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The information provided in this blog is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered a substitute for, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The content may reference third-party research or studies and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Salus Saunas. No content on this site should be interpreted as a recommendation for any specific treatment or health-related action. Always consult with a licensed healthcare provider before using a sauna or making any changes to your health or wellness routine. Salus Saunas disclaims any liability for decisions made based on the information presented in this blog.
It's 4:45 in the afternoon and the sky outside your window is already going dark. You left for work before sunrise, you'll get home after sunset, and somewhere in between your energy quietly drained away. The couch looks better than the gym, plans with friends feel like a chore, and you'd rather sleep in than get up. If that sounds like your November through February, you're far from alone.
Researchers have studied seasonal mood shifts for decades, and the National Institutes of Health describes how many people find themselves feeling sad as the days get shorter. This article explains the difference between ordinary winter blues and seasonal affective disorder, what the research says actually helps, and where a warm, calm sauna session can fit into a winter routine, as a source of comfort and structure rather than a treatment.
Winter Blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder?
The two are not the same thing. In NIH News in Health, an NIH mental health expert explains that "winter blues is a general term, not a medical diagnosis." It's common, usually mild, and tends to clear up on its own in a fairly short time. It's often tied to something specific, such as stressful holidays or missing loved ones.
Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is different. The National Institute of Mental Health describes it as a type of depression with a recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about four to five months of the year. In the winter pattern, symptoms start in late fall or early winter and ease in spring and summer. Beyond the usual signs of depression, they can include oversleeping, overeating with carbohydrate cravings and weight gain, and social withdrawal that feels like "hibernating."
Why Shorter Days Affect Mood and Energy
Your body runs on an internal clock, and light is its strongest cue. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute explains that light signals received through your eyes tell your brain it is daytime, while darkness prompts the release of melatonin, the hormone that prepares your body for sleep. Morning light helps you wake up; bright artificial light late in the evening can make it harder to fall asleep.
According to NIH researchers, shorter days seem to be a main trigger for SAD: reduced sunlight in fall and winter can disrupt the body's circadian rhythm in certain people. MedlinePlus adds that the exact causes are unknown, and that people with SAD may make too much melatonin and not enough vitamin D. In other words, the dark months change the signals your body uses to keep time, and some people feel that shift much more than others.
What Actually Helps: Light, Movement, and People
For diagnosed winter-pattern SAD, the main treatment is light. The NIMH describes sitting in front of a very bright light box (10,000 lux) for about 30 to 45 minutes a day, usually first thing in the morning, from fall to spring. A meta-analysis of 19 randomized trials concluded that bright light therapy can be regarded as an effective treatment for SAD, while noting that the studies were small and varied. Psychotherapy and medication are also standard options, and they belong in a conversation with your doctor.
For everyday winter blues, NIH's self-care tips are simple: get out in the sunlight or brightly lit spaces, especially early in the day, keep doing activities you enjoy, spend time with other people, and be patient with yourself. Movement matters too. The CDC notes that physical activity can reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better, and recommends working up to 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity.
Where Heat Fits: What the Research Says
There is early, intriguing research on heat and mood. In a randomized, double-blind trial published in JAMA Psychiatry, 34 adults with major depressive disorder were randomized to a single session of whole-body hyperthermia or a sham session that mimicked everything except the intense heat. The heat group had significantly lower depression scores across the six weeks that followed, and side effects were generally mild. A smaller study of 28 mildly depressed inpatients found that 20 sessions of 15 minutes in a 60°C (140°F) far-infrared sauna, followed by 30 minutes of rest under a blanket, improved physical complaints, appetite, and relaxation scores compared with a group that didn't get the sessions.
Keep those results in perspective. Medical hyperthermia is a controlled clinical procedure, not a home sauna session; both studies were small; and neither tested people with seasonal affective disorder. What sauna users report is more modest but consistent: in the Global Sauna Survey of 482 regular sauna bathers, relaxation and stress reduction were among the main reasons people used a sauna, and 83.5% reported sleep benefits. The honest takeaway is that a sauna can be a pleasant, calming part of a winter routine. It is not a treatment for depression or SAD, and it should never replace light therapy, counseling, or medication your doctor recommends.
