Sauna LED Strip Lights VS Traditional Sauna Lighting: Which is Better?

Joyce Alva.UpdatedJune 20, 2025|7 mins Read

The Role and Evolution of Sauna Lighting

Sauna Lighting has also played a psychological and physiological role more than a functional one. In the unique and strict environment of a sauna, lighting must meet much stricter standards than in normal and typical rooms. High temperatures, high humidity, and long daily usage cycles require lights that are extremely durable, moisture-resistant, and heat-tolerant.

Historically, sauna lighting was very simple and basic. Originally, incandescent light bulbs with heat-resistant casings were installed in corners or on ceilings. Over time, halogen lights gradually provided somewhat better light quality and efficiency. However, both were constrained in lifespan and flexibility, and they also produced excessive heat, which could be a safety hazard in confined sauna spaces.

As sauna design evolved and user expectations shifted toward wellness and ambiance, lighting design also began to change. Designers and manufacturers have started to explore more creative possibilities: dimmable lights, indirect glow behind benches, and even colored lights for chromotherapy. Today, this demand for aesthetics, efficiency, and durability has ushered in a new era, with LED technology, especially LED strip lights, leading the way.

What Is Traditional Sauna Lighting?

Traditional sauna lighting typically refers to conventional incandescent or halogen bulbs installed in moisture-resistant housings. These fixtures are often mounted near the ceiling or in a corner, sometimes with frosted glass to diffuse the light. Warm in color temperature, traditional bulbs complement the wooden interiors and create a cozy, intimate feel. While they have served well for decades, these lights still come with limitations. They produce significant heat, have a short lifespan in high-temperature environments, and offer minimal design flexibility.

While traditional sauna lighting is known for its nostalgic and simple charm, it comes with built-in limitations:

Heat generation: The bulb itself gets very hot after a certain period of use, adding unnecessary heat to the sauna.

Bulb lifespan: Frequent exposure to temperature changes reduces lifespan very quickly.

Rigid installation: There are just a few set places in which lights can be installed.

Limited design expression: There are limited options for layered lighting effects, and you only get one look and one tone.

For so many years, traditional sauna lighting was the only choice. However, today’s sauna users—especially in the hospitality, and luxury residential sectors—demand more than just visibility. They want feelings and atmosphere.

What Are Sauna LED Strip Lights?

A new generation of lighting solutions that are particularly designed for outstanding performance in harsh environments, sauna LED strip lights are a unique and innovative product. To differentiate themselves from rigid bulbs, LED strips are made up of a flexible circuit board that is packed with LEDs. These strips are often encased in silicone or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which is resistant to high temperatures.

Sauna LED Strip Lights vs. Traditional Sauna Lighting: Which is Better?

Whether they are installed along benches, backrests, ceilings, or under sitting, these LED strips provide a seamless illumination solution. Unlike traditional sauna lighting, LED strips are able to bend and contour to sauna architecture, creating a light space that transforms the sauna into a healing space. And they come in a wide range of color temperatures and can even come equipped with RGB lighting characteristics for chromotherapy effects.

Modern sauna LED strips are designed with the following features:

Ultra-flexibility: Can be bent, shaped, and installed along corners, ceilings, under benches, or recessed channels.

Moisture Resistance: Most are rated IP67 or IP68 for water and steam exposure.

High-temperature Tolerance: sauna led strips can handle 100°C+ without failure.

Custom Color Options: Available in a wide range of colors, and RGB variants for mood control.

In short, sauna LED strip lights are capable of more than just lighting. They turn the sauna into an experience that appeals to the senses, both physically and emotionally.

Comparing Traditional Sauna Lighting and Sauna LED Strip Lights

Now, let’s compare these two lights based on key features that matter most in sauna environments:

1. Energy Efficiency

Traditional sauna lighting is notoriously inefficient. The incandescent bulbs convert only about 10% of their energy into light - 90% of the rest of the energy is lost as heat instead of light, which in a sauna might seem reasonable and acceptable, but it increases the load on electrical systems as well.

Sauna LED strip lights are exceptionally energy-efficient. The LEDs spend far less power, produce less heat, and offer longer operating hours. Over time, this leads to noticeable energy savings, especially in commercial spa operations. LED strip lights offer both economic and ecological advantages.

2. Heat and Moisture Resistance

For traditional sauna lighting, incandescent and halogen bulbs can cause problems with extreme heat and moisture. Despite being encased, they have a much shorter lifespan in saunas and frequently need to be replaced. Over time, moisture can also erode seals or metal components. Traditional sauna lighting is still vulnerable to bulb overheating and metal corrosion due to humidity.

