Across Australia and New Zealand, more people are transforming their gardens into extensions of the home - peaceful spaces set apart from the pace of everyday life. These backyard retreats offer a place to unwind, recharge, and reconnect with nature, while also serving as areas to socialise and share wellness experiences with friends and family.
According to Architectural Digest’s 2025 trend report, the wellness focus is increasingly moving outdoors, with more people requesting saunas, cold plunge circuits, and dedicated garden wellness zones.
This growing demand is reflected in the popularity of these outdoor models, used by wellness enthusiasts including Adam Gilchrist, Susanne Holzweiler, and Mark Wahlberg. When paired with evidence-backed infrared sauna therapy, these spaces become powerful sanctuaries for mind, body, and social wellbeing.
Why Outdoor Wellness Spaces Feel So Good
Lower stress and calm the mind
Spending time among plants, sunlight, and fresh air helps reduce cortisol levels and promotes relaxation. According to studies on “green space exposure,” even a few minutes outdoors can improve mental clarity and mood.
Support physical recovery and circulation
Infrared sauna therapy is shown to enhance blood flow, soothe muscles, and promote faster recovery after exercise. Taking your sauna sessions outdoors adds the revitalising effect of being in nature, deepening the benefits for body and mind.
Improve sleep and daily rhythm
Morning or evening light helps regulate circadian rhythm. Pairing gentle outdoor exposure with infrared warmth can prepare the body for deeper, more restorative rest.
The Added Benefits of an Outdoor Infrared Sauna
Infrared saunas have been widely researched for their positive impact on cardiovascular health, muscle recovery, and relaxation (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015). When installed in a garden or patio, they combine these therapeutic effects with the grounding influence of open air and natural surroundings.
Stepping from soothing heat into a quiet garden invites mindfulness, reduces stress, and extends the restorative benefits long after your session ends. Combining heat therapy with time in nature may enhance psychological and physiological gains.
How to Create Your Backyard Wellness Retreat
Add an outdoor infrared sauna
A compact model blends beautifully into gardens while delivering full-spectrum infrared therapy, while larger models offer a shared space for connection with others. It offers privacy, convenience, and a year-round way to support recovery, stress relief, and longevity.
'A cornerstone of any wellness resort, an outdoor sauna offers a luxurious space to relax and detoxify.' - Forbes
Include sensory elements
Surround your sauna with fragrant plants, warm lighting, and soft textures to engage the senses and create a serene atmosphere. Spending time arranging and tending to your garden elements can itself be restorative, reducing stress and fostering a deeper sense of wellbeing.
Include space for gentle movement
Dedicate an area for yoga, stretching, or quiet meditation. Moving mindfully outdoors after a sauna session enhances flexibility, supports circulation, and helps the body transition from heat therapy to a state of calm. Even a few minutes of slow movement or breathwork can deepen relaxation, improve focus, and reinforce a sense of wellbeing.
Work with daylight
Position your seating or sauna entrance to catch the sunrise or sunset. Exposure to natural light first thing in the morning helps regulate your circadian rhythm, supporting better sleep, energy, and hormonal balance throughout the day. Evening sunlight can gently signal the body to start winding down, enhancing relaxation and improving sleep quality.
Combine these moments with infrared sauna sessions to synchronise your body’s natural rhythms while also benefiting from heat therapy, improved circulation, and muscle recovery. Consider adding a comfortable outdoor chair or bench near your sauna, so you can enjoy the changing light before or after your session.
Design for durability
Choose weather-resistant materials and plan for easy year-round access. A clear path, level ground, and protective covers for your sauna and ice plunge ensure your retreat remains safe, comfortable, and enjoyable no matter the season. Thoughtful placement and durable finishes make it effortless to maintain your wellness space while maximising its lifespan and performance.
The Clearlight® Difference: Outdoor Infrared Sauna Collection
A backyard sauna isn’t just a luxury, it’s a smart investment in your wellbeing. Clearlight® Outdoor Saunas use TrueWave® low EMF/ELF infrared technology, trusted for over 25 years, to deliver heat therapy that supports circulation, stress reduction, and overall recovery. Placing your sauna in a natural setting amplifies these benefits, helping you unwind deeply, recover more effectively, and connect with the outdoors.
Transforming part of your garden into a personal wellness retreat encourages daily rituals that enhance health, mood, and long-term wellbeing, all backed by the expertise and reliability that comes with decades of innovation.
Interested in learning more? Book a complimentary call with one of our sauna experts.
The Benefits of Outdoor Sauna: 6 Reasons to Take Your Sauna Practice Outside
Infrared Under Open Skies: Embrace Your Inner Sanctuary Outside