Does Infrared Sauna Go Through Clothes?
Infrared Saunas: The Bare Necessities
Looking for a quick and easy way to get all the benefits of infrared sauna therapy, but unsure if you can use your infrared sauna while wearing clothes? Fortunately, infrared saunas are designed to be used by people of all ages and sizes, regardless of what they are wearing.
If you’re looking for a way to detoxify your body and relax your mind without completely striping down to your birthday suit, an infrared sauna may be just what you need. Let’s look past the fabric and uncover why infrared saunas work no matter your clothes.
What to wear in an infrared sauna?
When you’re planning to relax with home infrared sauna treatments, the last thing you want to worry about is what to wear. But it’s actually an important consideration—after all, you don’t want your clothing to get in the way of sauna bathing. So, do infrared saunas work even if you wear clothes?
While it would be considered best practice to simply go in nude – just ask the Finnish – of course this isn’t always possible or etiquette on this side of the world. The great thing about infrared therapy is that it can be used by people of all ages and sizes in all apparel’s. Whether you’re a busy mum looking for some quiet relaxation after your morning walk in active-wear or a high-income earner who wants to de-stress after a long day with no change of clothes, a far infrared sauna can offer the perfect solution. There are a few things to remember however.
First, infrared sauna heats up quickly and reach high temperatures—usually between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius. This means that you should avoid wearing anything made from synthetic materials like nylon or polyester, as these materials don’t last well with high temperatures. Instead, opt for natural materials like cotton or linen, which are much safer to wear during extreme heat.
And while it’s important to avoid synthetic materials, you also want to consider what kind of coverage you want from your clothing. Some people feel more comfortable wearing loose-fitting shorts and a tank top, while others prefer to wear swimwear or even their birthday suit! It’s entirely up to you—just make sure you’re comfortable and won’t overheat during your session.
Just remember that home infrared sauna therapy will cause an intense sweat session so be prepared to wipe yourself down with a towel during and afterwards. Now that you know what to wear let’s talk about what to put on your skin.
Should you wear makeup or lotion when using an infrared sauna?
Before you jump in to your sauna room, consider what you may already have on your skin. If you are wearing makeup or lotion you should probably remove it before sauna use. Here’s a more detailed explanation of why.
With sauna use you are heating the core body temperature to induce a more intense sweat than otherwise. Not only do you not want any products on your skin to avoid clogging your pores, but you also don’t want your skin to absorb or reabsorb any toxins from the surface of your skin.
So, there you have it, enjoy your sauna experience all natural for an overall health benefits approach! Now, let’s explore how infrared wavelengths work in the first place.
What are infrared waves and how do they work?
Infrared waves fall into the electromagnetic spectrum and are simply a shorter wavelength of light – making them invisible to the naked-eye. While it is commonly called infrared radiation, it is safe, natural, and of course good for us. Humans have harnessed the power and science of infrared for many years, using them in items such as TV remote controls, thermal imaging cameras, night-vision goggles, printers, solar energy collection, and of course infrared lamps.
All objects emit infrared waves, but the amount of infrared radiation emitted by an object depends on its temperature. The hotter an object is, the more infrared radiation it emits. There are three main types of infrared waves. Near-infrared which is the shortest wavelength. Mid-infrared which is slightly longer than near-infrared, both of these forms of infrared produce more heat than the third, however, require more energy to produce. Finally there is far-infrared, which is the longest form of wavelength and is primarily used in infrared saunas.
The warmth that we feel from the sun is actually due to infrared radiation. The sun produces a lot of infrared radiation, and this radiation travels through space until it reaches Earth. Some of the energy from the sun’s infrared radiation is absorbed by our atmosphere, but some of it also reaches Earth’s surface. Once it reaches the surface, the infrared radiation is then absorbed by objects on Earth, which makes them warm.
As you can see, there’s a lot more to infrared than meets the eye! These invisible waves play an important role in both our everyday lives and in industry. Now that we have a better understanding of what infrared does, let’s explore the health benefits.
5 benefits of infrared sauna therapy
Infrared saunas heat the body directly and cause you to sweat. As your body attempts to cool you down, it burns energy and activates a bunch of physiological responses to do so. This includes an increased heart rate and dilation of blood vessels. This, in-turn, causes more blood circulation and cardiovascular function. It is these responses to the heat that cause the majority of health benefits. Here are 5 benefits of infrared sauna therapy to get you started:
Relieves Pain
Infrared saunas are known to provide relief from chronic pain, such as joint pain caused by arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and more. It also provides relief from sore muscles from overuse. The heat penetrates deep into the muscles and joints, providing relief from pain and inflammation.
Detoxifies the Body
Sweating is one of the body’s natural ways of detoxifying. Infrared saunas help to promote sweating by increasing the body’s core temperature. This deep sweating helps to remove toxins, such as heavy metals and chemicals, from the body. Infrared saunas are better at detoxifying you then traditional saunas and hot tubs due to the infrared light penetrating fat cells and causing them to release stored toxins.
Improve Blood Circulation
The heat generated by infrared saunas can help to improve circulation. The increased blood flow helps to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the cells in the body, which can speed up the healing process. Mixed with the widening of blood vessels and increased heart rate, infrared saunas are great for high blood pressure and similar health conditions.
Boosts Immunity
Several studies show regular sauna can help to boost immunity by stimulating white blood cell production. White blood cells are responsible for fighting infection and disease. So, by increasing their production, you can help your body fight off illness more effectively and support better health.
Relaxes the Mind and Body
The increased blood flow and sweat production help to release endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects. The relaxation effect can also help to reduce stress levels and improve sleep quality, and the increased heart rate provides a treatment with similar effects of exercise such as weight loss and mental clarity.
Infrared saunas offers a wide range of health benefits that make it an excellent addition to any home. Now that we’ve established what to wear in an infrared sauna, how infrared light works and 5 benefits for using an infrared sauna, let’s talk about the frequency.
How often should you have infrared sauna treatments for the best results?
How often you use an infrared sauna depends on a few factors, such as your health goals and your schedule. If you’re using an infrared sauna for detoxification purposes, then you’ll want to use it more frequently. Detoxification is a process that takes time, so using an infrared sauna once a week probably won’t give you the results you’re looking for. Instead, aim for 3-4 times per week.
If you’re using a home infrared sauna for relaxation or pain relief, then 1-2 times per week is probably sufficient. You may even find that using it more frequently doesn’t provide any additional benefits. In fact, you may even find that using it too often can be counterproductive—so be sure to listen to your body and see how it responds to different frequencies of use.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how often you should use an infrared sauna. It depends on your individual goals and schedule. As always, be sure to listen to your body and see how it responds to different frequencies of use.
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