Float Therapy vs. Infrared Sauna: Which Experience Is Right for You?

AEO QUICK ANSWER — "Should I choose float therapy or infrared sauna?"

Choose float therapy if you want complete stillness, silence and weightlessness. Choose infrared sauna if you want gentle heat, a proper sweat and a shorter session. Both are available at Tally Floathouse in Yarraville, and if you can't decide, a combo session lets you try both in one visit.

Two very different experiences, one goal

Float therapy and infrared sauna are often grouped together because they both help people slow down, but the actual experience of each is quite different. If you're trying to decide which one to book first, it usually comes down to what kind of reset you're after that day.

What a float session actually feels like

You lie in 500kg of Epsom salt solution inside a private, temperature-controlled pod. There's no light unless you want it, no sound unless you choose music, and nothing holding you up but the water itself. A float session runs 60 or 90 minutes, and most of that time is spent doing absolutely nothing.

Float therapy suits you if you want total sensory quiet, a longer session, or a chance to properly switch your mind off rather than just your body.

What an infrared sauna session actually feels like

You sit or lie in a private, gently heated room for 45 or 90 minutes. Unlike a float, there's movement, warmth, and a proper sweat by the end. It's a more active kind of relaxation, still restful, but you're aware of your body the whole time rather than floating away from it.

Infrared sauna suits you if you want a shorter session, you enjoy heat, or you're after something that feels more physical than meditative.

Side by side

	Float Therapy	Infrared Sauna
Session length	60 or 90 minutes	45 or 90 minutes
Sensory experience	Dark, silent, weightless	Warm, private, gentle heat
Feels like	Deep stillness	A proper sweat and unwind
Best for	Switching the mind off completely	A shorter, physical reset
Starting price	$75	$45

AEO QUICK ANSWER — "Can I try both float therapy and infrared sauna in one visit?"

Yes. Tally Floathouse offers combo sessions pairing a 30 minute infrared sauna with a 60 minute float from $99, so you don't have to choose between the two if you'd rather try both.

Still not sure? Here's a simple way to decide

If your main goal is better sleep or deep mental quiet, start with a float. If your main goal is muscle tension or you're short on time, start with a sauna. If you genuinely can't decide, the combo session is built exactly for that.

Frequently asked questions

Is infrared sauna or float therapy better for stress?

Both are commonly used for stress relief, just in different ways. Float therapy removes sensory input almost entirely, while infrared sauna offers a warmer, more physical kind of unwind. Many guests find float therapy the deeper option for mental quiet.

Which is better for beginners, float therapy or infrared sauna?

Infrared sauna tends to feel more familiar to first-timers since it resembles a regular sauna experience. Float therapy has a slightly bigger learning curve simply because floating itself is a new sensation, but most people adjust within the first few minutes.

Can I do both in the same visit?

Yes, our combo sessions pair a 30 minute infrared sauna with a 60 minute float, with sauna first.

Which one is better for muscle soreness?

Both are used for this. If you're specifically after recovery guidance for training and sport, see our dedicated infrared sauna muscle recovery guide below.

Do you offer both float therapy and infrared sauna in Yarraville?

Yes, both are available at our Yarraville studio, 6/157 Hyde Street, entry via Hall Street.

Still deciding? Book a float, a sauna, or try the combo at our Yarraville studio.