What is the Ideal Far Infrared Sauna Temperature?
An ideal temperature is between 110-130 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it depends on what you want to accomplish. In an infrared sauna, you will have a better detoxification at lower temperatures and you will sweat more at higher settings.
Infrared Is What Heals Not Sweat
Remember that infrared is what heals, not sweating. What is important is getting as much infrared as possible.
Very misunderstood principle: If you set your control panel too low and wait to enter until it has reached the desired reading, the heaters will short cycle off and on and you do not fully benefit from the infrared. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of infrared sauna use.
At What Temperature Should I Set My Infrared Sauna?
You want the heating elements to be on and delivering infrared the entire time, regardless of the temperature setting. So ideally you want to set the temperature at a higher level around 140 (around 60 degrees Celsius). Then you can enter the sauna when it reaches 110 or 115.
Although you will begin sweating a bit sooner if you wait until it is hotter, you will lose out on infrared. Heavenly Heat is an exceptional brand that allows for air ventilation which provides more control. We discuss in our complete Heavenly Heat Saunas review.
How Can I Keep the Heaters on and Temperature Low?
If your unit has a ceiling vent, keep it open. When the temperature approaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit, you can open the door to allow cooler fresh air to enter. When the air temp drop below 115, simply close the door. This will provide you a way to control the ambient air and keep the heaters on the entire time.
This practice is what we do at our home and is one way to ensure the heaters remain on the entire time, delivering the healing infrared.
The Ideal Temperature Setting Method
To summarize the above. This practice will provide the most healing and detox for you:
- Set the control panel to at least 130 degrees. A setting above 140 is even better.
- Begin your session when it is between 100-115 degrees.
- Open the ceiling vent.
- Once the inside temperature reaches 130-135, prior to the heaters cycling off and on, reduce the air temp by opening the door.
Recommended Temperatures For Different Purposes
What Is Optimal Sauna Temperature For Detox?
A brief summary is to keep the temperature low for detoxification. At the lower temperatures toxins are shaken off from the fat cells. Aim for a setting below 115F.
Weight Loss
Weight loss is a little more involved. As mentioned, at lower temperatures toxins are shaken off from the fat cells. However, at higher temps you will sweat more. So this can be a combination of the two ranges. Spend some time at the lower range then increase it to above 130F to produce a lot more sweat.
You will lose the fats cells more easily once the toxins are shaken off from them. Then you will remove some of the freed-up toxins through the sweat. But as well, you will remove much of the loosened toxins through the normal body processes. Fiber and supplements such as Chlorella that bind to toxins, especially heavy Metals, are helpful. Aim for around 125F to 140F for heavy sweating.
For Pain Relief and Relaxation
For pain management and overall relaxation, a slightly higher temperature is best. 115F up to 130F is a good range if your goal is to relieve anxiety and relax the mind.
A Lower Sauna Temperature Provides a Better Detox
Typically, the ideal temperature for an infrared sauna ranges from 110°F to 130°F. Lower temperatures are beneficial for detoxification, while higher settings promote increased sweat production, aiding in cleansing.
Infrared saunas usually operate at lower heat level compared to steam saunas, which need to reach about 160°F to 200°F to be effective. The milder heat range in infrared saunas allows for a gentler heating experience.
Two Functions of Sweating
Sweat fulfills two primary functions. It cools the body and it removes waste products out of the body. This is accomplished through two main types of sweat glands.
The Apocrine glands, which are located in areas such as the armpits and scalp These apocrine sweat glands secrete sweat which contains higher levels of fats and organic compounds. The second group called Eccrine glands number more than 2 million and are scattered over the entire body, handling most of the sweating process.
These Eccrine glands, over the course of a normal day pump out nearly a quart of sweat. However, in a steam environment of 180 degree Fahrenheit or more, they produce this amount in only 15 minutes. While these eccrine sweat glands clean the pores and skin, they also excretes higher amounts of electrolytes. Sweating at these 180+ degree levels requires replacing the lost fluids and electrolytes.
However, using an infrared sauna at the lower temperatures of 110-125 degrees results in a sticker, more fat-laden sweat and less electrolyte loss. In fact the sweat from an infrared sauna session is comprised of up to 20% toxins compared to only 3% toxins in the sweat produced in a high heat steam unit. This is a main reason it is the better choice for detox purposes. A lower temp infrared will also cause less electrolyte loss.
Some users report beginning the session at a low 110-125 degrees for the first 20 minutes and then raising it to around 135 to produce a more profuse sweat for the remaining length of the session.
Lower Infrared Heater Temperature is Better
The human body operates at a frequency of 9.4 microns. The closer the infrared is to this 9.4 microns, the better the absorption of the rays and the deeper the penetration. This also results in more toxins being shaken off the fat cells.
This is called resonance frequency. We know that certain sound waves can vibrate glass and a singer’s voice can even break glass. In a similar fashion, the closer the microns are to the ideal 9.4, the better the cellular resonance frequency.
No heater will remain exactly at 9.4 microns. But the cooler the heater element itself is, the more time it will have near this level. Reducing the use of any heat-emitting light will help even if just a little.
Cheap carbon panels need to be much hotter to produce any viable amount of heat for the user and quickly move past the ideal micron levels. This is another reason they are very poor choices for true detoxification. Also the thicker the wood walls are, the better the insulation to retain the heat..
Clearlight was one of the first companies to pioneer cooler carbon panels that are also powerful in the amount of emissivity and healing they provide. This is one reason they only require heating elements halfway up the sides of the interior walls.
