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Infrared sauna: a must-do at your next sauna visit

07/10/2024

Infrared saunas are popular with people who consciously choose a healthy lifestyle. But how exactly do they work, and what makes them different from traditional saunas?

A piece of science

Infrared (ir) is a type of electromagnetic radiation that lies just outside the visible light spectrum. The operation of infrared is based on the transfer of energy in the form of heat. Infrared radiation is capable of heating objects by vibrating the molecules in the object as they absorb the radiation.

This vibration generates heat, which we then feel. Because infrared heats the objects directly without heating the intervening air, the heat is felt faster and more efficiently than, say, convection heat (where air must be heated).

The Two Types of Infrared Saunas

  • Ordinary infrared saunas use short-wave infrared radiation that heats the upper layers of skin. This provides rapid, superficial heat – incredibly good for the health of your skin, among other things.
  • far infrared saunas (literally “far infrared”) emit longer waves that penetrate deeper into the body, warming muscles and joints more intensely. This makes them ideal for recovery after exercise and thus highly sought after by elite athletes.


The Health Benefits

Muscle recovery and pain relief: The deep heat of infrared helps relax stiff muscles. This makes this sauna suitable for people with physical complaints, such as rheumatism or fibromyalgia.

Detoxification: Infrared radiation improves circulation, promotes sweating and helps excrete toxins. Thus, not only your muscles, but also your organs are better circulated, which makes them receive more oxygen and nutrients.

Stress reduction and improved sleep: The gentle warmth calms the nervous system, lowers stress levels and promotes better sleep.

We often read that an infrared sauna is also anti-inflammatory, but that statement requires some nuance. As we learned earlier in “thermoregulation,” heat has an acidifying effect. And, that’s good news: after a weekday workout, that’s the stimulus you’re looking for. Because, sending more blood to your “damaged” muscles will increase the effect of your workout. In contrast, elite athletes participating in a multi-day tournament, or a competition consisting of multiple disciplines, are more likely to seek cold at that time. During such a performance, you are not looking for muscle gain or growth, but rather for maximum deacidification and rapid recovery of your muscles. In that case, a cold bath, not an infrared sauna, is the best option!

If you have an acute and sudden injury, such as a sprained ankle, muscle tear, sprain, or swelling, treat it as soon as possible with cold, not heat!

07/10/2024