, arterial stiffness and blood pressure in sedentary humans.” J Physiol. 2016;594(18):5329-42. PMID: 27270841.
- Laukkanen T, Khan H, Zaccardi F, Laukkanen JA. “Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events.” JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(4):542-8.
- Lennox RD, Cecchini-Sternquist M. “Safety and tolerability of sauna detoxification for the protracted withdrawal symptoms of substance abuse.” J Int Med Res. 2018;46(11):4480-4499. PMID: 30209965.
- Oosterveld FG, et al. “Infrared sauna in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.” Clin Rheumatol. 2009;28(1):29-34.
- Tsuchida Y, Yanagimoto S, Kawakami K. “Sauna bathing and systemic inflammation.” Complement Ther Med. 2018;38:16-18.
- Hoekstra SP, Bishop NC, Leicht CA. “Systemic inflammation, interleukin-6 levels and the association with cardiovascular health: a focus on individuals with spinal cord injury.” Cytokine. 2021;143:155503.
- Crinnion WJ. “Sauna as a valuable clinical tool for cardiovascular, autoimmune, toxicant-induced and other chronic health problems.” Altern Med Rev. 2011;16(3):215-25.
