You may not normally associate heat and sweating with being healthy for the heart but as any cardiologist will tell you, it can be. Patients with advanced heart disease are fortunate to have many treatments available to them, such as medications, surgeries and devices. Even so, these come with risks. To truly heal the heart and to live longer without having to deal with side effects and/or risks, saunas are a recommendation more doctors and cardiologists are beginning to make.

For over two decades, doctors in Japan have been testing sauna heat on heart health, particularly infrared dry sauna therapy. They have been testing heart and vascular patients, publishing numerous academic articles showing support that sauna use can strengthen the heart. What these Japanese doctors do for their patients is sit them in an infrared sauna set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes followed by a rest outside the sauna for 30 minutes. To them, this therapy has come to be called ‘waon therapy’. Here are some of the things it’s been shown to do.

In Finland, relaxation does not come in the form of sand, waves, and palm trees like we might think about in North America. No, in Finland, saunas are where you’ll find the most relaxation.

Steaming hot saunas mean something significant to the Finnish. In a country where the climate is so cold and where there is so much darkness, saunas become almost a necessity to keep sane and happy. Authentic, traditional saunas are set up across spas and sauna houses, in addition to millions of the population owning their own in their homes.

Heat therapy’s benefits are oftentimes associated with the physical benefits but there’s actually several mental health benefits which are worth noting. In a steam room or sauna, brain health is supported and protected from the perils of age, stress, and numerous conditions. As it turns out, regular sauna use can be the mental health therapy you never thought you knew you needed.

Anything related to the brain can be positively affected by regular sauna use. Lower your risk of stroke, as an example. A study published monitoring Finnish middle-aged men and women uncovered a lowering of stroke risk by as much as 60 percent on average for people who used saunas 4-7 times a week. If strokes are something you believe you’re at high-risk for, an infrared sauna is something to weigh.

Exercising in a hot room is said to challenge the body, challenge the mind, and increase the benefits of activity. There’s all sorts of fitness crazes based in working out in heat, including sauna pilates, burning-barre, hot sculpting, spin sessions, and more. Added heat is actually not a bad thing, according to some experts.

Infrared saunas on their own create some tremendous health benefits – improving circulation, strengthening the immune system, increasing metabolism, strengthening the heart, and more. Infrared heat on its own has been show to also heal wounds, reduce stress, improve flexibility, increase energy and focus, balance, our internal systems, and to detoxify.

Seasonal affective disorder is a mental health disorder coined in 1984 to explain mood issues related to the seasonal changes. In general, areas with more pronounced seasons are more impactfully affected with SAD, hence why only 1.4 percent of Florida’s population has SAD compared to nearly 10 percent Alaskans.

SAD is believed to be caused by several things however scientists have not been able to narrow it down specifically to any one reason. There are those who think it comes from a disruption in circadian rhythms related to atmospheric lighting. This makes sense as with winter comes shorter days and less sunlight.

Infrared saunas are so much more than a tomb to detoxify your body in. See dramatic changes in your health and wellness as well.

So many benefits are initiated through the sauna’s simple process of raising core body temperature, increasing the heart rate, improving blood circulation, and initiating profuse sweating. Why saunas are so popular is because of the exceptional job accomplished at helping so many aspects of one’s health. Here are some of the major benefits of using infrared saunas, outside of detoxification.

Increase metabolism.

Just by sitting in a sauna for thirty-five minutes, one’s heart rate climbs to an aerobic state which helps to increase metabolism. Doing so results in more calories burned and weight loss in some individuals. It’s just like jogging, as it relates to the cardiovascular response, except you’re sitting there.

So you’ve decided to build your own home infrared sauna. We don’t blame you! Saunas are recognized worldwide for being able to relax, sweat out stress, and deliver some major therapeutic benefits.

Building your own can be a challenge though. There are a lot of questions which you can ask yourself to figure out whether you really want to build a home sauna or whether it’s more advantageous to find alternative installation methods.

Are you confident in your skills as a builder?

Building your own sauna requires you to purchase lumbar and build on your own design. This requires a knowledge of common building practices, access to hand and power tools, and someone to be confident in their abilities. Although it may seem like a smart idea and you may be able to save some money, this isn’t building a bookcase. You’ll need expensive pieces of wood, like cedar, and then, any mistakes you make can be costly. If you want a pre-fabricated DIY sauna kit, this simplifies things considerably. Anyone not 100% confident in their building skills, get a kit. Believe us when we say, it’ll help a great deal!

