Infrared sauna: benefits and harm, truth and fiction

Infrared sauna: what it is and how it works

In an effort to lead a healthy lifestyle, many people learn about the infrared sauna and its benefits. First, it’s worth understanding what an infrared sauna is. This is a special compact device, the interior of which is separated by environmentally friendly wood, and ceramic emitters are mounted inside the walls and benches.

The operating principle of such a cabin is based on the use of infrared radiation. In active mode, the emitter emits safe waves that can penetrate deeply into the body, ensuring its uniform, slow heating. In conditions of maximum heating, increased sweating occurs, blood flow and detoxification of the body improves.

The main difference between the cabin and a traditional bathhouse is the temperature regime. In the first case, the mark of 55 degrees is not exceeded, in the second it can reach 110 degrees. Only 20% of the generated energy is used to heat the air, and in conventional steam rooms - up to 85%.

The body warms up evenly

Why it is useful: advantages of use

When used correctly, an infrared sauna benefits the body. It can be used to prevent disease. The benefits of using such a sauna:

• restoration of the menstrual cycle;
• stress relief;
• elimination of nervousness and insomnia;
• improving the condition of joints and bones;
• lowering cholesterol levels;
• treatment of ENT diseases;
• getting rid of pathogenic microorganisms;
• improved kidney function;
• activation of blood circulation.

Periodic visits to the infrared cabin help strengthen the overall immune system. Some experts believe that infrared radiation can suppress the growth of cancer cells.

IR sauna design diagram

The infrared sauna includes a box, interior decoration, benches, several heating elements, and a glass door. Powered by electricity. The dimensions of the infrared sauna are dictated by the parameters of a person in a sitting position. When calculating the internal space, a little area is added to ensure a comfortable stay in a closed box. The optimal internal size is 80x80 cm with an external size of 95x95 cm.

Heaters are placed in different parts of the cabin to provide maximum body coverage. Two IR heaters, having a height equal to the interior height of the cabin, are fixed in the front corners. One is attached under the bench. Two are located at chest level behind the seated person.

Infrared emitters are located behind the back

Thanks to the special design, it is possible to create a special microclimate inside the cabin with virtually no temperature fluctuations along the length and height. To achieve this, the walls, floor and ceiling are finished with untreated natural wood. The heating elements used are highly powerful. They allow you to heat the surface to +230÷280°C, which is not always possible in other types of baths. As a result, thermal energy penetrates deeper into the body, heating the deeper layers of the skin.

Due to the use of infrared radiation, surrounding objects are heated, not the air; the degree of its heating is not fundamental. Those inside the cabin can heat up to +35÷50°C. Air humidity changes throughout the session. Initially it is 40%, and then increases to 60%. Most cabins are single-seater. However, manufacturers offer models designed for 2–5 visitors. In this case, more heaters are installed, the number of which is selected taking into account optimal performance.

Cabin that can comfortably accommodate three people

What is an infrared sauna and how does it work?

An infrared sauna is not a room, but just a free-standing infrared cabin in which thermal energy is generated, no different from that coming from the sun and batteries. A person is not able to perceive this phenomenon with the eye; it is felt only physically. The material used to create such a cabinet is environmentally friendly raw materials. Its doors are made of glass, the walls and floor are made of wood (linden, aspen, cedar, pine, hemlock, kambara).

Infrared heaters are built into the seating benches and side surfaces. These are heating electrical devices through which heat exchange occurs between a cold object (human body) and a warmer one (emitter). Radiation turns into heat when absorbed by surfaces in its path, as a result of which the air in the cabin heats up to 45-50 ºС. For this reason, this energy propagation process is often called thermal.

The IR cabin, depending on its size, can simultaneously accommodate up to 6 people. A person whose body is already accustomed to its effects can safely take a thermal bath for up to 40 minutes in one session. In such a short time, electromagnetic waves with a length of 4.5 to 5.5 microns are not capable of adversely affecting health. In medicine and cosmetology, devices with selective or long beams are common.

