Saunas are nothing new. In fact, for thousands of years people have used saunas as a means of relaxation and as a component of a healthy lifestyle.
However, technology has changed in recent decades. It’s now possible to purchase portable infrared saunas that you can use in your own home.
Are these saunas effective? How do they work? Is it worth spending your hard-earned money on a portable sauna?
Infrared portable saunas are recommended by many people who simply are enthusiasts, and even medical professionals concede that there certainly is no harm in enjoying a sauna session a few times a week.
As to whether or not they are effective, that really depends on what you are hoping to gain from using a sauna.
Let’s examine the world of saunas and whether or not it might make sense to have a portable model in your home.
What Is a Sauna?
Sweating has been used as a means of therapy for thousands of years. From the Mayan sweat houses of 3,000 years ago to the modern-day Finnish sauna, people frequently use saunas to help them relax and improve their cardiovascular health.
Saunas may be heated to between 158 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. In a Finnish sauna, you’ll experience a dry heat, but a Turkish-style sauna allows more humidity.
While you sit in a sauna, your skin temperature can be raised to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. This causes you to sweat heavily even as your heart rate increases in an effort to cool your body. Even in a short sauna session, you could lose approximately one pint of sweat.
Traditionally, saunas are heated with burning wood or electricity. However, a newer innovation is the infrared room.
These saunas use special lamps that emit light waves to heat your body rather than the entire room.
The overall temperature of an infrared sauna accordingly is lower, but it will still make you sweat.
More About How Infrared Saunas Work
Infrared saunas have infrared lamps that emit electromagnetic radiation to produce heat.
When compared to conventional heat, the electromagnetic radiation is more easily able to penetrate your body’s tissues, which means that it will heat up more quickly than the air around you.
This newer type of sauna is able to operate at a lower temperature than traditional saunas. Usually, the temperature inside an infrared sauna averages between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Companies that manufacture infrared saunas sometimes claim that 80 percent of the heat that is emitted by the infrared lamps goes directly to the person’s body with only the remaining 20 percent heating the ambient air.
Proponents for the use of infrared saunas say that they feel that the heat in these saunas penetrates more deeply than it does in traditional saunas. Accordingly, they are able to feel a more intense sweat without having to endure hotter temperatures.
Because the temperatures in an infrared sauna typically are lower, you may be able to stay in the sauna longer, which means that you can increase your core body temperature by as much as two or three degrees.
The Benefits of Using Infrared Saunas
According to manufacturers and proponents, an infrared sauna delivers benefits to the user such as:
- Joint pain relief
- Alleviation of sore muscles
- Better circulation
- Relaxation
- Better sleep
- Detoxification
- Weight loss
Unfortunately, the current state of research on the health benefits of using an infrared sauna is sparse.
This makes it difficult to definitively determine if using one of these saunas can actually provide you with all of the benefits that are listed above.
In the limited studies that are available, the data suggest that infrared saunas actually may decrease the soreness of muscles after strength-training workouts.
Moreover, some study subjects saw their blood pressure numbers go down with regular use of an infrared sauna.
Even people with chronic fatigue syndrome report feeling better after a few sessions in infrared saunas.
While there is a lack of research in this area, the good news is that medical professionals also are not aware of any negative effects arising from the use of portable infrared saunas.
Even if your sauna sessions don’t actually detoxify your body or help you lose weight, this is still a fantastic way to relax and loosen up your stiff or sore muscles.
What Are Portable Infrared Saunas?
Portable versions of infrared saunas make it possible for you to enjoy the sauna experience in the comfort, privacy and convenience of your home.
You don’t even have to make an expensive addition to your house’s structure thanks to the collapsible nature of these saunas.
Let’s explore some of the most common characteristics of these smaller infrared saunas.
What Comes in the Box?
This will vary depending upon the model you choose, but most of these saunas come with the sauna itself, the heating elements, a collapsible chair, a heating foot pad and a timer.
Some versions may have a pocket on the outside where you can keep a smart phone or tablet during your sauna sessions.
Holes are provided for your head and hands so that you can hold a book, tablet or magazine as you relax.
It’s Collapsible
One thing that draws many people to these portable models is that they don’t require a lot of space either during use or when they are stowed away.
Most of them resemble small tents with a zippered opening. It takes only a few minutes to set them up or take them down.
Most portable saunas fold down quite small, which makes it easy to tuck them somewhere so that they will be out of the way until you need them.
Built for One or Two
Most portable saunas are built to accommodate one user at a time. However, if you spend a bit more money, you can probably find a model that’s built for two.
Think of it as another way to enjoy a bit of relaxation with your favorite person.
What Do You Wear in a Portable Sauna?
This is totally up to you. Most people choose to wear nothing given the fact that they are at home and in view of all the sweating that they will do. Others may decide to wear a swimsuit.
