For those of us that run for health reasons and believe it to be a necessary evil, you?re in luck. Meet the Infrared Sauna. For those of you who aren?t familiar with them, infrared saunas are the new up-and-coming player in the sauna arena and they are becoming quite popular in the United States. Not only do they provide the calming and relaxing atmosphere traditional saunas have, they emulate the act of exercising!
Think for a moment of what changes happen in our bodies when we exercise. Blood is pumped through our bodies faster, and our heart becomes stronger because of it. Nutrients are carried to needed tissues. Fat is mobilized and burned. We produce sweat that not only cools our bodies, but nourishes our skin and neutralizes bacteria. And our mental well-being is elevated as a result of a good hard exercise session.
What does this have to do with Infrared Saunas?
Well, in short, absolutely everything. When our bodies are involved in a sauna session, a lot of the same changes happen in our body, as if we were busy exercising. You see, the heat provided by a FAR Infrared Sauna penetrates the skin up to 5 cm, which heats tissue well below the subcutaneous areas beneath the skin. A 10-20 minute session is known to increase heart rate by 50%-75%. This is the same as if you were involved in a light jog or brisk walk. The rays emitted by the infrared sauna also cause our blood vessels to dialate, and blood flow to the skin is increased by over 50%. The increased blood flow to the skin provides much needed nutrients to undernourished skin cells, therefore improving your overall complexion. Not only does our skin receive all these important nutrients, the infrared sauna promotes sweat, and lots of it!
You see, sweat is very important, as it emulsifies fat molecules in our subcutaneous tissue much more efficient than water. It also plays a very important role in cleaning our skin, the largest organ in our body. The sweat produced by an infrared sauna opens our pores and flushes out many detoxifying agents and impurities. Many times the towel of a smoker will turn yellow after a good sauna session, as a result of the skin removing toxins from the body.
So, the next time you?re contemplating going on a jog and don?t feel like expending the energy, visit your local spa and see what all the fuss is about. Infrared Saunas really do provide a well-rounded workout, all while sitting down and relaxing.
