WHY INFRARED?
Traditional steam saunas raise the temperature of the air in the sauna in order to warm the body. Far infrared (FIR) saunas use the safe warming properties of the sun's far infrared spectrum to warm the body rather than the air within the cabin. This process is called conversion. FIR warms only the object and does not raise the temperature of the surrounding air.
To understand how infrared heat works, picture yourself outdoors on a summer day with the sun beaming overhead. Your body feels warm from the sun and you become hot. Then a cloud passes overhead, blocking out the sun. The temperature outside has not changed, but you feel cooler in the shade. Your body was being heated by the sun's far infrared rays. Infrared heaters warm the body in the same manner as natural sunlight.
All life requires FIR heat from the sun.
FIR heat is not ultraviolet radiation but a narrow band of energy within the 5 to 15 micron level. This type of energy travels 40 - 45 mm deep into the body. The sun is the primary source of radiant energy but not all of this energy is beneficial.
Sunlight also contains harmful ultraviolet rays which are not present in the far infrared sauna.
FIR heat provides the healthy benefits of natural sunlight without any of the dangerous effects of ultraviolet rays.
The healthcare industry has used infrared heat lamps as a source of FIR heat for many years (E.g. to warm prematurely born babies) however the heating lamps were cumbersome, extremely hot and difficult to maintain at a constant temperature. The recent development of ceramic and carbon fibre infrared heaters created a new and convenient source of FIR heat.
If we don't spend enough time outdoors then we may not receive enough infrared in our bodies.
While far infrared penetrates and heats our body and causes us to sweat, the composition of chemicals found in the sweat is quite different from that produced by a steam bath, traditional steam/hot rock sauna, or exercise. The sweat of people using a far infrared sauna will not only contain water but will also contain cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, heavy metals (such as mercury, aluminum, and arsenic), nicotine, sulfuric acid, ammonia, and other undesirable elements. Normal sweat produced by other methods, including exercise, is mostly water and sodium chloride (salt).
The regular use of an infrared sauna has a cumulative effect on the body, meaning that using it on a regular basis magnifies its benefits.
NEAR, MID AND FAR INFRARED
Different wavelengths of infrared light provide different
benefits to our bodies. Each infrared light wavelength needs
to be delivered at peak wavelengths to derive clinical benefits.
“Infra” means “below,” so infrared is the form of light just “below” (or to the left of) the red end of the visible light spectrum.
We cannot see infrared light, but we interact with this form of energy when we feel it as heat. For example, the total light reaching Earth’s surface from the Sun is 49.4% infrared light, 42.3% visible light, and 8% ultraviolet light. We can see the Sun is yellow or orange in the sky as visible light and feel the Sun’s warmth as infrared light. The warmth we feel from the Sun’s infrared light is called thermal energy. Thermal energy (or heat energy) is the energy that comes from any heated object. All objects in the universe with a temperature above absolute zero radiate thermal energy, even an ice cube. Thermal energy radiates in the form of infrared energy.
Near Infrared (NIR) is the shortest infrared wavelength and penetrates the skin’s
surface most effectively.
Mid Infrared (MIR) is a longer wavelength that can penetrate deeper into the body’s soft tissue where inflammation can occur.
MIR helps expand blood vessels and increases circulation so more oxygen can reach injured areas of the body. This reduces pain and speeds the healing process.
Far Infrared (FIR) is the longest wavelength, FIR reaches deepest into the body where toxins are stored. By raising your core body temperature, FIR stimulates the sweat glands resulting in a deep, detoxifying sweat that leaves you feeling revitalized