At home health and wellness treatments offer a comforting way to help soothe and protect your body from various ailments, and the addition of a personal sauna can really complement your efforts.
A personal sauna utilizes heat therapy similar to traditional saunas for deep tissue therapy, and when used at home, can provide many benefits, including:
It is a Convenient and Low-Cost Way to Enjoy a Sauna
A personal sauna is designed specifically for at-home use, which enables you to personally enhance your overall health in the comfort of your own space and at a lower cost.
It also provides you the advantage of being able to use it on your own time and in any location for added convenience.
There are also whole room saunas and portable saunas, such as sauna blankets, which are the most affordable option, to suit your needs.
They also come with different heat sources and temperature settings to meet your preferences.
Types of home saunas include:
- Infrared saunas – warm the body using electromagnetic heat waves, which emit low heat healing to the inner tissues. They also warm the body directly as opposed to the entire room like traditional saunas, which also makes them more tolerable.
- Steam saunas – use the steam from boiling water to warm the skin and stimulate repair. They can also be as small as a facial steamer sauna to an all-out steam room added to your shower, and more.
- Electric saunas – use electrically heated stones that, when covered with water, produce steam to heat the body.
- Wood saunas – work similarly to electric saunas in that they also use heated stones and water to create a steam sauna. However, the stones are heated using a wood stove.
- Portable steam tents – are soft, tent-like contraptions that cover you from the neck down when sitting in them for similar benefits to regular steam saunas but at an affordable cost.
It Relaxes the Muscles and Soothes Achy Joints
Perhaps the biggest reason people use an in home sauna is it generates a mild relaxing effect that helps reduce muscle soreness, especially after intense activity, such as sports.
Meanwhile, studies show that infrared saunas. in particular, are also effective for reducing joint pain from some chronic pain conditions, such as arthritis.
The heat from in home saunas also causes the blood vessels to dilate, thus increasing blood flow, which helps speed the body’s natural ability to heal minor cuts and bruises and more.
It Aids in Muscle Recovery After Intense Physical Activity
An at home sauna also provides many benefits after intense training and physical activity, including aids in the repair of damaged proteins in the body, which helps with muscle recovery and oxidative stress caused by muscle damage.
Research shows that it also improves muscle growth following exercise.
It also helps with delayed onset muscle soreness by increasing circulation, thus helping to eliminate lactic acid that may be present after strenuous activity.
It is One of the Best Ways to Help Rid Toxins From the Body
The increased core body temperature and induced sweating caused by a home sauna have also been shown to help dilate the blood vessels, thus increasing circulation for improved blood and lymph flow.
This, in turn, helps reduce the levels of toxins absorbed by the body from the environment and more, including zinc, mercury, nickel, and copper.
It Helps Relieve Stress and Improves Mood
The relaxation brought about by a personal sauna is also shown to help manage cortisol levels in the blood.
When we become stressed, the hormone cortisol is released in response to help the body adapt. However, a high level of cortisol is associated with an increased risk of various health issues, including a weakened immune system.
Hence, regularly engaging in some form of relaxation to help reduce stress and keep cortisol levels in check, which an in home sauna can provide.
The calming effect generated by in home saunas also stimulates the production of serotonin, which helps improve mood.
Therefore, an at home sauna can be used anytime you need to relax and rejuvenate your mind and body for overall healing and pampering.
It Improves Brain Health
Research shows that using a home sauna also increases BDNF, which is a protein found in the brain that helps with the growth, maturation, and maintenance of neurons, thus promoting improved brain health.
On the other hand, according to several studies, decreased levels of BDNF are linked to an increased risk of hippocampal atrophy, which is associated with dementia, memory impairment, and more.
The heat from a personal sauna is also shown to release norepinephrine, which helps protect against migraines, certain mental conditions, such as ADHD, and more.
It Helps Reduce the Incidence of Colds, Sinus Congestion, And More
Sauna heat and steam are also proven to help instantly increase the body’s production of white blood cells, which helps protect against illnesses and viruses.
One report shows that it also helps decrease the occurrence of colds and sinus congestion issues brought about by them as well as allergies, especially home saunas that utilize steam.
It Helps Decrease Inflammation and the Risk of Diseases
Inflammation in the body can be caused by various factors, including infection, viruses, injury, and autoimmune disorder, and if left untreated, can lead to an increased chance of developing heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and even disability.
However, sauna use at least 10 to 15 minutes a day, 3-days per week, significantly decreased pro-inflammatory markers and the eventual onset of certain diseases for improved overall health.
It Helps Prevent Injuries and Helps You Perform Better
In home saunas can also be used to help gently warm-up before stretching or participating in strenuous physical activities, which helps prevent the likelihood of injuring yourself in the process.
This is because the heat helps loosen your joints and muscles and improves blood flow to your tissues, thus making them more able to bear the strain you put on them during your workout. Otherwise, they are more prone to harmful rips and tears when performing your moves.
