Traditional sauna or infrared sauna?

• The Finnish sauna: Intense heat through hot air – the traditional ritual for blood circulation and immune system.

• The infrared sauna: Gentle deep heat through radiation – ideal for relaxation in everyday life.

• What is the "better" choice? Good news: There is none. They are very different experiences – your preferences are crucial.

Whether sauna or infrared – both provide positive effects, but in different ways. In the traditional sauna, convection is key: A stove heats the air, the air heats the room – and ultimately you. Infrared works differently. Infrared is about radiant heat, similar to sunlight. The radiation leaves the air largely cold, but heats the surfaces it hits directly – including your skin.

Let’s make a comparison: Sauna is like a full bath and the infrared experience is more like sunbathing. Two ways to heat – with noticeably different effects.

Around 3.3 million saunas for 5.5 million inhabitants – in Finland saunas are part of life. The benefits are well researched: Sweating cleanses the skin, stimulates blood circulation and the immune system, strengthens the heart and blood vessels, and improves the quality of sleep. One can say that saunas are biohacking with history.

However, sauna is more than just a health routine. It is both, a ritual and a time-out – a time when you consciously do nothing but listen to yourself. This combination of intense physical experience and inner peace acts like a break from everyday life.

Infrared saunas work at lower temperatures – usually between 40 and 60 °C. The heat is generated by radiation that penetrates directly into the skin and tissue. There are three radiation ranges:

• IR-A (short-wave): penetrates deep into muscles and tissue.

• IR-B (medium-wave): affects the middle layers of the skin.

• IR-C (long-wave): gently warms the skin surface.

Together, they generate an even, pleasant heat that warms the body from the inside out. The intensity also depends on the distance to the panel – the closer you sit, the more radiation reaches the skin. Many people appreciate this gentle warmth because they can stay longer without feeling overheated. Especially for beginners or people who are sensitive to heat, an infrared sauna is a soothing approach to relaxation and regeneration.

Whether traditional sauna or infrared sauna – there is no "better" choice. Both are conducive to well-being and health, just in different ways. The decisive factor is what suits you and your everyday life:

• Anyone who loves the traditional ritual with infusion and intense body experience will feel at home in the Finnish sauna.

• If you are looking for a gentle, everyday option, the infrared sauna is the perfect alternative.

• And for those who want both, there are hybrid solutions that combine traditional saunas with infrared panels – the best of both worlds.

How do you find out what suits you better? Try both in a relaxed atmosphere, for example during a wellness weekend or spa visit. This is the best way to feel which type of heat suits you best. And no matter what you decide: You will always make the right choice.