Recently, technologically advanced Infrared Saunas have entered the market and are quite different from their traditional sauna counterparts because of the type of heat that is emitted. In an infrared sauna, the body is directly heated and the air comes second. Saunas in general are known to have health benefits as they use heat to produce perspiration that ultimately cleanses the body and its pores.
The use of saunas dates far back into history and has been popular in many Scandinavian countries. Traditionally, saunas have been small rooms that are heated with hot rocks at high temperatures and have used water to create steam. Infrared Saunas, on the other hand, create heat using infrared heating and are the new alternative to a traditional sauna.
Charcoal, ceramics, and active carbon fibers are used in infrared saunas to emit infrared radiant heat and do not create any steam. As a result, there is lower heat than a traditional sauna and no humidity. This allows the infrared radiation to directly heat the sauna user and when the radiation hits the surface of the body it is going through a process called conversion.
An infrared sauna maintains its usual small wooden box or room and has many infrared heaters. These infrared heaters produce radiant energy similar to the heat from the sun but without harmful Ultraviolet rays.
The heaters in infrared saunas come in a variety such as steel incoloy rods and ceramics. The newest ones are carbon heaters that create the infrared waves that heat the body rather than the air. Although temperatures are lower, people sweat just as much. In fact, one may be able to stay in an infrared sauna longer because of the lower temperatures, thus sweating more. The room itself gets heated and it feels like the traditional sauna while giving similar therapeutic advantages.
Studies conducted in the past have highlighted the benefit of using traditional saunas for health purposes. Saunas help treat chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome. Infrared saunas have been said to have more health benefits such as getting rid of toxins in the body such as ammonia, acids, and metal. Once more research is conducted to prove the actual health benefits of infrared saunas, the new alternative to a traditional sauna may in fact be an infrared one.
Anyone interested in using an infrared or traditional sauna should be advised by a doctor and should take preliminary caution because of the amount of heat that gets emitted. Otherwise, taking advantage of the newest sauna technology can be both relaxing and effective.
