Benefits of a Sauna Blanket: My Experience After Testing One for Months

If you're into biohacking like I am, you're probably aware that heat therapy is very therapeutic. One of the best ways you can take advantage of heat therapy is with a far infrared sauna. It has a lot of benefits and has been well studied for years. Unfortunately, not everyone has the space or budget to purchase a large, traditional sauna. I started looking into this more, and quickly discovered how pricey saunas can be! There is a relatively inexpensive option though that I want to share with you: a sauna blanket. A far infrared sauna blanket allows you to experience all of the benefits of infrared sauna without the need for a lot of extra space.

A far infrared blanket allows you to receive all of the same amazing benefits of traditional sauna without the expense or space. They're easy to use, easy to clean and whenever you are feeling sluggish and need an energy boost, a far infrared sauna blanket will help revitalize you by increasing heart rate and blood flow while giving you a good, detoxifying sweat. I tested a sauna blanket from Sun Home Saunas for several months. They've been featured on a lot of media outlets and I wanted to find out what the hype was about.

Update: I have since upgraded to a Sunlighten full-spectrum infrared sauna, which I now use several times a week as part of my longevity routine. Hear more about Sunlighten in my interview with Connie Zack. I still think a sauna blanket is an excellent entry point if you are not ready for a full sauna, and the benefits of far infrared are the same regardless of the delivery method. If you want to understand the differences, I cover that in my infrared sauna benefits guide.

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Discounts on Sauna Blankets and Traditional Saunas

Before I jump into the information about the blanket, I'd like to start by sharing some benefits of far infrared so you can know what to expect. However, if you already know you want one of these, I was able to get a great discount for you! Use HNG at checkout to save. Or, if you've decided you want a traditional sauna instead of a blanket, you are also eligible for a secret discount on those by calling Sun Home Saunas and mentioning your friend over here at Heal Nourish Grow.

Benefits of a Sauna Blanket

The deep penetration far infrared rays offer has a number of benefits. Benefits of a sauna blanket include improved blood circulation and complexion, detoxification through sweat, cardiovascular support, pain and stress relief, and a boost to immunity. It is even used in cancer treatment in countries like Switzerland, Italy and France since there is a belief that malignant cells don't survive high temperatures. Here's how some of these benefits are accomplished:

• Increased blood flow
• Increased heart rate and cardiac output
• Sweat
• Tissue warming helps blood vessels
• Promotes lymphatic cleansing
• Helps with elimination of fats
• Relaxation of muscles through heat helps with aches and pains
• Helps increase white blood cells and t-cells which help immune function, according to Dr. Dauwes
• A physiological response equivalent to medium or high intensity exercise (according to the Mayo Clinic), which may substantiate weight loss claims

For a deeper dive into the research behind these benefits, including what the Finnish cardiovascular studies found about regular sauna use, check out my full infrared sauna benefits guide. I also had a great conversation about infrared sauna therapy with Connie Zack from Sunlighten on the podcast, where we covered cardiovascular benefits, skin health, weight loss and the importance of quality when choosing a sauna.

My Experience with a Far Infrared Sauna Blanket

I used my blanket from Sun Home Saunas for several months before upgrading to my Sunlighten. The benefits I noticed:

• Deep relaxation
• A good sweat, equivalent to some hot yoga classes
• Softer skin
• Better sleep (there is good evidence that raising your body temperature a couple of hours before bed is a good practice, as body temperature comes down, it helps your body relax and signals bed time). I track my sleep with both Oura Ring and Whoop and can see the difference in my sleep scores on days I sauna.
• Self care through taking time to relax. I listen to podcasts during my sauna session.
• Less arthritis pain

Comments on the experience and setup

• Super easy set up, just take it out of the bag and lay it flat. It starts warming immediately once plugged in and temp is set. The setup time is less than a minute.
• It's easy to clean. I usually undo the velcro, wipe up any excess sweat and then use a Clorox wipe to sanitize. I let it lay flat to dry while I shower. You want to rinse off sweat and any released toxins as soon as possible.
• It takes under a minute to fold it back up and put it in the carry bag. Thankfully, the bag is large enough that you don't have to be extremely precise to get it back in…a real blessing if you've ever had other items with a case. Sometimes it's like trying to get toothpaste back in the tube!