Infrared radiation affects the body in the following ways:

• increases immunity;
• inhibits the activity of fungi and microbes;
• restores hormonal balance;
• improves blood flow in the head;
• relieves pain;
• resumes water-salt metabolism;
• cleanses the liver and intestines of metals, salts and toxins;
• lowers high blood pressure and increases low blood pressure;
• has a strong anti-inflammatory effect.

In an infrared sauna, the temperature increases gradually. In this case, the tissues are heated to a depth of 4 cm. This consumes up to 80% of the energy emitted by heating devices. Getting good results from such a procedure ensures that heat waves penetrate directly into the body, passing through the air and heating it just a little. This happens in fairly mild climatic conditions.

Types of IR emitters

Depending on the characteristics of the emitted waves, infrared emitters are usually divided into devices whose wavelength is:

• short (less than 2.6 microns). Heater temperature is above +800 degrees;
• average (2.6÷51 µm). It is possible to change the heater temperature within +320÷620 degrees;
• long (51÷200 µm). Heater temperature is less than +320 degrees.

Attention! Long waves are the safest and most comfortable for humans. They penetrate deeply into the body and warm the whole body.

Shortwave emitters are installed in small infrared booths. Can be floor, wall and ceiling.

The main elements of IR emitters are made from modern heat-resistant and durable materials:

• ceramics;
• become. A stainless alloy is selected or the surface is chrome-plated or galvanized;
• incol - an alloy consisting of nickel, iron and chromium;
• quartz glass.

Photos of infrared saunas will allow you to form your own opinion about the appearance of such structures:

How is an infrared sauna designed?

This equipment is still one of the new health products. The whole secret of a person receiving pleasant and useful heat lies in infrared emitters built into the surfaces of the walls and ceiling floors to warm the body. Sitting down on the bench in the booth, the user is gradually immersed in pleasant warmth.

In appearance, the infrared cabin resembles a cabinet , although it is available in different sizes. Sometimes they are 1x1 meter or made 1x2 meters. Its size depends on the desired number of people inside and the feeling of free space. Sometimes the dimensions are revised if additional tables for refreshments or magazines are installed in the booth.

The material for exterior and interior decoration is natural wood of valuable species, which at high temperatures releases beneficial substances or phytoncides, which are antibacterial in their action. Species such as Canadian cedar, linden, and pine are used for interior cladding, as they are environmentally friendly. For ease of use, acoustic speakers, light emitters to enhance the therapeutic effect, air ionization devices and other options are installed inside.

Operating principle of an infrared sauna

Ceramic emitters emit heat rays of different lengths, the intensity of which is adjusted by remote control. The resulting energy is generated by heating elements in the far IR range in a size not exceeding 18 microns. Thus, absolutely harmless radiation arises, heating the body and positively affecting the functioning of the entire organism.

The infrared chamber and the steam room are similar in their operating principle , but the air space inside the IR sauna is heated only to 65ºC, and the body is heated by the directed action of infrared waves. Therefore, energy is not spent on heating the enclosures and air, as in a conventional steam room. The positive effect of an infrared sauna on the human body is much stronger compared to a conventional bath, since the rays warm the body to a depth of 4 cm, while in the steam room the maximum depth is 4 mm.

Infrared sauna: benefits and harm to the body

The special characteristics of infrared radiation mean that the benefits of a sauna are much greater than the harm. The benefits are due to:

• removal of excess fluid and metabolic products with normalization of water balance;
• antibacterial effect, helping to cope with colds;
• improving blood supply;
• increased immunity;
• increasing the amount of oxygen and beneficial microelements in cells;
• normalization of metabolism;
• reduction of pain in diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• lowering cholesterol levels;
• improving kidney function.

Despite the obvious benefits, infrared radiation can harm the body. It is worth getting acquainted with the indications and contraindications for visiting the infrared sauna in advance.