The Guinness Book of World Records is currently on the look-out for the world’s largest sauna. For any company or organization interested in applying, here are the 4 bullet points for criteria.

 They are searching for the largest sauna based on the internal floor area of the sauna.
 The record is to be applied for and attempted by either a company or organization.
 The record is to be measured in square metres.
 For the purposes of the record of ‘largest sauna’, a ‘sauna’ will be defined as a room or enclosed house in which to experience a wet or dry heat session for cleaning or refreshing the skin.

Infrared saunas installed in a home are purchased for many reasons. You may have a health condition you want addressed like chronic pain, you may want to heighten your workout routine and speed up muscle recovery, you may want to feel less bloated and more energetic, or you may be focused on the detoxification benefits which come with it. Regardless of where you’re coming from, an infrared sauna is easily one of the best wellness purchases you can make for yourself.

Infrared light therapy, which is precisely what is used in infrared saunas, have been studied in medical and academic environments. They have been associated with reducing inflammation, clearing up skin issues, improving digestion, contributing to weight loss, and easing anxiety. It’s been found that infrared saunas can also strengthen the cardiovascular system and immune system, with as little as 20 minutes of infrared sweating two to three times a week. Those are massive benefits which shouldn’t be overlooked!

Regarding infrared saunas, they can come in both near infrared and far infrared versions. Although always a smart move to add a sauna to your home, knowing what type of sauna heat you’re working with is important. Near infrared and far infrared heating elements work a little differently.

Near infrared light is contained within the spectrum of natural sunlight. Almost half of the sun’s energy, in fact, is emitted through near infrared means. Thereby, our bodies are wired to make use of near infrared energy and we require this energy to survive. Near infrared heating elements have been studied extensively and shown to play a role in rejuvenating the skin, raising body temperature, improving circulation, and achieving pain relief.

There are many among us who consider themselves a bit on the heavy side. People are always looking for simple and effective methods to help them lose weight. We often find ourselves unable to cast off the last few pounds despite our best efforts. Maintaining regular exercise and a healthy and balanced diet are, of course, the most significant contributors to weight loss. That doesn’t mean there isn’t more that can be done to help you along. Infrared sauna is an effective method of aiding weight loss. These saunas can be a great addition to your regimen.

The simplest function of the sauna is to make you sweat. They accomplish this in the simplest way, by heating you up. They also make sure that you’re getting this extra heat in a safe way. It’s common practice amongst pro athletes and other fitness experts to sweat out a few extra pounds of water weight using a sauna. This is especially common in pro boxers, where an extra pound can mean not making your weight class. Saunas increase your metabolism in order to help you burn more calories during your ever-day routines. Over time, this really stacks up.

Many of your body’s functions and systems are regulated by the autonomic nervous system. This system includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. They are responsible for maintaining your heartbeat, respiratory rate, digestion, and many other functions. All of this happens without any conscious intervention on your part. The two systems have a complex relationship, sometimes working together and sometimes one inhibits the other. Allergic reactions are caused by a weak parasympathetic system. This causes the nervous system to overreact.

These reactions are in response to stimuli that don’t warrant the response. Stuffiness and sneezing serve specific purposes in your immune system and help keep you healthy when everything is working right. An allergic reaction applies these solutions to in harmless situations that it considers hazardous. Some of the most common allergies are animal dander, dust, and pollen. These particles are harmless, but your body sees them as a threat. If your nervous system isn’t operating properly these benign intruders can cause severe and sometimes deadly reactions.

The steam room is always a great experience. Many enjoy it after a tough workout, and many enjoy it any time they can. There are countless benefits to steam rooms aside from the obvious relaxing experience. Whether you enjoy a wet or a dry sauna, you’re really doing something great for your health. They can help improve your circulation. Steam rooms are also known for helping in detoxification by opening pores and giving you a good sweat. There’s also the obvious application in stress relief. You’ll feel your worries melt away in the steamy heat.

Steam rooms are so enjoyable that people often spend a bit too long. If taken far enough, this over exposure can lead to some serious health risks. Those who are overexposed have been known to suffer from heat exhaustion or even heat stroke, some even faint. These problems are entirely the fault of staying in the steam roomer longer than you should. Some people might not have a great intuition about just how long too long is. Most experts agree that you shouldn’t be in a steam room for long than twenty minutes at a time. Always make sure to cool off after.

