Reasons an IR Sauna is Good for You
After a hard workout session, nothing is more relaxing than kicking back in your gym’s sauna. But, it is also smart to get informed about what kind of sauna your gym offers. You might have heard your gym has an IR sauna and have wondered what makes it different from any other one. We will go over certain reasons why an IR sauna is good for you that are different from a regular sauna.
Unlike a regular sauna, an IR sauna produces heat using infrared lights, which heats the body directly. Regular saunas first have to heat the air around you and then have that air raise your body temperature. While a traditional sauna operates at temperatures between 150 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit, IR saunas only reach around 140 degrees.
If you don‘t like heat, an IR sauna is good for you
As we have stated, the environment in an IR sauna is much more bearable than in a traditional one. If you’ve previously had experiences where you were enjoying your gym’s sauna and simply have to leave early because it was too hot in there, an IR sauna is good for you. People have said that the heat in an IR sauna penetrates the skin more deeply, so your body sweats more without the need to make the entire room unbearably hot. This would allow you to stay in the sauna much longer than you normally would. But it’s not just about the fact that an IR sauna is good for you to stay inside longer. Research shows that people have a stronger reaction to IR saunas and sweat much more than they would usually. So, even if you are in a hurry after the gym, you can still get some benefits from sitting in an IR sauna for a couple of minutes.
Relief of joint and muscle pain
Along with other ways of reducing muscle soreness, visiting an IR sauna after working out can be of great help. The heat in an IR sauna relaxes and dilates your blood vessels. This increases blood flow which in turn helps reduce tension in the joints and relieves muscle pain. Some studies have also shown that an IR sauna is good for you if you have chronic pain or arthritis. It also pointed to increased benefits for people with lower back pain.
Alt-text: A woman working out with weights
Caption: An IR sauna is good for you to go into post-workout for muscle relaxation.
While all of the participants in these studies reported some improvements to their conditions, doctors still recommend a trial period for anyone trying to use IR saunas for treatment. So if this is your goal, you should go a couple of times as a trial to see if an IR sauna is good for you to incorporate into your treatment routine.
An IR sauna is good for keeping your blood pressure in check
Several studies have linked frequent sauna use with improved cardiovascular health. This includes lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. They have even shown that frequent sauna use reduced the risk of sudden cardiac death and stroke. According to these researchers, this can be attributed to better blood vessel function, improved cholesterol levels, and less inflammation found in sauna users.
Another thing that might explain why an IR sauna is good for you in this sense, is that the routine of frequent stress-reducing rituals is generally beneficial to cardiovascular health. This also includes having a healthy lifestyle which allows for frequent sauna visits.
Whichever reason is correct or more impactful, one thing is clear. Visiting a sauna often enough can only be good for you.
Skin treatment
Our body is filled with many toxins which we get from things like food, drinks, and unhealthy habits such as smoking. One of the best ways to get these toxins out is through sweat. The problem is that we do this throughout the day, and then those toxins stay on our skin. This can greatly reduce the health of our skin. When we visit a hot sauna, however, we can get all of these toxins out right away and wash them off with a quick shower. This doesn’t just help your skin momentarily, it also makes the sweat you create throughout the rest of the day less harmful to your skin.
The heat in any kind of sauna also opens your pores allowing for a deeper, more impactful wash.
An IR sauna can help with weight loss
All saunas can help you slim down, but not in the way you think. When most people think of weight loss within a sauna, they think of sweat. It is true that intense sweating in a sauna can reduce your weight by even five pounds for one session. However, this should just be considered water weight. This means that the moment you start to rehydrate, all of this weight will come back.
The way an IR sauna is good for you in this manner isn’t through sweat, however. It is actually through increasing your metabolic rate. Whenever you are in intense heat or cold, your body has to work harder. Your heart rate can go up by up to thirty percent, which makes your metabolism much faster. This isn’t just during the session. This effect can last a couple of hours after sitting in the sauna.
As long as you visit a sauna often enough, you can lose weight really quickly.
A sauna is good for your sleep schedule
After a hard workout, your body doesn’t relax for a couple of extra hours. This makes it harder to go to sleep for hours after training. Visiting a sauna can help relax any tension left in your muscles. As we have previously stated, this will help you fall asleep at night easier. Psychologically, the relaxation ritual of going to a sauna shows your body that it is time for rest.
An IR sauna is good for you all year round
It is important to remember that all of these benefits are found in people who visit the sauna and enjoy sessions regularly. While an IR sauna is good for you in the short term, it is definitely always better in the long term. So, we hope you now understand why finding a good gym that offers an IR sauna is important. It’s healthy, it’s relaxing, and you can meet new gym buddies there. What’s not to like?
There are many reasons an IR sauna is good for you, so getting properly informed about them is going to benefit you greatly.