Longevity vs. recovery

Which sauna is best ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

THE BEST SAUNA FOR LONGEVITY VS. RECOVERY Hey , welcome to Protocols, where we share weekly protocols for longevity, cognition and cellular health. Our goal is to give you weekly upgrades that can help you live 1% better and 1% longer, read in 4 minutes or less. This week: Longevity vs. recovery Let's get into it… Fun fact: Not all saunas work the same way. • One type is better for detox, muscle recovery, and joint health. • The other is better for longevity, cardiovascular health, and cognitive performance. This matters because: If you're following a protocol for cardiovascular health... but using an infrared sauna that only reaches 140°F... you're not going to get the results you're hoping for. So let's clear this up right now. THE CORE DIFFERENCE Traditional saunas use an electric or wood-fired heater to heat the ambient air in the room. That hot air, in turn, heats your body from the outside in. Infrared saunas, on the other hand, use lamps that emit light waves in the infrared spectrum. These waves penetrate your skin and heat your body directly at a cellular level, without significantly heating the air around you.   I had our team create a little diagram to visualize the difference:   This isn't just a comfort preference. It's a fundamental difference in mechanism, and it determines which biological responses you trigger. WHEN TRADITIONAL HEAT IS BETTER 1. Longevity and Heart Health The traditional sauna is hotter than the infrared sauna, which triggers creates cardiovascular adaptation. You're not meant to sit comfortably for 45 minutes reading a book. You're meant to feel the stress, the elevated heart rate, and the challenge of staying in the heat. Dr. Peter Attia and Dr. Andrew Huberman both recommend traditional saunas specifically because of this cardiovascular effect. 2. Cognitive Enhancement and Neuroplasticity Higher temperatures create more stress, which triggers greater BDNF release (the protein that grows new neurons and strengthens connections in your brain). This is a protective adaptation: your brain senses the stress and triggers mechanisms to protect and strengthen neurons. If you want maximum cognitive benefits, you need high heat (+174°F). The kind that makes you uncomfortable. PMID: 32365000 3. Maximum Heat Shock Protein Activation Heat stress is the most potent known activator of Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs), a.k.a. your body's internal repair crew. HSPs work to reverse the aging that happens in your cells due to oxidative stress. The hotter the sauna, the more robust the HSP response. PMID: 20021225 THE TRADE-OFF Traditional heat is intense, and not everyone tolerates high heat well at first. But if you want to train your heart, extend your lifespan, and build systemic resilience, the traditional sauna is your primary tool. WHEN INFRARED IS BETTER 1. Athletic Recovery and Muscle Repair The primary benefit of infrared is that the waves pass through the skin and heat the underlying muscle and tissue directly. This delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the area while helping clear metabolic waste products like lactate. A 2023 study published in Biology of Sport tracked male basketball players after intense training. Infrared therapy was found to produce: • Significant reduction in muscle soreness 14 hours later • Improved explosive performance (measured by jump tests) • Faster return to training readiness PMID: 37398966 2. Detoxification and Heavy Metal Clearance Again, since infrared penetrates deeper into the skin, it can penetrate the fat cells where toxins are stored. Infrared heats the site where toxins are stored (not just the surface), which is why it's preferred for detox protocols. The gentler infrared heat also allows for longer sessions (30-45 minutes), which support a more thorough detox compared to traditional saunas. 3. Chronic Pain and Inflammation Because infrared penetrates deeper into the skin, the heat targets sore joints and tight muscles directly. This direct heating increases circulation right where you need it, reducing stiffness and helping flush out inflammatory compounds. Many users report noticeable decreases in pain levels after just a few sessions, with cumulative benefits over time. THE TRADE-OFF You won't get the same cardiovascular training effect as traditional saunas. Your heart rate might increase to 90-110 bpm, but you're not hitting the 100-150 bpm range that creates robust cardiovascular adaptation. However, the lower ambient temperature (120-140°F) makes infrared saunas much more tolerable for longer periods. You can comfortably sit, stretch, read, or meditate for 30-45 minutes without feeling like you're going to pass out. Tough Choice? We Get It. Both traditional and infrared saunas provide tremendous benefits critical to health, happiness, and longevity. Traditional gives you the cardiovascular training and Heat Shock Protein activation that drives the longevity data. Infrared gives you deep tissue recovery, detox, and pain relief. That's why we developed the Combination Sauna. Our combination sauna lets you switch between traditional mode (for cardiovascular stress and HSP activation) and infrared mode (for deep tissue recovery and detox)… or use both simultaneously for a complete sauna experience. You can run Peter Attia's traditional protocol on Monday and Ben Greenfield's infrared recovery on Tuesday, without having to own multiple saunas.  Discover the combination sauna. Either way, we hope this helps you match your sauna protocol to your goals. Happy Monday, — Warren, Owner of Heavenly Heat P.S. One cool thing about Heavenly Heat is that some of our Infrared Saunas can go up to 185°F, much higher than standard infrared saunas (typically 150°F max). This allows you to get most of the longevity / brain health / cardiovascular benefits of the traditional sauna… but combined with the deep detoxing benefits of infrared. (174°F is the approximate temperature needed to unlock the longevity benefits of traditional saunas). PMID: 25705824 Check out our Infrared Saunas. Questions? Contact Us Here No longer want to receive these emails? Unsubscribe. Heavenly Heat Saunas 900 Commonwealth Place PMB 2067 Virginia Beach, VA 23464