When it comes to optimising your recovery, sleep, and overall vitality, few modalities are as compelling as red light therapy and infrared sauna sessions. But when used together? The benefits don’t just add up - they multiply.
Both red light and infrared therapy are celebrated for their scientifically backed benefits. Used in tandem, they offer a holistic and deeply restorative experience that’s being embraced by athletes, health practitioners, and wellness seekers alike.
What’s the Difference Between Red Light and Infrared Therapy?
Infrared therapy, delivered through our Clearlight® Infrared Saunas, heats the body directly using far and full-spectrum infrared wavelengths. This promotes detoxification, improves circulation, supports cardiovascular health, and activates heat shock proteins - all without the discomfort of traditional high-heat saunas. (1)
Red light therapy, on the other hand, works at a cellular level. Using specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light (typically between 630–850nm), it enhances mitochondrial function, essentially helping your cells produce more energy. This has been linked to faster muscle recovery, reduced inflammation, improved skin tone, and enhanced sleep quality. (2)
"Infrared heaters work by raising the body’s core temperature, which triggers a range of beneficial effects. In contrast, red light therapy relies on light rather than heat to activate a different set of health benefits within the body."
Johannes, Clearlight® Sauna Expert
According to Dr Michael Hamblin, a leading researcher in photobiomodulation at Harvard Medical School, red and near-infrared light can improve tissue repair, reduce oxidative stress, and stimulate healing. (3)
Why Use Them Together?
Here’s where things get interesting: combining heat and light creates a compounded effect.
Accelerated Recovery
When used together, infrared heat opens up blood vessels and promotes circulation, while red light stimulates cell repair. (2,3) This pairing can help muscles recover faster, reduce joint pain, and decrease inflammation - perfect for anyone pushing themselves physically or navigating the stresses of modern life.
Skin and Collagen Support
Infrared heat promotes healthy circulation, while red light penetrates the dermis to stimulate collagen production and reduce oxidative stress. (4) The result? Improved skin tone, reduced signs of ageing, and an overall glow that reflects your internal wellbeing.
Deeper Cellular Regeneration
Infrared heat boosts circulation and detoxification, while red light stimulates ATP production at the cellular level, enhancing regeneration, repair, and overall cell function for lasting wellness benefits. (1,5)
Time-Efficient Wellness
Combining both therapies in a single session means you don’t need to carve out extra time in your day. It’s a smarter way to commit to self-care without sacrificing your schedule.
How to Combine Infrared Sauna and Red Light
For most users, red light therapy can be integrated directly into a sauna session by being used during, or immediately before or after heat exposure.
Using red light during or after heat exposure is commonly favoured for recovery and skin-focused goals, as improved blood flow may enhance tissue responsiveness.
Alternatively, brief red light exposure before sauna use can serve as a preparatory phase, gently stimulating circulation and priming tissues prior to heat stress.
A common approach includes:
• 30 minute infrared sauna session to raise core temperature, promote vasodilation, and support systemic circulation
• A short cooling period to allow heart rate and skin temperature to stabilise
• 10 minutes of red light therapy post-sauna for targeted cellular support, where increased circulation may assist nutrient and oxygen delivery to tissues
For infrared saunas, start at lower temperatures and shorter sessions, then gradually increase as your body adapts. Hydration is essential; sweating without adequate water limits benefits.
Red light therapy, meanwhile, works best naked and at a close distance to the panels, ensuring optimal absorption without overdoing exposure.
Consistency matters more than intensity. Regular sessions 3–5 times per week may yield more noticeable benefits over time.
The Seamless Clearlight® Solution
True performance and longevity aren’t built on isolated interventions. They’re built on intelligent layering.
By combining infrared heat and clinically studied red light wavelengths, you create a recovery environment that supports circulation, mitochondrial efficiency, collagen integrity, and nervous system balance, all within a single, structured ritual.
For those serious about optimising recovery, resilience, and long-term vitality, the integration simply makes sense.
Whether you’re chasing longevity, better sleep, skin health or simply a few minutes of calm, this combined therapy session offers it all.
References
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Patrick, R., Johnson, T. (2021), “Sauna use as a lifestyle practice to extend healthspan” PubMed
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Dompe, C. et al. (2020), “Photobiomodulation—Underlying Mechanism and Clinical Applications” PubMed
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Hamblin, M. (2017), “Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation” PubMed
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Hernandez-Bule, M. et al. (2024), “Unlocking the Power of Light on the Skin: A Comprehensive Review on Photobiomodulation” PubMed
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Rohinger, S. et al. (2017), “The impact of wavelengths of LED light-therapy on endothelial cells” PubMed
