Recovery is worth studying.
Infrared sauna research offers intriguing signals. Here is what the athlete studies actually measured—and where the evidence is still developing.
Training gets the attention. The time between sessions deserves some too. Researchers have explored whether infrared sauna after exercise changes soreness, perceived recovery, or next-day performance. The results are interesting, but they are not a guarantee.
A promising signal after strength work.
16 basketball players. Two recovery conditions.
A 2023 randomized crossover study compared 20 minutes of infrared sauna at approximately 43°C with passive recovery after resistance exercise. Sixteen male basketball players took part. Around 14 hours later, the sauna condition showed a smaller drop in jump performance, less reported soreness, and better perceived recovery. Night-time heart rate and heart-rate variability did not differ.
One small, short-term study in trained men. It did not test Renew or establish benefits for every athlete. The study protocol is not a recommended routine. Read the study ↗Recovery is not always a straight line.
Looking beyond a single session
A 2025 study followed 40 female team-sport athletes over six weeks. Athletes were matched into infrared-sauna and control groups; the sauna protocol used 10 minutes at 50°C after jumping exercise. An initial increase in cortisol and heart-rate measures suggested added physiological stress. Those responses adapted over the study period.
This is not proof that sauna always lowers stress or speeds recovery. Responses can change with repeated exposure. Read the study ↗Make room for the whole routine.
Recovery is bigger than any one product. Adequate sleep, appropriate training load, nutrition, and hydration remain part of the picture. A sauna can give your routine a dedicated place to slow down, without needing to promise a personal best tomorrow.
We distinguish a feeling from a finding. You may enjoy the warmth and quiet. A claim about faster recovery requires controlled evidence in the relevant people, using the relevant product and protocol.
These studies did not test Renew. Results from small groups do not establish an individual outcome. Follow the sauna manual and seek qualified medical advice when health conditions or medicines may affect heat tolerance.
