Feel the Heat

By Lisa Arnett
May 2025 View more Discover

Relax, recover, and rest at these infrared sauna studios

Q. What is an infrared sauna?
A. A traditional sauna at the is heated by hot stones or an electric heater. Infrared saunas directly heat your body with infrared light rather than heating the air in the room around you.

Perspire Sauna Studio

640 Ogden Ave., Downers Grove
1301 S. Naper Blvd., Naperville

Franchise owners Steve and Araceli Braverman opened locations of this infrared sauna studio in Downers Grove in 2021 and Naperville in 2023. Each studio has 10 private sauna suites and offers cooling eucalyptus towels for guests to use before they head home to shower. “In addition to the benefits of sweating and increasing your heart rate, it’s just an opportunity to have peace and quiet for yourself,” says Eva Majauskas, Downers Grove studio manager. “People coming in feeling sad or down just always leave happier, and it’s such a positive environment.” Naperville studio manager Courtney Collins says she has met many clients who enjoy infrared sauna therapy to help with autoimmune conditions, herself included. “I have lupus, so I have a lot of problems with my joints and mobility issues, but the sauna really helps to be able to relieve that pressure and tension,” she says. Perspire’s sauna studios also feature red light therapy, which purports skin benefits such as reducing redness, acne, and sun damage. “Also because of lupus I have a lot of skin problems and breakouts, and the red light therapy really clears that up and helps get rid of the issues I have with itchiness and dryness.”
Good to Know: Single 40-minute sessions are $39, and there’s a $20 deal for first-timers. Monthly memberships range from $99 for four sessions a month to $179 for unlimited sessions.

Sweathouz

2555 W. 75th St., Naperville

Identified by a vowel-less version of its name—Swthz—on the façade, this wellness studio pairs infrared saunas with cold-plunge tubs so clients can partake in a practice called contrast therapy. Naperville resident Brent Curtis, cofounder of 6G Holdings, which is the Chicago-area franchisee for SweatHouz, first became interested in contrast therapy after buying a cold-plunge tub for his backyard years ago. “I found a lot of benefits from a mental health perspective, in terms of starting the day with clearer energy and reducing stress, and it really helped me show up for my work and life commitments at the time,” he says. Fast-forward to today and he operates several SweatHouz locations in Chicago and this new one in Naperville. Each session consists of an hour in a private suite with an infrared sauna, cold plunge tub, and vitamin C shower. “You can unplug if you like, or you can listen to music, watch TV, or meditate,” he says. “We have people come in for physical recovery, mental health, or overall longevity—anyone from athletes to people who are looking to get relief from arthritis or other chronic pain issues, spanning all ages.”
Good to know: Newbies can book a first-time visit for $35, which is half the usual drop-in session price, Curtis says. For subsequent visits, choose from monthly memberships (four visits, eight visits, or unlimited) or discounted session packages (five or 10 sessions to be used in a six-month period).

Salternative

1541 E. Fabyan Parkway, Geneva

Looking to try the infrared sauna experience alongside other feel-good treatments? Consider this spa located a few miles southwest of downtown Geneva. “I would describe us as a holistic wellness center,” says Amber Dominguez, manager and practitioner team lead. “We’re not just specializing in one or two things—we have multiple different modalities and practitioners such as a massage therapist; we have aestheticians, reiki and energy healers, and meditation and yoga teachers.” She recommends infrared sauna sessions to increase circulation and soothe achy joints. “Staying hydrated before, during, and after your session is really important, so we provide filtered water in each room.” Each private sauna suite also has a shower, and robes and towels are provided.
Good to know: A single 45-minute sauna session costs $39. Multisession packages range from $99 for three sessions to $250 for 10 sessions. The center also offers a monthly membership ($29 to $89 per month) for access to both infrared sauna and halotherapy (salt room) sessions.

Photos: Perspire; Sweathouz; Salternative