Sauna LED strip lights work significantly better when designed especially for sauna use. Modern sauna LED strips are made to endure the humid environment and high sauna temperatures since they are encased in waterproof, non-metallic, high-temperature-resistant materials like silicone. As a result, they are more dependable, long-lasting, and more resilient to both heat and steam.

3. Lifespan and Maintenance

Traditional sauna lights burn out quite fast, particularly when subjected to heat and humidity variations. Additionally, replacing the bulbs inside a sauna and periodically resealing fixtures requires certain safety precautions and interrupts the user experience.

Sauna LED strip lights require less maintenance and last a lot longer - usually 25,000 to 50,000 hours. Some high-end sauna LED strips are made to last for years before needing to be replaced, making them perfect for both residential and commercial usage.

4. Aesthetic Flexibility and Versatility

There are limited design choices for traditional sauna lighting. And the color of the lights is very normal as well. During the old times, most saunas had one or two light spots for installation. Beyond necessary brightness, there isn't much room for aesthetic illumination. So the sauna only offers very basic illumination instead of considering the atmosphere at the same time.

By contrast, the sauna LED strip lights can offer a wide range of colors, including RGB options, to create different vibes in the sauna. And for some LED strips, the brightness of the lights can be adjusted according to your preference. The LED strips can be installed in a lot of places like under the benches, along the ceiling, inside the walls, behind the backrests, and so on. They can be used by lighting designers or sauna builders in different ways to create a stylish sauna space.

5. Safety

Traditional sauna lighting can become hot to the touch due to its high heat emission. If fixtures are not put completely correctly, there is a chance of unintentional burns or fire, even with protection. The bulbs may crack if the lights are exposed to water splashes over time.

Sauna LED strips operate at lower temperatures, they lessen surface heat and the dangers that come with hot surfaces. They operate considerably more safely when placed with the appropriate IP-rated strips and low-voltage power supply.

Introducing COLORS Lighting’s Arch Neon AN Series - Built for Saunas

Lighting is essential to creating a comfortable, high-quality sauna environment. Our Arch Neon Sauna Series is the right choice for you.

It is specifically designed for the unique environment of saunas, capable of withstanding temperatures from -40°C to +110°C. Even in the humid and hot conditions of a sauna, it can operate stably, providing reliable lighting. The AN Series has an IP67 protection rating, effectively preventing moisture damage. A 5-year warranty ensures you don't have to worry about product quality issues. Its 24V - 15m/R length setting facilitates flexible installation in saunas.

Born for Sauna

High-Temperature & Heat Wave Resistance: The Flip-Chip for direct heat dissipation, up to 110 ° C temperature resistance, is special for sauna environment installation.

High-Temperature-Heat-Wave-Resistance-sauna-led-strip-light

No Worry About Siphonage and Water Seepage: Uniform materials for the neon, end cap and terminal wire. Used an integrated hot melt molding process.

Dual-Layer Protective Terminal: Dual-layer protective terminal ensures IP67 protection against rain and water immersion.

Dual-Layer-Protective-Terminal-sauna-strip-lights

Upgraded Light-Emitting Structure, Uniform Light Distribution & Glare-Free: Soft and glare-free light creates a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.

Super Durable

Anti-Breakage PCB Are More Durable: With an innovative 2in1 built-in anti-tensile PC line and backplane design, the anti-breakage PCB is more durable.

Anti-Dead Chips Without Dark Area: Dual chips parallel LEDs technology, special chip design, single chip breakage has no effect on the light effect.

Withstands Installation Stresses: Reinforced wire soldering technology, designed to overcome external forces such as pressing, pulling, and tugging during installation.

Withstands-Installation-Stresses-led-sauna-strip-lights

Whether installed on the ceiling to provide overall lighting or in the corners of walls to create a warm atmosphere, the AN Series can add comfort and peace to your sauna. It provides soft and comfortable lighting during the sauna experience without affecting the normal use and lifespan of the light strips due to high temperature and humidity.

Conclusion

After comparing traditional sauna lighting and sauna LED strip lights, the result is clear - the sauna LED strip lights are the superior choice without any doubt. In every important feature: energy efficiency, heat and moisture resistance, lifespan and maintenance, aesthetic flexibility, and versatility safety, sauna LED strip lights surpass traditional ones.

Lighting is becoming an essential component of the sauna experience rather than merely a supporting element in today's wellness-driven design environment. In a sauna, lighting is more than simply an installation; it's something you feel, breathe, and experience.