Red Light Therapy in Saunas: How It Supports Relaxation and Stress Relief

Have you ever heard of red light therapy devices? Red light therapy is one of the wonderful wellness trends that create such buzz when it's combined with saunas. Imagine slipping inside a warm cozy sauna and having your body wrapped in red and reassuringly calming lighting. It is a hug from Mother Nature herself! This holistic approach layers the soothing elements of an infrared sauna upon the therapeutic powers of red light therapy devices, giving you a natural and effective method of stress reduction and better mental well-being.

Understanding Red Light Therapy

All those people who are fighting mental health disorders and want to get the best stress release of all resort to natural remedies that have been glorified due to their whole-body effects. Of all of these natural remedies, Red Light therapy was the most striking one to use in conjunction with a warm sauna. But, what is red light therapy? And precisely how does it allow a person to develop the sensation of relaxation and stress release? Let's get right down to business.

 Red Light Therapy Devices

What is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy, also known as Photobiomodulation, uses specific light wavelengths — typically in the red and near-infrared range — to support cellular repair, circulation, and relaxation. When applied regularly, these wavelengths may help reduce feelings of tension, support skin health, and promote overall well-being.

Unlike UV light, red and infrared light do not cause sunburn and do not tan the skin.

The Science Behind Stress Reduction and Relaxation

Stress doesn’t just live in your mind. It affects your nervous system, muscles, and hormones.
Early research suggests that red and near-infrared light may:

  • encourage circulation and oxygen delivery

  • help muscles relax after tension

  • support natural recovery responses

  • promote calm, restful states

When combined with the warmth of a sauna environment, many people find the experience deeply soothing and grounding.

The Benefits of Infrared Saunas

Infrared saunas are not ordinary heat boxes. These extraordinary infrared saunas use infrared light to warm the body in ways you could never imagine, giving you much-needed benefits that you cannot ignore. So, how do infrared saunas fit into this world of wellness, and what makes them so special?

Infrared Sauna
By Drazen Zigic from Freepik

Health Benefits of Infrared Saunas

Infrared saunas gently warm the body from the inside out, rather than heating only the air. This type of heat exposure may help:

  • relax tight muscles

  • ease everyday stress and tension

  • support circulation

  • encourage sweat-based detox support

  • promote restful sleep

People often describe infrared sauna sessions as deeply calming and restorative — especially when combined with soothing red light wavelengths.

Far Infrared Sauna: How They Support Wellness

Far-infrared wavelengths penetrate deeper than traditional dry heat, which is why many wellness-focused saunas use them.

Users commonly report benefits such as:

  • improved relaxation after sessions

  • fewer feelings of stress

  • enhanced feelings of calm

  • reduced post-exercise soreness

While research continues to evolve, many wellness experts see far-infrared heat as a supportive tool — not a medical treatment — for everyday stress and recovery.

Cognitive and Mood Support from Sauna + Red Light Therapy

Relaxation plays a meaningful role in mental wellness.
Infrared heat and red light together may help support:

  • calmer mood responses

  • improved ability to unwind

  • a sense of relaxation after sessions

They don’t replace therapy, medication, or professional care, but they can complement a broader self-care routine focused on balance, rest, and recovery.

Infrared Saunas and Skin & Hair Health

However, infrared saunas take the pampering experience beyond just helping your skin and hair. Let's dig into how these magical red light therapy devices transform your complexion and enhance your hair game.

Skin Health Benefits of Sauna + Red Light Therapy

Many users notice smoother-looking skin and an improved glow after combining sauna heat with red light therapy.

Red wavelengths may help:

Results vary by person — consistency matters more than intensity.

Benefits for Hair and Scalp

A relaxed scalp and improved circulation can help create a healthier environment for hair.

Red light therapy used around the scalp may:

  • increase local circulation

  • reduce scalp tightness from stress

  • create conditions that support scalp health

This isn’t a hair-growth guarantee — but it may help maintain scalp comfort and wellness.

Combining Red Light Therapy Devices with Sauna

Adding red light therapy devices such as Lumaflex Body Pro or Lumaflex Essential to sauna sessions can perhaps be the most effective way to enhance their health benefits. Here is how these modalities function synergistically:

Increased Penetration: The sauna heat may make pores bigger and cause more blood flow in general, so the absorption from the red light is deeper. Increased absorption might lead to an increased effect of the therapy.
Improved Healing Effects: Following sweating in the sauna, there is the possibility of entering a state of rest or recovery. Red light therapy can then supplement this state to permit a prolonged healing and rejuvenation state.

Relaxation Effect: This sauna heat provokes relaxation of the muscles and joints. This relaxation has the tendency to be enhanced if such effects are combined with red light therapy. Such relaxation might even further reduce stress levels and provoke additional health advantages.

red Light Therapy device with Sauna

How to Use Red Light Therapy in Saunas

In bringing red light therapy in saunas, first, do the following:

Choose the Right Equipment: Ensure you use a sauna that has space for red light therapy devices or already comes equipped with features of built-in red light therapy devices. Or you can bring your own portable red light therapy devices such as Lumaflex. However, many infrared saunas incorporate red light phototherapy.

Timings of Sessions: You have to spend adequate time in the sauna so that your body warms up, and you start sweating (for approximately 10-15 minutes), after which you bring the red light therapy on board for about 10-20 minutes. This timeline maximizes the effects of both treatments.

Hydration: You must be hydrated at all times you should be hydrated before you go to the sauna while you are at it, and thereafter. Sweating may lead to loss of fluids, and hydration is essential to a person's health.

The atmosphere should be relaxing. The effects of sauna therapy might be enhanced by listening to smooth music or through the use of scents, for instance. An open mind is also ascribed as essential to these treatments.

Conclusion: Using Red Light Therapy in Saunas for Relaxation

Red light therapy in saunas provide an extraordinary method to decrease the high-stress level that usually comes with mental health. By integrating such a therapy into your well-being routine, you are nurturing your mind as well as your general well-being. Red light therapy, from relieving tension headaches to the promotion of relaxation is a remarkable tool to enhance one's mental clarity. The next time you go to the sauna, treat your body and mind to the rejuvenating effects of red light therapy.

Want to explore red light therapy options that pair well with at-home sauna sessions? Browse our red light solutions.