Infrared Sauna for Weight Loss

Why you need to try this over traditional steam rooms?

The use of saunas for stress relief, relaxation, and health promotion has been around the world for decades.

What is an infrared sauna?

Unlike a regular sauna, Infrared saunas heat your body directly and not the air around you.

When you sit in an infrared sauna, your body is warmed directly by the heat from the infrared lamps that work with electromagnetic radiation. This kind of heat aimed towards the body makes infrared saunas a popular choice for many people.

Infrared saunas operate at a much lower temperature as compared to other types of saunas.

Why should you incorporate the infrared sauna while on a fat- loss journey?

Every single fat cell in your body is not just a cell sitting by itself. It is a factory full of toxic hormones. And whenever you lose weight, these toxins are released into your bloodstream.

Now, ideally, the liver processes out these toxins out of your body. So if you are eating a good diet, high in fiber, these toxins will automatically flush out of your body naturally. Fiber binds onto anything unwanted in the body and flushes it out with your poo poo.

However, there is another mechanism that flushes toxins out, also giving you a relaxed feeling simultaneously. It is where infrared saunas come to place.

What does science say?

Although the researches made so far on infrared saunas are limited, they still have positive and promising results in this regard.

A few studies took place on the effects of infrared sauna on chronic fatigue syndrome and increased recovery from muscle soreness and strength-training sessions.

Therefore, infrared saunas come with several health benefits, including detoxification and weight loss. Unlike a traditional sauna, an infrared sauna increases your body's core temperature, dilates your blood vessels, and flushes toxins out of your body.

Do infrared sauna help reduce bloating?

Saunas are a terrific way to unwind and were even often used in the health and fitness sector to cleanse the body. Sweating in a sauna has always been promoted as a healthful activity. These have been used to lose weight rapidly by removing extra water from your body and minimising the symptoms of bloating.

In comparison to conventional saunas, which use steam or dry heating to warm a room, infrared saunas employ infrared heat lamps in enclosed rooms to specifically increase body temperature.

There are several lasting benefits to using an infrared sauna, as it is well known, including body-detox (through sweat), blood pressure reduction, and bloating management. However, most of these benefits last only for a short term and cannot be used as a long term treatment model.

A diet which is inadequate or does not comprise of eating enough fiber and drinking enough water, can result in your body retaining whatever fluid it comes across, thus causing bloating.

A high-sodium diet also induces water retention, which contributes to your body's ‘bloated’ look. Going to an infra red sauna can have short term bloating reduction benefits, but that is about it.

Are infrared saunas good for you?

Infrared saunas are becoming highly popular throughout the world, promising to help you burn calories, increase your mood, promote muscular relaxation, and more.

You now also get to hear about more and more celebrities turning to infrared saunas using infrared saunas to relieve chronic pain, unwind after a workout, or just to get radiant skin.

People have now also discovered various new and prospective health advantages from infrared saunas as a result of expanded study and surveys on its applications and benefits.

The charm of saunas in particular is that they induce sensations comparable to those evoked by moderate exercise, such as perspiration and elevated heart rate.

Some of the emphasised advantages of infrared sauna include increased sleep, detoxification, relaxation, clean and firmer skin, relief from tired muscles, body water reduction (less bloating), relief from joint pain such as arthritis, improved circulation, and assistance for persons suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Can you lose weight by sitting in a sauna?

Although relaxing in a sauna might assist you with weight loss, it is not a miraculous weight reduction treatment. A sauna cannot be the sole way to improve your health, but it may tremendously support you in your quest to lose water weight.

The most noticeable kind of weight reduction with sauna use is loss of the water weight. And it's a technique employed by wrestlers, boxers, and MMA athletes to quickly reduce numbers on the scale right before weigh- in's.

However, once the sauna session is done, it is critical that you rehydrate yourself, which may cause you to regain some of that water weight. But if you visit a sauna on a regular basis, your body will benefit from releasing extra water that causes bloating.

Eliminating water weight is indeed a great method to have your muscles appearing more toned before a big occasion.

How long to see the benefits of infrared sauna?

