How Far Infrared Fights Viruses and How Your Can Feel Better
I started using the Relax Sauna over 3 years ago and I was guided by a higher power to buy one. While I am sharing below a lot of the science, because we want the science, but we also want to be aware of how we FEEL when we use it. If this part does not matter to you, please scroll down to get straight to the science.
https://youtu.be/kOi3_pOO1GQ?si=4TwXPunM9ssYFlZP
So, let’s talk about FEELINGS. Grounded is typically what I hear from others and I know that I feel completely connected to myself, the earth and source when I am doing a session. That grounded feeling stays with me for a good 12 hours. The cool thing is that you can get this feeling in as little as 5-7 minutes and for those people using the Relax Sauna as part of your Personal or Corporate Wellness Room. You don’t even have to disrobe. Which means you can get back to your agenda, work or play, quickly.
If you are worried like I was about sharing the sauna with others, yes, I did not want cooties. If you leave the Sauna running for 5 minutes, it will de-funk the cooties on its own, like a self-cleaning oven without the chemicals or nasty side effects.
Pets love the Relax Sauna too. Everyone benefits from having healthy cells. This picture is of my two parrots Faygela and Tinker Bell having some downtime and joy.
Next, I was heat sensitive when I bought my Sauna. Many of us are because of the toxic overload in our bodies. We are exposed to heat, the sun and the chemical reaction between the toxins stored in our cells and the sun make us feel agitated or uncomfortable. I remember there was a time I could not allow others to touch me, because it was too painful.
So, when I bought my Sauna for my home, I would strip down to my “birthday suit” and hop in for 3-5 minutes. That was the most and the best that I could do. Today, my average session runs from 20 to 30 minutes. For me it is my personal time between me and God. Now, for complete transparency, it was tough for me to stay in when I first got started. So, I distracted my brain by watching an educational podcast or listening to a book or music. I know you can find your way and your happy place like I did.
The Science
The research below is about Viruses. I encourage you to live your best life. To purchase a Relax Sauna, use the Code RevJodi for a discount when you are on the Relax Sauna website. https://relaxsaunas.com/?sca_ref=7139470.UlF5nhvfZ0
FIR targets viral RNA. Single-stranded RNA from viruses like flu and COVID-19 becomes unstable under FIR radiation, unlike near or mid infrared which rely only on heat.
Wavelength is key. Near infrared uses short wavelengths for more intense heat; far infrared uses long wavelengths for deeper, sustained warmth. FIR effects penetrate 1.5 to 2 inches into the body. This matters because Relax Saunas uses true far infrared energy in the biologically relevant 7–14 micron range.
FIR disrupts viruses two ways. FIR heat halts viral proliferation, particularly against enveloped viruses like SARS-CoV-2—both through direct RNA damage and thermal inactivation.
Virus inactivation. FIR achieved 90% viral inactivation over 3 hours in closed chambers. Relax Saunas’ silver-lined reflective resonant chamber maximizes FIR concentration and containment for optimal results. The design helps concentrate and circulate FIR, supporting the kind of sustained infrared environment associated with recovery, circulation, detoxification, and whole-body resilience.
Better than alternatives. FIR offers an alternative to UV and chemical disinfectants with therapeutic benefits—delivering antiviral action plus documented health gains like improved circulation and immune support.
Just in case you want more science…. I have your back… Well Relax Sauna has your back.
FIR-induced heat shock proteins directly suppress influenza viral replication at the molecular level.
Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), one of the primary proteins induced by the mild hyperthermia of FIR sauna exposure, binds directly to the PB1 and PB2 subunits of the influenza A ribonucleoprotein complex and blocks viral transcription and replication of all eight viral RNA segments. In vivo, Hsp70 overexpression reduced viral titers in mouse lungs and improved survival following influenza challenge. Citation: Li, G., et al. “Heat Shock Protein 70 Inhibits the Activity of Influenza A Virus Ribonucleoprotein and Blocks the Replication of Virus In Vitro and In Vivo.” PLOS ONE, vol. 6, no. 2, 2011, e16546. This is the single strongest mechanistic link between sauna-induced hyperthermia and antiviral activity in the literature.
FIR exposure modulates inflammatory cytokines in a pattern that favors antiviral immunity without immunosuppression.
FIR treatment has been shown to inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α while preserving acute inflammatory responsiveness, and to induce heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which downregulates TNF-α-mediated expression of the vascular adhesion molecules VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and E-selectin. This is the inflammatory-tone shift that distinguishes effective antiviral immunity (sharp, targeted, brief) from the cytokine-storm pattern that drives severe outcomes in influenza and COVID-19. Citations: Lin, C.-C., et al. “Far-Infrared Therapy: A Novel Treatment to Improve Access Blood Flow and Unassisted Patency of Arteriovenous Fistula in Hemodialysis Patients.” Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, vol. 18, no. 3, 2007, pp. 985–92. Chang, Y. “The Effect of Far Infrared Radiation Therapy on Inflammation Regulation in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Peritonitis in Mice.” SAGE Open Medicine, vol. 6, 2018.
Sauna-induced hyperthermia mobilizes the cellular components of antiviral immunity.
Regular sauna exposure has been documented to increase circulating white blood cells, lymphocytes, and neutrophils in both trained and untrained subjects, and a six-month prospective trial found 25% fewer common cold episodes in sauna users versus controls — with the protective effect emerging at the three-month mark, consistent with cumulative immune adaptation rather than acute response. Citation: Ernst, E., et al. “Regular Sauna Bathing and the Incidence of Common Colds.” Annals of Medicine, vol. 22, no. 4, 1990, pp. 225–27. A separate Austrian study (Pilch et al., 2013, Journal of Human Kinetics) confirmed sauna-induced increases in leukocyte and lymphocyte counts.
The mild core temperature elevation produced by FIR creates a less favorable replication environment for many respiratory viruses.
Most respiratory viruses, including rhinovirus and influenza, replicate more efficiently at temperatures slightly below core body temperature — which is part of why they preferentially infect the cooler upper airway. A 20–30 minute FIR session typically raises core temperature to approximately 38.5–39°C (101–102°F), mimicking the low-grade fever response that has been the body’s evolved antiviral strategy for hundreds of millions of years. Pharmacologic suppression of fever has been associated with worse outcomes in influenza infection, supporting the inverse: that controlled elevation of core temperature is functionally antiviral. Citation: Foxman, E. F., et al. “Temperature-Dependent Innate Defense against the Common Cold Virus Limits Viral Replication at Warm Temperature in Mouse Airway Cells.” PNAS, vol. 112, no. 3, 2015, pp. 827–32. Earn, D. J. D., et al. “Effects of Antipyretic Drug Use on Influenza Transmission.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B, vol. 281, no. 1778, 2014.
Sources:
- Huang, W. H., & Li, E. J. (2020). Instability of Nucleic Acids in Airborne Microorganisms under Far Infrared Radiation. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202002.0332.v1
- Karaböce, B., Saban, E., Aydın Böyük, A., Okan Durmuş, H., Hamid, R., & Baş, A. (2022). Inactivation of viruses on surfaces by infrared techniques. International journal of thermal sciences = Revue generale de thermique, 179, 107595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2022.107595
- Abiso-Padilla, J., & Faller, E. M. (2021). Combined therapy of far infrared radiation, heat and castor oil, an alternative remedy against COVID-19 infection: A perspective. GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 16(3), 001–012. https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2021.16.3.0257
Use Code: RevJodi to get a discount when you make your purchase on the Relax Sauna Website
