Like a traditional sauna, infrared saunas create heat, but there are some key differences. [Related: The best infrared saunas]Unlike traditional saunas, infrared versions also don’t use a wood-burning stove or electric or gas heater to warm the air. Do infrared saunas actually work? Small studies, published in 2022 and 2015, have found that heat from infrared saunas can help sore muscles post-workout. And a 2009 study found that infrared saunas can improve short-term pain and stiffness for those with rheumatoid arthritis.