INFRARED SAUNAS
Characteristics of an Infrared Sauna
While the two previous styles of sauna have been around for several centuries in one form or another, the first functional infrared sauna was shown to the public in 1893 at the Chicago World Fair by inventor John H. Kellogg. Even though this type of sauna is relatively young, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have the same popularity as the other types! Infrared saunas became common in gyms and sports clubs in Europe and North America during the 1970s and 1980s but have actually become very practical for home installation because of their compact form factor.
Infrared saunas are often composed of two key elements: a seat for the sauna user and a combination of several powerful light bulbs with the ability to give off heat. Those lights, when used in combination, radiate heat from their cathodes directly onto the body which actually emulates the dry heat of a traditional wood-burning sauna.
As we’ve explained traditional saunas like wood burning saunas and steam saunas encourage a deeper sweat at higher temperatures. However some sauna users find this experience to be intense, and some people find it overwhelming.
Infrared saunas and infrared cabin saunas provide a more gentle experience by heating your body directly using red light bulbs. This allows for longer sessions and can be beneficial for pain relief, improved circulation, and detoxification. The lower temperature is easier on the respiratory system and more suitable for those sensitive to heat.
Infrared cabin saunas have become increasingly popular recently. They provide all the great benefits of an infrared sauna but can be purpose-built to be installed easily in your home, while the costs of installing an infrared sauna remain minimal. The cabins can be built to be compact, creating a one or two person sauna, making them the perfect choice when considering a home indoor sauna.
Infrared Sauna Benefits
Being that the heat of an infrared sauna and infrared cabin sauna are functionally similar to that of a traditional wood-burning sauna, several of the key sauna benefits between the two are actually the same. But, at the same time, there are some unexpected other benefits that you should take to heart when thinking about infrared saunas.
- Infrared Saunas are Good for Solo Bathers
While steam rooms and traditional wood-burning saunas are both built with many bathers in mind, using an infrared sauna or purpose built infrared cabin sauna is a great choice for those looking to spend time in the sauna alone. Many people use the sauna environment for reflection and relaxation, and due to compact nature of the infrared saunas especially as a home sauna, it gives you the opportunity to relax and unwind without being interrupted. While there is also an equally large number of people who use saunas for community building, it can be nearly impossible to do both at the same time.
If you are perhaps getting over an illness or just want to spend some time with yourself and the heat of a sauna, it’s unquestionable that you’ll find the most luck in an infrared sauna.
- Infrared Saunas are Good for Deep Tissue Stimulation
Because infrared saunas heat up the body a bit differently than the other wet sauna types, it’s fair to expect that the body will take in that heat a little bit differently too. Specifically, the heat from infrared saunas is actually able to bypass the skin significantly more than any other kind of sauna. So while the heat is indeed still dry like a wood-burning sauna, more of your deep tissue is actually able to benefit from the heat of the sauna when you use an infrared sauna.
Why would you want to stimulate your deep tissue? Think of an infrared sauna like red light therapy sauna. By engaging your deep tissue, you are actually easing blood flow and improving your overall tissue and muscle health. This is why deep tissue massages have become so popular in recent years. While an infrared sauna won’t massage your deep tissue, by spending time under the red light radiation lamps, you are actually encouraging the same kind of blood flow that people are looking for in a massage.
- Infrared Saunas are Good for Small Spaces
Once again, compared to the other two main types of traditional saunas, infrared saunas, and especially custom built infrared cabin saunas have a major unique benefit: they are comparably quite small. This is probably the best type of sauna for home use. While the two other classes of home sauna require an entire enclosed room to get their heat going, infrared saunas can be built as a one person sauna or a two person sauna and installed in a home gym or just about anywhere in a normal sized house with ease.
Want to know more?
If you have a home sauna question, require more information on ir saunas, or would like more sauna benefits or buying guides please reach out!
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Guide to the Traditional Sauna: The Wood Burning Sauna
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Six Benefits of Home Saunas: Health, Relaxation & Wellness Advantages
Steam Saunas: Benefits, Features & What You Need to Know
Sauna Detoxification: Unlock the Power of Sweating