Does Infrared Sauna Burn Calories?

If you've been eyeing an infrared sauna for your home, chances are you've come across some impressive health claims, and calorie burning is near the top of almost every list. But how much truth is actually behind it?

Unlike traditional saunas, which heat the air around you, infrared saunas use infrared light to penetrate your skin directly. The result is a gentler, more comfortable heat experience that will still trigger a strong physiological response.

In this guide, we'll look at the science of how infrared saunas burn calories, what realistic estimates look like, and how to get the most out of every session. If you're already sold on the wellness angle and just want hardware recommendations, check out our roundup of the best infrared sauna for home use.

The short answer is yes, infrared saunas do burn calories. The longer answer involves understanding what's actually happening inside your body when you sit in one.

How Does It Work?

When you step into an infrared sauna, the infrared wavelengths heat your body's tissues directly. Your core temperature climbs, and your body kicks into thermoregulation mode — the same cooling process triggered by exercise.

During a session, your heart rate increases, blood vessels dilate, and you start to sweat, all of which require energy. That energy expenditure is the source of the calories burned in an infrared sauna. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a single sauna session can raise heart rate to levels similar to a moderate-intensity walk, making it a genuine (albeit modest) calorie-burning activity.

This is the question everyone really wants answered, and the honest response is: it depends. Your body weight, the session temperature, and your individual metabolism all play a role. That said, research and clinical observation give us a reasonable range.

What to Expect From 30 Minutes in an Infrared Sauna

A 30-minute infrared sauna session typically burns between 150 and 300 calories. For context:

• A 150-lb (68 kg) person burns roughly 150–170 calories
• A 185-lb (84 kg) person burns roughly 200–230 calories
• A 220-lb (100 kg) person burns roughly 250–300 calories

These estimates align with the metabolic demands of a moderate walk. They're not dramatic, but they add up over consistent weekly use.

What About an Hour in an Infrared Sauna?

Doubling your session time roughly doubles the calorie expenditure, putting a 60-minute session in the 300–600 calorie range (extended sessions at high temperatures carry dehydration risks). Most manufacturers and wellness professionals recommend starting at 20–30 minutes and working up gradually. Should you attempt a 60-minute session, staying well hydrated is key and non-negotiable.

For a personalized estimate, try using an infrared sauna calories calculator. There are several available online that factor in your weight, session length, and temperature.

Calorie burning is just one piece of the infrared sauna picture. Regular sessions have been linked to a range of additional wellness benefits. For a full breakdown, see our guides on infrared sauna weight loss and how long to see the benefits of an infrared sauna.

1. Cardiovascular support: heat exposure naturally increases heart rate, providing cardiovascular exercise that may promote health benefits.
2. Muscle recovery: infrared heat penetrates deep into muscle tissue, which may improve the flushing of lactic acid and decrease post-exercise soreness.
3. Stress and cortisol reduction: the heat of an infrared session naturally promotes a parasympathetic nervous system response and may reduce cortisol.
4. Skin health: improved circulation and sweating can help reduce the appearance of pores and improve the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the skin.
5. Detoxification: sweating can assist in removing trace amounts of certain heavy metals and toxins.

Want to squeeze more out of every session? These evidence-backed tips can help amplify the calorie burn.

Mistake 1: Skipping Pre-Session Hydration

Why it happens: Most people know to drink water after, but forget that hydrating before your session lets your body sweat harder and longer, which directly increases calorie expenditure.

The fix: Drink at least 16–20 oz of water in the hour before your session. Electrolyte drinks work well too, especially for longer sessions (something like LMNT or Liquid I.V.).

Mistake 2: Sitting Completely Still

Why it happens: It's tempting to just relax, but gentle movement inside the sauna — light stretching or slow yoga poses — raises your heart rate further and increases the calories burned.

The fix: Try 5–10 minutes of gentle stretching mid-session.

Mistake 3: Using Low Temperatures

Why it happens: Beginners often set the temperature very low for comfort, but a session at 110°F will burn significantly fewer calories than one at 140–150°F.

The fix: Start at a comfortable temperature and gradually increase it over your first few weeks. Most people find a sweet spot between 130–145°F.

Consistency Is Everything

A single infrared sauna session won't transform your body, but 3–5 sessions per week over several months add up to meaningful additional calorie burn. Whether you're looking at an indoor infrared sauna or an outdoor infrared sauna, consistency matters far more than any single session.

