# Can a sauna help depression or low mood?

Source: https://saunabenefits.uk/benefits/mood-and-depression/
Author: Kit Ellery · Updated 2026-11-04

**Short answer:** Possibly a little, but it isn't proven. In one small randomised trial, a single session of medical whole-body heating eased depression for six weeks compared with a sham treatment. That wasn't a sauna, and no sauna trial has tested it. Surveys show most regular users go for relaxation and stress relief.

**Evidence grade:** Weak evidence. Small or short studies, surveys, or results that are mixed.

## What did the depression trial find?

In 2016, researchers in Arizona tested whole-body hyperthermia in 30 adults with major depression who were not taking antidepressants. Half had one session in a medical device that heated them with infrared lamps until their core temperature reached 38.5°C. The other half had a sham session that looked and felt similar but without the intense heat.

The heated group had clearly lower depression scores than the sham group one week later, and the difference was still there, though smaller, six weeks later. Side effects were mild.

It's a striking result, but:

- It was one small trial, with 29 people in the final analysis.
- It used a single medical session that raised core temperature more than a typical sauna does.
- Blinding is hard: most people in the sham group thought they had been heated, which helps, but not completely.

Larger trials, including ones using ordinary saunas, are needed before anyone can say heat treats depression.

## What do sauna users say?

The Global Sauna Survey collected answers from 482 regular sauna users in several countries. The most common reasons people gave were relaxation and stress relief, pain relief and socialising. People with mental health conditions were among those who reported the biggest improvements. Surveys like this tell us why people use saunas, but they can't show cause and effect, and people who don't enjoy saunas are unlikely to fill them in.

## What about other mental health conditions?

A Finnish cohort of 2,138 men found frequent sauna users were less likely to be diagnosed with a psychotic disorder over the following decades. That is one study, and the same caution about cause and effect applies.

## Is there any harm in trying?

For most people, no, as long as you follow the usual [safety advice](/safety/who-should-avoid-saunas/). Some medicines used for mental health, including some antidepressants and antipsychotics, can affect how your body handles heat or lower blood pressure, so ask your pharmacist if you take them. And if you are feeling low, a sauna is not a substitute for talking to your GP.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is a sauna good for anxiety?

Many people find it calming, and relaxation and stress relief are the top reasons regular users give. But there are no good trials of saunas for anxiety. If anxiety is affecting your daily life, talk to your GP about treatments with good evidence, such as talking therapies.

### Can I use a sauna instead of antidepressants?

No. The trial of heat for depression was small and used one session of a medical device. Don't stop or change any treatment without speaking to your doctor.

### Why might heat affect mood?

The researchers behind the depression trial think warming the body may act on brain pathways that control body temperature and mood, which seem to work differently in some people with depression. It's an interesting idea that still needs testing.

## References

1. [Janssen CW et al. Whole-body hyperthermia for the treatment of major depressive disorder: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 2016.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27172277/)
2. [Hussain JN, Greaves RF, Cohen MM. A hot topic for health: results of the Global Sauna Survey. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2019.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31126560/)
3. [Laukkanen T et al. Sauna bathing and risk of psychotic disorders: a prospective cohort study. Medical Principles and Practice, 2018.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30173212/)
4. [NHS. Treatment: depression in adults.](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/depression-in-adults/treatment/)