Infrared Saunas for Recovery
I had been hearing a lot about infrared saunas in the wellness world that I live in. The health benefits…including better sleep, increased immunity, weight and fat loss, improved circulation, increased metabolism, and less pain and inflammation just to name a few! I kept thinking, “this would be an amazing addition to my current workout/self-care routine, but how am I going to convince my husband that we need it and where is it going to go?” At the time, we were planning on putting in a pool and thought it might be a good addition to the pool house. Fast forward through Covid 19 and 20, we ended up buying the 4-person sauna through Sunlighten (it’s actually a local company in Kansas City but it was the brand all the wellness guru’s were promoting). And, we did not put in a pool but sold our house instead, renovating another house that had a pool, and put the sauna in the gym space we created.
Our sauna/gym space. It’s a beautiful piece of equipment!
So, what is infrared and why is it so beneficial? Over 50% of the light from the sun is infrared, which is the sun’s healing light. You can read more on the science at https://www.sunlighten.com/light-science/what-is-infrared-light
The simple version is there are three types of infrared lights based on wave size, frequency, and the amount of energy they carry; near, mid, and far. All three have their own healing properties and what they can do for the body. Near works mostly on the surface (skin, collagen production, anti-aging) but also muscle recovery. The mid lights are for heart health and circulation but also pain relief and muscle recovery. The far lights penetrate deeper and help with weight loss, detoxification, immunity, heart health, and you guessed it, muscle recovery. See a trend here?
Infrared sauna is great for athletes after any practice, tough competition, or simply just as a way to relax and get better quality sleep. Putting your legs up helps with circulation as well! I sometimes do this while in the sauna!
Here’s my own personal anecdotal evidence from using the infrared sauna. I love to workout in our sauna. Not only am I accomplishing a workout, I’m already warmed up and I’m already recovering in the process. We have the 4-person sauna so there is a little wiggle room in there to do squats, push-ups, weights sitting down, etc. I feel amazing when I get out of the sauna. My skin looks amazing. I use collagen protein for my skin, gut, and joints, but the sauna is my second skin-care secret. The key is to make sure you stay hydrated while in the sauna. I don’t want my skin to get dehydrated and start over-producing oil. So, I take my 40 ounce water bottle in there and drink it during the session. I’m usually in there for at least 40-50 minutes.
Another reason I love the sauna is I actually accomplish a lot while in there. I tend to get distracted easily working from home. When there’s laundry to be done, dishes to do, meals to prep, dogs to walk, or whatever daily tasks there are, when I’m in the sauna, I’m literally in a box and am able to focus. I take my computer in there, my phone, water, and sometimes weights if I’m working out. I’m not distracted by the world around me. It’s my time to do whatever I need to do in that moment. If I want to watch something, I will. If I want to read a book, I will. But, most of the time, it’s when I write blogs, create content, or follow-up on Instagram. If it makes you feel good and feel productive placebo is good for me.
“When you can feel the sunshine on you, you feel better, happier, and naturally, every human being needs the sun.”
The other thing I will say about the sauna is that this past year, I hadn’t changed anything as far as my workout routine, supplement routine, diet, or lifestyle besides adding in the sauna. My last doctors visit, I had some blood work done, and all of my inflammatory markers went down. Had I changed anything else, I would have attributed the improvements to that…but I didn’t. I literally just added in the sauna as part of my weekly routine and nothing else. So, I was very happy with those results and it definitely motivated me to continue using the sauna and to promote the benefits to others. Here I am, telling you that if you can afford to have one, have access to one where you work/workout/compete, or can use a friends or family members, do it! You really have nothing to lose and more to gain. As usual, investing in your health and wellness is always worth it. If you can’t get a sauna now, you can at least try to get 15-20 minutes of that morning sun for some Vitamin D benefit!
“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine”
