All about Infrared Saunas
Once the domain of the Nordic universe or fancy gym settings, the benefits of regular sauna use have become big news. The advent of infrared saunas has boosted both the benefits and the availability of saunas to every day folk and with some of the strongest evidence backing of any wellness treatment on the market, we love being able to share our ‘sauna crush’ with everyone on our yoga and wellness retreats in Victoria.
Not bad for nearly 60 - Daz in our wellness retreat sauna
What is a sauna? And what is an infrared sauna?
Traditional saunas use steam and/or convectional heat sources to warm the air in a specially designed room - with temperatures reaching upwards of 70 degrees celsius. The goal is to raise the body’s temperature and produce a sweat with a common claim being that this would release stored toxins from the liver and skin (more on this one later!)
Infrared saunas use a special wavelength on the light spectrum to heat the body rather than the air, leading to faster warm up times, higher energy efficiency, less risk of burns, smaller sauna footprints and potentially more health benefits as the infrared rays are absorbed more deeply into our skin. While the registered air temperature in infrared saunas may not be as high (~50-65 degrees), the effect on the body and the consistency of the heat reportedly produce a greater physiological change - the lower air temperature also means that it is more comfortable to stay in the sauna for extended periods of time, which is associated with additional benefit.
Are there proven health benefits of infrared sauna use?
Yes, there have been multiple high quality studies performed on the benefits of infrared saunas - including a Cochrane’s review of the quality of evidence and findings produced across multiple studies (Cochrane’s reviews are held in high regard by the scientific community). Health benefits identified from as little as one infrared sauna session included:
Improved muscle recovery & reduced muscular pain
Improved circulation & reduced blood pressure
Improved REM sleep and thyroid function
Reductions in anxiety and reported stress levels
Reductions in inflammation and chronic pain levels
Generation of heat shock proteins - associated with preventing age related degeneration
Management of conditions including diabetes, high cholesterol and other risk factors for coronary artery disease
Reduction in symptoms of menopause - ongoing studies awaiting publication
Excretion of excess accumulation of heavy metal toxins via sweating*
*Notice how I’ve put that one last? The other benefits are much more likely to do you long term good!
Wow that’s a lot of good stuff and reasons to give infrared saunas a place in your wellness routine.
Are all Infrared sauna’s created equal?
Short answer is no. There are all kinds of variation in the quality, configuration and experience you can have in an infrared sauna. Things you should consider if you are looking at regular sauna usage:
Electromagnetic field (EMF) emissions. An infrared sauna should have safe or even undetectable levesl of EMF emissions.
Volitile organic compound (VOC) emissions - coming from paint, stains, glues and materials
Insulation and temperature regulation - you don’t want any cold spots from doors, gaps or other
Seating Comfort & Quality of Infrared Panels - you want to be comfortable with a steady heat level.
Size and configuration of sauna - did you want to solo sauna? sauna with a friend? Have an indoor/outdoor sauna?
So the good news is that we did a lot of research before we invested in our the infrared saunas for our Victorian Yoga Retreats, with a 1 person sauna and a 2 person sauna available you get to choose your priorities. Our 1 person sauna is from Sunstream and has the lowest EMF and VOC emissions of any infrared sauna on the market, along with the best heat and comfort levels we have experienced. Our 2 person sauna is also pretty damn good, if you’d like to have a chat while you sweat.
Describe the perfect sauna experience?
Hot day, cold day, there is no day that can’t be improved by a good sauna session. But if you have the choice, first thing in the morning or before bed might do you the most good so plan that in if you can.
Who shouldn’t sauna? If you are dehydrated, recovering from a recent stroke or heart attack probably avoid the sauna until your doctor gives you the all clear. Pregnant women can still sauna, but may choose to cut it short by a few minutes once the heart rate starts to reach the upper limits.
Make sure your sauna is switched on 20-30 minutes before you plan to enter. You want it hot from the moment you step in because that’s when your time starts, and the health benefits in part rely on the total time spent in maximum heat.
Expose as much skin as you can - bathers, underwear are best in a public sauna give that you’ll be sweating buckets.
Drink water before you jump in and have a water bottle handy just outside the door in case you need it. Drink after too!
Bring some music or a pod cast to bluetooth connect to your sauna speakers. Or zone out if silence is what you need
Set your expectations right - ideally 20-30 minutes will be your goal, but even 10 minutes can do you some good. And the first time you sauna, your body might be surprised by the heat. Let yourself build up a tolerance rather than hating every minute of it. We do want to feel some stress and get sweaty, but you don’t have to reach dizzy and nauseous (perhaps get out if that’s happening? And try a little less next time).
When your time is up - you can maximise the benefits by holding off on a shower / jumping in the pool, as your body is still processing the heat and soaking up the benefits. Especially you have any pre-existing heart conditions, avoid rapid transitions from hot to cold.
That being said, there is also an argument for hot / cold therapy (ie jumping into cold pool or shower straight after your sauna). I won’t bore you with the details, but one of the benefits of this is a hit of mental clarity - useful to know if you have to keep going and an afternoon nap is not on the cards!
That’s it. So jump in a sauna while you are on your weekend yoga retreat. We’ve invested into proven wellness strategies as part of our commitment to being one of the best wellness retreats in Victoria. So we’d love to have you join us and feel the benefits.