Everyone will have a different motive for going to an infrared sauna session. Furthermore, each individual's body will respond differently to the sauna session. As a result, the basic time necessary to notice the benefits of infrared sauna will be different for everyone.

When deciding how much time to spend in the sauna, there are a few more aspects to consider. The infrared sauna is really for you if you have been dealing with a lot of toxins, have Lyme disease, hypertension, overall aches and soreness, and wish to routinely detox all of the pollutants you are exposed to on a daily basis.

You will start seeing benefits after the very first session. Especially in terms of your skin health and drop in excess water weight.

However, long-term benefits, such as chronic pain relief, weight loss, and better heart health, can only be evident after 2 to 3 months of 2 to 3 sessions per week.

5 key benefits of Infrared sauna:

Relaxation

Saunas have long been used to induce relaxation. Blood flow to the skin increases when your heart rate rises and your blood vessels widen. The body's response to heat may keep you more attentive and less sensitive to discomfort, along with giving you a sense of delight. Your muscles, especially those in your face and neck, relax as a result of the heat.

Stress relief

Endorphins are chemicals secreted by the brain that relieve pain and promote sensations of happiness. High temperatures are also known to cause the release of endorphins. Thus the combination of endorphin release, deep breathing while in a sauna, and the surrounding stillness provides a full environment of relaxation and calm, which leads to a variety of additional health advantages.

Joint pain relief

Some elementary research shows that infrared saunas would help persons with rheumatoid arthritis lessen joint pain and stiffness. Because the blood vessels relax and widen in a sauna, blood flow rises, and the sensation can help alleviate joint tension and aching muscles. Saunas may also benefit people suffering from chronic pain and arthritis.

Heart health

Because stiff blood vessels are one of the primary causes of cardiovascular disease, something which renders them more flexible is typically beneficial to long-term heart health. According to research, infrared saunas can help your blood vessels widen and adjust to fluctuations in blood pressure. Infrared saunas have also been shown in studies to reduce blood pressure, which is beneficial to your heart.

Glowing skin

Subjective research suggests that infrared saunas can aid with stiffness, oil flow, and skin cell regeneration, resulting in more glowing skin. Also, some claim that infrared saunas can enhance skin tone and health, as well as minimise creases, wrinkles, and pigmentation. These benefits are said to be created by your pores opening, allowing dirt, toxins, and other nastiness to be washed away in your sweat.

How to make infrared sauna sessions more impactful?

You can very well have a great sauna experience even if it is your first time if you know what you're getting into and prepare properly. Here are some things you may do to ensure a relaxing infrared sauna experience.

• Study the standards and requirements of the sauna you're going to. Also, plan your sauna sessions according to your preferences. A morning session might help people focus on the day ahead, whilst an evening session can facilitate a restful night's sleep.
• A brief yoga or gym workout before your sauna might also help dilate your blood vessels. To start fresh and as a courtesy, you should take a brief shower before entering the sauna.
• Remain in the sauna for as long as you feel relaxed, however try to stay at least till you develop a genuine sweat, since that's when the true health benefits set in. This will take about 15-20 minutes for most folks. Longer sessions of 30-45 minutes do well as well, which could help you feel completely rejuvenated and renewed.
• To prevent re-absorption of the toxins you've just fought so hard to discharge, shut those pores and rinse away that perspiration once you're out. As a result, a cold shower after the sauna is extremely necessary.
• Always drink plenty of water before, during, and after your infrared sauna session. You're going to perspire a lot. So it's critical to keep your thirst satiated and your fluids up.
• Take a few moments after you've washed off and cooled down to readjust to your environment, bring yourself back into reality, and realise how you're feeling. It is advised that you spend the same amount of time as you did in the sauna to return to your core body temperature.

How often should you use an infrared sauna?

Most facilities that offer infrared sauna treatments recommend using it 3 to 4 days per week. However, if you are new to this practice, go for it once every week. Also, in terms of duration, start with a 10 to 15-minute session and gradually work your way up.

Hope this helps,

Roshni Sanghvi.