Science, referenced.
We keep our claims small and our sources public. Below is what's actually been studied about infrared heat, compression, and skin brushing — described plainly, without stretching a study into a promise. None of this is medical advice, and none of it is a claim about what a HOT HAVEN session will do for you.
Each entry below links to a real, published study. The description says what the researchers measured — not what we think it proves about your sweat session. Some studies involve medical patients, clinical devices, or conditions that have nothing to do with a wellness visit; we include them anyway because they're the closest available research to the mechanisms we use, and we'd rather show you the real, imperfect fit than a tidier claim.
If you're managing a medical condition, please talk to your doctor before adding heat or compression therapy to your routine.
The research behind far-infrared saunas mostly comes from cardiovascular medicine — studies on blood pressure, vascular function, and heart failure patients using infrared heat exposure in clinical settings.
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A review of the published clinical trials on far-infrared sauna use available at the time, examining what had and hadn't been formally studied around cardiovascular risk markers.
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Researchers measured brachial artery dilation by ultrasound and blood levels of a cardiac marker (BNP) in heart failure patients who underwent daily clinical sauna sessions, compared with a control group.
Clinical heart-failure patients, not a wellness population -
Researchers tracked blood pressure readings across a schedule of three 30-minute far-infrared sessions per week, in a study commissioned by a sauna manufacturer.
Manufacturer-commissioned research -
Infrared blood therapy in chronic heart failure
A clinical comparison of infrared-based heat therapy against standard treatment approaches in patients already being managed for chronic heart failure.
Clinical heart-failure patients, not a wellness population
Our lymphatic cleanse uses a full-body compression suit — a wellness version of a mechanism (sequential air pressure) that's more formally studied in medical intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices used for lymphedema, a diagnosed medical condition.
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A randomized pilot trial comparing leg-volume change across two different compression-sequencing patterns, in 40 patients being treated for lower-limb lymphedema.
Medical lymphedema patients, clinical compression device -
A pooled analysis of multiple clinical trials examining pneumatic compression sleeves used alongside other therapies for arm swelling following breast cancer treatment.
Medical lymphedema patients, clinical compression device
Dry brushing is the least-studied piece of the three. There's no controlled research specifically on brush-on-skin lymphatic drainage — the closest published work is on a related dry skin-rubbing technique.
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Kanpumasatsu: a superficial self-massage with a dry towel to enhance relaxation and immune functions
A narrative review of existing research on a traditional Japanese dry-towel skin-rubbing practice, looking at proposed mechanisms behind its use for relaxation and workplace stress reduction.
Reviews a related but distinct practice, not dry brushing itself
The honest bottom line
Sessions at HOT HAVEN are for relaxation and general wellness — they are not a medical treatment, and they are not a substitute for medical care. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or are unsure whether heat or compression therapy is right for you, please talk to your doctor first.