How Long Do You Sit in a Portable Sauna?
Many models have timer maximums of 30 minutes. They take just a few minutes to heat up, so you won’t spend a lot of time waiting to get hot.
How long you choose to stay in the sauna is really up to you. People may sit for as little as 20 minutes or as long as about one hour.
Do Portable Infrared Saunas Work?
If you’re wondering if an infrared sauna will help you lose weight and speed up your detoxification program, the answer is: Maybe.
However, certain things are clear when it comes to infrared saunas. They heat up your body, speed up your heart rate and cause you to sweat.
This does have the effect of improving your circulation while also loosening up any muscles that are stiff and sore.
If you are suffering from back pain or “tech neck,” this may be the way to help relieve it.
Moreover, if you have a hard time relaxing in the evening so that you can go to bed ready to sleep, spending a half hour in an infrared sauna may be just what the doctor ordered.
Sitting in an infrared sauna is like participating in a low-impact workout except that your muscles aren’t getting fatigued, and you’re not out of breath.
The upshot is that you can get some pretty good cardiovascular benefits without wearing yourself out.
Are Portable Saunas Worth It?
For most people who have them, portable saunas are absolutely worth it.
That’s largely because they let you have the sauna experience right in your own home without having to foot the bill on a lot of costly renovations.
Because they can be folded up and packed away, you don’t have to have a space dedicated to your portable sauna.
Of course, if you do just leave it up all the time, then you are more likely to use it on a regular basis.
In general, people enjoy portable saunas because they find the experience relaxing. It loosens up sore muscles, and there is some evidence that regular sauna sessions can provide health benefits.
People who have portable saunas usually say that they wouldn’t give them up for anything. However, you do have to do some research before you buy.
Portable saunas are available at an incredibly wide range of prices. You may be able to find a model that costs just under $200.
Alternatively, you have the option of paying $1,000 or more, it really just depends on the bells and whistles that you want.
If you believe that you will be a dedicated user of your portable sauna, then it may make sense to choose a model that’s not at the bottom of the price range.
Opt for something that costs around the middle of the price range to ensure better longevity.
Ultimately, if you love to use the sauna at your gym or the spa, then it will probably be worth it to you to have a portable version of an infrared sauna in your home.
Tips for Using Portable Infrared Saunas
Be sure to read the instructions that come with your sauna to ensure that you’re staying within safe use limits for that particular model.
Otherwise, here are a few tips to help you ensure that you get the most out of your infrared sauna.
-Drink plenty of water: Make certain that you drink at least one eight-ounce glass of water before stepping into the sauna.
If you’re sensitive to heat, consider drinking water during your sauna session.
-Choose the right temperature: If you’re new to infrared saunas, consider starting out at the lowest temperature setting, which usually is around 100 degrees.
Gradually increase the temperature on subsequent sessions until you hit the typical 150 degree maximum.
-Choose the right session length: Ten or 15 minutes is sufficient for many new users while those with experience can start at between 20 and 30 minutes.
Be certain to use the sauna’s timer so you don’t become dehydrated in an overly long session.
-After the sauna: Give your body some time to cool down, then take a relaxing shower or bath. Drink plenty of water.
-Number of session: Most experts recommend using the infrared sauna about three to four days per week.
If you don’t have many health issues and are enjoying your sauna sessions, you could sit in it every day.
Things to Know Before You Start
If you have been drinking alcohol, then it is wise to save your sauna session for another time. Similarly, do not drink alcohol while sitting in the sauna.
People who are sick or who have symptoms like a fever may want to wait for a sauna session until they have recovered.
Because you sweat so much in an infrared sauna, it is not unusual to feel lightheaded upon standing. Make sure that you stand up slowly and sit down again once you’re outside of the sauna, and drink lots of water.
People who have heart problems, high blood pressure or are otherwise under medical care may want to consult with their doctor before using a sauna.
Begin Your Search for a Portable Sauna
Gone are the days when you had to have an expensive health club membership in order to have regular use of a sauna. Now, you can have a portable version of an infrared sauna in your own home.
It’s easy to relax, unwind and loosen up your stiff muscles when you have an infrared sauna. Start looking for the perfect model for you today.
Best Portable Saunas
| Serenelife Portable Heating Sauna | HigherDose Infrared Sauna Blanket | HeatWave Rejuvinator Portable Sauna |
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| There’s a lot to like about the Serenelife Portable Heating Sauna because it offers a different experience than the other portable saunas here. It’s a full size, home steam sauna that’s a bit less portable, but gets you close to an actual spa experience. | We love the HigherDose Infrared Sauna Blanket because it’s the most premium infrared heat sauna blanket on the market made with the highest quality materials that will last you for quite some time and is worth the investment. | What we like most about the HeatWave Rejuvinator Portable Sauna is the quick set up and the one year warranty that comes with this portable far infrared heat sauna. |
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