Infrared sauna helps improve immunity

If you are interested in an infrared sauna, reviews from real consumers will help you evaluate the advisability of visiting it:

Myts, Belarus: Infrared sauna - My results after 10 visits were pleasantly surprising! A step-by-step story of how it happened. Advantages: Cleansing the body, improving skin condition, improving well-being, low cost and availability of the procedure, effectiveness in the fight against cellulite Disadvantages: Not found More details on Review:

Neo, Russia: Infrared sauna - Much easier to tolerate than a traditional one... Advantages: easier to tolerate than a traditional one, useful for excess weight, cellulite, not an expensive procedure. Disadvantages: has contraindications Read more on Review:

Infrared cabin: indications and contraindications

Infrared radiation is indicated in many cases. Helps get rid of physical and emotional fatigue. It is shown if:

• have nervous system disorders. There is a deterioration in memory and attention. Mood changes often. Insomnia is tormenting;
• poor blood circulation;
• rheumatism or muscle pain;
• frequent colds;
• skin diseases;
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
• overweight;
• menopause syndrome;
• I had surgery, trauma and a number of illnesses.

Any infrared cabin has indications and contraindications. The latter most often include:

• acute stage of the disease, accompanied by an elevated temperature;
• oncological diseases;
• tuberculosis;
• bleeding;
• diabetes;
• arthritis;
• alcoholism;
• menstruation;
• lactation;
• benign formations in the uterus. Heat exposure can cause fibroids or polyps to enlarge;
• gynecological diseases;
• serious problems with the cardiovascular system;
• the course of purulent-inflammatory processes;
• exhaustion of the body.

Before going to the sauna, you should make sure there are no contraindications.

Benefits of an infrared sauna

The beneficial effect has been proven by clinical trials . Repeated studies show that the wave method of heating the body has its advantages over other types of temperature increase. As a result of the visit, changes occur:

• sweating increases;
• blood circulation inside the vessels improves;
• metabolic processes in the body are accelerated and metabolism is enhanced;
• a person receives moral and psychological relief, and his mood improves.
• skin renewal is actively occurring;
• folds on the skin and shallow wrinkles are smoothed out;
• the removal of lactic acid from the body will have a positive effect on the condition of the back, the intensity of pain will decrease;
• cholesterol levels decrease;
• the functioning of the genitourinary and renal systems is improved;
• after relaxation of the central nervous system, resistance to stress appears or the depressive state disappears.

Advantages and disadvantages of infrared sauna

While inside the infrared sauna, you can quickly warm up to the desired temperature. The advantage of such thermal procedures is:

• good tolerance. Due to low temperature conditions, most people do not experience physical discomfort;
• short duration of procedures;
• Possibility of holding a session at any time;
• ease of use and mobility. Some people install an infrared sauna with their own hands at home. Installation in an apartment is possible, as it requires little space.

The disadvantages of an infrared sauna can appear if the rules for performing procedures are violated.

The duration of procedures should be monitored

What an infrared sauna can't help with

According to the already mentioned study by Finnish scientists, visiting an infrared sauna did not lower the level of cortisol in the blood of athletes - it was at the same level as in athletes whose recovery took place without visiting an infrared sauna. No changes in the blood parameters of the subjects were also found in a number of other studies.

In addition, the effect on increasing strength indicators is also not clearly positive: for example, the same Finns did not find a positive effect of an infrared sauna on strength shown in the bench press and leg press.

What are the benefits of an infrared sauna?

The number of infrared sauna fans is constantly increasing. Radiation has a positive effect on the body. The benefits of attending sessions sometimes become noticeable almost immediately. We propose to take a more specific look at the benefits of an infrared sauna.

The benefits of infrared sauna deserve special attention

Therapeutic effects of infrared sauna

Infrared radiation can have a healing effect on the body. The benefits of a sauna are:

• eliminating pain in the muscles and back that occurs during the menstrual cycle;
• healing of a number of chronic diseases of the ENT organs and ear;
• improving the characteristics of vessel walls, which become more elastic and durable;
• getting rid of headaches;
• beneficial effects on the nervous system. The benefits of an infrared sauna are to relieve stress, insomnia, and irritability;
• rapid resorption of hematomas. Infrared radiation promotes the healing of injuries, fractures, bruises;
• positive effect on kidney function;
• improving the immune system;
• reducing cholesterol levels. The benefits will be noticeable with regular visits. Additionally, blood pressure is normalized;
• prevention of a large list of diseases. With regular visits, the risk of problems with the cardiovascular system will decrease.

