We often hear about the detox, cardiovascular, or muscle-recovery benefits of infrared sauna therapy — but what about its impact on hormones? As it turns out, regular infrared sauna sessions may help promote healthier hormone balance, which can affect everything from your energy and metabolism to your mood and sleep patterns.
Whether you're managing stress, working on weight loss, or looking for natural support during menopause or andropause, understanding how infrared saunas influence hormonal health can add a powerful layer to your wellness routine.
Let’s dive into what actually happens to your hormones when you step into an infrared sauna — and why that’s a good thing.
The Hormonal Environment: A Quick Refresher
Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They’re produced by glands in your endocrine system and regulate essential processes like:
- Metabolism
- Mood
- Reproductive health
- Stress response
- Sleep cycles
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Appetite and digestion
When your hormones are balanced, your body works smoothly, but when they’re out of sync — fatigue, irritability, weight gain, brain fog, and sleepless nights. That’s where sauna therapy comes in as a natural tool to support balance — particularly when it comes to stress, inflammation, sleep, and detoxification.
1. Cortisol: The Stress Hormone
Let’s start with the most talked-about hormone of modern life: cortisol. This hormone is released by the adrenal glands when your body perceives stress, whether it’s from traffic, deadlines, or a demanding workout.
A little cortisol is good — it helps you wake up and respond to challenges. But chronically elevated cortisol? That’s a recipe for disrupted sleep, anxiety, inflammation, stubborn belly fat, and even hormone suppression.
How Infrared Saunas Help Lower Cortisol
- A 2018 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that sauna bathing can significantly lower cortisol levels and improve markers of relaxation.
- The warmth of infrared heat stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system — your "rest and digest" state — helping reduce stress responses and promote a calm, centered mood.
With regular sessions, infrared saunas can help train your body to regulate cortisol more effectively, which helps bring other hormones into better alignment.
2. Endorphins & Serotonin: The Feel-Good Crew
When you sit in a sauna, that peaceful, euphoric feeling you get? That’s thanks to a boost in endorphins and serotonin, your body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
Infrared Sauna Effects on Mood-Regulating Hormones
- Endorphins act like natural opioids, helping to reduce pain perception and improve mood.
- Serotonin, often called the “happy hormone,” helps regulate mood, appetite, and sleep.
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Exposure to heat has been shown to increase beta-endorphin production, leading to enhanced well-being.
This natural hormonal shift is especially valuable for those managing anxiety, depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — conditions linked to low serotonin and dopamine activity.
3. Human Growth Hormone (HGH): Repair & Recovery
Human growth hormone plays a big role in cell regeneration, fat metabolism, and muscle repair. It’s naturally produced in the pituitary gland and spikes during deep sleep and recovery phases.
Can Infrared Saunas Boost HGH?
- Research suggests that repeated thermal stress, such as that from regular sauna use, can stimulate growth hormone secretion.
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A study in Finland found that two 20-minute sauna sessions (at 176°F with a 30-minute rest) increased HGH levels by 142%. While infrared saunas operate at a lower temperature, the longer duration and deeper tissue penetration can still contribute to a mild HGH response.
That means better recovery, increased lean muscle preservation, and improved skin cell regeneration over time.
4. Thyroid Hormones: Regulating Metabolism
Your thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) control how fast your body converts food into energy. When your thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism), symptoms can include fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, and cold intolerance. Overactivity (hyperthyroidism) can lead to anxiety, heart palpitations, and overheating.
While infrared saunas don’t replace medical treatment, they support the body’s natural thyroid function by:
- Increasing circulation and delivering nutrients and oxygen to the thyroid gland.
- Reducing inflammation, which can play a role in autoimmune thyroid issues like Hashimoto’s.
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Aiding in detoxification, which helps eliminate toxins (like fluoride and heavy metals) that can interfere with thyroid function.
Regular infrared sauna use may help support thyroid efficiency and metabolic balance, especially when combined with a healthy lifestyle.
5. Estrogen & Progesterone: Menstrual and Menopausal Health
For women, hormones like estrogen and progesterone fluctuate throughout the month — and drop significantly during perimenopause and menopause. This shift can lead to symptoms like hot flashes, sleep issues, mood swings, and weight gain.
How Infrared Sauna Therapy May Help
- Heat exposure improves circulation and reduces inflammatory cytokines, which may ease menstrual cramping and breast tenderness.
- Many women report fewer hot flashes and better sleep with consistent sauna use, possibly due to its nervous system-balancing effects and improved temperature regulation.
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The detoxification benefits can help eliminate excess estrogen, a common issue in hormonal imbalance and estrogen dominance.
While sauna therapy isn’t a replacement for hormone therapy, it can be an incredibly helpful adjunctive tool for managing symptoms naturally.
6. Testosterone & Libido Support
For men, testosterone levels naturally decline with age, which can affect energy, mood, libido, and muscle mass.
Infrared Saunas & Testosterone
- While extreme heat exposure (like in traditional saunas) has been shown to temporarily lower testosterone due to testicular heat sensitivity, infrared saunas operate at much lower, safer temperatures.
- FIR heat supports vascular health, detoxification, and stress reduction — all key components of healthy testosterone production.
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Infrared sauna therapy can help optimize hormonal conditions for better testosterone balance by improving sleep, reducing cortisol, and aiding in recovery.
7. Melatonin: Better Sleep Through Body Heat Regulation
Melatonin is your sleep hormone, responsible for regulating your circadian rhythm. It’s produced in darkness and signals your body when it’s time to rest.
Infrared Saunas & Melatonin
- Infrared saunas can trigger melatonin production and improve sleep onset by raising core temperature during a session and allowing it to fall naturally afterward.
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Improved sleep supports overall hormonal balance, as many hormones — like growth hormone, cortisol, and insulin — are regulated during deep sleep cycles.
Infrared Sauna Therapy as a Hormone Ally
Infrared sauna sessions create a gentle, full-body experience that encourages the endocrine system to operate more efficiently. Whether you're managing stress, recovering from exercise, or addressing long-term hormone imbalance, consistent sauna use offers a natural path to support healthy hormone regulation.
Key Hormonal Benefits of Infrared Sauna Therapy:
- Reduces cortisol to combat stress-related imbalance
- Stimulates endorphins and serotonin to enhance mood and well-being
- May boost HGH for recovery and anti-aging benefits
- Supports thyroid function and metabolism
- Helps regulate female hormone symptoms
- Encourages better sleep and melatonin production
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Aids in natural testosterone balance through recovery and stress relief
Your body wants to stay in balance — and with the help of Rocky Mountain Saunas, you can give it the right environment to do just that. Explore our full range of premium far infrared saunas at Rocky Mountain Saunas and experience the difference consistent sauna therapy can make for your hormonal health and total well-being.
