5 Ways Perspire Champions Women’s Wellness

The Wellness Gap Women Face 

Despite making up more than half the population (1), and driving the majority of healthcare and wellness decisions for their families (2), women remain underrepresented in clinical research on many health and wellness topics. It wasn’t until 1993 that including women in clinical research became a priority and requirement (3). That means we have decades of lost time to make up for when it comes to understanding women’s health across the lifespan, from mental wellness, to menstruation and fertility, pregnancy, and menopause. 

“At Perspire Sauna Studio, we believe that women deserve more than just a seat at the table—they deserve science-backed wellness tools that empower their minds, strengthen their bodies, nurture their communities, and support vibrant longevity,” says Katy Fetters, VP of Experience at Perspire. “Wellness isn’t a luxury—it’s a right, and we’re here to help women claim it, unapologetically.” Fetters’ words reflect the brand’s commitment to reimagining what modern wellness can look like for women (and all members), and that vision comes to life through every session at Perspire.

It’s well-established that regular infrared sauna use can improve heart health, as well as help manage blood pressure and body weight - all critical components of longterm health for women. But, Perspire’s benefits extend beyond the cardiovascular system and weight management. Our wellness rituals are designed to support women across the lifespan, by improving healthspan (the quality of your years), not just lifespan (how many years you have), through science-backed tools that restore balance, promote resilience, support stress relief for women, and improve energy.

How Perspire Supports Women’s Wellness

“Our studio experiences are designed to support women’s wellness,” offers Fetters. Here, we’ll unpack five ways that Perspire helps women build a foundation for lifelong wellness. 

1. Hormonal Balance and Stress Regulation: While stress is complex, research suggests that heat therapy,  like infrared saunas, can support mental wellness and enhance overall quality of life. Both infrared heat and red light therapy can help you sleep better (more on that here), which can in turn help you manage stress. And for women, stress management matters; studies show that women report higher levels of stress than men (4).

When it comes to the direct impact of saunas on hormones, emerging research shows that cortisol, often called the stress hormone, may be positively impacted (regulated) in people who regularly use saunas (5). Studies have also shown that regular sauna use can impact growth hormone, which plays a key role in muscle growth, bone strength, tissue repair, and metabolism in women and men alike (6). 

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2. Skin Health and Aging Gracefully: Red light therapy (RLT), a type of light emitting diode (LED) therapy, improves several aspects of skin health, including increased collagen production, enhanced skin tone, and reduced wrinkles. RLT uses short wavelengths of light to penetrate the skin’s surface and reach the soft tissue right underneath the skin, where it supports tissue health and repair (7).

Perspire’s proprietary placement of RLT panels within our infrared saunas offers a time efficient and effective way to improve skin health. Plus, heat therapy from saunas impacts blood flow, which may improve oxygen and nutrient delivery to the skin cells and the tissue below - leading to an anti-aging effect for women. Some research also shows that sauna use may improve the skin’s physiology, positively impacting its pH and hydration status (8).‍

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3. Mental Wellness Support: Mental health is physical health, and women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than their male counterparts (9). The state of your body affects your brain, and your brain, in turn, influences your energy, your choices, and your behaviors, including movement, nutrition, and rest. So, investing in strategies shown to support mood, mental health, and sleep can pay off now and later. 

Studies have shown that regular sauna use may be an important addition to a treatment plan for managing symptoms of depression and anxiety (10). Further, regular heat therapy may be protective of your mental health, meaning using saunas regularly over several years may reduce your likelihood of mental illness (11). Plus, a survey from 2019 showed that people who used saunas 5-15 times per month had higher mental wellbeing scores than those who used the sauna less frequently (12). ‍

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4.Metabolism and Recovery: Saunas are more energy expensive than passive rest, and many women (and men) burn a meaningful amount of calories both during a sauna session and afterwards as their bodies thermoregulate. While significant weight loss is not likely to occur from sauna use alone (other factors like energy intake, physical activity levels, sleep behaviors, and more are important here too), regular use may help with weight maintenance and positive changes in certain biomarkers related to metabolism (like cholesterol) (10). 

