What Is Medical Infrared Sauna All About?
Is Medical Infrared Sauna scary? Unlike a traditional sauna with a 70⁰c – 90⁰c temperature, Medical Infrared Saunas, commonly known as Infrared Sauna, has an ambient temperature between 40⁰c – 60⁰c. It uses infrared heaters to release infrared light that is absorbed by the skin’s surface as radiant heat.
Infrared Saunas is designed in the shape of a tent with infrared components inside. The reason why the ambient air temperature drops, allowing for longer and more comfortable sauna sessions was that Far Infrared Light, which has a wavelength of roughly 10 μm and is released in an infrared sauna, is felt directly by the body as radiating heat (1). Moreover, it deeply penetrates the body, causing rapid and abundant sweating.
Now, let us further discuss the medical infrared sauna!
When was the infrared Sauna Invented?
The first infrared sauna was created when electricity was invented in the late 1800s. John Harvey Kellogg spent his life promoting holistic treatment methods such as a well-balanced diet, colonics, regular exercise, and sauna therapy.
Later that, a Japanese doctor was the first to secure a patent for a ceramic infrared sauna that used far-infrared wavelengths in 1965. Japanese doctors were the only known medical practitioners that used far infrared sauna treatment for their patients until the late 1970s.
Today, the infrared sauna is one of the most effective health therapies available that help everyone’s life to be both physiologically and psychologically healthy.
What are the Possible Benefits of Medical Infrared Saunas?
The numbers of claims have shown that Medical Infrared Sauna has positive implications on the psychological and physiological states of the body. This is why patients continue to take Infrared Sauna sessions despite it being criticized in the medical world. Here are seven (7) of the possible advantages of undergoing a Medical Infrared Sauna:
First, it improves your cardiovascular health. The two experimental studies of Lee and Laukkanen found that 100 men and women (56% men; age, 32-75 years) with at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor reported reductions in both systolic BP and diastolic BP after 30-minute sauna bathing sessions (2). Moreover, the beneficial effects of Medical Infrared Saunas could be attributed to long-term practices that are at least somewhat similar to the health benefits of long-term physical activity.
Second, your body is detoxified. The extensive sweating brought by the infrared sauna will get your body into detoxification. Flushing out toxins through good sweat will also support your immunity by keeping it function healthily.
Third, it lessens and removes your fatigue. The heat you receive will undoubtedly increase your circulation, resulting in a reduction in muscle discomfort. Furthermore, healthcare specialists recommended that patients suffering from exhaustion complete a couple of sessions of medical infrared sauna in order to alleviate body pain.
Fourth, it helps your respiratory function. Health Research from Time Magazine (3) concluded that medical infrared sauna has been found to increase lung capacity and function, perhaps leading to better breathing for those suffering from respiratory illnesses including asthma and bronchitis. They also added that undergoing an infrared sauna can lower the patient’s risk of common cold and pneumonia.
Fifth, it reduces stress. Shreds of evidence about the benefits of infrared sauna are still few and weak. However, for the patients who are consistently undergoing session and took time to create review notes, the medical infrared sauna has produced them happy hormones which is the endorphins that experts saw as a lead to reduce stress and improve mood.
Sixth, your skin is rejuvenated. Clients from reviews of using infrared sauna have testified that when you emerge from infrared light experience, the skin is glowing. The toxins removed from your body helped your skin to be smooth, cleansed, and appealing.
Seventh, it increases metabolism. Studies have shown that 20% of metabolic rate increases when the body undergoes heat through Medical Infrared Sauna. The temperature brought by each session of infrared sauna could burn calories resulting in weight loss if it was continuously taken.
What to Remember in Taking Medical Infrared Saunas Session?
We always care for our safety. Of course, since we are wanting the healthy benefits of infrared sauna, we should also know when to not undergo medical infrared sauna to avoid health risks and complications. This is what the clinical experts advised to their clients;
- Avoid Alcohol. The studies of Ylikahri, Heikkonen, and Soukas (4), found that alcohol intoxication, especially the hangover period, puts a person at risk for cardiac arrhythmias, and infrared sauna use may increase the risk of arrhythmias even more due to increased adrenergic activity.
- Keep Hydrated. The rapid body fluid lost through sweating should be replaced by drinking water. You can drink water before and after taking the infrared sauna. Patients can also bring water inside the sauna tent to avoid heat sensitivity.
- Get Dress or Naked, You Choose. Clothing is not an issue in taking an infrared sauna. Naked or not, it is fine. Whatever dress you feel comfortable wearing, it is your choice.
- Prepare Your Desired Temperature. As mentioned a while ago, the average medical sauna temperature is between 40⁰c to 60⁰c. For beginners, you may start your room with 40⁰c of temperature for a few sessions and increase it when your body gets used to it.
- Relax. Enjoy the time inside of the infrared sauna tent. You can try different activities like meditation, listening to music, reading books, and chatting with friends.
- Post Infrared Sauna. Cool down yourselves after taking a session in an infrared sauna by letting your body rest and consume lots of water. Later that, you can take shower.
Now that you are aware of Medical Infrared Sauna, the next question is where to find quality service?
Like how athletes see the benefits of sweating, a medical sauna can also offer you sweating that your body needs. This service was available to many spa clinics however there is always the uncertainty of how worthy their services would be.
Affinity Well Spa. This clinical spa offers high-quality beauty treatments that improve clients’ health and helps them become more confident in life! With the basis of scientific research, Affinity Well Spa will give you the atmosphere of warmth, replicating the feeling of home and comfort while undergoing every session of a medical infrared sauna.