There’s a lot said about detoxification but rarely do we hear information on how our bodies become so toxic in the first place. To be clear, toxins are any poisonous substance the result of metabolic activities and therefore, is anything harmful to our bodies. There are two primary categories of toxins – ‘internal toxins’ and ‘external toxins’.

Internal toxins are those which are naturally produced inside the body. Every day, our bodies constantly use energy to rebuild body tissue and replace cells. As this happens, we produce waste. That waste, otherwise referred to as toxins, needs to be broken down, recycled, and eliminated. Now, our bodies have some amazing internal detoxification processes which work to automatically eliminate this waste. That said, if there’s excessive build-up, that’s not something a body can always handle. If toxins are not processed, they end up clogging the system, setting in to cause damage to tissue, organs, and cells.

Do you want an infrared sauna or a steam room – this is a question a lot of people ask themselves. Both come with their health benefits, and pros and cons alike. Although infrared saunas are on trend, very beneficial to physical and mental health, and easy to install, steam rooms are oftentimes preferred for several reasons.

Steam rooms are an airtight room of non-porous material which heats the environment using a steam generator. Comparatively, an infrared sauna is a wood-based room heating the user directly with targeted heat similar to a microwave. Steam rooms produce a moist heat as you might imagine and come with a lot of the same therapeutic benefits associated with infrared saunas, including detoxification, relaxation, and weight loss.

Is it time for you to jump into a sauna for a little detox – it just might be. Hollywood A-listers, Instagram celebrities, and people from all walks of life recognize the value in detoxification. Attention should be paid if you’re feeling any of these 9 warning signs your body’s telling you it requires some detoxification.

Muscle and joint pain.

A very common symptom of the body telling its owner its’ toxic, muscle and joint pain akin to chronic conditions, arthritis symptoms acting up, or fibromyalgia may present itself. If you’re struggling with muscle or joint pain with no reason, this might be it.

Weight gain in adults is usually associated to one of two things – diet or exercise. Diets understandably play a huge role in our weights. In the variety of foods we eat, they all contain fats, sugars, salts, carbohydrates, and so many things that give our bodies materials to process.

Exercise also plays a key influence. Someone who exercises is able to get their body’s systems working better overall, improves their metabolism, and is creating a dynamic wherein they are burning more calories and leaving less calories behind for the body to retain.

Starting a spa or infrared sauna business in the United States or Canada can be challenging. Arranging for the right collection of spa services might include cosmetic treatments, personal care, and alternative medicine practitioners. Generally, a spa may include massage therapy, saunas, steam rooms, and/or whirlpools. Before opening your infrared sauna spa business, consider the services you’re interested in offering and what you want to accomplish.

Saunas fall into the category of ‘day spas’ and ‘personal care services’ as opposed to ‘beauty salons’ or ‘hair salons’, although they are occasionally combined with these. Before starting your infrared sauna spa business, there’s some paperwork you need to get out of the way. Firstly, you need to find out if there are any local licenses or regulations which will apply to your spa business. Knowing these will help guide your business space development and how/where/what services are offered. Next, you’ll need to incorporate or register your business with the government and lastly, you’ll need to get set up with the relevant tax accounts and know what amount needs to be collected.

Building your own sauna without a kit can prove to be very challenging. The nuts and bolts of it are understandably complex which is a large part of the reason why homeowners turn towards DIY sauna kits and similar assemblies.

Although estimates can vary, to build a proper stand-alone sauna without any assistance from kits, you’re looking at a cost four to five times the amount of kit – possibly a little less or possibly more.

Assuming you don’t want a completely stand-alone room and want to re-develop an existing room into a sauna, that’s another option that might be cheaper but it comes with many challenges. You will need to remove any drywall and get down to the bare studs of the room alongside bare joists on the ceiling. A non-permeable floor is also required – so think plywood or tile, anything similar.

The Japanese have absolutely gorgeous skin and for decades, the non-Japanese have sought knowledge on the secret as to why. Although there are several reasons why the Japanese have more firm, vibrant skin in addition to living longer than North Americans do, one of the reasons believed to be the case is detoxification.

The Japanese are more involved in health and wellness than the average North American. They consume a different diet, one that’s largely healthier, and they engage in different wellness treatments such as spas, saunas, steam baths, and similar processes which helps them to feel healthy. Just like the Finnish, the Japanese have recognized the impact a steam bath or sauna can have on reducing toxicity in the body.