Infrared Sauna

I really like to sweat- not sure why but it just feels good. I was going to Bikram yoga for years and loved it- but it’s a 90 min class- plus travel time so meant it wasn’t great for my time poor days.

The physical benefits sweating to enhance detoxification are well known and it has many physical benefits. And I always feel good mentally after a big sweat, so I had a look at some research.

There aren’t many studies focusing on beneficial effects of saunas and mental health, but there is one study suggesting that  using saunas five to 15 times per month is linked with higher mental well-being scores compared to those using saunas less frequently.

People have been using saunas for centuries, but infra red saunas are a relatively new thing. Where traditional saunas use heating elements to raise the temperature of the air inside, infrared saunas use infrared light to heat your body while the air around you stays unchanged. The result is your core temperature rising without having to sit in a room where the ambient temperature is close to 200 degrees Fahrenheit- so it is far more comfortable.

There is some evidence that infrared saunas can improve the production and reception of the dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. Also, the use of infrared saunas have been shown to lower the level of cortisol in the body, the chemical associated with stress and tension. 

Sitting in an infrared sauna causes endorphins to be released, and these are our body's natural pain medicine. Infrared Saunas can also help to reduce inflammation in your body, helping to relieve joint and muscle pain- and we know inflammation is associated with poor mental health.

Another factor intimately associated with mental health is sleep quality. Research shows sleep problems are particularly common in patients with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Treating a sleep disorder may help to alleviate these symptoms of these disorders and there is evidence that using an infrared sauna can improve sleep.

Stage 4 non REM sleep is our deepest sleep. Several studies have shown that raising body temperature and participating in heat therapy before bed can lengthen and deepen the period of stage 4 non-REM sleep. In one study, Slow Wave Sleep Elevations After Body Heating, it was found that body heating enhanced stage 4 sleep if the body was heated in proximity to bedtime.

In another study, medical researchers compared cold (cryotherapy) and hot sauna therapies and how they impacted the sleep of a number of users. It found that while cold had no effect, hot significantly increased sleepiness at bed-time, slow wave sleep, and stage 4 sleep.

There are now plenty of health clubs and centres that offer infrared sauna and I highly recommend you ‘get your sweat on’ 2-3 times a week.

https://theconversation.com/people-use-sauna-for-well-being-but-its-medical-benefits-are-not-widely-understood-117972

[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0013469485900227].