Your Sun Stream infrared sauna is a dedicated wellness tool, a sanctuary designed to support recovery, reduce stress, and promote long-term health. Like any tool, how you use it will influence your results.
Far infrared (FIR) technology works by warming your body directly rather than simply heating the surrounding air, so the fundamentals matter more than some people expect. How you position yourself, manage perspiration, and calm your mind all influence your infrared sauna experience.
Learn the essential practices of a safe and effective infrared sauna session below, and make the most of your time inside.
Best practices during your infrared sauna session
Hydrate steadily
While you should have hydrated well before your session, you should also bring water into the cabin with you. Sipping steadily throughout your session, as opposed to gulping large volumes before and after, keeps your body hydrated at the rate it’s losing fluid through sweat. Room temperature water works well, and an electrolyte drink is often preferable for longer sessions, since sweating depletes minerals alongside fluids.
Leave your devices outside
This isn’t just about protecting your device—infrared saunas typically operate within an acceptable temperature range for today’s devices, but proximity to one of the infrared heating panels can damage your phone. Rather, it’s about giving your nervous system a break.
Scrolling, checking notifications, and staying mentally switched on keep cortisol elevated, which works directly against the parasympathetic shift (the “rest and digest” state) that far infrared therapy is designed to promote.
Research consistently shows that even brief mindfulness-based practices, including simply being present without digital input, meaningfully reduce stress markers. Make your infrared sauna session a designated digital detox space and experience the full benefit.
How to sit in your infrared sauna
Posture inside the cabin is more consequential than it might seem. Sitting upright, with your back making contact with the backrest, positions your spine and the back of your lungs directly in front of the rear FIR heaters, the areas that tend to carry the most chronic tension and benefit most from deep, penetrating warmth. Slouching or leaning to one side reduces that targeted exposure.
For even coverage across the whole body, consider shifting slightly or rotating your position partway through the session. This allows the front and sides of your torso to receive infrared light, rather than concentrating all the benefit on your back.
Leg placement is also worth thinking about. Keeping your feet flat on the floor encourages healthy circulation. If your sauna includes a footrest or small bench, elevating your feet slightly can further support venous return — particularly useful during longer sessions.
Towels are necessary for both hygiene and comfort
A simple but often overlooked part of the sauna experience is how you use your towels. You should be using more than one: for your seat, under your feet, and to wipe yourself down as you sweat.
Place a large towel over the bench and floor before you sit down. This protects the timber from sweat and body oils, preserving both the hygiene and the longevity of the cabin.
The more important habit, however, is the wipe-down. Keep a small hand towel within reach and use it regularly throughout your session to wipe sweat from your skin. This serves two purposes: it prevents sweat from sitting on the skin and being reabsorbed, and it keeps the pores clear for more efficient, continuous perspiration. It’s a small action that meaningfully supports the detoxification process your body is already working through.
If the heat feels particularly direct early in the session, especially if you are new to infrared sauna therapy, draping a light towel over your lap or shoulders can take the edge off while your body acclimates. You don’t need to push through discomfort, especially as a beginner.
Duration and timing of your infrared sauna sessions
For your first few sessions, aim for 15 to 20 minutes at around 45°C to 50°C. This is enough time to experience the therapeutic warmth without overwhelming a body that hasn’t yet built up heat tolerance. It’s also long enough to begin seeing the cardiovascular and circulatory benefits associated with regular far-infrared sauna use.
As your body becomes more accustomed to the heat over several weeks, you can gradually extend sessions toward 30 to 45 minutes. There’s no prize for pushing to the maximum duration straight away; consistency over time is what produces cumulative results, as emerging clinical research into far-infrared therapy continues to confirm.
One practical tip worth adopting from the start is to sit inside the cabin as it pre-heats rather than waiting for it to reach full temperature before entering. This gradual warm-up allows your body to adjust alongside the rising heat, which is far more comfortable than stepping into an already-hot environment.
Listen to your body and know when to step out
This is the most important section in this guide, particularly for beginners. No wellness practice is worth pushing through genuine warning signs, and your body will communicate clearly when it’s had enough.
End your session promptly if you notice any of the following:
- Lightheadedness or dizziness — a signal that blood pressure may be dropping or that you need fluids.
- A sudden racing heartbeat — your cardiovascular system flagging that it’s under more strain than is comfortable.
- Nausea or a sense of claustrophobia — both valid reasons to step out without hesitation.
- A cessation of sweating — counterintuitively, if you stop sweating mid-session, that’s a sign of overheating or dehydration, not adaptation. Exit the cabin immediately.
If the heat builds to a point that feels uncomfortable but you’re not experiencing any of the above, remember that you can crack the glass door slightly to allow fresh air in. You’ll retain the infrared benefits while giving your body a brief reset. Use this option freely — it’s there for exactly this purpose.
Enhance your infrared sauna routine with a few optional extras
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, there are a few additions worth exploring.
Gentle mobility work
Slow neck rolls, wrist circles, or shoulder openers pair naturally with the deep tissue warmth and can support muscle recovery without any real effort.
Breathwork and mindfulness
A simple breathwork pattern is highly effective: inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four. This box breathing technique has measurable effects on parasympathetic nervous system activation and helps maintain focus and calm throughout the session.
Take advantage of Sun Stream sauna features
Sun Stream sauna models include both aromatherapy and chromatherapy functionality. Try some drops of your favourite essential oil and 10mls of water in the aromatherapy glass you can hang from the wall heater guard. For your LED chromotherapy lighting, experiment with the colour settings to complement your intention for the session. Blue light supports a sense of calm and mental clarity; red light is associated with skin health and has clinical interest for its regenerative properties. Toggle between them and notice what resonates.
For infrared sauna therapy, presence is the best practice
The “during” phase of your infrared sauna routine is fundamentally about two things: being present and listening to your body. Hydrate steadily, sit with intention, manage your sweat, and respect the signals your body sends. That’s the foundation of a session done well.