Building a Winter Morning Ritual
If you're going to add a sauna to your winter, pair it with the habits the research supports. Start with light: open the blinds, step outside for a few minutes, or take a short walk as soon as it's bright, since NIH suggests getting sunlight or bright light especially early in the day. Then let the sauna be the warm, quiet part of the morning: 10 to 15 minutes at a comfortable temperature, well within the 15-to-20-minute limit Harvard Health recommends, followed by a gradual cool-down and two to four glasses of cool water.
Consistency is what turns a session into a ritual. The CDC recommends going to bed and getting up at the same time every day and getting 7 or more hours of sleep, and a regular morning sauna can give you a reason to get up at the same time, even when it's dark. If evenings suit you better, keep it gentle and early: a meta-analysis of before-bedtime warm baths and showers found the best results when they were taken one to two hours before bed. Keep the lighting low afterward, since bright light late in the evening works against sleep.
Make Winter Less Lonely
Withdrawal is one of the hallmarks of winter-pattern SAD, and isolation tends to feed a low mood. The NIMH notes that cognitive behavioral therapy adapted for SAD uses a technique called behavioral activation, which helps people identify and schedule engaging, pleasant activities during the winter months. It's a reminder that plans on the calendar can be part of feeling better.
A home sauna can be one of those plans. A standing Saturday-morning session with your partner, a Sunday evening with a friend, or a weeknight routine with the kids (with sensible time limits) gives the dark months something to look forward to. The conversation in the warm room often matters as much as the heat itself.
When to Talk to a Doctor
Feeling a bit flat in January is normal. Feeling hopeless, losing interest in things you used to enjoy, or struggling to function for weeks at a time is not something to tough out. NIH advises talking with a health care provider if winter sadness lasts for several weeks, and the NIMH adds that anyone struggling or having thoughts of suicide should call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. In a life-threatening situation, call 911.
Before you start using a sauna, check with your doctor too, especially about your medications. Harvard Health says people with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease should check with their doctors first, and advises avoiding alcohol and medications that may impair sweating before and after a session. Leave the sauna right away if you feel any of the heat-illness warning signs the CDC lists, such as headache, nausea, dizziness, or weakness.
Why a Home Sauna Makes Sense in the Dark Months
Winter is when a trip to the gym or spa is hardest to make: it's dark by late afternoon, the roads may be icy, and the drive home afterward undoes some of the relaxation. When the low energy of winter is the problem, a ritual that depends on getting in the car is the first one to go.
At home, the sauna fits your schedule instead of the other way around. It can be ready when you get back from your morning walk, or warm and waiting on a gray Sunday afternoon. You also control the lighting, which matters because the NHLBI notes that bright artificial light late in the evening can make it harder to fall asleep. If you'd like more on making a habit stick through the cold months, see our guide to a winter wellness sauna ritual.
A Free Guide Before You Choose
If you're thinking about a sauna for the winter months, a few practical questions come first: indoor or outdoor, infrared or traditional, how many people will use it, and what kind of electrical circuit you'll need.
Our free Home Sauna Buyer's Guide walks through sauna types, temperatures, sizing, and electrical requirements, so you can narrow the options before you talk with your doctor or an electrician. If you suspect your winter slump is more than the blues, the MedlinePlus overview of SAD is a good, plain-language place to start reading.
A Glass-Front Outdoor Sauna for Winter Mornings
If you want a ritual that starts with a few steps outside in the morning air, an outdoor sauna builds that into the routine. The Governor Front Glass Traditional Outdoor Sauna is a modern cube-shaped sauna with a front wall and door of 8 mm bronze-tinted tempered glass, so you can look out at the snow, the trees, or the first light of the day while you sit in the heat. To be clear, a glass wall is not a light box, but it keeps you connected to the outdoors instead of shut in a dark room.
It seats up to three people, so a morning or weekend session can be shared. The exterior is thermally modified pine, chosen for heat retention and weather resistance, with alder benches inside and 1 5/8-inch staves. It's a traditional sauna with an electric heater that needs a 240-volt hardwired connection installed by a licensed electrician (30 amps for a 6 kW heater, 40 amps for an 8 kW heater). It arrives as a DIY kit, and its warranty covers the structural wood for five years and the lighting for one year.
