There is nothing like a short visit to the sauna to give you the ultimate treating-myself sensation. And the latest trend in sauna treatments is the infrared sauna. If you haven’t heard the term yet you’re probably scratching your head trying to make sense of it. Well, we did the research for you. Keep reading to know exactly what it is and if you should try it or not.
Are the healthy glow rumors true?
For now, there is no scientific proof to confirm or deny the rumor, but there is a pretty reasonable theory behind it. The idea is that infrared saunas widen your blood vessels, which makes your skin look flushed and rosy. When the blood vessels widen that way, they make the light reflect off the skin differently, which gives a glowy effect.
Can infrared saunas help me lose weight?
A SpringerPlus study on infrared saunas found that they don’t affect our heart rate or oxygen uptake. This means that an infrared sauna treatment can’t burn any calories. However, sitting in an infrared sauna will make you sweat, which means you will lose some water weight. This kind of weight is usually easy to put back on if you hydrate properly.
How does the infrared sauna affect our mood and muscles?
Scientifically speaking, no studies have shown that an infrared sauna treatment can boost your mood or relax your muscles. However, if you enjoy the treatment, you will obviously have a pleasant change in mood. Just like with any other enjoyable activity. The SpringerPlus study looked into the way an infrared sauna affects athletes after endurance training. They found that the regulated humidity in the sauna helped the athletes relax their muscles and make a faster recovery.
Our overall conclusion about infrared sauna is that it seems to be causing no harm and might be interesting to try. What do you think?