From a recovery standpoint, whether post-workout or from the stressors of daily life, nutrition and sleep certainly build a strong foundation. But, using technology and therapies that enhance the body’s natural recovery processes can help you return to baseline faster. For example, RLT has been shown to reduce muscle soreness and potentially improve performance (13) due to its ability to support healing (improved blood flow and nutrient delivery) in skeletal muscles. Since women tend to strength train less often than men, using technologies to mitigate pain or soreness - and maybe improve exercise frequency - is a win. ‍

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5. Creating a Self-Care Ritual that Lasts: “When preventive wellness becomes a ritual, you are more likely to give yourself permission to show up everyday,” says Fetters. The member-centric studio experience at Perspire makes it easy to show up and experience gentle infrared heat and RLT in your private suite. You can also enhance your session with halotherapy to breathe a little easier and contrast therapy (with our SNO showers at select locations) to level up your wellness routine. 

Fetters recommends setting aside time to book your weekly sessions each Sunday evening, to “prepare for the upcoming week and ensure you’re showing up for your health.” Check out three more actionable tips about self-care at Perspire here.

Key Takeaways

• At Perspire, we’re proud to help women reclaim time, restore balance, and support their bodies and minds across every stage of life.
• Optimizing women’s health requires a multi-faceted approach that combines prevention from natural therapies (from eating well to using heat therapy) and treatment with modern medicine (like prioritizing your yearly check-ups). 
• Regularly using infrared saunas, RLT, halotherapy, and contrast therapy SNO showers may help women support both mental and physical health, leading to better quality of life. 
• To renew your commitment to wellness, book your first session at a location near you today. 

References:

1. U.S. Census Bureau. QuickFacts: United States. U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved April 10, 2025, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045223
2. American Heart Association. (2024, April 17). Families often have chief medical officers – and they're almost always women. American Heart Association News. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/04/17/families-often-have-chief-medical-officers-and-theyre-almost-always-women 
3. National Institutes of Health. Office of Research on Women's Health. History of women's participation in clinical research. Retrieved April 10, 2025, from https://orwh.od.nih.gov/toolkit/recruitment/history
4. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Women say they're stressed, misunderstood, and alone. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/women-stress 
5. Hussain, J. N., & Cohen, M. (2021). Endocrine effects of repeated hot thermal stress and cold water immersion in young adult men. American Journal of Men's Health, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883211008339 
6. Leppäluoto, J., Huttunen, P., Hirvonen, J., Väänänen, A., Tuominen, M., & Vuori, J. (1986). Endocrine effects of repeated sauna bathing. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 128(3), 467–470. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1716.1986.tb08000.x 
7. Avci, P., Gupta, A., Sadasivam, M., Vecchio, D., Pam, Z., Pam, N., & Hamblin, M. R. (2013). Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: Stimulating, healing, restoring. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 32(1), 41–52. https://doi.org/10.12788/j.sder.0023 
8. Kowatzki, D., Macholdt, C., Krull, K., Schmidt, D., Deufel, T., Elsner, P., & Fluhr, J. W. (2008). Effect of regular sauna on epidermal barrier function and stratum corneum water-holding capacity in vivo in humans: A controlled study. Dermatology, 217(2), 173–180. https://doi.org/10.1159/000137283 
9. Mayo Clinic. (2019, January 29). Depression in women: Understanding the gender gap. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression/art-20047725
10. Patrick, R. P., & Johnson, T. L. (2021). Sauna use as a lifestyle practice to extend healthspan. Experimental Gerontology, 154, 111509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2021.111509 
11. Laukkanen T, Laukkanen JA, Kunutsor SK. Sauna Bathing and Risk of Psychotic Disorders: A Prospective Cohort Study. Med Princ Pract. 2018;27(6):562-569. doi: 10.1159/000493392. Epub 2018 Sep 2. PMID: 30173212; PMCID: PMC6422146.  
12. Hussain, J.N., Greaves, R.F. (2019). A hot topic for health: Results of the Global Sauna Survey. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 44. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229919300998 
13. Ferraresi C, Huang YY, Hamblin MR. Photobiomodulation in human muscle tissue: an advantage in sports performance? J Biophotonics. 2016 Dec;9(11-12):1273-1299. doi: 10.1002/jbio.201600176. Epub 2016 Nov 22. PMID: 27874264; PMCID: PMC5167494.