Sauna’s are a great way to relax, but are also a source of controversy, especially infrared saunas. In case you are wondering what an infrared sauna is, it is a sauna room that is heated with infrared rays rather than through traditional methods such as coal. The controversy is that there could be medical issues arising out of this form of heating. However, there is no conclusive research showing that they are dangerous. In fact, there are many benefits that come with infrared saunas, and here are 5 of the best of them.
- It helps you lose weight
One of the greatest benefits of infrared sauna is that it increases your metabolism in the same way that exercise does. It is so effective that based on recent research, people who use infrared sauna for up to 16 weeks can lose over 4% of their body fat. This is an incredible fete that is hard to replicate with exercise, unless it is highly intensive.
- It helps the body get rid of heavy metals
The prevailing argument out there is that the human body is fully capable of detoxifying itself. However, the reality is that any given time, we have more than 700 different toxins in our system, and our bodies can only do so much. Infrared saunas are there to help your body in this process. That’s because such a sauna makes you sweat and in the process help your skin get rid of heavy metal toxins such as phthalates, lead and mercury.
- It gives you a beautiful youthful skin
Ever wondered what gives the skin its soft wonderful feel? Well, that’s comes from the presence of collagen in the skin, and your skin produces more of it when you spend some time in an infrared sauna. That’s because the best infrared saunas produce far infrared wavelengths that trigger the production of collagen in the skin. This makes your skin feel softer and more elastic by enhancing the flow of nutrients and blood flow to the skin. That’s why an infrared sauna is the perfect tool for someone looking to maintain a youthful look.
- It helps you stay biologically youthful
Ever looked at someone and felt like they don’t look their age. Like they are way younger than their actual age? Well, that’s because there is a difference between the chronological age (your actual number of years) and the biological age (cellular year). Scientists have found that one of the reasons why some people look younger than their actual age is the production of shock proteins. The more they are produced, the younger a person looks, and infrared sauna have been known to trigger the production of this protein. In essence, constantly visiting an infrared sauna can help you stay youthful.
- It helps reduce stress levels
Stress and stress-related ailments are a common feature in modern day life. This can be linked to financial issues as well as other issues such as family complications. Other than exercise, an infrared sauna is another highly effective way of dealing with stress. That’s because an infrared sauna is known to inhibit the excessive production of cortisol hormones (the hormones that trigger stress) while at the same time enhancing the production of feel-good hormones such as dopamine.
My wife tried it the other night before bed. Said it stopped her late night carb cravings and she slept great. Turned off breakers too that night though.
I worry a bit about the FIR as postulated above by gagnrad but actually there are far worse sources of EMF I deal with every day. Ours is a “full-spectrum” model so theoretically I can customize the output and specify how much near / mid / far EMF to emit.