About Infrared Sauna
What Infrared Sauna is, How it Works and How it Can Help You…
What is Infrared Sauna?
Infrared light is part of the Sun’s invisible spectrum. It is simply a form of energy that is directly transmitted onto objects because of its specific wavelength. It has nothing to do with ultraviolet light, which gives you sunburn and damages your skin.
Where conventional saunas transfer heat by circulating hot air, thus warm your body from your head, the infrared heat rays warm your body directly. This allows an in-depth heat in a more pleasant temperature of 30-40C, thus providing more health benefits and a highly enjoyable and comfortable environment.
Conventional saunas need high air temperatures to pull impurities from the body, but Physiotherm Infrared saunas can directly penetrate up to 45 mm inside the body. Impurities can be pushed out using lower and more comfortable temperatures.
How does it benefit us?
As the body temperature rises by infrared heat, perspiration occurs and blood circulation increases. The muscles and organs are stimulated and toxic waste (fat, heavy metals and other toxic materials) is removed from your body through perspiration.
One of Far Infrared light’s characteristics is the ability to easily penetrate human tissue. When this happens, it creates a natural resonance, which has many beneficial properties. Remember the last time you were sunbathing with sunscreen? Were you still hot? Of course you were because the sunscreen only stops the UV (Ultraviolet) light from hitting your skin.
Physiotherm Far Infrared penetrates your skin, giving you that wonderful natural warmth. You can be exposed to Far Infrared heat for hours and it will never cause your skin to burn. Infrared heat is completely healthy and safe for all living things.
Infrared Sauna FAQ
For thousands of years ancient cultures understood that the process of sweating offered an effective cleansing process for the body, many cultures have maintained a focus on sweat lodges and saunas as a primary method of encouraging sweating along with exercise (and hard manual work!). Elimination of toxins such as metabolic by-products from our own cells occurs through breath, urine, stool and sweat. As the skin is the body’s largest organ and one designed to aid in cleansing and purifying (like a kidney), sweating plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy body.
With modern lives characterized by poor diets high in processed foods, sedentary lifestyles and pervasive exposure to environmental toxins, the arguments for enjoying a regular sweat have never been more persuasive.
A good reason to choose an infrared sauna to undertake your sweat regime is one of convenience and enjoyment. A Physiotherm infrared cabin for instance requires only a couple of minutes to warm up and operates at temperatures of only 30-40C, so you remain comfortable throughout your session and remain relaxed within your cabin for 30-40 minutes. This allows for regular sessions that do not conflict with a busy lifestyle, increasing your chances greatly of staying with a healthy regime.
Physiotherm’s Steadiflow elements emit the ‘vital rays’. All humans send and receive Far Infrared waves. The range of Far Infrared waves generated by the human body is 6 to 20 microns. The optimal micron output range is between 7 and 14 microns, which is very close to the resonant frequency of a water molecule. This similarity makes sense since our bodies are almost 80% water. This range, sometimes called “Vital Rays” appears to have special regenerative effects on the body.
Physiotherm’s Steadiflow elements allow for optimal performance well within this vital wave range of 7 to 14 microns with a good portion of wavelengths at 9.4 microns, the frequency at which a water molecule resonates or vibrates. This vibration causes a release of cellular toxins such as mercury, aluminium, cholesterol and other toxic gases such as sulphur and formaldehyde. This optimal micron output also allows for deeper penetration of Far Infrared heat
Absolutely! Infrared light energy is widely acknowledged as safe and beneficial to the body. Certain frequencies of Far Infrared are actually a natural by product from our own cells and are emitted by our own body. Infrared is therefore not potentially harmful like Ultra Violet, X Rays or Microwaves. Infrared energy is literally everywhere and an essential ingredient for life. Infrared light energy has been researched and used in medical practices for over a hundred years. Many maternity wards in hospitals use infrared lamps to warm newborn babies. Specialists in burns often use infrared to enhance the healing processes of the skin and sports medicine has long accepted and used Infrared to promote healing of sprains and strains. Over the last 20 years, much wider applications of infrared energy have been investigated and throughout this time it has been shown to be benign and beneficial to the human body.
Because Infrared is a radiant source of heat, it warms the body directly rather than having to warm the air, much like the suns warmth on a cold winters day. There is simply no need for very hot air. Infrared heat stimulates the molecules in our body and increases their vibration causing a natural friction warming effect which penetrates deeply into our tissues spreading the warmth deep in to the body. This process is sometimes called resonant absorption. The result is that a much greater VOLUME of our body is warmed, so our body reacts by working much harder to maintain its optimum temperature through increased sweat production.
Many medical professionals believe that harmful toxins which are ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin into our body are kept out of harms way by water and fat molecules forming clusters around the toxins. This reduces their ability to disrupt cell function and DNA structure.
The theory of resonant absorption suggests that a specific frequency (9.4 microns) of infrared light acts upon the water molecules within our cells, exciting them and making them vibrate energetically enough to break the ionic bonds which hold the water molecules together around the toxins. These clusters are thus broken down making it easier for the body to sweat the toxin molecules directly out of the skin, resulting in much higher levels of toxins being removed from the body. More research is warranted on this topic to prove it beyond doubt but enough is written about it from various sources around the world to suggest merit in this idea.
As with any form of exercise it is advisable to build up a tolerance over time. Three sessions a week of about 20 minutes is initially recommended. Many people once conditioned can safely enjoy daily sessions of 30-40 minutes.
It could be said that many illnesses, which afflict modern society, can be attributed to an excess of toxins and a deficiency in nutrients. To help maintain a balanced and healthy body, a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, with ample water intake and dietary supplementation is highly recommended to enhance the effectiveness of your Physiotherm regime.
Pretty much. From young to old they are a safe and enjoyable treatment. However, anyone with specific health conditions should consult their health professional before using. Young children will dehydrate faster than an adult due to their ratio of surface area to volume. They should therefore be strictly supervised at all times.
Infrared heat has been used for generations to aid in pain relief from sore muscles and joints. One of the main reasons for its ability to do this is through the dilating of capillaries in areas associated with pain that allows oxygen rich blood to bathe the area, flushing away acid metabolic wastes that build up contributing to pain, soreness and stiffness. Recent clinical research undertaken on the Physiotherm infrared technology showed that the brain also increased production of pain relieving neurotransmitters, which offers a double pain relieving effect!