Can’t handle the heat? Make it infrared!

It’s often a comforting thought to believe the relaxing warmth of a traditional sauna can calm the mind and rejuvenate the body. But in practice, saunas can be extremely hot, very sweaty and intense, claustrophobic and not always the zen spa experience you hope for. But what if we could gain these same benefits without the intensity of your regular sauna? Say hello to Infrared.

Infrared saunas are much like a regular sauna but they use infrared heaters to emit infrared light as a radiant heat. This is absorbed by the surface of the skin. Where traditional saunas heat the air around you, infrared saunas heat your body directly by penetrating the skin without having to significantly warm the surrounding air. So the temperature of the sauna doesn’t need to be unbearably hot, making the experience much more enjoyable.

Visually, an infrared sauna looks similar to a standard sauna, but it’s the red light element that makes it a little different. The infrared lamps create heat which penetrates human tissue and heats the body much more efficiently, with more of a ‘summer breeze’ feel than that of a hot oven!

A little science…

Infrared radiation is not visible to the human eye. It is electromagnetic radiation which is essentially just light. The electromagnetic spectrum describes all kinds of light. So the colours of the rainbow are visible parts of the spectrum, whilst ultraviolet light and infrared cannot be seen. You might have heard of ‘red light therapy’. This is not the same. This uses visible wavelengths which is why it looks red! Infrared has 3 types of waves – near, mid and far infrared.

You can get saunas that are just far infrared saunas, but you can also get full spectrum infrared saunas. The difference here is that far infrared penetrates the soft tissue deeply and heats the core, summoning the cardiovascular system to initiate a lot of perspiration. With this the body sees better circulation and provides a ‘mild cardio’ effect, similar to jogging. It is also deep enough to aid in detoxifying the entire body, boosting metabolism and promoting weight loss.

Mid infrared penetrates less deep but is good as a healer for the skin. It helps with inflammation, pain and decreases healing time. The lesser penetrations helps to expand blood vessels and assist in circulation.

Near infrared has a low absorption rate so it needs to be near the skin to overcome the skin’s defence mechanism. Once this is achieved, it passes through the tissues to promote energy production and healing, as well as skin revitalisation.

Full Spectrum uses all 3 wavelengths to create a plethora of benefits. As this combines the wavelength exposure, it creates an incredibly effective experience with many health concerns addressed in one session.

Because the wavelengths penetrate the skin directly, the air around doesn’t need to be so warm, but don’t be fooled that it won’t be a sweaty experience – this deeper and complete penetration can lead to increased sweating and a rise in core body temperature from within, a far more efficient rise in temperature than a traditional sauna.

Heat Shock Proteins

Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) are produced whenever the body is subjected to higher temperatures. HSPs are involved in producing T-cells which help fight foreign pathogens (any kind of bad bacteria or virus) in the body. When we use a sauna of any kind – infrared or regular – the increase in body temperature enhances the activity of mitochondria (the energy making cells!) which in turn creates nitric acid which aids in the oxygenation of the blood stream and improves circulation. This alongside the activation of heat shock proteins to help maintain cell structure, aid in any stress response and present alongside antigens to assist in immune response creates a hugely increased quality in intercellular function.

These HSP are also stimulated in a regular sauna and help to produce new proteins required to build muscle tissue after exercise. The difference being the temperature you are subjected to in order to experience such benefits!

Ultimately, the choice between infrared and regular sauna depends on what type of sauna experience you wish for as well as your specific health goals. Hopefully there is a clearer understanding that it’s not a case of ‘the hotter the better’ and that increasing the core temperature is as achievable in infrared as traditional saunas. The tolerable temperatures teamed with the enhanced physiological benefits make infrared a hugely attractive option for those looking for deep detoxification, heart and blood health benefits and improved skin health.