Why Infrared Saunas Just “Heat” Different
Saunas have a long and primal history. They are believed to have started in caves where the warm, sterile air would keep our ancestors warm and protected through the night. They have long been used for spiritual purposes and as gathering places. Our ancestral lines knew the benefits of saunas for thousands of years, but how can we recreate the beneficial sauna experience in our modern world? Welcome – the infrared sauna.
An infrared sauna differs from a traditional sauna in that it does not heat the air around you. An infrared sauna uses infrared bulbs to warm your body directly. This allows for the overall heat to be lower and, over repeated use, you will be able to stay in longer.
Benefits
Better sleep & relaxation
Increased circulation
Increased metabolism
Decreased muscle soreness
Improved recovery after strength training
Pain relief
Release of toxins from the body
Mood boost
How to Prepare
Ready to sauna? There are few things you should do to prepare for your first sweat session. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drink LOTS of water the day before your sauna session and get a great night’s sleep. Choose comfort. A comfortable swimsuit or simply just a towel wrapped around you are ideal to wear to your sauna session. Wearing too much can cause you to overheat, so keep it light, or don’t wear anything at all!
Dry Brush
Before your next sauna session, give dry brushing a try. This DIY lymphatic treatment is a quick and effective way to amplify your detox. Dry brushing increases blood circulation, stimulating the lymphatic system and encouraging the detoxification process. When the lymph system is stimulated, toxins become more readily available to be excreted.
A Powerful Tool To Support Detoxification Post Sauna: Toxin Binders
Sweating in an infrared sauna is a proven means of helping your body detox. By targeting the fat cells in your adipose tissue, toxins that are stored in these cells are broken down and released back into your body to be excreted.
Before your sauna session, take a natural binder such as chlorella or activated charcoal. Binders help support the body’s natural detox process, ensuring toxins are properly eliminated rather than reabsorbed into your tissues. Binders are substances that mobilize and bind to toxins, helping to remove them from the body.
Your Session
Keep your first infrared sauna session short. Ideally between 15 minutes. You also want to keep your temperature on the lower side to start. As you increase sessions you can gradually increase the length of time and the temperature. As you are able to stay in longer you will notice the benefits increase. But, don’t be afraid to crack the door a little during your session if you need to cool down. During your session, you are free to meditate, journal, or simply relax. Once your session is over you want to take a relaxing shower and rinse off all the sweat. This closes your pores, stopping you from sweating and reabsorbing the toxins you just released.
So people find it hard to start sweating sometimes for even the first 20 minutes! Having a hot beverage before, like ginger tea, can help dilate your blood vessels and kickstart the detoxing process.
Be Mindful
While an infrared sauna session is a great way to honor your body, there are a few things to be mindful of. Keep an eye on your hydration, with the increased heat and sweating you are at a greater chance of dehydration. Be aware that if you are feeling too hot, heatstroke can occur in a sauna. Check with your medical professional about medications you are taking to see if a sauna session could interfere. And lastly, if you are pregnant, be sure to check with your doctor if you are able to sauna.
