Sauna-ing

Love me a sauna sesh of any kind 🧖‍♀️

TRADITIONAL 🌬 A traditional Finnish sauna (sauna capital of the globe) is a wooden structure using water poured onto heated stones to provide a hot humid steamy atmosphere, usually sitting anywhere between 70° & 110°C while the ambience heats you.

INFRARED ☄️ An infrared sauna is a wooden or plastic space that uses infrared ceramic or carbon panel heaters to release far-infrared light which the skin’s cells absorb.

Because the heat is typically 50° & 60°C without humidity, the effect is much longer, milder & drier. It directly heats our body without having to heat the surrounding air as much. Even though it doesn’t feel as hot & sweaty, the photons of light / wavelengths penetrate deeper into tissue & give you a deeper sweat. We also have the ability to stay in there longer, so you could even do some yoga 🧘‍♀️

BENEFITS 🤠 There is still research underway comparing the health benefits of each, but they are both capable of providing a number of them. Studies show a 4-5 year lifespan increase with weekly practice.

Both

• Positive influence on athletic performance
• Skin rejuvenation
• Reduced muscle stiffness & increased recovery
• Improved circulation & cardiovascular function
• Stimulates immunity
• Improvements in cardiovascular & rheumatoid diseases
• Eases chronic fatigue & pain syndromes
• Increase in flexibility
• Boosts metabolism
• Reduces stress, depression & anxiety
• Enhances focus
• Huge mood boost :)

Weight loss often draws people in when it comes to saunas. most of the weight loss is water weight & is re-gained upon rehydrating (WHICH YOU MUST😈💦). But, there’s no doubt that sauna usage can be part of a healthy weight loss program.

Traditional

• Lowers risk of developing cognitive diseases such as dementia & Alzheimer’s
• Improves arterial stiffness
• Therapeutic for hypertension & psychotic disorders

Infrared

• Improves markers of chronic heart failure
• Detoxification of toxic elements (I.e. mercury)

The benefits are especially profound when combined with a cold plunge. Traditional Finnish sauna-ers will stay in the sauna room for anywhere up to 30 minutes, followed by a cold shower or ‘plunge’ (complete submersion in cold water) and repeat as much as desired.

While they may not provide equal benefits, it doesn’t mean they are without any. There are better sauna choices for each of us.