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Could a sauna session help treat depression? early study says maybe

NCT ID NCT05041361

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This small study tested whether adding whole-body hyperthermia (like a sauna session) to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is feasible for adults with major depression. Sixteen participants received up to 8 weekly or 4 bi-weekly sauna sessions along with 8 weekly CBT sessions. The main goal was to see if people would stick with the treatment, not to prove it works. Early results suggest the combination is acceptable, but larger, controlled trials are needed to know if it truly helps depression.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
whole-body hyperthermia (sauna sessions) and cognitive behavioral therapy
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a drug-free way to ease depression symptoms using heat therapy combined with talk therapy.
What could go wrong
This was a very small, early feasibility trial with only 16 people and no comparison group. The results may not apply to everyone, and the sauna sessions are time-intensive (3.5-4 hours each).

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of California San Francisco

    San Francisco, California, 94115, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.