Infrared sauna
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An infrared sauna is a sauna that heats its occupants with heaters that emit far infrared radiant heat. Unlike traditional Finnish Saunas, infrared saunas do not use steam, (which heats the air, and thereby the user) but instead use infrared heat to directly heat the user.[1] .
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[edit] What is Infrared?
Infrared is a type of the light spectrum that is invisible to the naked eye. Whereas ultra violet light is above the visible light spectrum, infrared is below it. We (human beings) register infrared light as 'heat'. When you're outside on a sunny day in the winter, and feel warm - the heat that you feel is infrared light from the sun. Infrared penetrates your body and heats you through a process called conversion, instead of by heating the air around you.
[edit] Infrared Saunas
An infrared sauna is usually a wooden box, or small wooden room, containing several infrared heaters. In a warm environment, an infrared sauna could be open air and still heat the users in the same manner, since the heaters don't rely on the air being hot, but only hot enough such that the body doesn't cool down without sweating. All the same, normally the units are contained in a room, allowing the air to heat and in effect simulating the feel of a traditional sauna. In other words, the sauna box creates the atmosphere of the sauna while the heaters provide the actual infrared therapy.
In an infrared sauna, the infrared heater produces radiant energy, which is the same as the heat from the sun, only without the harmful ultraviolate rays. Most of these heaters draw on technology developed in 1965 by Dr. Tadashi Ishikawa, a member of the Research and Development Department of Fuji Medical.
[edit] Infrared Sauna vs. Traditional Sauna
Traditional saunas, also called rock saunas or Finnish Saunas, use various types of heaters to warm the air and stones in a room. The room's walls can be logs or some other material lined with wood. Stones placed over the heat source attain a high temperature. In its primitive form the stones are heated by wood without a chimney. The fire dies and the smoke exits by the door. Heat is maintained by the stones. Stones are usually peridotite as they are heat stable. Modern Finnish saunas have thermostatically controlled electric stoves or wood stoves with chimneys.
The air temperature typically runs between 169 and 190 degrees F. though over 200F. The hot air causes ones body to heat up, and eventually results in a sweat. Water is thrown on the stones to achieve a "steam shock". Some devotees enhance the experience by mixing vodka etc in the water. This produces a quick "high". Some add herbs or oil like eucalyptus. Traditionally, ones skin is beaten with a bunch of birch twigs. When the heat becomes intolerable one cools down under a cold shower or, as in Finland, by jumping into a frozen lake. Perhaps, most delectably, one rolls in powdery snow. Then one repeats the process to satisfaction. Although potentially unsafe, alcoholic drinks often accompany the sauna (pronounced SOWNA).
An infrared sauna use a specific type of heater that creates infrared waves that heat your body directly, instead of just by the air. The temperature in them is much cooler, at around 110 to 130 degrees F. The amount of sweat that results from each is comparable,[2] though many people report that the lower temperatures in an infrared sauna allow the user to stay inside longer, resulting in longer sauna sessions and therefore more overall sweating.
[edit] Health Benefits
Infrared sauna promoters state that infrared radiant heat is safe and beneficial, claiming that the heat penetrates more than 1.5 inches into the body. The argument is based on the idea that the wavelenghts of far infrared waves are typically between 7 and 10 microns. This is supposed to correspond to the vibration of the water molecule at 9.4 microns. Because these vibrations are similar, say promoters, the infrared rays help knock toxins loose from fat cells into the body, and those toxins are then released through sweating.[3] They claim this heals and stimulates tissues, and that it is effective therapy for arthritis and tissue injuries.
Dr. Sherry Rogers, a fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and a diplomat of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, says in her book Detoxify or Die that an infrared sauna is the only way of removing man-made toxins from your body. Dr. Rogers also states that bio-accumulated toxic load in the human body is responsible for all disease not attributable to bacteria or virus.
Because the skin is the largest organ in the body, regularly sweating in a far infrared sauna can help decrease the toxic load and contribute to better health and vitality. One of the ways that infrared sauna use is beneficial for a wide range of ailments is through the increase in circulation that it causes in the body.[4] Increased circulation is often believed to be helpful in a variety of ways, and is generally regarded as beneficial for health.[5]
[edit] Infrared Sauna Production
While there are many different infrared sauna brands, there are much fewer actual manufacturers. As in many industries, there are a number of manufacturers that will produce for multiple brands, allowing those brands to then sell them as their own. This is similar to store brand marketing that is common in retail stores and grocery stores. Below is an alphabetical list of infrared sauna manufactures, some of whom sell to consumers, and some of whom only sell to distributors:
- American Infrared Sauna Co.
- Brighton Sauna
- Dian Chiang Chia Industrial
- EZe Sauna
- Health Mate Sauna
- Kingston Global
- Miracle Heat
- Sauna-Pedic
- QCA Spas
- Xiamen Komate
These are not the only retailers of infrared saunas, but are simply the primary manufacturers.
[edit] Outside Links
Below are a list of guides and FAQs that may be useful. Be aware that some are posted by infrared sauna companies, on occasion, though these are removed as speedily as possible by wikipedia editors.
- Infrared Sauna Info (independent guide, but done by non-native english speaker, so be patient because it's good info)
- Infrared Sauna Buyer's Guide (relatively unbiased guide, even though done by a company that makes and sells saunas)
- Infrared Sauna FAQ and pictures (good information, even though done by a company that distributes saunas and other products)
- Analysis by Creighton University
[edit] References
- ^ Kalyn, Wayne. Design Ideas for Basements (Design Ideas Series) Creative Homeowner (June 15, 2004). ISBN 1580111580
- ^ Galttech.com Reviews: a review site with a general review of saunas and infrared saunas. Accessed on March 5th, 2007.
- ^ Watershed.net: article on infrared sauna use from a naturopathic medical site. Accessed March 5th, 2007
- ^ Rosner,Bryan: When Antibiotics Fail: Lyme Disease and Rife Machines, with Critical Evaluation of Leading Alternative Therapies, BioMed Publishing Group, Jan 2005. ISBN 0976379708
- ^ Orgainic Nutrition: article on the effects of circulation. Accessed on March 5th, 2007.
