If you’ve used a traditional sauna, you already know the experience: a surge of hot, dense air the moment you open the door. Infrared saunas feel noticeably different — and the reason comes down to a fundamental difference in how the heat is generated and how your body absorbs it.
What Is Infrared Heat?
Infrared is a form of light that sits just beyond the visible spectrum — you can’t see it, but you can feel it as warmth. It’s the same type of gentle, radiant heat you feel from the sun on your skin on a cool day, or from a warm fire across the room. It’s one of the most natural forms of heat there is.
Unlike conventional heat, which warms the air around you first and your body second, infrared energy is absorbed directly by the body’s tissues. Infrared sauna panels emit this energy and your body absorbs it, which is why the cabin air stays at a lower temperature while still producing a deep, effective sweat.
How a Traditional Sauna Works
Traditional saunas — whether wood-fired or electric — work by heating the air inside the cabin to a high temperature, typically between 150 and 195°F (Plunge traditional saunas get to 230°F). The hot air then heats your skin surface, and your body responds by increasing circulation and sweating to regulate its core temperature. Adding water to heated rocks (löyly) creates a burst of steam that raises the humidity and intensifies the sensation.
The experience is immersive and deeply tied to tradition — the high heat, the steam, the weight of the air. For many people, that’s exactly what they’re after.
How an Infrared Sauna Works
Infrared saunas use panels embedded in the walls, floor, and ceiling to emit far infrared energy. Rather than heating the cabin air to extreme temperatures, the panels warm your body directly. The cabin temperature typically sits between 110 and 150°F (Plunge infrared saunas get to 160°F or 175°F) — meaningfully lower than a traditional sauna — while still producing a sustained, deep sweat.
Because your body is absorbing the heat rather than fighting against scorching air, many people find infrared sessions easier to breathe in and more comfortable to stay in for longer periods.
Side by Side
| Traditional Sauna | Infrared Sauna | |
|---|---|---|
| Heat source | Electric heater or wood fire heats the air and rocks | Infrared panels heat the body directly |
| Humidity | Low to high (can add steam) | Low — dry heat |
| How the body heats | Ambient air heats the skin surface | Infrared energy penetrates skin directly |
| Energy use | Higher, due to longer heat-up and higher temps | Lower, due to faster heat-up and lower operating temps |
Which One Is Right for You?
Both are excellent — they just offer different experiences. Traditional saunas deliver the high-heat, high-humidity ritual that has centuries of use behind it. Infrared saunas offer a more accessible, lower-temperature session with faster heat-up and lower operating costs.
Some people use one exclusively. Others keep both and choose based on what their body is asking for that day. There’s no wrong answer.
Note: Plunge offers both traditional and infrared saunas. If you have questions about which might be the better fit for your space or goals, our team is happy to talk it through.
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