In this day and age, energy seems to be a commodity. There are so many trends that claim to boost energy, increase productivity, and help you focus. Infrared saunas have been thrown into these claims, but what does the scientific literature say?
An infrared sauna can give you energy because it normalizes your blood pressure, helps treat chronic pain, reduces obesity, and promotes relaxation. When you combine all these benefits, infrared saunas boost energy in the short and long term.
Read on to find out how you can benefit from an infrared sauna if you’re short on energy!
How an infrared sauna energizes you
Most of us could use a little (or a lot!) more energy. Can the infrared sauna help?
Infrared saunas energize you by normalizing your blood pressure, helping to treat chronic pain, reducing obesity, and promoting relaxation. Between all of these benefits, infrared saunas immediately boost energy and can offer long-term benefits.
Infrared light waves are light waves not visible to the human eye. Humans utilize them in many ways, including heat sensors, thermal imaging, and- you guessed it- infrared saunas!
Infrared saunas heat you up from the inside out rather than heating the air around you, like in traditional saunas and steam rooms. Infrared saunas range from 120 to 140 degrees F.
You should use an infrared sauna three times a week with 30-minute sessions to get the most health benefits.
Infrared saunas have many energizing health benefits, including:
- Normalizing blood pressure
- Helping treat chronic pain
- Reducing obesity
All of these health benefits play a role in increasing energy. Let’s find out how!
Normalizing blood pressure
What does blood pressure have to do with energy?
Infrared saunas can help boost energy by normalizing blood pressure. Both high and low blood pressure can lead to conditions that worsen fatigue. Therefore, normalizing blood pressure is a preventative measure to avoid the fatigue caused by these conditions.
Low blood pressure is a risk factor for developing chronic fatigue.
Likewise, conditions caused by high blood pressure can also lead to fatigue.
The normalizing effects that infrared saunas have on blood pressure can avoid both extremes. In this sense, infrared saunas are a preventative measure against fatigue.
Helping treat chronic pain
Chronic pain is tough to treat and can lead to extreme fatigue.
Infrared saunas can help treat chronic pain, therefore lending individuals more energy. Chronic pain can take a considerable toll on energy levels, and alleviating some of that pain can free people up to have more energy.
Fatigue is one of the most frequent symptoms reported by people experiencing chronic pain. Fatigue is even one of the diagnostics for many chronic pain diagnoses.
It’s been proven that using infrared saunas can help improve symptoms of chronic pain.
Reducing obesity
People with obesity often experience reduced energy levels.
Infrared saunas can help reduce obesity by increasing energy. Obesity can affect hormone production, leading to low energy levels. Obesity can also cause joint pain, which can interfere with quality sleep, reducing energy even further. Therefore, using an infrared sauna to help reduce obesity can increase energy levels.
Infrared saunas specifically can help with weight loss. When your body is exposed to infrared light, it reacts as if you’re walking, and your metabolism increases.
Healthy weight loss should take time, and using the sauna can aid your weight loss regimen.
Does infrared sauna help with fatigue?
Anxiety-related fatigue is often under-discussed and can fly under the radar.
Infrared saunas help with fatigue. They do this by helping you relax, as excess anxiety can lead to fatigue. Infrared saunas also help normalize blood pressure. Abnormal blood pressure can lead to fatigue in the long term.
Anxiety, depression, and neuroticism can all lead to fatigue.
Meanwhile, relaxation is one of the most reported reasons for using the sauna!
Put these two facts together, and saunas can help battle anxiety-related fatigue.
How long does it take to benefit from an infrared sauna?
Will infrared saunas boost your energy overnight?
Some benefits of infrared saunas are immediate, while others take more time. For example, reducing anxiety can immediately reduce anxiety-related fatigue. On the other hand, losing weight to battle fatigue will take time.
Fatigue is an infrequently discussed side effect of anxiety, but it can take a significant toll. Even just a day of relaxation can reduce this symptom.
Meanwhile, using the sauna for weight loss will take a more extended period of time. But getting to a healthy weight can ward off obesity-related fatigue.
Is infrared sauna the most energizing type of sauna?
There are lots of different kinds of saunas. Which one should you choose for an energy boost?
Infrared saunas may be the most energizing type of sauna, depending on where your fatigue comes from. Infrared saunas can energize you if your fatigue stems from chronic pain, obesity, or stress. Traditional saunas, steam rooms, and infrared saunas have scientifically proven health benefits that boost energy.
The three main types of saunas are traditional saunas, steam rooms, and infrared saunas. New products like sauna blankets and portable sauna tents are also being released, but we won’t dive into that in this article.
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While saunas have similar health benefits, some excel at certain things more than others.
For example, steam rooms are the best for muscle recovery because wet heat penetrates muscle better than dry heat.
Meanwhile, traditional dry saunas are likely the best for detoxing because of their high temperature- typically making you sweat the most.
No one kind of sauna is inherently more energizing than another. There are plenty of factors at play.
If you’re an extrovert who gets energy from socializing, then the steam room at the gym may be the most energizing sauna for you!
Meanwhile, an infrared sauna at home might be more energizing if you want just to sit and think.
But if most of your fatigue is from stress, traditional dry saunas may be the most energizing because their extreme heat brings on the most relaxation due to your body’s response.
Likewise, all three kinds of saunas have different scientifically proven ways to increase energy.
Let’s get into it!
Traditional sauna (dry or wet)
Traditional saunas have a lot of health benefits related to energy.
Traditional saunas (dry or wet) can boost energy by reducing chronic pain, improving exercise performance, and promoting relaxation.
Traditional dry saunas may benefit people with rheumatic diseases– conditions that cause chronic pain. And we know by now that reducing chronic pain can improve energy levels.
Dry sauna bathing can also improve exercise performance, hence boosting energy levels.
Of course, the deep relaxation brought on by traditional saunas will help ease your worries and subsequently boost your energy.
Steam room
Let’s look at the facts about steam rooms and energy.
Steam rooms can boost energy by improving circulation, lowering blood pressure, aiding workout recovery, and promoting relaxation.
The moist heat of steam rooms improves circulation, bringing more oxygen throughout your body. This will have a positive impact on your health and may improve energy!
Steam rooms also lower blood pressure, which, as discussed earlier, can help prevent fatigue in the long term.
As mentioned above, since steam rooms help with workout recovery, you’ll be able to work out again sooner, increasing your energy.
Reducing stress is an overarching benefit of all saunas and will immediately increase your energy!
Infrared sauna
Lastly, let’s finish up by talking about infrared saunas and energy.
Infrared saunas can boost energy by normalizing blood pressure, lowering chronic pain levels, reducing obesity, and promoting relaxation.
Infrared saunas are hypothesized to have more significant effects than other saunas because infrared rays supposedly reach your core. It’s unclear if this argument has any merit, as other saunas raise your core temperature as well.
While we’ve already gone over the energizing benefits of infrared saunas, let’s summarize again!
Infrared saunas can boost energy by:
- Normalizing blood pressure
- Helping treat chronic pain
- Reducing obesity
And of course, by inducing relaxation!