Whether you follow celebs like Lady Gaga or Maude Apatow or your friends are wellness enthusiasts, you have undoubtedly heard of infrared saunas. There’s a reason they’ve received so much attention: Regular use of this infrared light-based therapy may have many health advantages, such as better sleep, faster muscle recovery, and healthier skin. Continue reading for more information on the benefits of infrared saunas.
Here are some details about infrared saunas and how they differ from regular saunas.
Traditional saunas, also known as steam or dry heat baths, have several health advantages, including excellent heart and lung function, improved blood circulation, less stress, and more. Although infrared saunas are less extreme than regular saunas, both appear to have relatively similar health advantages.
The infrared version is heated differently and at a lower temperature than typical saunas, which is a significant differential. Tom Ingegno, D.A.C.M., M.S.O.M., L.Ac., a licensed acupuncturist and proprietor of Charm City Integrative Health, says that infrared saunas use panels that create infrared light and heat when they are powered up. The infrared light waves permeate the body to add warmth and are outside the visible spectrum, farther than red. Instead of directly heating the body, traditional saunas warm the air.
Regarding how the two saunas differ in actual use, Ingegno notes that “normal (Finnish) saunas operate at a greater temperature, so they feel hotter when you first step in.” Like being outside on a hot day, “this heat penetrates the superficial levels (skin) of the body, and you feel it on the skin and sweat quickly.”
In contrast, Ingegno continues, “infrared saunas keep at a lower heat, which explains part of why it takes longer to sweat in infrared saunas.” “When you heat up, it feels “deeper” in your body rather than just on the surface because that infrared frequency’s wavelength allows it to infiltrate the body (think more to a muscular level). So you sweat in any case, although it can take longer “than using an infrared sauna.
The optimal session is shorter (usually lasting 15 to 20 minutes) because of the intense heat of traditional saunas, which operate at maximum temperatures of 180 to 210°F. In contrast, Ingegno claims that “infrared units have a maximum temperature between 140 and 160°F.” “As you warm [your body] from the inside out, this heat is different. Sessions last between 30 and 60 minutes on average. People claim that it takes longer for these to get heated, but you will still sweat.”
The decision between a traditional and an infrared sauna depends heavily on your preferences if you’re interested in sauna sessions. According to Ingegno, some people enjoy longer sessions at a lower temperature, while others prefer a fast blast of heat. “Although each has a few distinctive characteristics, the total health advantages are sufficient.”
Infrared sauna benefits
Traditional saunas have received more investigation than infrared saunas specifically. Still, since they are both “types of passive heat therapy,” specialists, researchers, and Ingegno believe that it is likely that their advantages are comparable (even though traditional saunas will feel warmer and involve shorter sessions). In addition, research on Waon treatment, which entails a 15-minute session in an infrared sauna, 30 minutes of resting on a bed covered in a warm blanket, and then rehydrating with water, may also apply to infrared saunas in particular.
According to studies, saunas are suitable for cardiovascular health, says Ingegno. “Blood pressure, heart rate variability, and vascular health have all benefited from regular use. Additionally, research demonstrates that your lungs receive a boost. According to certain research, it may even be beneficial for people with chronic bronchitis and asthma.”
According to Ingegno, one small study has shown positive effects of Waon therapy on emotional exhaustion, suggesting that infrared sauna advantages may also include enhanced sleep. Infrared saunas may also help you feel more relaxed if you are prone to stress. In addition, a study revealed the potential advantages of infrared sauna therapy for sports rehabilitation (hence their inclusion in gyms). Other potential benefits include making your skin look younger and tighter. According to one study, regular sauna use reduced redness and made the skin “more hydrated and thicker, meaning the skin looked tighter and younger.”
You can attribute the potential health advantages of using an infrared sauna to your body’s response to heat. According to Ingegno, heat specifically causes “the blood arteries to dilate.” He says that “opening the blood arteries assists [the body] in two ways.” First, it enables metabolic waste and inflammatory compounds in “old” blood to be flushed out of the tissue and recirculated to the center of the body, where they undergo a series of chemical changes in the liver and kidneys before being eventually excreted through sweat, exhalations, urine, and bowel movements.
The fresh blood-bathing tissue is the second advantage of vasodilation, says Ingegno. According to him, heat also opens the pores, allowing some waste to be expelled in the sweat, and fresh blood transports oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.
Overall, there are a lot of potential advantages to infrared saunas, but additional research is required to correctly confirm whether these advantages also hold for traditional saunas.
Risks associated with infrared saunas
Despite the overwhelming appearance of safety, there are still a few things to consider when using an infrared sauna. Nicole Swiner, M.D., a family physician, expresses concern about excessive infrared light exposure or overheating in patients who may be hypersensitive to those things. If you are aware that you are particularly sensitive to heat, she advises avoiding infrared saunas because there is little information available on how to use them safely. Always get guidance from a medical practitioner if you are unsure.
According to Ingegno, there have been no unfavorable reports regarding infrared saunas. But you need to drink lots of water because you’re sweating so much to avoid being dehydrated. If you frequently use saunas, you should take a supplement to replace the electrolytes (i.e., trace minerals like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and iron) you lose through sweat.
There are some caveats, however: “Even if saunas are good for your heart, if you have a cardiac condition, talk to your primary care physician and start with shorter sessions to get acclimated to the heat,” suggests Ingegno. In addition, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises against taking a sauna while pregnant since studies have connected it to birth abnormalities. Overall, though, infrared saunas offer a variety of possible advantages and are appropriate for use by most people.
Using an Infrared Sauna
If the health advantages of infrared saunas have aroused your interest, you probably want to know how to go to the heated chambers. Although traditional saunas are still the most prevalent type in gyms and spas, Ingegno claims things are beginning to change. He claims that because infrared kills some bacteria and makes it simpler to keep saunas clean and less sweaty, they are becoming more and more popular in settings with several users. Given the current surge in popularity and studies demonstrating the health advantages, integrative clinics like mine are also beginning to provide these services. According to Ingegno, infrared saunas for the house are less expensive than they formerly were and could be a wise purchase if you want to use one frequently.
Is Purchasing an Infrared Sauna Blanket Advisable?
For best effects, Dr. Swiner advises using an infrared sauna three to four times per week, but “if someone is eligible and wants to use it, it appears to be safe to use every day,” he says. According to Ingegno, even one to two sessions per week can improve your health. The optimum session should last 30 minutes. The typical attire for sauna sessions is a towel or nothing at all.
