What the Science Really Says About Far Infrared, Near Infrared and Red Light Therapy

If you've been researching infrared saunas, you've almost certainly come across the term full spectrum. Many manufacturers promote it as though it is the ultimate feature, often suggesting that more wavelengths automatically mean more health benefits.

The reality is more nuanced than that.

At Innerlight Sauna, we believe our customers deserve clear, evidence based information rather than marketing buzzwords. After years of designing infrared saunas, reviewing scientific research and listening to thousands of customers, we've learned that every part of the infrared spectrum has a purpose. The key is understanding what each wavelength actually does and using each technology in the way it was intended.

Far infrared, near infrared and red light therapy are not competing technologies. They complement one another, but they work through completely different biological mechanisms. Understanding those differences will help you make a more informed decision and get the greatest benefit from your sauna.

Far Infrared Is the Foundation of Every Infrared Sauna

Far infrared is the heart of every quality infrared sauna. It produces the gentle, penetrating warmth that raises your core body temperature, stimulates circulation and encourages deep, comfortable sweating without the extremely high air temperatures associated with traditional saunas.

More importantly, far infrared is where the overwhelming majority of infrared sauna research has been conducted. Large clinical studies have associated regular sauna use with improvements in cardiovascular health, circulation, recovery, relaxation and overall wellbeing. Research continues to investigate additional benefits relating to mood, sleep quality, metabolic health and healthy ageing.

When people talk about the proven health benefits of infrared saunas, they are primarily talking about the effects of far infrared heat. Quite simply, far infrared does most of the heavy lifting inside an infrared sauna.

Understanding Near Infrared and Red Light Therapy

This is where much of the confusion begins.

Many people assume that because near infrared and red light are included under the term "full spectrum", they must work in exactly the same way as far infrared. They don't.

Far infrared is primarily a heating technology. Near infrared and red light therapy work through an entirely different process known as photobiomodulation. Rather than heating the body, specific wavelengths of light are absorbed by cells where they appear to stimulate cellular activity, support energy production within the mitochondria and promote natural repair processes.

Over the past two decades, photobiomodulation has become one of the fastest growing areas of medical research. Published studies have investigated its role in supporting collagen production, improving skin appearance, assisting wound healing, reducing inflammation, supporting muscle recovery and helping relieve temporary joint and muscle discomfort.

These are genuine and exciting areas of research, but they rely on one important factor that is often overlooked.

Why Distance Matters

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding red light therapy is that simply having red or near infrared light inside a sauna automatically delivers the same benefits demonstrated in clinical studies.

It doesn't.

Like any form of light, the amount of energy reaching your body decreases rapidly as the distance from the light source increases. This means treatment distance is just as important as wavelength.

Many published photobiomodulation studies position the light source within approximately 15 to 30 centimetres of the treatment area to deliver the therapeutic dose being investigated. As the distance increases, the amount of light reaching the skin falls significantly.

This doesn't mean red light therapy inside a sauna has no value. It simply means that the positioning of the light source plays an important role in how much light energy reaches the body.

Why We Include Full Spectrum Heaters

This is one of the questions we're asked most often.

If far infrared provides most of the heating and the majority of the established sauna benefits, why do we also include full spectrum heaters in our outdoor saunas?

The answer is simple.

Many customers specifically want a full spectrum sauna because they've read about it online, seen it advertised or been told it's an essential feature. We understand that expectation and we also recognise that full spectrum heaters contribute additional heating performance. That's why we include two 500 watt full spectrum heaters on the front glass of our outdoor saunas.

However, we also believe it's our responsibility to explain exactly what these heaters are designed to do.

Our full spectrum heaters absolutely emit near infrared wavelengths. They also increase the overall heating performance of the sauna, helping the cabin reach temperature more efficiently and maintaining a comfortable, even heat throughout your session.

What we don't believe is that customers should buy a sauna simply because it has the words "full spectrum" on the specification sheet.

The science is more complex than that.

Current photobiomodulation research consistently shows that treatment distance and delivered light dose are important factors. A heater permanently mounted to the front of a sauna cannot always position near infrared light close to every part of your body in the same way that a dedicated red light therapy device can.

We think it's important to be honest about that.

Our Philosophy

At Innerlight Sauna, we don't design products around marketing trends.

We design them around evidence.

If customers only wanted the sauna configuration that we believe delivers the greatest practical benefit, we would still build exceptional far infrared saunas because that's where the majority of established infrared sauna research exists.

However, many customers genuinely want full spectrum heaters, and they do provide additional heating performance inside the sauna. Rather than telling customers they don't need them, we've chosen to include them while also explaining exactly what they do and where their limitations begin.

We believe customers deserve both the features they value and the information they need to make an informed decision.

Why We Designed a Dedicated Red Light Therapy Panel

When we reviewed the published research into photobiomodulation, one conclusion became clear.

If you want to maximise the potential benefits of red light therapy, the light source needs to be positioned close to the area being treated.

That's why we chose not to rely solely on fixed wall mounted panels.

Instead, we developed a portable Red Light Therapy Panel that can be positioned beside your face, shoulder, back, knees or legs while you enjoy your sauna session.

Rather than asking one piece of equipment to perform two completely different jobs, we allow each technology to do what it does best.

Our far infrared and full spectrum heaters create a comfortable, evenly heated sauna environment.

Our dedicated Red Light Therapy Panel delivers targeted photobiomodulation where positioning and light dose can be optimised.

In our view, these technologies complement one another rather than compete.

The Best of Both Worlds

We believe the future of infrared wellness isn't about choosing between far infrared, near infrared or red light therapy.

It's about understanding that each serves a different purpose.

Far infrared provides the deep, penetrating heat that has made infrared saunas so popular around the world.

Full spectrum heaters contribute additional heating performance while providing the broad range of wavelengths many customers are looking for.

Dedicated red light therapy allows targeted photobiomodulation where the light can be positioned close to the body, consistent with the way this technology has been studied in published research.

When these technologies are used together, each performs the role it was designed to perform.

Our Commitment to Honest Information

The wellness industry is full of impressive sounding marketing claims, but we believe our customers deserve something more valuable than hype.

They deserve honesty.

Our goal has never been to claim that one technology replaces another or that a single feature is the answer to everything. Our goal is to design products that genuinely perform, explain the science as accurately as possible and help our customers understand why we've made the engineering decisions we have.

We'll continue to include features that customers value, including full spectrum heaters, but we'll also continue to explain exactly what those features do, where the scientific evidence is strongest and how to get the greatest benefit from every sauna session.

Because an informed customer will always make the best decision, and we believe trust is built through education, not exaggeration.