Saunas Are the New Hot Thing — Are They Really Beneficial?

Europeans have been using saunas for thousands of years. Now, Americans are finally recognizing the benefits of this longstanding health practice.

Deliberate heat exposure has been a common practice in some European countries for many years. The method is said to have originated in Finland, where the first sauna iterations — dating back as early as the Stone Ages — were made by filling holes in the ground with hot stones.

Nowadays, nearly every household in Finland has a sauna, and saunas are deeply embedded in the culture of Scandinavian countries. In contrast, the practice has remained an occasional luxury in the United States until relatively recently.

Sauna use is on the rise across the U.S. A recent report found that the sauna market is set to grow by $151.3 million from 2025 to 2029.

Case in point: Rachelle Reed, Ph.D., MS, ACSM-EP, an exercise scientist and the scientific advisor at Perspire Sauna Studio, says the company will open new locations every month this coming year.

“As a health scientist, seeing heat therapy adopted in so many communities across the U.S. is very encouraging to me,” she says. “It's a signal that more people are understanding the health benefits of deliberate heat exposure — from better heart health, to stress management, and more.”

While there are many types of saunas, infrared saunas are emerging as the top choice for Americans. Infrared saunas use light to heat the body rather than heating the actual air, as traditional saunas do.

“Today, a new sauna culture is growing with the proliferation of infrared saunas that can be easily set up in the home, in any room, in just a couple hours or less, and require no plumbing or venting to provide a peaceful sanctuary for healing,” says Raleigh Duncan, DC, the founder and CEO of Clearlight Infrared saunas.

Relief and recovery

Scientific evidence demonstrates that sauna use has a number of tangible health benefits. One of the biggest and most known benefits is its ability to help athletes recover.

Thomas Pontinen, M.D., LCP-C, a double board-certified pain medicine physician, says many people who use saunas in the U.S. do it to help with athletic recovery, which is a legitimate and well-established practice with science-backed benefits.

“I’ve personally used hot and cold therapy to help my body recover, and this goes back to my days as a collegiate athlete even before being a physician,” he says.

Heat increases circulation while reducing muscular tension and stiffness. By improving circulation, it promotes blood flow to the muscles, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the cells and reducing soreness and swelling, he explains.

Saunas can also help with pain relief and recovery, which is particularly important to Pontinen as a pain management physician.

“Saunas decrease muscle tension and promote increased blood flow to areas affected by pain,” he says. “Infrared saunas, in particular, can reach deeper layers of muscles and joints, which makes them excellent for pain relief.”

Stress management

Saunas can help bring down cortisol levels in the body, benefitting mental and physical health.

Cortisol is the body's primary stress hormone, and it’s associated with issues such as increased sensitivity to pain, increased irritability, and a decrease in the body’s ability to recover and stay healthy, Pontinen says.

“Feeling less stressed mentally helps us feel more physically relaxed, and saunas can be a great tool for facilitating that relaxation we so often need in our daily lives,” he says. “Stress is strongly associated with reduced longevity, so reducing it is something physicians are always trying to help patients achieve.”

Pontinen says sauna use can be an important part of a healthier lifestyle, allowing an individual to spend more time on self-care and less time immersed in life’s many stressors.

“This kind of dynamic is something I always try to help patients achieve because it can be so powerful when they’re trying to overcome a condition or injury,” he says.

Other benefits

In addition to muscle and pain recovery and reducing cortisol, some studies suggest that regular sauna use supports brain health because it can help stimulate the release of naturally occurring neurotrophic chemicals that boost memory and focus, Pontinen notes. Regular sauna usage may even lower the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer‘s disease.

Saunas can also help to remove some harmful toxins from the body through sweating and leave the skin softer and healthier, Duncan adds.

Plus, Reed notes, the physiological response to heat mimics how the body responds to cardiorespiratory physical activity, like a brisk walk. In other words, sitting in a sauna can have some of the same effects as exercise. It can also benefit cardiovascular health and improve sleep.

Sauna safety

If you're interested in using a sauna, limit sessions to 15 to 20 minutes. Remember, using a sauna is good for you as long as you don't overdo it.

Before a sauna session, make sure you have:

• water before and during the session
• consulted a doctor about health conditions like pregnancy or any medications you're taking
• no alcohol in your system as this can dehydrate you even more
• a friend in the sauna with you in case you start to feel light headed or unwell
• no jewelry on as this can burn the skin from getting too hot

Overall, sauna culture is being introduced to the U.S. with excitement and enthusiasm — just make sure you're doing it correctly.

“I think it’s definitely a good thing that Americans are catching on to the European fascination for saunas,” Pontinen says. “There is a good reason why sauna tradition has persisted for centuries in countries like Finland, where I have relatives who routinely use the sauna. Long-time practitioners swear by countless benefits of sauna use, and the current science does back up many of those claims.”