The therapeutic use of saunas dates back thousands of years. People in Finland used stoves and pits cut into the sides of hills to stay warm during the bitterly cold winters. Apart from the conventional sauna, these days, many people from all walks of life, including athletes and people who just want to improve their health naturally, go for infrared sauna treatments because they have so many benefits, such as being able to detoxify the body, help you relax, and even boost your immune system.
Although sauna therapy has been around for a while, new innovations like infrared saunas are helping to revitalize the centuries-old technique. Exactly what does “infrared sauna” entail? What are the advantages of infrared saunas, and in what ways do they help? Have you considered the potential drawbacks?
In this article, we will talk about the benefits and disadvantages of sauna therapy or infrared sauna.
Infrared Sauna: What Does That Mean?
There has been a rise in infrared sauna use in functional medicine in recent years. Both doctors and patients have found that this type of sauna therapy can help with a wide range of physical and medical problems, such as chronic pain and Lyme disease.
For infrared saunas, heat in a controlled environment is used for the same things that traditional saunas are used for, like sweating to clean and relax, relieving pain, and even treating long-term illnesses. Both infrared saunas and traditional saunas are meant to heat the body, but they do so in different ways.
Conventional Sauna
A traditional sauna is a space heating with an electric or wood-burning stove or another source of heat-resistant wood. To produce steam, water is poured against pebbles placed atop the heater. When the air is heated to very high levels, usually between 175 and 195 degrees F, the steam makes the air very thick, making the body sweat.
Infrared Sauna
Infrared sauna devices use modern heating and delivery systems to get the same benefits and feelings as traditional saunas. The rooms are often made of wood and are outfitted with ceramic carbon panels that emit infrared radiation to heat the room. The infrared spectrum includes energy at wavelengths that occur in nature.
The term “infrared” describes the heat that comes off a hot object or surface, such as a sidewalk. Rays can warm the skin and penetrate the body. The average operating temperature is An infrared sauna’s average working temperature is about 155 degrees Fahrenheit, and they don’t make any steam when they’re in use since they are easier to transport, more cost-effective to install, and require less energy than full-sized saunas.
Benefits of Infrared Saunas
Knowing what an infrared sauna is, you may be interested in learning about the benefits and drawbacks of this form of thermal relaxation. Here are some of the benefits of the infrared sauna before we get to the disadvantages-
Improved Sleep
People who use infrared saunas regularly say that they help them sleep better. Individuals with sleep disorders have said they can get a better night’s rest after using an infrared sauna. This may be because infrared radiation goes deep into the skin cells, and the sudden drop in core body temperature after leaving the sauna causes the brain to make more melatonin. The body naturally produces melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep.
Lower heat and temperature
Because of how infrared radiation works, infrared saunas often run at cooler temperatures than regular saunas. Infrared saunas usually work at temperatures between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, while regular saunas work at temperatures between 150 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to reap the benefits of heat therapy but can’t tolerate the heat, an infrared sauna is your best bet.
Less Pain
The soothing effects of heat therapy are a major perk of sauna use for relieving muscle and joint pain. It has been shown that infrared saunas are better at treating both long-term and localized pain. Infrared saunas can help relieve joint and muscle pain caused by conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, and fibromyalgia. The heat therapy saunas offer can help with muscle strains, sprains, and general stiffness and pain.
Improved Skin Clarity
When you enter a sauna, you should try to perspire as much as possible to aid your body in eliminating toxins through your skin’s pores. Because infrared saunas cause more perspiration, they can aid in unclogging pores, resulting in more radiant skin.
Detoxification through perspiration
When you picture a sauna session, sweating is usually the first thing that comes to mind. When the body as a whole is exposed to high temperatures, more blood is sent to the skin. This makes you sweat and may help get rid of pollutants, chemicals, and heavy metals through your skin.
Cardiovascular Health
The cardiovascular system responds in several ways to sauna use, including increased heart rate and cardiac output, enhanced blood flow, and reduced blood pressure.
Chronic heart disease and aging
Using a sauna has been shown to improve the symptoms of chronic heart failure, lower the risk of heart disease, and make people live longer.
Tolerance of Stress
Hormesis is the body’s natural response to too much heat (or cold), which triggers a chain reaction of cellular repair and the release of antioxidants. In addition to making you more resistant to the effects of intense heat, it is believed that prolonged exposure to this form of stress makes your body more resistant to all types of stress.
Controlling hormone levels
Many studies have shown that sauna use stimulates growth hormone, controls ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and reduces fasting blood glucose.
Benefits to one’s state of mind, calmness, and general disposition
Spending time alone in a hot sauna might put you in a deep state of relaxation or even help you think more clearly. The endorphins your body produces from sauna therapy can raise your mood and make you feel generally better.
Disadvantages of Infrared Sauna
There are some disadvantages of Infrared Saunas as well, and they are-
Dry Heat
The way an infrared sauna works is one of the biggest and most obvious reasons why you might not want to get one instead of a regular sauna. Infrared saunas are far drier than traditional saunas, which use steam to heat the body and the surrounding air because infrared technology is used to generate heat. Long-term exposure to high temperatures or using a product to its fullest capacity can cause overheating and even dehydration.
Dry Skin
Results from a sauna session may vary from person to person. While infrared saunas effectively warm the body, some people find that frequent use actually dries out their skin. In this case, using a moisturizer that does not clog pores before and after a sauna session is important.
Problems with Health
Upon entering a sauna, everyone feels the heat differently. While many health benefits are associated with sauna use, some people may experience problems due to the dry heat of infrared saunas. Heart problems and low blood pressure are two of the most common complications.
As we’ve already said, infrared saunas are a modern take on traditional saunas that use cutting-edge technology to recreate the environment. Because of how they are heated, infrared saunas have some advantages and disadvantages. Even though some people say that infrared saunas are good for their health, others may disagree. Finding an infrared sauna therapy center near me is simple if you’re interested in infrared therapy.
Precautions
To lower the risk of harm to human health, the following safety measures are also suggested:
Don’t drink
Drinking too much alcohol can result in dehydration, low blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and even death.
Sauna time should be kept within a limit
If you use a sauna, limit your sessions to no more than 20 minutes. Newcomers should plan to spend a little more than 10 minutes learning the ropes. They will get used to the heat if you slowly extend it to around 20 minutes.
Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water
No matter what kind of sauna one uses, it’s crucial to replenish the fluids lost during the session. Two to four glasses of water should be consumed after a sauna session.
Skip sauna during sickness
In the same way, people who are sick shouldn’t use a sauna until they are completely better. Sauna use may be dangerous for pregnant women and anyone with certain medical disorders, such as low blood pressure, so it’s best to check with your doctor first.
Keep an eye on the kids
All children over the age of six can use a sauna, although younger children should always be supervised. Kids must not stay in there for more than 15 minutes at a time.
Final Words
Regular use is required to gain the full benefits of an infrared sauna. Infrared saunas come with quite a lot of benefits, and with further research, we will probably get to know about a lot more benefits. From the abovementioned list, you can see that an infrared sauna doesn’t only provide you with comfort and relaxation, but you can also get several health benefits by using an infrared sauna.
Increasing the amount of infrared you get daily will likely give you more benefits, whether trying to treat a rare heart condition, get better at a sport, or improve your brain power. The list of benefits is endless: better skin, less stress, more energy, better sleep, lower risk of diabetes, etc. However, make sure to take necessary precautions before using it, or you might face certain difficulties like the ones mentioned above. Make sure to consult your personal doctor as well before going through this therapy.