Explore other sizes and price points:
Prices shown reflect pricing on the date this article was published. Contact us for current pricing and more information.
You're Not the Only One Feeling It
Seasonal mood changes are common enough that NIH-funded researchers have studied the winter blues and SAD for more than three decades. Where you live matters: an NIH expert quoted in NIH News in Health estimates that only about 1% of people in Florida are likely to have SAD, compared with about 10% in Alaska. The NIMH adds that SAD is much more common in women than in men and usually begins in young adulthood.
That's a lot of people looking for ways to get through the darkest months. It's also why we'd rather give you the honest picture than a promise. Light, movement, people, and good sleep have the strongest evidence. A sauna is a comfortable place to rest and warm up that can help you stick to those habits, and that is worth something on a gray January morning.
What It Costs and How Much Room You Need
The Governor Front Glass is $9,995, with indoor infrared, traditional, and hybrid options in the carousel above starting at $5,895. Its exterior measures 81 by 63 inches and 83 inches tall, about 35 square feet of footprint, so plan for a level spot in the yard, close enough to the house that the walk out on a cold morning feels short. Shipping is free to the 48 contiguous states, with curbside delivery.
Salus Saunas works with Affirm and Synchrony, with Synchrony currently offering financing starting at 0% APR over 18 months for qualified buyers, roughly $555 a month for the Governor Front Glass over that term before any down payment. Ask whether an offer is true zero-interest or deferred interest before signing. Salus also partners with Truemed, which determines individual HSA and FSA eligibility through a health survey; for the general rules on qualifying medical expenses, see IRS Publication 502.
Light First, Then Warmth
Shorter days affect almost everyone a little and some people a lot. The best-supported steps are the simple ones: get bright light early in the day, keep moving, stay connected to people, and protect a regular sleep schedule. If the low mood lasts for weeks or makes daily life hard, talk to your doctor, because SAD is, as NIH puts it, generally quite treatable. You can find help any time through the 988 Lifeline.
A sauna won't fix winter, but it can make the season warmer and give your days a steady anchor. If you'd like help choosing one that fits your space and routine, our sauna specialists can walk you through our indoor and outdoor, infrared, traditional, and hybrid lines, ideally after you've checked with your doctor that a sauna fits your health.
Frequently Asked Questions About Winter Blues and Saunas
1. What is the difference between the winter blues and SAD?
The winter blues are a common, mild dip that usually passes on its own. SAD is a type of depression with a seasonal pattern that lasts about four to five months a year, according to the NIMH.
2. Can a sauna treat seasonal affective disorder?
No. We found no study that tests saunas for SAD. The main treatments, described by the NIMH, are light therapy, psychotherapy, medication, and possibly vitamin D. A sauna can be a calming part of a routine, not a substitute.
3. Is there any research on heat and mood?
Some early research. A small randomized trial of whole-body hyperthermia found lower depression scores for six weeks after one session, but it was a clinical procedure in people with major depression, not a home sauna.
4. Should I use the sauna in the morning or at night in winter?
Either works. A morning session can anchor a regular wake time after you get some daylight. At night, aim for one to two hours before bed, the timing linked to better sleep in a meta-analysis of warm baths.
5. How long should a winter sauna session be?
Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty. Harvard Health recommends staying in no more than 15 to 20 minutes, cooling down gradually, and drinking two to four glasses of cool water afterward.
6. Does a sauna replace a light box?
No. Light therapy uses a very bright box (10,000 lux) for about 30 to 45 minutes, usually in the morning, as the NIMH describes. A sauna doesn't provide that light. Talk to your doctor before starting light therapy.
7. Does exercise help with the winter blues?
It can. The CDC says physical activity can reduce the risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better. A morning walk followed by a short sauna session is an easy pairing.
8. Can I use a sauna if I take antidepressants?
Ask your doctor or pharmacist first. Harvard Health advises avoiding medications that may impair sweating and produce overheating before and after a sauna, so check every medication you take.
9. When should I see a doctor about winter sadness?
If the feelings last for several weeks or interfere with daily life, talk to a health care provider. NIH researchers quoted in NIH News in Health note that SAD is generally quite treatable.
10. What if I'm having thoughts of suicide?
Get help right away. Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or chat at 988lifeline.org. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
