Infrared Sauna
Infrared saunas use invisible light rays to heat your body from the inside out, rather than heating the air around you like a traditional sauna. Scientists have established that infrared waves are beneficial to the human body because they are easily absorbed. These rays stimulate the lymphatic, immune and cardiovascular systems through vibration of water molecules in the cells of the body to release toxins. As your body absorbs the infrared heat, your core body temperature increases, inducing a deep and relaxing sweat.
Benefits of an infrared sauna
Studies have shown that infrared sauna helps to detoxify the body and treat chronic health problems. These can include high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It can also be used to help relieve symptoms of headaches, type 2 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
Whether you’re a professional athlete, recreational racket player, or just aiming to make the high school varsity team, athletes at every level need their bodies to perform at an optimal level. Using an infrared sauna helps the body recover from strenuous workouts faster. It can also help relieve muscle soreness by increasing blood flow and circulation through the body.
The research
Treatment of chronic pain and cardiovascular issues
Sauna therapy is effective at treating hypertension, congestive heart failure, and for post-myocardial infarction care. It also provides benefit to individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic fatigue, chronic pain or addictions. Read more.
Regular use of a sauna can impart a similar benefit on the cardiovascular system as running. Read more.
Effects on respiratory system
Men who used a sauna twice per week found their risk of pneumonia decreased. They also saw improvement in ventilation and lung function, along with a reduction in pulmonary congestion. Read more.
Immunity advantages
Increasing the body's temperature can help increase immunity against disease and help fight off infections in the body. Inducing fever-range temperatures (100.4 – 105.8°F) stimulates every step of the immune response process and promotes innate and adaptive immunity. Read more.
The use of a sauna causes faster cell mobilization in the first line of immune defense of the body and can enhance the ability to fight disease. Read more.
Watch our Infrared Sauna Webinar and Q&A:
OPTIMAL HEALTH UNCOVERED
In this episode, Todd and Mike review heat therapies such as paraffin baths, infrared saunas, traditional saunas and steam saunas, and discuss how they differ from each other.
LOCATIONS
FAQs
What is an Infrared Sauna?
The sun produces a combination of visible and invisible light. Invisible light rays, or infrared rays, are what makes the sun feel warm. On the other hand, visible light rays (or UV rays) are what makes the sun bright. Scientists established that infrared waves are beneficial to the human body because they are easily absorbed and, unlike UV rays, are not harmful in large quantities. Instead, infrared rays stimulate the lymphatic, immune and cardiovascular systems and can help vibrate water molecules in your cells to release toxins.
In an infrared sauna, your body absorbs the infrared rays, which in turn increases your core body temperature and induces a deep and relaxing sweat. Additionally, using an infrared sauna at lower temperatures allows you to stay inside longer and get more benefits.
How is Infrared Sauna different from a regular sauna?
An infrared sauna uses invisible light rays to heat your body from the inside-out, rather than heating the air around you like a traditional sauna. When you heat the body directly — with only a small percentage of the heat heating the air — it results in a deeper sweat at a lower ambient air temperature. In fact, infrared saunas usually operate between 115° – 135°F, while traditional saunas can get up to 195°F. In an infrared sauna, the air temperature is less important than the quality of the infrared heat.
Why should I use an infrared sauna?
Studies show that an infrared sauna helps detoxify the body and treat chronic health problems. For example, these include high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, dementia and Alzheimer's disease. It can also be used to help relieve symptoms of headaches, type 2 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
Is there science behind the use of a sauna?
Yes! According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, regular use of a sauna imparts a similar boost on the cardiovascular system as running. As you relax in the gentle infrared heat, your body is hard at work producing sweat, pumping blood and burning calories. As your body increases sweat production to cool itself, your heart works harder to pump blood at a greater rate to boost circulation. This increase in your metabolism burns calories, even as you sit still.
Increased blood circulation carries off metabolic waste products and delivers oxygen-rich blood to oxygen-depleted muscles for faster recovery. The infrared waves will also raise your core body temperature, inducing an artificial fever. The fever is the body’s natural mechanism to strengthen and accelerate the immune response, as seen in the case of infection. Combined with improved elimination of toxins and wastes via intense sweating, it will increase your overall health and resistance to disease.
Can anyone use an infrared sauna?
We welcome anyone to experience the benefits of an infrared sauna, but there are a few contraindications to its use. Please consult your physician if you are obese, pregnant, or have/use any of the following: fever, diabetes, chronic conditions/diseases associated with reduced ability to sweat or perspire, hemophilia/ prone to bleeding, high blood pressure, implants, prescription medications that have adverse effects from infrared rays or cause drowsiness, alcohol before or during a session, or pacemakers/defibrillators.
What kind of infrared sauna does Performance have?
At our Greenwich and Westport locations we use Sunlighten's mPulse Believe sauna, while our New Canaan at Halo Fitness houses a Golden Design Low EMF Far Infrared Sauna.
What are the age and height requirements for the Infrared Sauna?
While there is no set age or height requirement, we use heavy precaution with any clients that may be at a high risk for overheating. An infrared sauna heats the core temperature of the patient, which can cause issues for some. Because adolescents and the elderly are more susceptible to over heating, their time should be limited and monitored closely.
