RECOVERY
Infrared Sauna and Recovery: How Does It Work?
Infrared Sauna is heat as a recovery tool. Here is what a session is for — and what it is not.
31 August 2026 · 2 min read
Heat is one of the oldest recovery tools. Infrared Sauna is a modern cabin version: you sit, you warm, you leave. Used well, it can be a calm end to a training day. Used as a performance myth, it becomes another thing to optimise.
This is a practical overview, not a physiology lecture and not a medical claim.
What the session is
You enter a heated cabin for a set time. Heart rate may rise a little. You will sweat. The useful outcome for many people is down-regulation: a period without screens, with warmth, after work or training.
Some evidence suggests heat exposure can be comfortable and may support how people feel they recovered. It is commonly used for relaxation and as part of a wider recovery routine. It does not treat disease.
What to do before and after
Hydrate. If you trained hard, replace fluids over the next few hours rather than chugging a huge volume in one go.
Eat as you normally would after training. Sauna is not a meal replacement.
If you feel faint, nauseous, or unusually unwell, you leave. Heat is not a test of character.
Combining with Ice Bath
Contrast (heat then cold, or the reverse) is popular. It is also easy to overdo. If you are new to either, use one tool per visit until you know how you respond.
A studio Recovery session at DON ATHLETICS STUDIO is built around a short, private format with Infrared Sauna and Ice Bath available in the Recovery Room. See Recovery and, for cold specifically, Ice Bath After Training.
Who should be careful
People with cardiovascular conditions, those who are pregnant, and anyone advised to avoid extreme heat should not treat a blog post as clearance. Ask a clinician.
Alcohol and sauna is a poor mix. So is arriving already dehydrated from a long outdoor day in Rabat heat.
Where it sits in the week
Sauna does not replace a Recovery Day. It can make an easier day feel more complete.
If your week is already three hard Bootcamps, adding long heat every night may be extra stress. One or two sessions, on days you can actually unwind, is a more honest plan.
Summary
Infrared Sauna is heat, time, and a closed door. It may help you feel recovered. It is not a shortcut around sleep.
Use conservative times, drink water, and keep it optional. The Recovery page explains how DON runs the room.
FAQ
- Is Infrared Sauna the same as a traditional Finnish sauna?
- No. Infrared cabins typically feel different and often run at a different temperature profile. Both are heat exposures. Follow the protocol in the room you are actually using.
- Can I sauna every day?
- Some people tolerate frequent heat; others feel drained. Hydration, blood pressure, and how hard you trained that day all matter. Start less often than you think.
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