Using an infrared sauna in the Summer might seem strange to you – but for many, sauna use is a year-long lifestyle practice. Whether you’re looking for a complementary weight loss strategy to help reach your body goals faster or just want to stay healthy during the hot days ahead, immersing yourself in a sauna may potentially lead to better health and well-being. In this article, the Sun Stream Saunas team will highlight the three advantages of an infrared sauna in enhancing your summer experience by promoting weight loss, acclimatisation, and better skin health:
Weight Loss
Infrared saunas get the most use with weight loss efforts, because they can either stand on their own or become a perfect pair for a good workout. As IR saunas raise your body’s core temperature, they also increase your metabolic rate, which can help burn more calories.
Of course, burning weight loss takes time and committed individuals need to regularly undergo sauna sessions to see results.
According to a 10-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, waist circumference is a key factor for determining overall health. Infrared saunas helped lower weight and waist circumference in just three months, which suggests that they mimic the effects of moderate exercise physiologically – only without the motor and mechanical exertion.
Better Skin Health
During the summer months, people tend to spend a lot of their time outside of the house, as recreation becomes increasingly viable outside of the home.
Fun activities like travelling, eating out, and outdoor adventures can be enjoyable. But this time spent outside can allow dirt and other toxins to latch onto our skin.
Infrared saunas are a great way to detoxify the skin, because they help clear pores and deeply cleanse through sweating. Sweat removes any stubborn dirt and impurities by exfoliating the skin with its high salt and mineral content, cleansing dead skin and dirt buildup to be ready for the summer.
According to a 2006 study published in the Yonsei Medical Journal, infrared light (referred to as infrared radiation in the study) helps our skin texture by increasing collagen and elastin content.
Collagen and elastin are the proteins that keep our skin firm, elastic, and youthful.
Acclimate to Warmer Weather
While it rarely gets hot in New Zealand, some individuals may still find the summer difficult to deal with. With that in mind, people may seek ways to beat the heat.
Now, a pool dive might look infinitely better than spending time in an even hotter place like an IR sauna, but the science may surprise you.
As IR saunas help raise your core body temperature, they help you become more accustomed to the heat and promote acclimatisation.
According to a 2020 study published in the Journal of Thermal Biology, regular exposure to heat can help the body get better at sweating and conserving important substances, which is useful for staying cool and hydrated in hot environments.
Furthermore, the study revealed that the longer participants acclimated themselves to heat, the more efficient their bodies became at sweating and preserving vital substances.
Tips for Maximising Infrared Sauna Usage
There are a few things to take note of before stepping into your sauna, and following these two tips will allow you to fully enjoy the experience and reap its benefits.
When using your IR sauna, we highly recommend starting with five to ten-minute sessions so your body has ample time to adjust to the higher temperatures. This way, you don’t overexert yourself and avoid discomfort.
Additionally, it’s essential to stay properly hydrated before, during, and after your sauna sessions. IR saunas can be significantly hotter than the outside, even hotter than the country’s hottest recorded days (42.3C) as our infrared saunas can reach temperatures up to 65 degrees.
Achieve Your Summer Goals with Sun Stream Saunas
Whether you’re considering using an infrared sauna to stay healthy or augment your efforts with proper diet and exercise to reach your summer goals faster, the advantages of infrared saunas could be a useful tool to consider.
As always, we highly recommend first talking to a healthcare professional as they are the most qualified to provide personalised advice and ensure that using an infrared sauna is safe for you.
If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or lightheaded during your sauna sessions, we recommend avoiding overexerting yourself further and stepping out to take a rest.
If you have any concerns regarding infrared saunas, would like to learn more about advantages of an infrared sauna or are interested in taking home one of our Sun Stream models, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for our assistance.