If you haven’t implemented Infrared Sauna Therapy into your healing regimen, it’s time you do. The healing benefits you will experience are profound.

The History of Infrared Sauna Therapy

The discovery of infrared light happened in the 1800s by an astronomer named Sir William Herschel. However, it wasn’t until 1893 when J.H. Kellog debuted his electric light cabinet at the World’s Fair in Chicago. It was sold all over the world. This truly was the birth of using infrared light for healing the body.

While J.H. was utilizing near-infrared rays of light for healing using his light cabinet, in the mid-1900s, a Japanese doctor started using far-infrared light rays for healing.

What is Infrared Sauna Therapy?

Infrared Sauna Therapy is utilizing certain wavelengths of light to heal the body through heating it from the core. There are three types of infrared wavelengths: near, mid and far. Read here to get in-depth about each one. To summarize:

Near Infrared

• oxygenates cells
• improves wound healing and immunity
• reduces oxidative stress

Mid Infrared

• helps with pain relief
• increases circulation
• supports weight loss

Far Infrared

• Induces relaxation
• Lowers blood pressure
• Supports detoxification

It’s important when getting an infrared sauna that you get one that includes all three infrared wave lengths and not just one in isolation.

Important Factors to Consider When Purchasing an Infrared Sauna

• Has all three infrared wavelengths
• Has protection against electromagnetic frequencies {EMF’s} or low EMF’s
• Does not use harmful glues that emit VOC’s
• No coated woods that emit toxins
• Completely hypoallergenic woods
• Uses sustainable woods
• Is ETL certified
• This is the best sauna brand I have found that meets all of these qualifications.

Nine Impressive Healing Benefits of Infrared Sauna Therapy

1 | Cell Health

Our cells are what keep our body alive. With healthy cells, we have healthy bodily processes. With damaged cells, disease sets in and adverse symptoms arise. Infrared sauna therapy helps to oxygenate the cells and increase energy at the cellular level. (1)

Near-infrared light actually increases enzyme activity in cells and reduces cell death by half. (2)

Due to near and far infrared action in the cells, overall immunity is boosted which results in improved cell health.

2 | Blood Pressure

Maintaining healthy blood pressure is critical to heart health, overall organ health and the vascular system.

Only this brand of saunas has been clinically studied and found to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. (3)

By doing a 30-minute infrared sauna therapy session three times per week you can increase healthy circulation and obtain healthy blood pressure. (4)

3 | Circulation

The better circulation our bodies have, the healthier our organs will be and the more specific nutrients can get transported into the places they need to go.

Using an infrared sauna increases blood flow which aids in better circulation. In fact, using an infrared sauna can increase blood flow from 5-7 quarts per minute to 13 quarts per minute! (5)

4 | Pain Relief

Because infrared light can penetrate into joints, increase blood flow and improve circulation, it can greatly help with pain. Infrared sauna therapy can reduce sore nerve endings and reduce muscle spasms. Sunlighten Infrared Saunas are strongly recommended by doctors for people who suffer from Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, arthritis and other chronic pain issues. (6 Internal Medicine (Tokyo) Aug 15, 2008 by Matsushita K, Masuda A, Tei C. The First Department of Internal Medicine, Kagoshima University Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan.)

Near-infrared technology has been found to help produce white blood cells to alleviate inflammation and reduce swelling which are two big factors when it comes to pain. (7)

5 | Relaxation

Along with all the other benefits I am sharing with you, I have loved using my Sunlighten Sauna for over 6 years now due to the relaxation factor. There’s nothing like getting into a clean, quiet space with only myself (and maybe a book or some music if I want) to get grounded again and have time to process my thoughts.

Chronic Stress is a lifestyle factor that literally creates disease and shortens the lifespan. It raises Cortisol, which impacts blood sugar and digestion and increases oxidative damage in the cells. Using an infrared sauna 3-4 times a week can become a stress-reducing habit that will dramatically improve your health.

6 | Natural Anti-aging

The Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy showed significant improvement in skin appearance after 12 weeks of infrared sauna therapy. (8) The near-infrared wavelengths are responsible for penetrating the epidermis and rejuvenating the cells.

Use infrared sauna therapy to help with acne, eczema, psoriasis, skin detox as well as tone and texture.

