INFRARED SAUNA

Far infrared saunas allow for the heat to penetrate deeper into our bodies creating more blood circulation, healing, and a detox affect. This is a low EMF, non toxic sauna that can help you any health plan.

Suggested Use: 60 minutes
Combination Treatments: Bemer, Light Wave

Possibly one of the oldest known Biohacking technologies is using the sauna.  There are reports of potential sauna use in Northern Scotland as early as 4000BC.  Of course this is speculation, but Finland for example has long been known for the digging of holes in the slopes of mountains where they would heat up rocks, throw water on to create steam and disrobe in the stifling heat.  We’ve obviously come a long way since then.  The Fins are still known for being proponents of the old fashion sauna as the temperatures are typically higher than infrared however there appears to be benefits that would suggest the use of infrared which we’ll get into.

One Finnish study published in JAMA looked at a large sample size over 42 years found that those that used a sauna 4-7x/week vs 1x/week and 2-3x/week had significantly better outcomes.

1. Sudden cardiac death:  Comparing men who reported one sauna bathing session per week, the risk of SCD was 22 percent lower for 2 to 3 sauna bathing sessions per week and 63 percent lower for 4 to 7 sauna sessions per week.
2. Fatal Coronary Heart disease events was 23 percent lower for 2 to 3 bathing sessions per week and 48 percent lower for 4 to 7 sauna sessions per week compared to once a week.
3. Fatal Cardiovascular disease was 27 percent lower for men who used saunas 2 to 3 times a week and 50 percent lower for men who were in the sauna 4 to 7 times a week compared with men who indulged just once per week.
4. When looking at all cause mortality, using a sauna 2 to 3 times per week was associated with a 24 percent lower risk and 4 to 7 times per week with a 40 percent reduction in risk compared to only one sauna session per week

Considering that heart disease is still at the top of the list for cause of death, it seems like a worthwhile practice to implement saunas regularly into one’s lifestyle plan.

Infrared light, what’s all the fuss about?

Because infrared is felt as heat and can’t be seen it is hard to imagine it as a light.  It is a different wavelength than its counterpart of red light and near infrared light which also have benefit but of a different kind.

Far Infrared Range: 3 – 1000* microns (or micrometers)

*Most scientific studies on infrared saunas cite the far infrared range of 5-20 microns.

Near Infrared Range: 0.7 – 1.4 microns or 700-1400 nanometers

Red Light Range: 0.63 – 0.7 microns or 630 – 700 nanometers

Far infrared (FIR)

Our bodies generate far infrared waves in a range of 6 to 20 microns. Far infrared is a specific range in the infrared spectrum of light that has been shown in scientific studies to be beneficial in health applications including improving rheumatoid arthritis ,vascular flow, chronic fatigue; promoting skin circulation, nitric oxide production, wound healing; strategies for cardiovascular disease, heart failure, peripheral artery disease; detoxification and more.

Far infrared saunas differ from conventional saunas because the far infrared heat directly penetrates your body but does not warm the air around you to the same degree as in a conventional sauna — which is why far infrared saunas are used in homes, health spas, and practitioners’ clinics. The beneficial effects of a far infrared sauna are produced at a much lower temperature than in a conventional sauna. FIR sauna temperature ranges are typically 115-150oF (46-65oC) compared to 150-175F for a conventional one.

Precautions and After care

As a result of the exuberant sweat response from the sauna, it is best practice to replace lost electrolytes with a mineral supplement and or trace minerals.  It’s also a good idea to cleanse the skin with a shower after the experience as we release toxicity through our skin when sweating.  In saying this, increasing water intake will also be essential as after multiple sessions can aggravate dehydration.