Featured Sauna Article

What Is An Infrared Sauna?

Infrared saunas apply heat using infrared radiation that is similar to the suns UV rays. Compared to traditional saunas that use heated steam, this kind of sauna do not contain heated air. Instead, the rooms include a wooden box that contains infrared heaters.

The head from radiation directly goes into the skin without warming the room’s air. A radiation heater is responsible for producing radiant energy that warms the room with the needed heat.

An infrared sauna is marketed as safe saunas that can stimulate tissues reduce toxic substance and helps arthritis therapy and other tissue disorders. In addition, it also works similarly to traditional steam saunas in promoting sweat.

Health Benefits Of An Infrared Sauna

Infrared saunas are known to provide various health benefits. Among these benefits is increased energy and improved circulation. As human cells absorb radiation from infrared heaters, it revitalizes the body and results in a better metabolism, enhanced blood circulation and increased heart rate without escalating blood pressure.

Weight loss is also achieved with infrared saunas. It speeds up metabolism of endocrine glands and other organs, providing a significant fat loss during a session of infrared sauna. Due to the raise of metabolic rate, it promotes detoxification through the skin when a person perspires. Each session could eliminate around 10 to 30% of body waste.

Infrared saunas can also speed up recovery from injuries because the heat brings oxygen to your joints and other extremities, allowing fast healing of strains, sprains, arthritis and other body pains. Thus, it can speed up a body’s recovery from certain injuries.

With one session of infrared sauna, you will experience an artificial fever that will have a positive effect on your immune system. As a result, it can reduce the development of virus and bacteria. Colds and flu can easily be prevented with one sauna session.

Just like other traditional sauna methods, infrared saunas provide obvious benefits, such as relaxation, stress reduction and skin beautification. Saunas are known to loosen muscle tissues, making it easier for therapists to massage effectively, providing you with an instant relaxation and stress reduction effect. In addition, proper blood circulation carries essential nutrients to a person’s skin. As a result, it promotes a healthy skin texture and tone while providing a natural cleansing of your skin.

Simply put, infrared saunas provide the same benefits of traditional saunas, but can improve both your internal and external physical conditions.

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June 17, 2007

Deciding Between A Home Sauna And A Hot Tub

Sauna Tip! Do not wear contact lenses in the sauna.

Many homeowners have debated whether to add a Sauna or Hot Tub to their home spa. Both heat your body and accelerate your blood circulation. Most importantly - both saunas and hot tubs are great at beating stress. So how do we decide which is more beneficial?

One of the keys to the therapeutic quality of both home saunas and hot tubs is their use of heat, which gives a sense of deep relaxation and pleasure. Both are also great at providing relief for people with sore aching muscles or arthritic pain.

Sauna Tip! Avoid eating heavily before you take your sauna bath. If you do eat beforehand, wait at least an hour before beginning your sauna session.

Aside from their obvious differences there are some key features and benefits of both products that may influence your decision:

Hot Tubs:

• Typically Installed outdoors Because of humidity issues and size Hot Tubs and spas are typically installed outside.

• Safety issues Like a pool care must be taken to keep children safe.

• Use of chemicals Chemicals must be added to the water in the hot tub to keep it clean

• Cost of keeping the heater going Unless you are going away and do not expect to be using your hot tub, the heater is generally keeping the water at constant temperature.

Saunas

• Only heat them up before use Generally Saunas heat up in 15 - 20 minutes. This is less expensive then the cost of keeping a hot tub hot.

• Indoors or outdoors Saunas are often built into homes. Most homes in Finland for example have a sauna. Larger saunas and wood burning saunas are generally build outdoors.

Sauna Tip! Don’t smoke in the sauna. Also, if you are bathing in a sauna with other people, realize that the sauna door should not be kept open so long that it cools the sauna for those sharing it with you.

• Safety Issues Saunas are not suitable for use by unsupervised children. However, there is little danger of children seriously injuring themselves in an un-used sauna.

• No chemicals Because there are no water to keep sanitary there are no chemicals involved in the maintenance of a sauna.

In many respects home saunas seem to be the clear winner. Your decision will be largely dependent on personal preferences. This article hopefully has pointed out some things to think about when deciding between a hot tub and a sauna for your home. Whatever your choice you will have many relaxing hours to think about it!

Bill Doane is a regular contributor to Sauna Review. Find information about Sauna Heaters and Kits.

Sauna Tip! Jalkilammittely - A fairly short warm up in the sauna which is usually followed by another short swim, dip or shower. Always finish with the cold, but not for a long exposure.
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June 16, 2007

Does A Sauna Require A lot Of Maintenance?

Sauna Tip! Do not use the sauna while under the influence of any type of alcohol, drugs, anticoagulants, antihistamines, vasoconstrictors, vasodilators, stimulants, hypnotics, narcotics or tranquilizers.

Maintenance should not be an area of worry with a sauna. The amount of maintenance required for either a traditional or infrared sauna is very little if any. The only real maintenance needed is to wipe down the walls and benches every so often with a mild solution of water and soap. Regular sauna maintenance is like maintaining any other room in your house. In actual fact saunas are easier to maintain than most bathrooms.

Owning a traditional sauna requires more maintenance than that of an infrared sauna.
The one thing to avoid in a sauna is chemical cleaners. The residues from these cleaners may be released when the sauna is heated. This can cause unpleasant smells and in extreme cases it may affect your breathing. Most of the maintenance needs to be done in a preventative manner. Since the goal of the sauna is to sweat out toxins, what you need to do is provide towels for people to sit on. Providing the towels helps to maintain the wood.

Sauna Tip! Allow yourself a reasonable amount of time for your sauna session. The sauna is no place for anyone in a rush.

In most cases the infrared sauna is fully portable, which requires no installation, no ventilation, no water, and as a result very little maintenance. The traditional sauna heats the air, whereas far infrared heater heats only 20 percent of the air, this leaves 80 percent of the heat available to directly heat the occupants of the sauna. With the traditional sauna heating the air you may need to adjust the wooden door of the sauna due to swelling. This can happen because of the humidity.

If you are thinking of going out and buying a sauna for your home you need not worry about the possible maintenance involved. Saunas are one of the most carefree areas of your home.

Paul Hegarty is the owner of All-About-Saunas.com where you can additional information about the health benefits associated with saunas.

Learn more about sauna maintenance. Read about the far infrared sauna.

Sauna Tip! Don’t smoke in the sauna. Also, if you are bathing in a sauna with other people, realize that the sauna door should not be kept open so long that it cools the sauna for those sharing it with you.
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