Are Infrared Sauna Blankets Safe?

You may have heard the buzz around the benefits of infrared light and heat. From giving you clearer skin to improving your circulation, there are a number of advantages you might want to incorporate into your wellness routine. What’s more, devices like infrared sauna blankets make it possible to harness these benefits from the comfort of your own couch or bed. 

Before using any home wellness device, however, it’s important to ensure that it’s safe and won’t cause you any harm.

Looking into the overall safety of infrared sauna blankets and learning how to use them properly will give you the insight you need to successfully incorporate infrared treatment into your wellness routine. 

How Do Infrared Sauna Blankets Work?

Infrared sauna blankets work by emitting infrared light directly against your skin with the goal of promoting cellular regeneration to enhance healing and reduce pain. Despite the name “infrared light,” infrared waves are actually invisible to the naked eye, manifesting as heat rather than visible light. 

When you climb into the sauna blanket, you’ll feel a warming sensation as the infrared waves penetrate your cells.

Infrared waves can penetrate seven centimeters beneath the skin, reaching deep into your tissue.¹ Your cells absorb this energy, accelerating their healing and regeneration processes. Essentially, it enhances your body’s natural repair mechanisms by providing a boost of energy to your muscles, joints, bones, and other tissues.

Benefits of Infrared Sauna Blankets

Infrared sauna blankets allow you to harness infrared wavelengths for at-home treatments—and at-home benefits. Let’s talk about a few of the most popular infrared sauna blanket benefits below.

Detoxification

As you wrap yourself in your sauna blanket, your body will begin to heat up rapidly. This deep, intense heat effectively promotes detoxification by helping your sweat expel heavy metals from your system.²

After each session, you’ll emerge feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and thoroughly cleansed.

Improved Circulation

As infrared therapy energizes your cells, it also boosts your circulation.³ Why is this beneficial?

Improved blood flow helps deliver oxygen and essential nutrients throughout your body, promoting healing and cellular regeneration. 

Pain Relief and Muscle Recovery

Infrared therapy is an increasingly popular option for treating pain in a non-invasive way. 

The infrared wavelengths work to reduce inflammation, offering relief for both acute and chronic pain while supporting muscle recovery.³

Stress Reduction and Better Sleep

Sitting in an infrared sauna blanket can trigger the release of stress-relieving endorphins, similar to the effects of exercise.⁴

After your session, you'll experience a sense of calm and relaxation, which can significantly reduce your overall stress levels. Plus, studies reveal that many people enjoy improved sleep quality following their sauna sessions.⁵

Skin Health

When infrared wavelengths penetrate your skin, they can stimulate your skin cells, promoting a healthier, more radiant complexion.

Specifically, infrared wavelengths can boost the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid—two key players in supple, firm, and glowing skin.⁶

Potential Risks and Precautions of Infrared Sauna Blankets

Given their impressive benefits, it's no surprise that both athletes and everyday folks are flocking to infrared sauna treatments. 

But are infrared sauna blankets safe to use?

While infrared sauna blankets offer many advantages and are generally deemed safe and effective, they do share some risks with traditional saunas. Fortunately, by understanding these risks, you can take precautions to avoid them. 

Dehydration and Overheating

Similar to traditional saunas, infrared saunas heat the body to boost sweat production and cleansing. 

Accordingly, overheating can be a concern. 

When you’re zipped up in an infrared sauna for a long period of time, your body temperature could rise to the point where you feel uncomfortable and overheated.⁷ Additionally, excessive sweating can lead to dehydration if you’re not careful.

Cardiovascular Concerns

Infrared saunas can boost your blood flow and increase your heart rate. In fact, cardiovascular motility is a central boon of sauna blankets, helping to improve your complexion and enhance muscular recovery. 

That said, an elevated heart rate can pose potential risks.

For most people, raising your heart rate briefly can be beneficial. However, if you have existing cardiovascular conditions, it's important to avoid activities that significantly elevate your heart rate. Using a sauna, including an infrared sauna, can potentially trigger arrhythmias in individuals sensitive to heat. Additionally, some people may experience a drop in blood pressure after spending time in a sauna.⁸

Skin Sensitivity

Infrared light is great for the skin, improving your collagen production, enhancing the texture of your skin, and even safeguarding your cells against UV damage.⁹ It has even been used to help treat conditions like dermatitis.¹⁰

However, any time you expose your skin to light and heat for an extended period of time, your skin could become temporarily irritated. If the sauna gets too hot, you could even get a burn.¹¹

Although most infrared sauna manufacturers limit the heat level to avoid potential burns, it’s important to pay attention to how your skin feels to avoid uncomfortable side effects.

Special Considerations for Pregnant Women and Children

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends against sauna use during pregnancy, because elevating your body temperature above 101 degrees can increase the risk of birth defects and other issues.¹²

Infrared saunas increase your body temperature just like traditional saunas, so it’s best to be cautious if you’re thinking about using an infrared blanket during pregnancy. 

It’s also easier for you to get dehydrated or experience a drop in blood pressure while you’re pregnant.¹² Since these are already concerns when it comes to sauna use, you may want to wait until after your pregnancy to cozy into an infrared sauna blanket for the first time.

Safety Tips for Using Infrared Sauna Blankets

Now that you’re aware of the risks, you can take the precautions necessary to safely enjoy your at-home infrared sauna session. 

