Red Light Therapy vs. Infrared Lights in Saunas

Red Light Therapy (RLT) and Infrared Sauna are two different recovery modalities that each offer unique benefits. Although both modalities include the words “red light,” they are not interchangeable nor even offer the same benefits. RLT is used to increase circulation, reduce pain and inflammation, and enhance recovery at the cellular level. Infrared Saunas, on the other hand, are beneficial for enhancing immune health, reducing stress and anxiety, and improving cardiovascular health and circulation. They both use “red lights,” but produce very different results. Here’s why that is.

RLT and the red lights used in infrared saunas differ significantly in wavelength, power, and therapeutic effectiveness. RLT uses near-infrared wavelengths in the 630–850 nm range. These lights deliver controlled amounts of energy to stimulate cellular activity without producing heat. Because near-infrared light is not efficiently absorbed by water at that wavelength, it can penetrate the skin and fat to reach deeper tissues like muscles and joints.

In contrast, infrared saunas primarily operate in the 3,000–10,000 nm far-infrared range and generate heat from the inside out. At this range, the energy is rapidly absorbed by water and therefore utilized in the first few millimeters of skin rather than at the cellular level. The red lights included in many saunas are typically low-power chromotherapy lights or lower-intensity LEDs that lack sufficient output, proper wavelengths, and controlled dosing. Because they do not meet key RLT requirements, they are not capable of producing the full therapeutic benefits associated with true red light therapy.

Both RLT and Infrared Sauna are beneficial for recovery; however, they are vastly different and cannot be used interchangeably. The red lights in the Infrared Sauna are not sufficient enough to produce the same results as RLT. Therefore, to gain the full benefits of RLT, both modalities should be used.

Seek Red Light. (n.d.). Red light therapy vs infrared sauna: Key differences explained. https://www.seekredlight.com/articles/red-light-therapy-vs-infrared-sauna