Heart Healthy Benefits of Infrared Sauna Therapy

When the temps drop, sitting in an infrared sauna seems like the most ideal way to warm up. But it isn’t just during cold weather that aninfrared sauna session should be part of your wellness routine. Even when temperatures are summertime hot, you can benefit from infrared sauna therapy bykeeping it as part of your wellness routine. In this article we’ll focus on theheart healthy benefits that come with frequent infrared sauna use.

What Is Infrared Sauna Therapy?

Infrared sauna therapy is an innovative light-based method to treat pain and inflammation in various parts of the body. Unlike ultraviolet light, which can damage the skin, infrared light enhances cell regeneration.

Our infrared sauna studios use near, mid, and far-infrared waves which gently heat the body from within. These waves deeply penetrate the skin, muscles, joints, and tissues to improve blood circulation, oxygen flow, and helpdetoxify the body by removing impurities at the cellular level where waste and harmful toxins such as cholesterol and heavy metals may be stored.

The cooler temperature allows for longer sessions and increased therapeutic benefits, making infrared saunas a great alternative for those who can’ttolerate the high heat of a traditional sauna.

Infrared Sauna Therapy & High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure affects nine out of ten Americans atsome point during their lives and is a major risk factor in heart disease and stroke. The good news is that infrared sauna use may help keep blood pressurewithin a healthy range.

A study released by the University of Missouri determined infrared heat to be effective and safe in improving heart function. Especially for those with highblood pressure, far-infrared may play a preventative role in heart disease. Similar to cardiovascular exercise, infrared heat places positive stress on theheart, increasing heart rate and volume. By promoting dilation of bloodvessels, infrared heat increases surface blood flow without increasing bloodpressure.

Infrared Sauna Therapy & Cardiovascular Health

One of the key health benefits of infrared therapy is improvement in cardiovascular health. Infrared light increases the production of nitric oxide, a vital signaling molecule important for blood vessel health.Nitric oxide helps relax arteries and prevents blood from clotting or clumpingin vessels. It also combats free radicals to reduce oxidative stress and helpregulate blood pressure.

Nitric oxide improves circulation, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to injured tissues. This can support wound healing, tissue regeneration, and reduce inflammation and pain.

Frequent sauna visits have also been associated with lower death rates fromcardiovascular disease and stroke. Dr. Thomas H. Lee, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital and founding editor of theHarvard Heart Letter, notes that the cardiovascular effects of sauna use havebeen well documented, including lowering blood pressure and supporting healthyblood vessels.

Sources

·      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3699878/

·      https://www.cfp.ca/content/55/7/691.long

·      https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/circj/advpub/0/advpub_CJ-09-0939/_pdf/-char/ja

·      https://www.healwithheat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/heartsaunastudy.pdf

·      https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2130724

·      https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sauna-use-linked-longer-life-fewer-fatal-heart-problems-201502257755

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