Sauna for depression and anxiety: what we know

Lots of people say they leave the sauna calmer than they went in. Researchers have taken that seriously enough to test heat as a treatment for depression. The early results are interesting, the later ones less clear, and none of it is a reason to stop treatment that's working for you.

The 2016 heat trial

The study most often quoted was published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2016 by a team at the University of Arizona. They wanted to know whether heat itself has an antidepressant effect, or whether earlier positive results were down to people expecting to feel better.

The setup was careful:

• Adults aged 18 to 65 with major depression, who were not taking antidepressants.
• Each person had a single session. Half got whole-body hyperthermia in a medical heating device, which raised their core temperature. The other half got a sham session that looked and lasted the same but without the intense heat.
• The people who rated their depression afterwards didn't know who had had which.

Over the six weeks that followed, the heated group scored lower on a standard depression scale than the sham group. The gap was about 6.5 points after one week and about 4.3 points after six weeks. For a single session, that's a notable result.

But it was small. 338 people were screened, 34 were randomised and 29 were included in the final analysis. One small trial is a reason for more research, not a new treatment.

What has happened since

Some of the same researchers have kept going, and the newer results are mixed:

• Heat plus talking therapy. In a study published in 2024, 16 adults with depression had weekly cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) plus heat sessions in an infrared sauna dome. Of the 12 who came to the final assessment, 11 no longer met the criteria for depression. But there was no comparison group, so we can't tell how much was the heat.
• A trial with a comparison. A randomised trial published in 2025 included 30 people. Everyone had CBT, and half also had heat sessions while the other half had a sham version. Both groups improved a lot, and the sham group did at least as well. The researchers think the sham may not have been convincing enough, or may have had effects of its own.
• How it might work. Blood tests from the 2016 trial showed that heat briefly raised interleukin-6, an immune signalling molecule, and people with bigger rises tended to improve more. It's an early lead, not an answer.

A hospital heat session is not a sauna

The trials aimed to raise core body temperature to around 38.5 °C (101.3 °F), which is like a mild fever. In a 2021 feasibility study using a commercial infrared sauna dome, it took people an average of 82 minutes in the heat to get there, with their temperature monitored throughout.

A normal sauna round is different. In a 1989 Finnish lab study, young men sitting at 80 °C (176 °F) until they felt uncomfortable raised their oral temperature by about 1 °C. Don't try to reproduce a research protocol on your own by staying in a sauna for longer. That's how people overheat.

What about an ordinary sauna?

There are no proper trials of regular sauna use as a treatment for depression or anxiety. What we have is weaker evidence:

• Surveys. In the Global Sauna Survey, published in 2019, 482 regular sauna users named relaxation and stress reduction among their main reasons for going. Respondents who reported mental health problems were among those who said the sauna helped them most. People who answer a survey about saunas tend to like saunas, so treat this as a description of experience, not proof.
• The Finnish long-term studies. A 2018 analysis of 2,138 men from the Kuopio study found that those who used a sauna 4–7 times a week had less than a quarter of the risk of developing a psychotic disorder over 25 years, compared with once a week. That's psychosis, not depression, and it's an observational link.

Anxiety and stress

There's even less research on anxiety than on depression. One small sign is the stress hormone cortisol. In a 2021 study, 30 young men did four 12-minute rounds at 90–91 °C (194–196 °F) with cold dips in between, and their cortisol fell by about 29%. In a 1986 Finnish study, cortisol was also lower after a week of twice-daily sauna sessions. Lower cortisol isn't the same as less anxiety, but it fits with how relaxed many people feel.

There's also the plain fact that a sauna is a warm, quiet room with no phone. Plenty of people find that helps on its own. Be aware that your heart beats fast in the heat. That's normal, but if a racing heart tends to set off your anxiety, start with short rounds on the lower bench.

Not a replacement for treatment

Depression is a medical condition, and there are treatments that work: talking therapies, medicines, or both. A sauna can sit alongside them. It shouldn't replace them.

• Don't stop or cut down antidepressants without talking to your doctor.
• Some medicines affect how you sweat or cope with heat. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure about yours.
• If you're having thoughts of harming yourself, contact your doctor, a local crisis line or emergency services now.

Using the sauna to unwind

• Pick a quiet time, or a venue with a no-talking rule.
• Keep rounds to 10–15 minutes and rest in between. Our guide to how long to stay in a sauna has the details.
• Try a cool shower or, if you're healthy, a cold plunge. Many people find the lift in mood afterwards is what they like most. See cold plunge benefits.
• Go in the evening if it helps you sleep. Our sauna and sleep guide explains timing.
• Skip alcohol. It doesn't mix with heat.

For the wider research on heat and health, see sauna benefits.

Who should be careful

Ask your doctor first if you have a heart condition, low or unstable blood pressure, are pregnant, or take medicines that affect blood pressure, sweating or alertness. Don't use a sauna after drinking alcohol or taking sedatives, and don't go alone if you're feeling very low or unsteady. Leave if you feel dizzy, sick or confused.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.

Where to find a quiet sauna

Small private saunas and ritual sessions are often calmer than big spas. A few to start with:

Latvian Sauna Ritual

Riga · Sauna ritual

Heldeke!

Tallinn · Private sauna

Lainesauna

Oulu · Floating sauna

Frequently asked questions