Page 31 - April 2022 Proof

Sports & Wellness 31
Infrared sauna therapy is heating up
Taking Time to Truly Unwind
By Stacie Chadwick
As I continually manage the time-space continuum bullet points of my life, I often see minutes on the clock ticking away – not standing still.
On a recent trip to Boulder, however, I decided to forego the last cocktail of the night and instead sweat my toxins out in my friend Amanda’s brand-new infrared sauna. She promised that a 30-minute cleanse would not only rid my body of impurities but would bring me back to my long-lost childhood
roots in the south, reset my internal clock, and basically purify my soul. I was skeptical, in part because the sauna came in a kit that she put together with an Allen wrench from her junk drawer, and in part because as much as I love her, Amanda marches to a drumbeat in her head that no one else can hear.
Ignoring my inner voice quietly chanting, “drink another cocktail instead,” I ditched my phone, grabbed a gallon sized bottle of water, and opened the door to a 170-degree portal to my unknown inner self.
The first thing I noticed, within 37 seconds
of settling onto a wooden bench that wasn’t exactly built for comfort, was that it was
hot – really hot. As beads of sweat formed at my brow and slowly began their march down my face, I looked for a way to pass the time. It was dead silent in the vault, and the only distraction was the time clock slowly counting down and glowing bright red in the dark.
Accustomed to a life where a background cacophony of sound – family, clients, friends, chatter, ambient noise, music – accompanies me everywhere I go, it felt eerie to hear nothing.
Determined to lean in and burn the 250 calories of water loss Amanda also promised as a benefit of my 30-minute journey, I took a deep, somewhat stifling breath, closed my eyes, and let my mind float.
I thought about my children, two away at college and the third on their heels; my lifelong friends (of whom Amanda is one) always
far away and at the same time, so close; and further about how life is anchored, when you least expect it, by change. I reflected, drifted, zoned out, napped a little and dreamed.
And when my time was up, I emerged in a better place than where I’d entered – relaxed, renewed, relieved to be done and tired. I slept a solid eight hours that night and woke up refreshed and ready to face the world I’d so blissfully put on pause the night before.
By Lisa Nicklanovich
People have been using saunas all over
the world for centuries, but infrared (IR) saunas have been getting more attention lately by those who claim a number of health benefits. ‘Infra’ red light means light that is below red on the spectrum. It has such long wavelengths that we can’t usually see it. IR saunas feature lamps
that use electromagnetic radiation to warm one’s body directly instead of traditional saunas which heat the air. Supporters of IR saunas say the heat penetrates more deeply than warmed air and allows the user to experience a more intense sweat at a lower temperature.
Similar to a traditional sauna, the benefits that many experience in a light-filled IR sauna include muscle recovery, relaxation, stress reduction and improved circulation. Due to the lower temperature, many people find they can sweat in an IR sauna more comfortably than in a traditional sauna.
IR saunas are opening around the country and are appearing in medical spas, gyms and hotels. Franchise businesses like HOTWORX feature hot fitness classes in the IR saunas. Some IR saunas also feature chromotherapy, also called color light therapy. During an IR sauna session, a user chooses a hue on the light spectrum that corresponds to the outcome they are hoping
to achieve. Red light therapy, for example, exposes the skin to a low-light wavelength which is often used to decrease stress and increase energy.
To get a regular dose of IR sauna therapy, consumers are purchasing at-home saunas from a growing list of manufacturers. Featuring wood panels and tightly sealed glass doors, home IR saunas range in size from room-for-one to higher-priced models that fit four or more people comfortably.
Portable home IR saunas, made of packable material, and IR sauna blankets are two other more affordable at-home options.
Small studies have looked at using IR saunas in the treatment of chronic health problems, such as high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Some evidence of benefit was found but larger studies specifically using IR saunas are needed to confirm these results.
Manufacturers of IR saunas claim additional benefits, including weight loss, anti-aging, cellulite reduction and skin rejuvenation. Until wider studies are done to confirm these claims, it’s up to the consumer to decide how much the deep-reaching heat of an IR sauna benefits their overall health and well-being.
To read more from Stacie, check out her blog at https://readingbetweenthepines.com.
April 2022