Athletes are constantly putting wear and tear on their bodies. How they recover and heal has become just as important to how they train. Things like heat and cold have long been helpful. Infrared saunas have been trending in recent years, almost as an update on heat therapy. Athletes from several different sports have reported saunas helping them achieve a faster recovery. Before anyone gets excited, let’s look at the facts.
Compared to a traditional sauna which can heat up to 190 degrees, an infrared sauna doesn’t need to heat this high and can produce significant benefit at 125 degrees. How one of these infrared saunas work is that the room uses infrared technology to release electromagnetic radiation which is then absorbed into the body as deep as 1.5 inches under the skin. Speaking about the radiation aspect of this, there’s little to no risk of any sort of negative effects. Similar infrared sauna heating like this is used in hospitals all over the country to heat newborns.
To get a little more specific into how infrared saunas work, the electromagnetic radiation rays increase the vibration of water molecules inside our cells. Thereby, temperature is raised not by heat – like would be the case in a bath, by a fire, or in a steam room – but rather, by electromagnetic energy. There are several effects to this, many beneficial to athletes. The main benefit to infrared saunas for athletes is increased blood flow to deep tissues. Some scientists suspect the energy produced can also affect the structure of proteins to such a degree cellular-level changes can occur.
Athletes that have never tried an infrared sauna before will want to start with no more than 30 minutes inside. Some spas provide amenities like acoustic mediation therapy, colored lighting, and other calming additions. Ultimately, it can be quite relaxing. On top of that, it’ll help with muscle recovery. Infrared heat is nothing new to the world of athletics and there are some creative uses of this type of heat being made available to consumers. For example, Tom Brady has a recovery sleepwear line with pajamas made from bio-ceramic fabric. Body heat is absorbed, energy is re-emitted, and far infrared radiation is sent back to the skin.
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of research available on infrared heat therapy for athletes. The studies that are available however conclude more or less the same findings. That is, the use of infrared saunas and infrared heat for up to 40 minutes at a time can improve muscle recovery after an intense workout or intense training and does so more effectively than passive recovery methods.
Athletes in hockey, basketball, baseball, football, MMA, skating, swimming, and other athletic activities, there’s benefit to an infrared sauna that you may find to be helpful to your muscle recovery as well as to your mental health. Reduce anxiety, soothe your muscles, improve sleep, minimize stress, and re-energize yourself. Jump in immediately after a training session to see the difference. Within a matter of weeks, you may notice a difference in energy, recovery time, and possibly overall performance.
Are you looking for an infrared sauna in North America? Steam Sauna is a top supplier of several different types of saunas, steam rooms, and steam baths. Choose what best suits your lifestyle. Reap the rewards after as little as 3 sessions.