Why does Christian McCaffrey swear by infrared sauna?

Christian McCaffrey is also known for his initial CMC and is widely recognized as the American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL Honors 2023-2024 Offensive Player of the Year.

In a departure from the hectic life on the football field and the Super Bowl, Christian McCaffrey offered a candid glimpse into his lifestyle habits and essentials off the field. These include regular infrared sauna use as part of his recovery routine following workouts and hectic trainings. According to the San Francisco 49ers RB,

“[Using an infrared sauna is] about an hour-long process or so, and it’s changed the way I feel.”

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What is Christian McCaffrey's hour-long infrared sauna routine?

Christian McCaffrey graciously shared his lifestyle essentials, one of which is an infrared sauna—a type of sauna that uses infrared lamps to make heat and offers heat therapy instead of the steam used in traditional saunas. A modern twist on the ancient Finnish wellness routine, infrared sauna is known to improve muscle soreness, pain, and recovery, as well as reduce stress, relax the mind, and improve heart health.

In a 2020 video where he sat down with GQ Sports, McCaffrey revealed that an infrared sauna is part of his everyday routine to help with recovery from his rigorous lifestyle as a pro athlete. It is his go-to after coming home from practice or a workout.

Moreover, the football star also hops into his infrared sauna in the morning, right after getting up during his off days.

“[The infrared sauna is] something that I use on the daily. I come home from practice, I come home from a workout, I hope in the sauna. If it’s an off day, I wake up in the morning, [and] I hop in the sauna.”

The San Francisco 49ers RB revealed that he stays in the sauna for about 30 to 40 minutes and follows how the Finnish finish their sauna with a cold shower after, even using essential oils, making his daily sauna routine about an hour-long process.

Talking about his daily sauna practices, he added,

“It’s the best thing for me for recovery. What it does to my body, how it makes my body feel—getting rid of all the toxins.”

Moreover, the football star mentioned having a sauna at his parents' house, which can heat up to 220 degrees Fahrenheit, and he prefers to keep the infrared sauna as hot as possible to "really feel the benefits of it."

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What are a few other lifestyle essentials McCaffrey heavily relies upon?

As a self-confessed “musically inclined” person, Christian McCaffrey admits in an article published on the official 49ers website about loving playing music in the offseason.

His piano is among his essentials, saying,

"When I get off time in general, I love to play music. I've been playing the piano for a really long time now. When you talk about mental escapes, it is definitely something that is essential for me."

Moreover, the American football player also enjoys having a hit of caffeine in the morning. His go-to is the Jura coffee maker, which is an automatic espresso machine with touchscreen functionality that ranges from $999 to $3,499 on Amazon.

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Recently, Christian McCaffrey was named the face of Brookstone from Fall 2024 through Fall 2025, with the partnership focusing on categories aligned with the NFL star's essentials as a pro athlete, including electronics, grooming, and wellness.