Infrared radiation has a healing effect

Cosmetic effects of infrared sauna

Regular visits to the infrared cabin have a beneficial effect on the appearance of the skin. Increased sweating helps remove harmful substances and toxins from the body. The effect of skin renewal is created, after which it looks more beautiful, elastic and rested.

If the surface of the skin has acne, dermatitis, dandruff, pimples, or a person suffers from psoriasis, visiting an infrared sauna will bring tangible benefits. After just a few sessions there will be a noticeable result.

IR radiation actively affects the skin

Effects for weight loss

With the help of infrared radiation you can get rid of excess weight. This effect is often used by professional athletes, for whom it is important that their body weight does not go beyond established limits. By visiting an infrared sauna, you can gradually remove excess pounds without harm to your health. About 800 kcal are spent in one session.

Sauna will help you become slimmer

How IP will help improve your health and save your money

Now let's take a closer look at the main question: is an infrared sauna harmful or beneficial? There is no clear answer to this question. An infrared sauna has benefits and harms, but in some cases. However, visiting the IP in moderation will only have a positive impact. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons.

10 reasons to visit an infrared sauna:

1. Improves blood circulation, reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood and strengthens the walls of blood vessels. In other words, regular attendance reduces the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the risk of stroke and heart attack decreases.
2. Blood pressure also improves. As a result, oxygen reaches the brain faster, which has a good effect on brain function.
3. The nervous system is put in order. Because of this, there will be no depression and insomnia will disappear. A series of visits to the IP will help improve your mood.
4. The immune system improves significantly. In winter, this will be a huge advantage when the body fights various viruses.
5. The process of healing of broken bones is faster, muscles are restored in the shortest possible time and various types of damage are healed.
6. Cellulite decreases and in some places even disappears.
7. Diseases in the joints and ENT organs go away.
8. Pain in any part of the body decreases or disappears completely. Therefore, it is recommended to visit for menstrual, headaches and other pains.
9. The body, tired from physical activity, recovers and is completely restored. This occurs due to the release of lactic acid, which accumulates in the muscles during exercise.
10. Improved blood circulation also relieves fatigue and restores strength.

Due to the fact that when the human body heats up, it expends energy to secrete sweat, calories are burned. Half an hour in the IS cabin for fat burning can be equated to 10 minutes of cardio. Also, due to the deep penetration of infrared radiation, subcutaneous deposits are reduced.

During sweating, the body intensively removes dirt and toxins. High temperature helps the rapid entry of nutrients into the skin. The skin becomes elastic, beautiful and smooth. Using nourishing creams after a sauna will help increase the healing effect.

Regular use of an infrared sauna helps cure most skin diseases. For example:

• acne;
• acne;
• dermatitis;
• dandruff,
• eczema.

All these ailments will leave the human body due to frequent visits to the IS. Most scars and scars will become less noticeable or disappear altogether. There have been cases where a sauna helped cure psoriasis! The economic benefits are obvious! It is much cheaper to spend money on 10 visits to an IP than on numerous doctors for the same purposes.

Negative effects of infrared sauna

The opinion about the negative impact of infrared radiation on the human body can be called erroneous. The heating elements used emit waves whose characteristics are pleasant to humans. You can only cause harm to your health if you go to the steam room with certain contraindications, or if you do not follow the rules of visiting. The most common mistake is increasing the duration of the procedure.

Session duration should be limited

Will the impact be beneficial?

Despite the intense heating and sweating, an infrared sauna cannot be associated with exclusively therapeutic effects. Whether an infrared sauna will be beneficial or not will depend on the following indicators:

• infrared wavelengths;
• session duration;
• individual human ability to tolerate thermal radiation.

Infrared wavelength

Any body or object heated to a certain temperature is a source of infrared radiation. And the human body is no exception - it continuously emits invisible IR rays with a wavelength of 6 - 20 microns. Scientists have proven that infrared waves will be perceived by a person as “our own” if their length corresponds to the radiation of the human body.

The heaters in the infrared sauna are “tuned” to emit rays with a wavelength of 7 - 14 microns. Accordingly, this radiation is in the “native” range for humans and theoretically cannot act harmfully. Of course, if you use it without fanaticism and strictly follow the regime and duration of visiting the IR cabin.