How to Use a Sauna Blanket (Temperature, Time and Tips)

If you have never used a sauna blanket before, here is what I wish someone had told me when I started. It is simpler than you think, but a few practical details make a big difference in how much you get out of each session.

Start at a lower temperature and work your way up. Most sauna blankets go up to about 150 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. For your first few sessions, set it to around 120 to 130 and see how your body responds. I eventually settled into 140 to 150 for most of my sessions, which produced a solid sweat without feeling overwhelming.

Aim for 30 to 45 minutes per session. Shorter is fine when you are starting out. I usually did about 35 minutes and would listen to a podcast episode the entire time. That made it feel like self care rather than a chore. Some people like to do it before bed since the drop in body temperature afterward can help signal your body that it is time to sleep. I noticed this effect myself and wrote about it more in my guide to increasing deep sleep.

Wear lightweight clothing or just underwear. You will sweat a lot. Lay a towel down inside the blanket to absorb moisture and make cleanup easier. Hydrate well before and after every session, and rinse off as soon as you are done to wash away any toxins released through sweat. I keep a big glass of water with electrolytes next to me during every session.

Use it 3 to 4 times per week for best results. The research on infrared sauna benefits consistently shows that more frequent use produces better outcomes, especially for cardiovascular health and recovery. A sauna blanket is one of the easiest ways to stay consistent because there is almost no setup time and you can use it in your living room while watching TV or listening to a podcast.

Sauna Blanket vs Full-Size Infrared Sauna

After using my Sun Home sauna blanket for several months, I eventually upgraded to a Sunlighten full-spectrum infrared sauna. Both deliver real far infrared benefits, but there are meaningful differences worth understanding if you are deciding between the two.

A sauna blanket is significantly more affordable (usually $200 to $500 compared to $3,000 to $8,000 for a full cabin sauna), takes up almost no space, and stores in a closet when you are done. It is the best entry point if you want to try infrared therapy without a big commitment. The downside is that only your body from the neck down is heated, you cannot sit upright and move around, and most blankets only offer far infrared rather than full-spectrum.

A full-size infrared sauna like my Sunlighten gives you the full spectrum (near, mid and far infrared), heats your entire body including face and head, and the experience is simply more enjoyable for longer sessions. I talked about why the spectrum matters and what to look for in sauna quality with Connie Zack from Sunlighten on the podcast. If you want to understand the full range of health benefits, my infrared sauna benefits guide covers the research behind both approaches.

My honest recommendation: if you are just getting started with heat therapy and want to see if it works for you, a sauna blanket is a great way to try it at low cost. If you already know you love sauna and want the most therapeutic benefit, invest in a full-spectrum infrared sauna. Either way, you are getting real far infrared benefits.

Benefits of a Sauna Blanket from Sun Home Saunas

As a biohacker, one of the greatest concerns for me in deciding on a sauna blanket was the electromagnetic field rating (EMF). Why you should avoid EMF is a discussion for another day (until then, go here), but suffice it to say EMF has the potential to damage DNA and cells. If you're trying to do something that's good for you, the last thing you want to do is bombard your body with negative energy at the same time. Sun Home Saunas tests their blankets to be very low EMF which is the only reason I agreed to work with them, the report is available on request if you contact them. They comply with the RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU and the Commission Delegated Directive (EU). EMF is one of the reasons I ultimately upgraded to Sunlighten, which has some of the lowest EMF ratings in the industry and was a factor in my choosing them for my permanent sauna.

What Is Far Infrared?

The light from the sun is so important and has many benefits to our health! There has been a lot of discussion lately in the biohacking and keto communities about the benefits of getting sun on a daily basis. Far infrared light is a portion of the sun's energy that is an invisible part of the light spectrum. Infra means ‘below' in latin, which in this case, indicates that far infrared has even longer wavelengths and lower frequency than red light, which is the lowest frequency visible light. Unlike sun exposure, far infrared rays do not damage your skin. These light waves can penetrate deep into the surface of your skin reaching ligaments, tendons and muscles.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you decide to try a sauna blanket, I'd love to hear what you think. I just used my sauna early today while listening to my favorite podcast. Speaking of podcasts, did you know I have one of the best health and wellness podcasts that you can listen to for free? Be sure to subscribe and learn more ways you can biohack your health.