Finnish vs infrared sauna
A Finnish sauna heats the air until it is very hot, and you can throw water on the stones for steam. An infrared sauna uses panels that warm your body directly, so the room stays much cooler. Both make you sweat, but they feel very different. Here is how they compare.
The short answer
- Finnish sauna: hot air, about 175–195°F at face level, with bursts of steam from water on the stones. Rounds of 8 to 15 minutes. Intense and social.
- Infrared sauna: air at about 104–140°F, heat from panels aimed at your body. Sessions of 30 to 45 minutes. Gentler and usually private.
Most of the long-term health research is on Finnish-style saunas. There is no strong evidence that infrared is healthier. (The Conversation, 2018)
How each one heats you
A Finnish sauna has a stove, electric or wood-fired, covered in stones. The stove heats the air in the room, and the hot air heats you. When you throw water on the stones, a wave of steam, called löyly in Finnish, makes the heat feel stronger for a moment.
An infrared sauna has panels in the walls that give off infrared light, which warms your skin and body directly. The air in the room stays much cooler, and there are no stones or steam.
Side by side
- Air temperature: Finnish about 175–195°F (80–90°C). Infrared about 104–140°F (40–60°C). (Podstawski et al., 2024; The Conversation, 2018)
- Humidity: Finnish is mostly dry, about 10–20%, with short humid bursts. Infrared stays dry.
- Session: Finnish 8–15 minutes per round, two or three rounds. Infrared one session of 30–45 minutes.
- Steam: Finnish yes, infrared no.
- Setting: Finnish saunas are often shared rooms in bathhouses. Infrared saunas are usually private rooms for one or two people, booked by the session.
- Heat source: stove and stones vs electric panels.
How they feel
A Finnish sauna is a strong, enveloping heat. When someone throws water on the stones, you feel it on your shoulders and face within seconds. Most people stay only a few minutes before cooling off.
An infrared sauna feels more like sitting in warm sunlight. You can breathe easily and stay longer, and you start sweating after 10 to 15 minutes. Many people like it for a quiet, private session. Some miss the steam and the social side.
What the research covers
The large Finnish studies linking regular sauna use to lower risks of heart disease, high blood pressure and dementia were on traditional saunas. Research on infrared saunas is much smaller, and reviews have not found that infrared does anything a traditional sauna does not. The popular claims that infrared "detoxes" better do not have scientific support. (The Conversation, 2018) See sauna benefits: what the research shows.
Which should you try first?
- Try Finnish if you want the classic experience, the social atmosphere of a bathhouse, or the full hot and cold routine with a cold plunge.
- Try infrared if strong heat is hard for you, you prefer a private room, or you want a longer, calmer session.
Either way, the best sauna is the one you enjoy and go back to. Read how long to stay in a sauna for times for each type.
Where to find them
Infrared studios are the most common type of place on this site. See infrared studios in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis and Philadelphia.
For traditional and wood-fired saunas, see Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Philadelphia, or the national list of wood-fired saunas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Finnish and an infrared sauna?
A Finnish sauna heats the air with a stove and stones, to about 175–195°F, and you can make steam by throwing water on the stones. An infrared sauna warms your body with panels while the air stays at about 104–140°F, with no steam.
Is infrared or traditional sauna better?
Neither has been shown to be better for your health. Most of the long-term research is on traditional Finnish saunas. Choose the one you enjoy and will use.
How long should you stay in an infrared sauna compared with a Finnish sauna?
Infrared sessions usually last 30 to 45 minutes because the air is cooler. In a Finnish sauna, rounds of 8 to 15 minutes with breaks in between are typical.
Do infrared saunas detox better?
There is no good evidence for that. Sweating in any sauna removes very little of what the liver and kidneys clear.
Can you pour water in an infrared sauna?
No. Infrared saunas have electric panels and no stones, so there is nothing to make steam with.