Session duration

Any therapeutic procedure, including an infrared sauna, can harm a person if used in excess. An infrared sauna affects the human body more intensely than other types of baths. Therefore, doctors do not recommend staying there for longer than 20–30 minutes. If you have problems with the heart or brain, the duration of your stay in the infrared sauna should be reduced to 5-10 minutes. It's better to make several short visits than one long visit!

Individual characteristics of a person

There are people who are not able to withstand intense heat radiation for long. This may be due to both diseases and individual characteristics. Therefore, if, after entering the IR cabin, you feel a burning sensation in the skin and nasopharynx, watery eyes, headaches or dizziness, leave immediately. You should not take procedures “forcibly” - such a sauna will not be beneficial, on the contrary, it can be very dangerous.

In addition to individual intolerance, there are also contraindications for an infrared sauna, justified by doctors - painful conditions in which long-term thermal exposure is undesirable.

Indications and contraindications for visiting an infrared sauna

After thermal procedures, you can achieve the desired physical and emotional relaxation. Deep heating of the body can have a healing effect on the human body, and therefore there are a number of medical indications for visiting infrared cabins. However, there are certain restrictions and requirements that you should know before using the sauna.

There are indications and contraindications for visiting

Basic safety rules when visiting an infrared sauna

To prevent possible negative consequences, when visiting an infrared sauna you should adhere to the following rules:

• be in a sitting position to ensure uniform heating of the whole body;
• heating elements should be located at a distance of 10÷15 cm;
• promptly remove sweat secretions that reduce the effect of IR radiation on the skin;
• do not exceed the recommended duration of the procedure (30 minutes) while continuously being inside the cabin;
• use skin care products, cleansing the skin of accumulated impurities and cosmetics. Oils and creams can be used after the procedure;
• take procedures mainly in the evening, up to 8 sessions per month, if a therapeutic effect is required, and in the morning if you want to get a boost of energy;
• consume a sufficient amount of liquid by drinking a glass of water or juice 10-15 minutes before the start of the session.

There should be enough liquid

The nuances of visiting children

Children should only visit infrared saunas if accompanied by an adult. This is a great opportunity to strengthen the immune system and improve the health of the body.

Attention! Before visiting the booth, you should visit a doctor and make sure there are no contraindications.

The basic rules for visiting infrared cabins for children include:

• session duration is a quarter of an hour;
• heat flow power maximum 60%;
• It is mandatory to have a headgear to prevent the child from overheating.

Children in the sauna must be with adults

The nuances of visiting pregnant women

Some doctors perceive pregnancy as an important contraindication for visiting an infrared sauna. At the same time, thermal procedures for a woman carrying a child have long been considered normal. To avoid negative consequences, it is worth considering the woman’s general condition and how she feels about thermal procedures.

Advice! You should not get carried away with the infrared sauna in the first trimester of pregnancy: there is a possibility of bleeding.

Pregnant women should consult a doctor

Is an infrared sauna harmful?

The waves emitted by infrared heaters in the booth are absolutely harmless to humans if you adhere to all the rules for visiting them and do not turn a blind eye to existing contraindications. This is due to the low power of such household appliances, which does not exceed 1.9 kW.

If you stay in such a sauna for a long time, more than 40 minutes, this can lead to overheating of the body and heat stroke. It has an extremely adverse effect on health, since against the background of increased sweating there is a high risk of dehydration. Among the possible consequences of prolonged vaping is the loss of fluid, as well as substances valuable to the body. At the same time, due to the acceleration of blood flow to the skin, it has every chance of turning red.

Where to buy an infrared sauna and how much does it cost?

Having learned about the benefits of infrared saunas, many decide to purchase a cabin for their family. We suggest you get acquainted with the average prices for infrared saunas before choosing a specific model:

Thus, if you want to improve your health, you should buy an infrared sauna. Such a cabin will not take up much space, and the benefits of visiting it will certainly justify the cost of purchase and installation.

Therapeutic effects

Regular visits to the infrared sauna reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood, and this minimizes the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Under the influence of infrared radiation, blood pressure is normalized. Vascular walls become stronger and more elastic.

