Infrared Saunas

What exactly does infrared mean?

Infrared is electromagnetic radiation that hits the surface of a body and rather than heating the air around the body, heats through a process called conversion instead. The radiation wavelength is longer than visible light, but shorter than a radio wave.

What is an Infrared Sauna?

This is a sauna that uses infrared heaters to emit radiant heat which is absorbed by the process described in the previous paragraph. Traditional saunas heat the body indirectly. Radiant energy from an infrared Sauna has similar heat to the sun, but without the harmful ultraviolet rays.

How do Infrared Saunas compare to traditional saunas?

Infrared therapies are a fairly recent alternative to traditional saunas and produce heat using infrared heating instead of hot rocks.

Typically, Infrared saunas operate at lower temperatures than the traditional sauna, but still manage to offer all of the benefits of a normal sauna and they are more economical to install and operate.

Infrared Saunas require less energy than their counterparts and heat up a lot quicker than the traditional type. Some suggest that that the more alternative sauna allows the user to stay in longer, getting more value out of the experience.

How do these saunas work?

Basically, Far Infrared saunas heat the body of the user whilst the air around remains cool. The person starts sweating rather quickly, but enjoys a pleasant and soothing massage type of experience.

This type of sauna also allows the person to experience health benefits similar to those from a conventional steam sauna. When a person sweats, toxins are released from the body through the skin and can give a person’s heart a good workout as well.

What are the therapeutic or health benefits?

Far infrared saunas can provide great relief to people suffering from ailments such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, pain management, stress reduction, and certain skin conditions. Doctors are recommending saunas to their patients more regularly these days for other ailments such as inflammation, weight loss, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. These have been shown to reduce in severity after the deep penetrating heat detoxifies the body. The heat penetrates deeply into the joints, muscles and tissues and increases circulation and oxygen flow. This manages to work without any of the harmful effects of UV light.

Types of infrared saunas

There are many types of saunas, but those using Infrared technology are:

Portable Saunas – A person can sleep on this for up to 12 hours. Infrared heat is distributed around the body for a wonderful portable experience that can almost be likened to lying on a Latex Mattress.

Wooden Saunas – These quality saunas are designed to look great on the inside and out, (they include larger interior space and deeper benches) and are usually guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Home Saunas – as the name suggests – wonderful saunas for the home coming in a range of sizes with prefabricated tongue and amp, grove fitted panels, made from a range of materials.

Far Infrared Saunas – one can buy them complete as a package or change their existing traditional sauna into an infrared one by simply installing the new heater yourself after removing the old system. The new design is simply plugged in to start.

Outdoor Infrared Saunas – Designed to set up in any protected area. Similar to the indoor design, just made to withstand varying weather conditions.

Solocarbon Heaters – designed to purify cells and eliminate harmful toxins.

Are these saunas safe?

As with anything new or slightly alternative, there is always differing opinions as to what is considered harmful or safe.

One popular view is that Infrared saunas are completely safe and healthy. This light can penetrate human tissue, but doesn’t allow the harmful UV rays to penetrate the skin. Infrared light is one of the sun’s invisible spectrum and gives the body that lovely warm feeling. A human body can be exposed to these rays for hours and not get burnt.

Sauna Production

A lot of the saunas are manufactured in China and shipped out to the various locations around the world.

What are some of the extras on Infrared Saunas?

Saunas these days are high tech and equipped with anything from stereo systems to CD/MP3 players with remote controls. Imagine listening to your favourite music whilst detoxifying at the same time.

When you think about health and relaxation, you now think about saunas. Indulging in this wonderful experience in your own home is no longer a dream, it’s a must!