Following manufacturer recommendations and paying attention to your own body will set you up for success on your journey to a better you.

Recommended Session Duration and Frequency

How often should you use a sauna blanket? When it comes to traditional saunas, it’s safe to go every day.¹³ Because infrared saunas have similar risks and benefits, you could hop into your sauna blanket every day as well. Learn more about the traditional sauna vs sauna blanket in our blog.

That said, it can take some time for your body to adjust to the heat. To avoid overheating or feeling uncomfortable, begin by using your sauna blanket every few days. Then, gradually increase your usage to three to four times a week as your body acclimates.¹⁴

When it comes to the length of your sessions, the same idea applies. It’s recommended to start with just 10- or 15-minute sessions. After that, you can work your way up to spending up to 30 minutes at a time in your sauna blanket. 

Staying Hydrated

Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids both before and after your time in the sauna blanket. When you’re already nice and hydrated, it won’t matter as much if you get sweaty while you use your blanket. 

Many infrared sauna blankets also have convenient arm holes that make it easy to use your hands during your session, so you can also keep a bottle of water nearby for extra hydration. 

Proper Temperature Settings

Each infrared sauna model will have its own temperature range. Common settings can start at around 110 degrees and go up to about 135 degrees, but there are also high-temperature models that will heat up even more.¹⁴

For your first sessions, start at a low temperature to see how your body reacts. Then, increase the temperature bit by bit until you hit your sweet spot. 

You might prefer a lower temperature for a longer period of time as a way to relax. Or, you could choose a higher temperature for a shorter period of time for a more intense experience that gives you a deeper sweat.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Sweating during your infrared sauna sessions is perfectly normal, making regular cleaning essential. To ensure each session remains soothing and refreshing, proper maintenance of your sauna blanket is key to keeping it clean and inviting every time you use it.

Simply wipe it down with a damp towel or cloth after each use. You can also use a gentle natural cleaner to give your blanket a deeper clean every few sessions.

Explore Lifepro Infrared Sauna Blankets Today

Having an infrared sauna blanket gives you access to many of the benefits of a traditional sauna without having to leave your home. By just cuddling into your sauna blanket for a few minutes each time per week, you can reduce stress, get better sleep, and even improve your skin health. Best of all, infrared saunas have minimal risks when you use them properly.

Lifepro’s collection of infrared sauna blankets allows you to take the power of infrared light into your own hands while in the comfort of your own home.

With convenient options for home use, long-term warranties, and wide temperature ranges, Lifepro sauna blankets are the go-to option for home sauna treatment. 

Check out our full line of personal saunas to kickstart your wellness journey today.

Sources:

1. Neuropsychiatry. Transcranial Low-Level Laser Therapy for Depression and Alzheimer’s Disease. https://www.news-medical.net/health/How-Does-Infrared-Therapy-Work.aspx
2. Health. What Is a Heavy Metal Detox? And Do You Need One?. https://www.health.com/heavy-metal-detox-8426032
3.  News Medical. How Does Infrared Therapy Work? https://www.news-medical.net/health/How-Does-Infrared-Therapy-Work.aspx
4. Mental Health Center of America. Heat Exposure (Infrared Sauna).  https://mentalhealthcenter.com/heat-exposure-infrared-sauna/
5. ScienceDirect. A hot topic for health: Results of the Global Sauna Survey. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229919300998 
6. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Low-level red and infrared light increases expression of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid in skin. https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(19)33160-3/abstract 
7. Healthline. Are Infrared Saunas Safe? https://www.healthline.com/health/infrared-sauna-dangers#side-effects 
8. Wiley Online Library. Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2018/1857413
9. National Library of Medicine. Infrared and Skin: Friend or Foe. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4745411/ 
10. National Library of Medicine. Photobiomodulation therapy in management of cancer therapy-induced side effects: WALT position paper 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9468822/
11. Healthline. Infrared Sauna for Eczema: What You Need to Know. https://www.healthline.com/health/eczema/infrared-sauna-eczema#pros 
12. American Pregnancy Association. Saunas During Pregnancy. https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/saunas-and-pregnancy/
13. VeryWell Health. I Used a Sauna Every Day for 2 Weeks. Here’s What Happened to My Body. https://www.verywellhealth.com/effects-of-regular-sauna-use-7152346 
14. Cleveland Clinic. Infrared Saunas: What They Do and 6 Health Benefits. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/infrared-sauna-benefits 

Author

Joel Gottehrer

Joel Gottehrer is the Co-Founder of Lifepro Fitness and has dedicated his life to helping people transform theirs. With over 12 years of experience in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and owner of two personal training studios, Joel has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to helping transform lives. After suffering from physical injuries, Joel and his business partner, Abraham Brach, came together with a common goal to alleviate the pain caused by their injuries.

They continued to find themselves disappointed with the results stemming from various products promising to relieve their pain, and with that – Lifepro Fitness was born. Joel's mission is to have a positive impact on millions of lives with the Lifepro brand. Whether it's finding new and innovative ways to help people recover from injuries or developing products to improve overall wellness, Joel is always looking for ways to push the boundaries. Thanks to his commitment to help people live their lives free of pain, Lifepro has been able to do this for thousands of people since its founding in 2017.