The recent past has seen an explosion in the number of celebrities who swear by the healing benefits of infrared saunas. From Hollywood A-listers like Jennifer Aniston to acclaimed television personalities like Kim Kardashian to celebrated musicians like Lady Gaga, the list of high-flying influencers endorsing infrared saunas is virtually limitless.
But how factual are these assertions? Can infrared saunas provide meaningful therapeutic benefits, or are they another well-choreographed wellness scam?
This article shall help put those questions into perspective.
Read on for a definitive guide to infrared saunas, including how they work and their perceived therapeutic properties.
What Are Infrared Saunas?
An infrared sauna is a type of sauna designed to warm your body directly by utilizing infrared electromagnetic radiation. It differs from traditional saunas, which work by heating ambient air.
Due to their direct heating functionality, infrared saunas deliver more intense therapeutic effects than traditional saunas. The panels produce warmth that penetrates deeper into your tissues without causing overheating, allowing you to maintain a healthy body temperature during each treatment.
However, multiple infrared sauna reviews have shown that no two saunas are identical. In-depth research is paramount while selecting the best sauna for your needs. Nick Urban—a wellness tech expert—offers detailed evaluations that can help users make informed choices tailored to their specific recovery and health goals.
How Do Infrared Saunas Work?
Infrared saunas are equipped with infrared heaters, which emit light that penetrates deeper into the skin tissues.
Each light pulse warms the body, triggering intense sweating without overheating the skin.
Besides their heating principle, infrared saunas also prevent overheating by working at lower temperatures than traditional saunas. These saunas typically operate around 120 – 140 degrees Fahrenheit (49 – 60 degrees Celsius), while their conventional counterparts work within 150 – 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
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How Might Infrared Saunas Impact Your Health?
1. Natural Stress Reliever
Infrared saunas are widely prized for their stress-relieving properties. Each treatment stimulates the release of endorphins; neurotransmitters noted for their mood boosting properties.
Infrared saunas are also administered in relaxing environments. This further relieves stress by providing a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of ordinary life.
2. Healthy Alternative to Sleep Pills
As infrared saunas are remarkably soothing, you could administer the treatments around bedtime to improve sleep quality.
Infrared sauna therapies can mellow you down after an eventful day, lulling you into restful sleep. They’re a welcome alternative to conventional sleep pills, which are notorious for their high propensity for adverse events.
3. An Effective Detox
Infrared saunas trigger intense sweating, enabling the body to eliminate accumulated toxins.
The treatment has proven effective at cleansing the body of heavy metal, pesticide, and phthalate residues. If allowed to build up in your system, these impurities can predispose you to various chronic illnesses.
4. Great for Post-Workout Recovery
Infrared saunas stimulate blood flow throughout the body.
Increased blood circulation ramps up the transportation of oxygen and essential nutrients to muscles. Besides, it eliminates toxic by-products of exercise, such as lactic acid.
This combination can soothe muscle inflammation and joint tenderness, accelerating post-workout muscle recovery.
5. Supporting Cardiovascular Health
Some research suggests that getting regular infrared sauna treatments might support your cardiovascular health. That’s likely due to their ability to ramp up blood circulation.
6. Aiding Weight Loss
Obesity is not only a dignity-stripping lifestyle condition. It’s also a major risk factor for other chronic illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease.
By triggering intense heating, infrared saunas can stimulate metabolism. Faster metabolism means your body spends more calories than it stores, leading to lean weight.
7. Revitalizing Skin’s Radiance
While not the elixir of youth, multiple reports indicate that infrared saunas can rejuvenate your skin by activating sweating.
Intense sweating helps flush toxins from epidermal cells, smoothing out your skin tone.
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How to Make the Most of Infrared Saunas
1. Invest In High-quality Products
The best way to unlock the benefits of infrared saunas is to start with a high-quality product. While options abound, consider factors like the heating technology and wattage ratings.
The Sunlighten mPulse Believe is highly recommended for its advanced heating capabilities. It features a patented 3-in-1 Infrared + Red Light technology, including far infrared, mid-infrared, and red/near-infrared LEDs.
Sunlighten mPulse Believe is also rated for 2400 Watts and seats two people. Besides, it comes with a Wi-Fi-connected touchscreen tablet.
2. Stay Hydrated
Going into an infrared sauna can leave you a bit overheated or dehydrated. Therefore, it’s important to stay hydrated throughout the process.
Drink plenty of fluids before going into the sauna and right after each treatment.
3. Start Small
Infrared saunas are most effective if sparingly administered.
Experts recommend starting with at least five minutes, then increasing the treatment time gradually until you reach the ideal duration of 15 – 20 minutes. This lets you maximize the health benefits of infrared saunas while minimizing adverse effects.
It’s also best to start with lower temperatures of around 100˚F to 150˚F. Besides, cool down after each treatment before following up with a shower and more hydration.
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Final Word
Infrared saunas may provide a broad spectrum of health benefits, from stimulating blood circulation to soothing anxiety, and even lowering the risks of certain heart diseases. However, it’s important to approach these treatments with an open mind.
Note that while infrared saunas have a high safety profile, first-timers may experience overheating and dehydration. The trick is to drink plenty of water right before and after each therapy.
Besides, start with shorter treatments and build momentum gradually.
Most importantly, invest in high-quality infrared saunas. Common aspects to consider include size, construction material, heating technology, EMF protection, and energy efficiency.
