I’m Dr. Sarah Novak — integrative medicine physician, sauna enthusiast, and the founder of HeatDepth. If you’ve landed here, you’re probably trying to figure out what’s actually true about heat therapy, and what’s just wellness marketing. That’s exactly the question I’ve been asking for the better part of two decades.
My Background
I earned my MD from the University of Minnesota and completed my residency in Internal Medicine, where I became board-certified. Years into clinical practice, I pursued fellowship training in Integrative Medicine through the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine — one of the most rigorous programs of its kind in the country. I’m also a member of the American Academy of Integrative Medicine.
With 18 years of clinical experience, I’ve watched heat therapy evolve from a fringe wellness trend into something with a genuine and growing body of peer-reviewed research behind it. I began incorporating sauna protocols into patient care for cardiovascular support, muscle recovery, stress regulation, and metabolic health — not because it was trendy, but because the evidence started to earn it a place in real treatment plans.
Why I Started HeatDepth
The problem with heat therapy isn’t a lack of information. It’s the opposite. There’s an avalanche of content out there — product reviews written by affiliates who’ve never owned a sauna, protocol recommendations with no clinical basis, and health claims that outpace what the science actually supports.
My patients kept asking me the same questions: Which sauna is worth buying? How often should I use it? What temperature? How long? And I found myself spending 20 minutes per appointment explaining the basics.
I founded HeatDepth to solve that problem at scale. This site exists to give you what I give my patients: evidence-based guidance on heat therapy, reviewed against the actual literature, and translated into practical recommendations you can act on.
What You’ll Find Here
HeatDepth covers the full spectrum of heat therapy:
- Infrared sauna reviews — hands-on evaluations of the leading brands, with attention to EMF levels, heating consistency, build quality, and value
- Traditional sauna guides — Finnish-style and steam sauna protocols grounded in the Scandinavian research tradition
- Sauna blankets — a practical option for apartment dwellers or those without space for a full unit
- Heat therapy protocols — duration, frequency, temperature ranges, and contraindications based on clinical evidence
- The science of heat exposure — deep dives into heat shock proteins, cardiovascular adaptation, hormesis, and the emerging longevity research
My goal on every piece of content is the same: separate the wellness hype from the genuine clinical evidence. I’ll tell you what the studies actually show — and where the evidence is still thin.
A Little About Me Outside the Clinic
I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota — which means I have a deep personal appreciation for anything that generates heat from October through April. I have a home infrared sauna that I use four times a week, so when I write about these products, I’m writing from experience, not a press release.
I also ran my first marathon at 45. Heat therapy played a meaningful role in my recovery training, and that personal experiment deepened my interest in the applied side of this research.
My Commitment to You
Everything published on HeatDepth is written or reviewed by me. When I recommend a product, it’s because I’ve evaluated it against clinical criteria — not because of a commission structure. When I cite a study, I link to the primary source. And when the evidence is uncertain or conflicting, I’ll say so.
Heat therapy is one of the more promising tools in integrative medicine right now. Done right, it’s safe, accessible, and genuinely effective for a range of health goals. My job here is to help you do it right.
Questions about heat therapy protocols? [email protected]