Infrared Sauna and the Benefits you can Enjoy
I recently had the opportunity to enjoy several sessions in an infrared sauna and found it to be very relaxing and beneficial.
The infrared sauna was manufactured by the Company Sunlighten and on their website, they list many of their product's health and wellbeing benefits...
The importance of sweating
Sweating is one of the best ways to detox your body and this is because every time we sweat, we flush out those toxic substances and heavy metals that we encounter in everyday life. Infrared sauna therapy promotes this sweating process by heating your body from the inside to expel toxins from deep down instead of just sitting in hot, ambient air that will only heat the outer skin.
The presence of environmental toxins can affect our energy, stamina, pain, sleeping habits, obesity, mental health and more. And of course perspiration, respiration and elimination are the natural ways our bodies expel the metabolic waste produced inside when we sweat.
Anti aging and skin care
The process with infrared sauna will care for your skin from the inside out. Healthy, glowing skin can help you feel radiant and confident - and it’s one of the many benefits of consistent infrared sauna use. In addition, infrared saunas can help reduce wrinkles and crow’s feet, while improving overall skin tone, softness, smoothness, elasticity, clarity and firmness.
The process known as photo biomodulation uses invisible, near infrared (NIR) wavelengths (700 to 1,200 nanometers (nm)) to deliver energy to cells. NIR has the perfect wavelength (880 nm) to penetrate skin best so that when applied to the skin, fibroblast cells absorb the light activity, stimulating production of collagen and elastin. Over time, such production can create thicker, younger looking skin, decrease lines, fade scars and promote skin renewal, cell health and tissue growth.
Reducing the appearance of acne
Infrared saunas may also help reduce acne and improve the appearance of acne scarring. Among other reasons, the build-up of oil on the skin causes acne - and when your body produces a lot of oil it can lead to constant breakouts. The benefit of the Infrared saunas stimulating sweat from infrared heat – not heated air – helps to clean out those clogged pores at the cellular level.
Enhancing skin tone and texture.
In a 2006 study, researchers examined the impact of infrared on collagen and elastin, two key ingredients of healthy skin. They found that both these ingredients increased after exposure to infrared - and all patients included in the study reported enhanced skin texture, less roughness along with an improvement in color.
Improving the appearance of scars.
Infrared increases circulation and delivery of oxygen to injured or damaged areas and helps with cell turnover, which aids the appearance of scars. Studies using NASA LED technology concluded that NIR LED light significantly promoted faster cell regeneration, wound healing, and human tissue growth.
Helping you to relax - and sleep more soundly
Sunlighten saunas help you relax in natural comfort with an invigorating deep tissue sweat that will have you feeling fully refreshed after every sauna session. Getting a good night's sleep is essential to your wellbeing and if you don't get that good night's sleep, the health consequences can mount up. Our bodies regulate sleep through a complicated chemical process managed by our brain, activated by our circadian rhythm and sleep drive. But when that process is disrupted, there are a lot of variables to consider and evaluate. Variables include activity patterns; health issues like stress; sleep apnea; restless leg syndrome; depression; menopause; diabetes and more. In addition, sleep hygiene factors such as room temperature, light reduction, regular bedtimes and wake times are important too.
Helping achieve weight loss
Having a healthy body shape and weight helps us to live a longer, healthier life. As part of an overall program of nutrition, behavior change and exercise, a sauna can help achieve health goals. A study of diabetic patients attending three x twenty minute sauna sessions per week over three months showed a decrease in waist circumference.
Muscle recovery
Heat is great for recovery, temporary pain relief and inflammation and of course Infrared light heats the body from within and penetrates the joints, muscles and tissues, increasing circulation and blood flow. Good circulation is critical for proper healing as the red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to the site of the strain or inflammation. The more red and white blood cells that can get delivered to muscles, the quicker they rebuild.
Boosting immunity
There is a natural process called hormesis that helps to make us stronger, being a 2-phase response our bodies have to certain stressors - such as exercise or fasting, heat or cold, where a little bit of strain creates strength or resilience. Modern life requires us to recreate those same opportunities to challenge our immune system. And sauna use can be an efficient and effective way to do that. The benefits of hormesis affect overall wellness, heart health and immune system boost.
Ice bath therapy
So many benefits and, as you can see from the image below, it is even possible to follow the typical Scandinavian habit of immersing yourself in icy water after your sauna when you have an ice bath set up close by! Watch this space for information on the benefits of an ice bath in time to come...
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Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.