Does an infrared sauna burn calories? Yes — and while the numbers won't replace cardio, a consistent infrared sauna habit adds genuine, passive calorie expenditure to your week alongside a host of other wellness benefits. Whether you choose a low-EMF infrared sauna for health-conscious reasons or simply want the recovery benefits, you're getting more than just heat. Aim for 3–5 sessions per week, stay hydrated, and treat it as the long-game wellness investment it is.

• Best Infrared Sauna for Home Use
• Infrared Sauna Weight Loss: What the Research Says
• How Long to See the Benefits of an Infrared Sauna
• Shop Indoor Infrared Saunas
• Shop Outdoor Infrared Saunas

References are grouped by the claim they support. All journal sources are peer-reviewed unless otherwise noted.

Calorie burn and metabolic response

• Laukkanen, T., Khan, H., Zaccardi, F., & Laukkanen, J.A. "Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events." JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015; 175(4):542–548. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8187.
• Podstawski, R., et al. "Endocrine Effects of Repeated Hot Thermal Stress and Cold Water Immersion in Young Adult Men." SAGE Open Medicine, 2021. doi:10.1177/15579883211008339.
• McLeod, K. (Principal Investigator). "Far Infrared Saunas and Weight Loss." Binghamton University (SUNY), 2014. (Institutional study; not peer-reviewed — treat as preliminary.)
• Hannuksela, M.L., & Ellahham, S. "Benefits and risks of sauna bathing." American Journal of Medicine, 2001; 110(2):118–126. doi:10.1016/S0002-9343(00)00671-9.

Cardiovascular response and heart rate

• Laukkanen, J.A., et al. "Acute effects of sauna bathing on cardiovascular function." Journal of Human Hypertension, 2018; 32:129–138.
• Lee, E., et al. "Effects of regular sauna bathing in conjunction with exercise on cardiovascular function: a multi-arm, randomized controlled trial." American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 2022; 323:R289–R299. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00076.2022.
• Brunt, V.E., & Minson, C.T. "Heat therapy: mechanistic underpinnings and applications to cardiovascular health." Journal of Applied Physiology, 2021; 130:1684–1704.

Muscle recovery and lactic acid

• Ahokas, E.K., Ihalainen, J.K., Hanstock, H.G., Savolainen, E., & Kyröläinen, H. "A post-exercise infrared sauna session improves recovery of neuromuscular performance and muscle soreness after resistance exercise training." Biology of Sport, 2023; 40(2):681–689. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2023.119289.
• Mero, A., Tornberg, J., Mäntykoski, M., & Puurtinen, R. "Effects of far-infrared sauna bathing on recovery from strength and endurance training sessions in men." SpringerPlus, 2015; 4(1):321. doi:10.1186/s40064-015-1093-5.
• Hausswirth, C., et al. "Effects of Whole-Body Cryotherapy vs. Far-Infrared vs. Passive Modalities on Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Highly-Trained Runners." PLoS ONE, 2011; 6(12):e27749. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0027749.

Stress, cortisol and endocrine effects

• Pilch, W., et al. "Endocrine effects of sauna bath." Endokrynologia Polska, 2019. doi:10.5603/EP.2019.0012.
• Podstawski, R., et al. "The influence of extreme thermal stress on the physiological and psychological characteristics of young women." Frontiers in Public Health, 2023. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1303804.
• Kunutsor, S.K., et al. "Does the Combination of Finnish Sauna Bathing and Other Lifestyle Factors Confer Additional Health Benefits? A Review of the Evidence." Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2022.11.013.

Broader benefits: longevity, inflammation and skin

• Crinnion, W.J. "Sauna as a valuable clinical tool for cardiovascular, autoimmune, toxicant-induced and other chronic health problems." Alternative Medicine Review, 2011; 16(3):215–225. PMID: 21951023.
• Laukkanen, J.A., & Laukkanen, T. "Sauna bathing and systemic inflammation." European Journal of Epidemiology, 2018; 33:351–353.
• Hussain, J., & Cohen, M. "Clinical effects of regular dry sauna bathing: a systematic review." Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018. doi:10.1155/2018/1857413.

Sweat, hydration and detoxification

• Genuis, S.J., & Birkholz, D. "Blood, urine, and sweat (BUS) study: Monitoring and elimination of bioaccumulated toxic elements." Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2011; 61(2):344–357. doi:10.1007/s00244-010-9630-7.