Infrared saunas are one of the most popular methods for improving overall health and well-being, and there are some basic tips and tricks that you can utilise to make them even more effective!
There are many different types of saunas, from steam rooms to Finnish dry saunas, traditional saunas to infrared saunas.
Infrared saunas use gentle heat to open your pores and release toxins from your body, improve circulation, reduce stress, improve skin health, and much more.
So, if you're looking for a way to improve how many infrared sauna health benefits you can get out of a single sauna session, then this blog is for you!
The Many Benefits of the Infrared Sauna
The health and wellness benefits of a sauna are undeniable. Its popularity in recent years comes from the many positive outcomes it has on your body, such as weight loss, improved circulation or detox, just to name just a few!
Infrared Saunas for Weight Loss
One of the most popular benefits of the infrared sauna is weight loss. The infrared heat penetrates the body, causing it to sweat and burn calories.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that using an infrared sauna for just 30 minutes can burn up to 600 calories.
How Infrared Saunas Improve Circulation
The infrared heat also dilates blood vessels, which improves circulation and helps to deliver more oxygen to cells and tissues.
This increased circulation can help to reduce pain, inflammation, and stiffness.
Infrared Saunas Provide the Ultimate Detoxification
The sweating caused by an infrared sauna gets rid of toxins that have built up in the body over time.
These toxins can come from the food we eat, the air we breathe, and even our own metabolism.
By getting rid of these toxins, we can improve our overall health and well-being.
Providing Even More Sauna Benefits
There are many more health benefits provided by infrared saunas, such as:
- Sauna benefits for sleep
- Sauna benefits for pain relief
- Sauna benefits for diabetes
- Sauna benefits for heart health
- Sauna benefits for stress reduction
- Sauna benefits for immunity
- Sauna benefits for muscle recovery
Tips for Using Your Infrared Sauna
Before we get to maximising your infrared sauna sessions, there are a few basics that you should master first!
This is not only for your general health and safety but also because the tips to maximise your sauna sessions are a little more extreme and thus a good foundation of sauna practice is essential.
Before you go looking for an infrared sauna for sale, here are a few tips to help you get started in the basics of sauna bathing:
Drink Plenty of Water During Infrared Sauna Use
Water is essential for overall health and it's especially important when you are detoxing.
Make sure to drink plenty of water during, and after your infrared sauna session. This will help flush toxins from your body and improve your overall health.
Focus on Sweating it out
The main benefit of infrared saunas is that they help you sweat out toxins. So make sure to really sweat it out during your session!
The more you perspire, the more toxins will be released from your body. Get into the habit of wiping the sweat off your body so that your body can continue to perspire.
What you should wear in a sauna is to go naked, as the infrared light should be in direct contact with your body at all times. However, it is important to take a sufficient amount of towels to be able to wipe the sweat from your body.
Take Some Breaks
It's nice to know that taking breaks in between your sauna sessions is good for you.
Because infrared works by raising your core body temperature with infrared light, the overall temperature of the cabin isn't as important as you might think.
Simply reach the point of being uncomfortable and then take a break. There's no need to push it in an infrared sauna!
It's Not All About the Heat
The actual temperature of the air is irrelevant depending on the temperature of your core body.
While a hotter cabin may raise your core faster, it will also be uncomfortable in the long run.
A cooler cabin however will be much more enjoyable, and the infrared wavelengths will continue to heat up your core no matter the temperature of the cabin.
So instead of focusing on the temperature of the cabin, try to focus on the infrared wavelength heating your core body temperature!
How hot a sauna should be will be determined by a few factors, however, we recommend staying around the 55ºC range.
The Best Time of Day to Use Your Infrared Sauna
Using your infrared sauna at a specific time in the day really depends on personal preference over any real health benefit advantage.
For some people, infrared saunas have a relaxing and drowsy effect, while for others it has an energising and alerting effect.
Depending on which category you fall into, you might want to tailor the time of day to the sauna - either morning or evening.
There does seem to be a correlation between infrared saunas and your circadian rhythm and so if infrared saunas energise you, try using them when the sun is rising.
If you're someone who gets drowsy from infrared saunas then use it when the sun is setting.
How Often to Use Your Infrared Sauna
Like most things in life, consistency is the key to achieving results, and the health benefits from infrared saunas are no different.
Regular sauna sessions of 3-4 times a week have been clinically proven to provide long-term fat percentage loss of up to 4%, increased cardiovascular endurance of up to 30%, and long-lasting mental health and stress reduction effects!
Similarly to exercise, infrared saunas are still tough on your body and so be mindful not to overdo it. There is no evidence to suggest that too many sessions are bad for you, however, heat stress can be hard on the human body - so if you choose to sauna daily, be careful!