A study conducted by the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, suggests that using an infrared sauna after exercise can speed up recovery and support performance in team-sport athletes. This method appears particularly promising during busy match schedules.

Recovery is key to performance

In modern sport, competition is intense and team-sport athletes may play several matches per week, leaving little time for recovery. Insufficient recovery decreases performance and increases the risk of injury and overtraining.

Traditionally, recovery has been supported by methods such as massage and cold therapy, but in recent years, interest in heat-based methods has grown. While Finns favor the traditional Finnish sauna, infrared saunas have gained popularity internationally. The temperature in the infrared sauna is lower, and heat is transferred by radiation rather than by hot air movement or steam condensation.

Infrared sauna accelerated recovery

In the study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä, male and female team-sport athletes used infrared sauna after exercise either once or throughout a six-week training period.

The results showed that infrared sauna exposure helped prevent decline in jump performance, reduced muscle soreness, and improved perceived recovery. When used regularly, infrared sauna enhanced loaded jump performance and maximum sprint speed over the first few meters more effectively than training alone.

Although infrared sauna initially increased physiological stress responses in female athletes, such as nocturnal heart rate and cortisol levels, these effects leveled out with regular use.

A promising method for busy match schedules

“Infrared sauna can be a feasible and safe way to promote recovery, especially during busy match schedules,” says Doctoral Researcher Essi Ahokas from the Faculty od Sports and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

The positive effects of short-term infrared sauna exposure on long-term performance development do not appear to stem from direct physiological changes in the muscles, but more likely from improved training quality.

“Infrared sauna helped athletes recover faster, allowing them to continue training more effectively,” Ahokas explains.

“Infrared sauna may offer team-sport athletes a promising new tool for recovery, maintaining performance, and potentially enhancing it.”

However, understanding of the effects of heat-based methods is still limited. For instance, the significance of longer and hotter sauna sessions after particularly demanding exercise should be studied more closely.