Top 10 Infrared Sauna Benefits
People have been using saunas for thousands of years to help rejuvenate the mind and body. If sweating it out in a steam room isn’t your style, but you fancy getting in on a whole host of new health improvements, then you should definitely try an infrared sauna!
Whether you’re suffering from joint or muscular pain, insomnia, or problems with your heart rate, you will be surprised how infrared sauna use can help you! Infrared heat treatment can even boost your collagen production, making your skin firmer and clearer, while giving you a bit of well-deserved rest and relaxation time.
Pairing decades of scientific research and new advancements in technology, an infrared sauna acts like a regular sauna but does not create heat in the air around you, making it a more comfortable experience. Infrared sauna benefits are celebrated by doctors and celebrities alike – here’s everything you need to know about the new craze sweeping the internet.
What are the health benefits of infrared sauna therapy?
Infrared sauna therapy consists of a room filled with infrared lamps that use electromagnetic radiation to permeate your skin and tissue. The reason for this swerve from the traditional sauna method is that this method warms your body directly without having too much effect on the air around you making the whole experience more comfortable without compromising on the health benefits.
As the heat is permeating the skin more deeply, it grants you a more intense sweating experience while being more comfortable. Manufacturers have suggested that 80% of the heat is absorbed directly into your body while only 20% is released into the air around you.
This means that the health benefits of infrared saunas could be higher than that of the traditional sauna. Some of these benefits include improved circulation due to the stimulation of blood vessels, improved results as part of a weight-loss regime and, many different types of pain relief.
Dedicating time to relax and look after yourself boosts mental health too, so you can use the time spent in an infrared sauna to relax and unwind while enjoying the physical benefits.
Some infrared saunas like Higherdose in the US incorporate chromotherapy, or light therapy into their treatments. This means that as well as to utilising the benefits of infrared light, it also uses Blue LED and other forms of light therapy to tackle acne producing bacteria, cell stimulation and has even been reported to have significant anti-ageing properties.
How Infrared Saunas can help you!
Said to transform your mental well being, ease ailing muscles and joints and even boost collagen production infrared saunas can transform the lives of a variety of people. There has been data released to suggest that 30 minutes spent in an infrared sauna can ease the symptoms of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure and, diabetes as part of an overall treatment regime.
There are also peer-reviewed studies to suggest that infrared heat can improve sleep quality, help to burn calories and detoxify your body. Where traditional sauna sessions draw out toxins by heating the air around you, infrared saunas heat your core body temperature to eliminate them.
It’s an infrared skin saviour boasting the effective treatment of many types of skin conditions like acne. The heat helps to massively reduce inflammation and improve your ability to fight infection.
You should always consult your GP for personal health information before starting any new kind of treatment for health problems.
Are there any misconceptions of saunas?
Infrared heat is unsafe: this is untrue, it has been used in western medical practices for decades to treat heart failure, raise the immune system and even keep premature babies warm!
Infrared is the same as UV: this is false, as UV rays are on the visible end of the electromagnetic spectrum whereas infrared radiation is invisible.
As with any sauna, irresponsible use of saunas may be dangerous. Dehydration and heatstroke can occur so make sure to keep extremely hydrated and never enter one under the influence of alcohol.
10 Infrared Sauna Benefits
Infrared saunas can provide you with many different health benefits. These can be, but are not limited to;
- Relaxation and better sleep
- Detoxification
- Weight loss
- Relief from joint pain such as arthritis and sore muscles
- Clear and tighter skin
- Improved circulation
- Lowers blood pressure
- Boosts immune system
- Ease Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Improved results when strength training
Infrared Sauna FAQS
The term ‘radiation’ can be pretty scary, so understandably you probably have a lot of questions. Fear not! Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about infrared saunas not included on influencer’s Instagrams so you can decide if this is the right treatment for you.
How long should you sit in an infrared sauna?
An esteemed health writer suggested starting off on a lower temperature, for around 10 or 15 minutes for your first time. Slowly building that time and temperature up over sauna sessions to the recommended 30 minutes.
You should not start going to the sauna every day and build it up from a couple of sessions a week, f you can handle four sessions a week then you may want to increase your sessions to daily.
Remember that as the heat deeply penetrates your body it is totally normal to feel lightheaded when you stand up! Its also totally normal to continue sweating for around half an hour after the exiting the sauna session so enjoy the sweat benefits!
What does an infrared sauna do for you?
It’s important to remember that everybody is different, you might not get the same pain relief as someone else who experiences your symptoms, for example.
The use of infrared saunas has exploded over the last few years. This is due to the massive pain relief from joint pain and other ailments, as well as improved blood circulation and blood flow to soothe sore muscles according to data published in peer-reviewed studies.
Infrared sauna treatment stimulates the sweat glands which boosts your metabolism and improves weight loss, detoxification and overall skin appearance.
Do infrared saunas really detoxify your body?
The detoxification process is when the body sweats out organic or inorganic compounds such as nicotine to clarify your system.
In comparison with traditional saunas, infrared saunas increase your core body temperature by two or three degrees. This aids in the detoxification process by stimulating the sweat glands and blood circulation to intensify your sweat.
Some supporters of these infrared sauna treatments believe this more intense stimulation raises 20% of toxins out of the skin compared to traditional saunas 3%.
How do you prepare for an infrared sauna experience?
The ability to harness any infrared saunas full benefits is by using them responsibly. Do not use a sauna if you have been:
- Drinking alcohol.
- Are ill or have a fever.
- Are sensitive to infrared light.
In order to get the most out of your experience, here are some simple steps to maximise your benefits from using the sauna;
- Make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before so you are entering the sauna well-rested.
- Find out what the dress code is! Some may require you to wear swimming attire, while others may only allow naked use. If they allow both, go with whatever you are most comfortable with.
- If your intended use is to improve a workout regime, make sure you exercise first!
- Make sure you are extremely hydrated the day of your visit and be sure to take water in with you to keep yourself hydrated throughout. If it gets too hot, be sure to open a door to catch your breath!
- Make sure you use this for ‘you’ time! Catch up on your book or podcast, listen to music, do whatever makes you feel relaxed, just ensure that you don’t fall asleep!
- When you are done, stand up slowly – it’s normal to feel lightheaded or woozy after the intense heat treatment.
- It is recommended that you do not shower or bath for at least 30 minutes after so that your body can cool down naturally.
- Its good to know that almost nobody feels comfortable their first treatment, and the intense heat does take some getting used to, but after your session, you should feel amazing and see a boost in your mood!
Final thoughts
There is a lot to be said for the science and logic behind infrared saunas, chromotherapy, in general, is an expanding market! Its health benefits are already pretty venerated by our social media feeds, at the least its a great way to get your sweat on while being more comfortable, and have that important self-care time.
Make sure to look after your health first and foremost, talk to your doctor before starting any treatment to health issues, or conditions. Don’t push yourself harder than you can handle, and always remember to open the door if you feel faint.
Either way, get rested, get hydrated, and enjoy the most intense sweat ever!