Active sweating helps improve kidney function. An infrared sauna will be useful for diseases of the nose, ear and throat that are at a chronic stage. The therapeutic effect also consists of eliminating pain in the joints, back and muscles.

REFERENCE. A session in the infrared sauna will be useful for menstrual pain and headaches.

When this procedure is carried out periodically, wounds and fractures heal much faster. Due to the comfortable thermal effect, there is a positive effect on the nervous system.

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Types of infrared emitters

The emitted wavelength determines the class of the IR emitter. Short-wave emitters with a wavelength of less than 2.7 microns can be installed in small cabins. Medium wave with a wavelength of up to 51 microns can heat objects within 300-500 degrees. Long-wave emitters with a wavelength of 51-200 microns are the safest for humans. Such waves penetrate deeply into the body and heat surfaces to a depth of up to 4 centimeters. Modern emitters are made from ceramics, carbon, metal alloys, or quartz glass.

What does it depend on?

The normal passage of the procedure in such a significant tool of bath life as a portable infrared sauna depends on many conditions, namely:

1. The length and quality of the wave radiation of the sauna generator.
2. The duration of exposure of the waves to the human body and skin in particular.
3. The general tolerance of such effects is determined by the purely individual physiological characteristics of the body.

To make it clearer regarding the concept of “quality” of the wave generated by infrared baths, we present the following table:

As we see from the table, infrared radiation has a fairly wide range of wavelengths, so we are interested in its long-wavelength part, since natural heat radiation is in this range, namely from 6 to 20 microns. Consequently, the closest and most natural, relative to the physiology of the human body, will be the generation of waves from a source that emit infrared saunas for the home, with a length of about 8 - 15 microns.

A word from Experienced! As for the duration of the session. In this matter, you must adhere to the following rule. The total duration of stay in the cabin, which is included in the system - a portable infrared sauna, should not exceed 25 - 30 minutes. People with a number of chronic diseases, for which there is no direct prohibition on such procedures, should reduce the session to 12 - 15 minutes. Generally. The right decision would be to structure the session so that it consists of several short-term visits, rather than one, but long-term one.

Features of the therapeutic effects of this type of sauna

Let’s try to figure out what an infrared sauna is, from a purely medical point of view. Therapeutic practice and a number of foreign clinical studies indicate the following positive aspects:

• Restoring the body's functional abilities after heavy physical exertion. Internet experts of varying degrees of scholarship every time claim some kind of mythical ability that an infrared sauna cabin has to break down and remove lactic acid. Let’s not replicate copy-paste nonsense, but let’s say that the ability to restore functionality lies in provoking increased blood circulation, including muscle circulation, and as a result, increased saturation of the muscle mass with oxygen, with simultaneous accelerated excretion of metabolic products and carbon dioxide. The first to understand what an infrared sauna is and what it is capable of were sports medicine specialists from Germany, who introduced portable recovery complexes at the bases of the swimming, rowing and track and field teams. Thanks to colleagues from the GDR, we tried to implement a similar solution, but the Soviet industry was unable to produce efficient infrared generators, so we had to be content with the delights of a classic convection sauna;
• The ability of a home infrared sauna to treat bruises, superficial cuts, fractures, including old ones, sprains and tears of ligaments is based on the processes of accelerating metabolism and blood circulation. Again, it’s worth dispelling another internet myth, about the miraculous ability of this device to mend torn ligaments. Alas, miracles do not happen, this can only be done by a highly qualified surgeon, with excellent surgical practice in this highly specialized area;
• The fight against excess weight that a shower cabin with an infrared sauna is capable of is based on the active loss of water by the body through sweating. Yes, the kilograms will go away, but they will quickly return if the patient relies solely on the life-giving power of infrared light. In addition, it was not for nothing that we mentioned the shower stall. Metabolic products and salts contained in sweat must be actively and thoroughly washed off;
• Boosting immunity. Swedish research confirms this point. The authors state that a 20-minute session provided by an infrared mini sauna, once a week and 4 times a month, reduces the risk of respiratory colds during the calendar year by 7 - 8%. Not bad enough;
• General deep heating induces a moderate analgesic effect. In principle, everything is correct and the British at one time patented devices for local heating of certain areas on the human body using a small infrared source;
• Positive effect on the general condition of the skin: elasticity, tone, amount of subcutaneous fat. In addition, one can note a decrease in the tendency to develop acne and swelling of the extremities;
• An infrared sauna cabin can to some extent help strengthen the cardiovascular system and the tone of the main and peripheral vessels in general.