Cheaper brands need panels all the way to the ceiling to produce adequate amounts of emitted heat.
Individual Heater User Controls
If you have a brand that offers individual heater controls, you can use them. The user has the ability to turn on and off the two elements nearest them. This allows for better control of both body and cabin heat.
Open the Ceiling Vent
Heavenly Heat is one brand that has a ceiling Vent. It is good to have open even if you choose to not open the door for additional air circulation. These are a few reasons why that brand is an exceptional choice. It is also the best choice a person should consider for a chemically sensitive person. Their products are ultra pure and clean. They are unrivaled in this regard. Please read our complete Heavenly Heat Saunas review.
The Heavenly Heat website shared this information of air circulation for years. Higher levels of FIR exposure require cooler air. If your sauna has a very high FIR level, then the amount of heat can be lower, you will still sweat and you gain more benefit.
Very cheap weak plastic carbon heaters require a very high settings to be effective. This defeats some of the main purpose of using infrared heaters to begin with.
Those are very good insights.
Raising Core Body Temperature
So, how hot should a sauna be? Perhaps less than you would think. Increasing your core body temperature is an important aspect but this does not require excessive heat to happen. This is different than simple physical exercise sweating.
Infrared saunas offer deep tissue penetration, potentially increasing the core body temperature more effectively than traditional saunas. However be careful to not overheat. If you start feeling uncomfortable, it’s advisable to leave the sauna to prevent overheating and take a little time to cool down.
Some users begin their session at around 115F for about 15 minutes. They then increase it to 130F for another 15 minutes to focus on heavier sweating. This method helps to raise the body’s core temperature effectively without overwhelming or overheating the nervous system.
Finding Your Own Personal Ideal Temperature Setting
A Good Beginner Setting
If you are new to heat therapy and especially if you are not in the best health or suffering from a health issue, begin slowly. Start low at even just 100-110 degrees. This will allow your body to get used to the heat and you will find out if you react negatively to any of it. You may not sweat much initially at this low level which is ok.
This all depends on the infrared sauna temperature and time spent in the session. However, over time, the more you use your unit, the sooner you will begin sweating.
Gradual Increases
Begin Slowly and over time gradually increase the heat. Start at 100F to see how your body reacts. Increase by small amount of jut a few degrees. This is not a race. It is okay to take a couple weeks to build up to a higher comfortable range.
You want to avoid heat stroke, dehydration and discomfort.
Factors Affecting Temperature Choice
Your individualized ideal temperature choice should include your health conditions, age and intended benefits.
Your age and health condition can play a large part of your final selected settings. Skin conditions, your individual tolerance to heat and what you want as your final outcome can all play a part.
Infrared saunas offer deep tissue penetration, potentially increasing the core body temperature more effectively than traditional saunas. However, it’s crucial not to overheat. If you start feeling uncomfortable, leave the sauna and cool down.
Overall, using an infrared sauna at the right settings can be comfortable and provide you with excellent health improvements.
As you can see from this entire discussion above, what setting is your personal optimal temperature range is determined by your own health requirements and other personal factors. Your own personal goals provide the recommended heat levels and that is what is important in ensuring comfort and safety.
If you consciously choose your own usage in setting and maintaining sauna conditions including the heat setting, then your benefits include a greatly enhanced sauna experience.
Personalized Temperature Adjustment Features
If you are looking for personalized temperature adjustment features such as built-in controls, remote control options or even things as sophisticated as smart home integration, you may need to look at brands like Sunlighten and even higher tech brands that will add more of these features in the future.
Sunlighten mPulse does include some adjustment features such as programable heaters and Bluetooth integration allowing users to control sauna heat. If you see the importance in customizing your own sauna sessions you may need to look at that brand.
However, those modern sauna technology benefits do not necessarily include the ease of use. And we instead really recommended products that are simple to use.
Most of all, all the high tech also comes with increased EMFs and ELFs and a lack of pure focus on detoxification. We prefer to get away from technology and relax rather than add additional technology to our relaxation technique.
That of course is just our personal opinion and should not necessarily sway your purchase decision.
How Long to Warm Up the Sauna?
The heating time of an infrared sauna can vary based on several factors. However, smaller infrared saunas of good quality with powerful carbon panels and good insulation can preheat in 15 minutes.
Negative Physical Reactions To Watch For
Feeling Lightheaded or Dizziness
Recognizing when you are too hot is important. You want to relieve stress not create an adverse effect of more stress to your body. Probably the most common sign that it is set higher than your current tolerance is feeling discomfort, very hot high skin or severe reddening of your skin. You may be experiencing actual hyperthermia and your body is not able to effectively cool itself.
If you do start to feel lightheaded, dizzy, stop your session and cool off for a while. Drink some water or electrolyte drink as this could also be due to dehydration.
Additionally, excessive sweating that goes beyond your usual response to heat are clear signs that it needs to be adjusted downward.
Trouble Breathing or Excessive Sweating
Additionally, excessive sweating that goes beyond your usual response to heat is a warning sign.
Another is difficulty breathing. If the air feels too hot to breathe comfortably it’s a strong indication that the environment is too intense. A feeling of weakness or feeling like your skin is uncomfortably hot to the touch also suggests that the heat is too high for you.
Listen to your body’s signs and signals and exit the sauna or lower the settings if you experience any of these symptoms. Remember, saunas are meant to relax and rejuvenate, not overwhelm your body’s natural abilities to regulate heat and comfort.
You know your selected settings are too high if you experience negative physical reactions. Remember these can differ on different days.