In the infrared sauna, the radiant heat is absorbed by your body more than 1½" below the skin. It has been proven to provide immediate stress relief through relaxation, as it melts away tension and soothes jangled nerves. Another primary benefit of the sauna is to relax the muscles and joints, thereby providing pain relief for those with sports injuries, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other chronic pain conditions.

How does the Infrared Sauna work?
A typical sauna session will cause a brief 1- to 3-degree F increase in body temperature. Fever triggers the production of white blood cells by the bone marrow, and killer T cells by the thymus, the body's natural defenses against bacteria, microbes and consequent infection. The overall result is immune system enhancement.

In addition, the body responds to the deep heating effect with increases in heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate. This beneficial heart stress leads to a sought-after cardiovascular training and conditioning effect, great for those who are unable to exercise.

Excessive sweating, 2 - 3 times the sweat volume produced in a conventional hot-air sauna, explains many of the unprecedented health benefits reported to be available through an infrared sauna that are not attainable through a conventional sauna. It allows the capillaries to dilate and improve circulation, thereby reducing stress levels and improving overall health and well-being. It burns as much as 600 calories per session, positively affecting weight loss. And now, some researchers are saying that there may be an increase in endorphins - the body's natural painkiller.

The heat itself alters the properties of joints and tendons, causing them to be suppler, which may help control arthritis pain and increase joint mobility. It also opens clogged pores, allowing for removal of dirt, oil, and makeup and gradually softens scars and keloids.

Is Infrared Sauna effective?
The infrared sauna provides the same cleansing and purifying benefits attributed to the traditional American Indian sweat lodges, without the time-consuming and extremely labor-intensive setup process that a sweat lodge requires. German physicians have used whole-body infrared therapy for more than 80 years. And, over the last 25 years, Japanese and Chinese researchers and clinicians have done extensive research on infrared treatments. All agree that this therapy provides a wide variety of benefits.

Recent medical research confirms that the use of a sauna provides cardiovascular conditioning as the body works to cool itself and involves substantial increases in heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate. As a confirmation of the validity of this form of cardiovascular conditioning, extensive research by NASA in the early 1980s led to the conclusion that infrared stimulation of cardiovascular function would be the ideal way to maintain cardiovascular conditioning in American astronauts during space flights.

What is the relationship between Infrared Sauna and conventional medical care?
While not a cure for any disease or ailment, infrared sauna may be considered an important adjunctive therapy to help you rejuvenate and maintain your overall health. If you have a concern about your health or the appropriateness of infrared sauna, you should consult a doctor.

How long does it take to gain results?
The number of sessions and amount of time spent in the sauna should be discussed with your physician and wellness practitioner. This should be individualized. Some people prefer daily saunas. However, you must determine what is most beneficial for your condition and what is feasible based on your schedule.

What happens during an Infrared Sauna treatment?
You can sit, lie, stand or meditate - whatever is comfortable for you. Bathing suits are suggested but shorts and a t-shirt are fine. Drink around twelve ounces of water for every fifteen minutes you are in the sauna. Showering prior to using the sauna can increase the amount you sweat. Above all, relax. Time spent in a sauna should be enjoyable. It should be a place where you can forget all your worries.

Is Infrared Sauna painful?
People naturally prefer to use the infrared sauna due to the ease of breathing much cooler air, generally from 70°-105°F cooler than a traditional sauna. And, you control the amount of heat. Generally, users report a distinctive feeling of well-being as an after-effect.

Is Infrared Sauna safe?
It is generally safe to use a sauna, even for the elderly, but you should consult with your personal physician before doing so. The infrared energy applied in these saunas is a soothing radiant heat at safer, more comfortable temperatures than conventional saunas. They operate at a range of 110° to 130°F versus 180° to 235°F in a conventional sauna. The lower heat range is safer for those concerned about cardiovascular risk factors that might be encountered in old-style hot-air saunas.

It can induce up to 2 - 3 times the sweat volume produced in a conventional hot-air sauna, so be sure to stay hydrated. At any point during your sauna if you do not feel well, leave immediately.

What does infrared sauna treat?
Heat produces the following desirable therapeutic effects: increase of the extensibility of collagen tissues; decrease of joint stiffness; muscle spasm and pain relief; and increased blood flow. It promotes relief of painful chronic ailments and accelerates healing in newer injuries, including arthritis (gouty, rheumatoid and DJD), sprains and strains, shoulder pain, fibromyalgia, bursitis, post-exercise muscle pain, muscle tension, spinal cord shock, adhesions, muscle spasms, back pain, compression fracture pain, fatigue, sciatica, and soft tissue injury.

Infrared saunas can also play a key role in weight control and cardiovascular conditioning. This is especially valuable for those who do not or cannot exercise, yet want results that resemble the benefits of regular exercise. Blood vessels of regular infrared sauna users remain elastic and pliable longer, due to the regular dilation and contraction of blood vessels induced by sauna use, positively affecting coronary artery disease, arteriosclerosis and hypertension.

The infrared sauna increases the eliminative, detoxifying and cleaning capacity of the skin by stimulating the sweat glands. Toxins, like sodium, alcohol, nicotine, cholesterol and the potentially carcinogenic heavy metals (cadmium, lead, zinc, nickel) accumulated in the system through sluggish elimination, are normally removed from the body by perspiration.

The infrared sauna can also boost immune response, provide stress relief, reduce swelling of the prostate, control excessive leukorrhea in women (PMS and yeast), temporarily alleviate the symptoms of colds, enhance wound healing, and relieve menopausal symptoms such as chills, head and stomach aches, nervousness, depression, and dizziness. It also helps cleanse the skin, which can improve skin problems such as acne, rashes, burns, eczema, and psoriasis.