In fact, sports medicine experts state that a majority of muscle injuries can be avoided simply by stretching and warming up before physical activity.
The increased circulation throughout your body also prepares your cardiovascular system for physical activity, which improves your endurance.
On the other hand, simply jumping right into high-intensity exercise without first preparing your body prevents the heart and lungs from receiving adequate oxygen during the activity, thus putting undue strain on them, which can interfere with their function over time.
Warming up your body prior to physical activity also increases your mental focus as you work your way through your session or training, which helps improve your technique and skill.
Experts state that it also improves your nerve transmission and muscle metabolism for faster performance and greater efficiency.
It May Help Improve Sleep Quality
Just like a relaxing shower or bath before bed helps promote better sleep, studies suggest that low heat therapy a few hours before you retire for the evening may also enhance your sleep quality.
According to various reports, this is because once your body is no longer exposed to the sauna’s heat, it will work to normalize its temperature, which helps calm and relax the body for a good night’s sleep.
Furthermore, since an in home sauna also helps alleviate muscle tension and joint pain, it also helps ease the body and encourages you to rest better.
Racing thoughts and a busy mind can also make it difficult to wind down and go to sleep; however, an at home sauna before bed also helps free your mind of distractions, so you fall asleep faster.
It Makes You Look Good
The increased heat and sweating caused by personal saunas also help cleanse the skin, which provides various beauty benefits, including plumper skin.
This is because as the body sweats, it also rids the skin of dead cells; hence, causing them to be replaced with new ones, which help keep your skin renewed and looking good.
Heating the skin also improves capillary dilation for improved circulation, which causes blood to rush to the skin’s surface, giving it a natural glow.
Sweating also helps cleanse the sweat ducts and surface skin of bacteria and sebum, which is shown to help reduce acne breakouts, eczema, psoriasis, and more, especially with regular sauna use.
It May Help You Lose Inches/Weight
Several studies show that because a home sauna causes you to sweat, it can also help you lose weight. But it is mainly water weight, which means, as soon as you resume drinking fluids, it will come back.
However, one study conducted on 12 healthy adults showed that sauna therapy significantly affected BMI, which was determined by several factors, including the quantity and quality of fluids ingested, suggesting that provided you are properly hydrated during your sauna sessions, it is possible for your body to utilize glycogen stores for energy, thus leading to a decrease in body mass.
In fact, the sweating induced by saunas increases your heart rate and thus your metabolic rate, as well the demand for oxygen, which requires lots of energy typically derived from fat and carbohydrates, resulting in calorie burning.
Infrared saunas, in particular, have been proven to burn more than 500 calories in just one 30 minute session.
It May Help Reduce the Appearance of Cellulite
Cellulite is a result of fat accumulation under the skin, which causes the skin to dimple. However, targeting this fat via various treatments can help smooth the skin.
When an at home sauna is used, the sweating it causes helps burn unwanted fat for energy, which is then broken down and removed from the body through urine, perspiration, and more, thus helping to improve the appearance of cellulite.
Several studies show that infrared in home saunas are especially effective for treating dimpled skin because the light and heat are able to reach below the surface of the skin to better target and break down fat deposits so they can be removed from the body.
Infrared light is also easily absorbed by the mitochondria, which helps stimulate collagen production for tighter skin.
It is also shown to help reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and stretch marks for even skin.
Best Home Personal Saunas
Did you know that you can enjoy the benefits of a full-fledged sauna from home? Here are a few personal saunas you can enjoy from the comfort of home.
| Vortix Infrared Sauna Blanket | HigherDose Infrared Sauna Blanket | HeatHealer Infrared Sauna Blanket |
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| What’s different about the Vortix Infrared Sauna Blanket is that it focuses on heat shock proteins (HSPs) that help repair damaged protein in your body. | Our #1 pick belongs to the HigherDose Infrared Sauna Blanket simply because it’s one of the highest quality mats you can currently get on the market. | The HeatHealer Infrared is great for traveling as it comes with a sleek carry bag that allows you to get infrared heat therapy from anywhere. |
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Final Thoughts
Now that you see the many benefits that a personal sauna offers when used at home, hopefully, it has helped you determine whether it is beneficial for you.
After determining a home sauna is for you, to choose the right one for you, begin by first checking the heat source, which ultimately dictates the level of benefits it provides.
You should also check the temperature settings to ensure they fit your goals and comfort level.
It is also important to choose an in home sauna that fits in your home, especially if you are limited on space.
However, there are also whole room models as well as in-shower models if you are looking to make a more elaborate sauna purchase.
There are also portable models that enable you to tote them with you on vacation, to outdoor sports events, and more.
Experts suggest you should also incorporate a proper diet and regular exercise along with at home sauna use for best results.
In the meantime, if you are pregnant or you have been diagnosed with a health condition, it is recommended you speak with your doctor before using a personal sauna to ensure it is safe for you.
Your doctor may also suggest the best sauna type and therapy regimen to address your specific concerns.