We will not talk about strengthening the nervous system, treating mental illness and psychological dysfunction. There is no reliable data or information confirmed by authoritative sources on this matter. In any case, like any other bath, an infrared home sauna can have a powerful positive effect on the nervous system, helping to overcome peak psychological and psycho-emotional stress much easier. At the very least, a shower cabin with an infrared sauna is a sure way to find sound, healthy sleep and get rid of empty, annoying thoughts.

List of contraindications

Do not think that an infrared bath is woven of exceptional benefits, and visiting it at least once a week, as if by magic, will systematically improve the body’s health. Moreover, there are a number of contraindications in which thermal loads of this kind are prohibited in the most obvious way:

• Body temperature above 37.8 degrees Celsius, not excluding acute colds;
• Lung disease associated with the activity of the tuberculosis bacillus. This is especially true in the open form of this insidious disease;
• Some, especially atypical forms of diabetes mellitus;
• Bleeding, including menstrual bleeding;
• Stages of exacerbation of chronic diseases with a pronounced clinical picture;
• The presence of malignant tumors;
• Purulent processes, regardless of their etymology.

In any case, before plunging into the pleasant world of gentle warmth that a mini infrared sauna is ready to provide, consult with a competent medical specialist. It will, well, not be superfluous.

Three basic requirements for installing an infrared cabin

It is very important to observe them at the stage of equipment installation, since the quality of its further operation and durability may depend on this.

• Dryness. The room and place where you will install the infrared sauna must be completely dry, so if you are in doubt or see that there is increased humidity or dampness, it is better to change your mind before it is too late.
• The floor on which you will place the cabin should not have nicks, roughness, swelling or other irregularities, otherwise even the most skilled equipment assembler cannot vouch for the stability of your sauna. However, the nature of the surface can be anything. Linoleum, parquet or tiles, it doesn’t matter.
• Do not install the booth in a musty room. This is not only unpleasant, but can also be harmful to your health. The room should be well ventilated. And it is better to take care of this significant circumstance in advance.

That's all. As you can see, nothing particularly complicated. And everything else, as they say, is a matter of technique!

How does an infrared sauna work?

To understand how an infrared sauna works, I suggest you remember the physics of the school course (without details). The method of transferring thermal energy is convective (we are familiar). There is also radiation that we don’t even see. Imagine a sunny room, it’s winter outside, it’s cold. Sunlight passing through the glass heats all objects within its field of action. Due to this, they become warm and the room warms up. The same thing happens in an infrared sauna: it is not the air that warms up, but the human body. This is the most unusual thing for us.

In traditional baths and saunas, the stove, stones, and air are heated first. After that, we go and steam or bask in the hot atmosphere. Here we are warmed by wave infrared radiation. Special infrared heaters are installed that specifically affect the tissues of the human body. They are located at the back, front, in the legs and evenly distribute heat throughout the body.

Infrared emitters come in ceramic and carbon types. Ceramic appliances are easy to design and maintain. They have greater efficiency and heat the air less. The operating mode of such emitters is constant.

Carbon infrared heaters heat the air more strongly and are equipped with a temperature sensor. When the desired temperature is reached, the automation will turn off the device. If the sauna has cooled down, it will turn it on. Thanks to intermittent operation, carbon emitters are 20-30% more economical than their ceramic counterparts. Both types of devices have their pros and cons, but that’s not about that now.

All that is needed to operate an infrared sauna is a 220-volt power outlet. By the way, such a sauna consumes much less electricity than a classic electric heater. Here, strictly speaking, there are no heating elements - this explains everything. We figured out the principle of operation. Now let's see why infrared cabins have become so popular lately.