7 | Weight Loss

This brand of saunas has been clinically shown to aid in weight loss! In 2009 they were studied and found over a 3 month period of usage to dramatically reduce waist circumference, and lower overall weight. (9)

By increasing blood flow and improving overall circulation, as well as increasing your core temperature, infrared sauna therapy will help you lose weight. In tandem with infrared sauna therapy eating a whole food diet free from processed foods, refined carbs and refined sugar as well as daily movement, weight loss is attainable!

8 | Detox

Sweating is an important process built into our bodies to help them purge the toxins. Since our skin is the biggest organ it can excrete a lot of toxins under the right circumstances.

Furthermore, since infrared light heats the body from the core, it triggers the organs like the liver and gallbladder to release their toxins and eventually excrete them out of the body via feces and urine, as well as the skin.

Sunlighten saunas are seven times more effective than a traditional sauna. In fact, 20% of the sweat is actually cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, heavy metals, sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia and uric acid. (10)

9 | Wound Healing

Sunlighten’s patented Solocarbon custom spectrum heating technology (which has been found to be the lowest in EMF’s) has the ability to heal wounds faster and minimize scarring. It’s the only heater on the market capable of producing near-infrared wavelengths with greatly benefit the skin cells.

NASA found that near-infrared light significantly promotes faster cell regeneration, wound healing and human tissue growth. (11)

Important Things to Remember When Using an Infrared Sauna

Hydrate

Since you will likely sweat a lot during an infrared sauna therapy session, you will need to increase the amount of filtered water you are drinking throughout the day. A rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in water every day. However, when you use an infrared sauna, you should increase that by 16-24 ounces. Even if you don’t sweat, you will still need to drink more water to help flush out the toxins that were released during your session.

Start Slow

If you’ve never used a sauna before, don’t just jump in an do a 45-minute session. Most likely your body will not handle that well. Because infrared saunas heat your body from the core, it’s important to start slow at a five or ten-minute session. See how your body tolerates that and then increase the time as you can.

If you experience a lot of fatigue, headache, dizziness or any adverse effect, cut back on the amount of time in the sauna and drink more water with electrolytes.

Supplement

Due to increased sweating, your body will lose some minerals in the process. To replace the minerals, you can add 1/4 tsp. sea salt or pink Himalayan salt to one 8 ounce glass of filtered water. You can also add an electrolyte solution to your water. Please do not drink Gatorade or Vitamin Water as you will be introducing far more toxins into your body than you just got rid of during your session.

Other Therapies to Utilize With Infrared Sauna Therapy

Rebounding

Before getting into the sauna jumping on a rebounder for 4-5 minutes can help with lymphatic drainage.

Dry Brushing

After getting out of the sauna and before you take a shower, brushing all your skin with a dry brush will continue to support lymphatic drainage to expel the toxins.

Hot and Cold Hydrotherapy

In hot and cold contrast showers, when taking a warm shower, finish it off by turning the knob to cold and standing in the cold water for 2 minutes. This continues to increase circulation and stimulate the removal of toxins from the skin and lymph.

Cautions to Take With Infrared Sauna Therapy

• Dehydration can be a severe adverse effect from heating the body for too long. It’s important to hydrate before, during and after using a sauna with water and electrolytes.
• Heat exhaustion can also be a problem if a person spends too much time in the sauna.
• For those with autoimmune conditions, there can be a herxheimer reaction if too much time is spent in the sauna. It’s important to start very slow (small amount of minutes at a time) in an infrared sauna if you have an autoimmune condition.
• Saunas are not safe for children to use and they can be dangerous for pets as well.
• During pregnancy, it’s important to consult with your physician to see if sauna usage will be beneficial or dangerous.
• If you have the MTHFR SNP then you’ll want to consult with your practitioner to see if you are ready to use an infrared sauna. It’s important to start slow and titrate up your time if you have MTHFR.

Are You Going to Start Using Infrared Sauna Therapy?

Now that you know the many benefits of using an infrared sauna, be sure to invest in yourself and your health and get one. Consider the money spent on the sauna, money that you won’t have to pay to the doctor for disease later on down the road. We have used and owned our Sunlighten sauna now for over 6 years and have never regretted purchasing it. It has been health changing!