Infrared Sauna After Training Speeds Recovery and Supports Athletic Performance

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 27 December 2025

⏱️ 8 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Athletes using infrared saunas post-workout experience faster reductions in soreness, improved strength recovery, and better neuromuscular performance within 24 hours compared to passive rest
Using infrared saunas immediately after exercise yields stronger results than delayed sessions, as it extends the body's natural repair window when circulation and metabolic signaling are elevated
Consistent post-workout infrared sauna sessions over several weeks increase muscle thickness, explosive strength, and power output more effectively than training alone, especially for intermediate lifters
Far-infrared saunas provide safer, more practical detoxification and circulation benefits, while near-infrared units risk burns and don't effectively deliver photobiomodulation benefits despite higher costs
When using a sauna, begin at 120 degrees Fahrenheit three times weekly, gradually increasing temperature by two degrees weekly. Avoid overuse — start with daily sessions for 10 to 11 days initially, then every two to three days for maintenance

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	What if a simple 20-minute habit after your workout could cut next day's soreness?
0:04.0	Restore your strength faster and keep your coordination sharp for repeat training.
0:10.0	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:13.0	Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go.
0:18.0	No reading required. Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest
0:22.2	health insights. Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. I'm Ethan Foster, and today
0:29.7	we're looking at how post-workout infrared sauna sessions can accelerate recovery, build power,
0:36.6	and improve your training outcomes when you use them at the right time and temperature.
0:41.3	I'm Alara Sky, and we'll ground this in research-led from Finland, where sauna culture is part of daily life.
0:48.3	A dissertation from the University of Javascula by Essyahokas, examined what happens when you step into an infrared
0:55.5	sauna immediately after training, and the results point to faster soreness reduction, quicker
1:01.0	strength rebound, and better neuromuscular readiness within 24 hours.
1:06.5	The recovery speed stood out. Athletes who used the infrared sauna right after workouts saw
1:11.9	soreness drop more quickly, and their maximal voluntary contraction, your practical strength
1:17.3	output, recover sooner than with passive rest. They also reported better sleep quality and higher
1:23.3	next day energy, which matters when you're stacking hard sessions. You get both local and systemic
1:28.9	effects. Locally, heat increases deep tissue blood flow so oxygen and nutrients get delivered while
1:36.1	waste metabolites are cleared. Systemically, that same exposure triggers cellular and hormonal
1:42.7	responses that support tissue repair.
1:46.0	Put together, you shorten the time it takes to feel ready for the next bout.
1:52.0	Timing is critical. Entering the sauna immediately after training,
1:56.0	produce stronger benefits than waiting hours, or using it on rest days.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 13 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Briana Mercola, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Briana Mercola and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.