Do Infrared Blankets Work?
Throughout human history, saunas and bathhouses have been built and used in Finland, Rome, Greece, and Turkey. Sweat lodges were even constructed by the indigenous Māori in New Zealand and the Aboriginal people in Australia.
Now with modern technology – you can reap the benefits of a traditional sauna without the expense of a sauna room. This is possible through the use of infrared sauna blankets.
So in this article, we will discuss the advantages and issues of using an infrared sauna blanket.
Sauna Blankets Explained
What are they?
Traditional saunas use hot water and steam to generate heat within a sauna room.
Modern saunas use special electric heaters to generate heat within a sauna room. The scientific term for “heat” is “infrared (light)”. So these types of saunas are referred to as “infrared saunas”.
An infrared sauna blanket is basically an infrared sauna that has been ‘compressed’ into a sleeping bag appliance that you can use at home.
How do they work?
An infrared sauna blanket uses special electronics and materials to generate infrared rays (heat) within a blanket.
Infrared rays can gently penetrate the soft tissue that is underneath human skin, by up to a depth of 1.5 inches.
The infrared rays then heat the muscle cells and blood vessels of the individual who is using the sauna blanket. This will cause the individual to sweat and experience a feeling of deep relaxation.
Infrared sauna blankets also result in increased blood flow and a host of other health benefits.
In other words, an infrared sauna blanket is a comfortable sleeping bag that provides you with all the physiological improvements of using an expensive infrared sauna room.
Also, all infrared sauna blankets have been designed to ensure all the heat stays in the blanket – and the outside of the blanket remains at a normal temperature.
Proven Benefits Of Infrared Sauna Blankets
The benefits of using an infrared sauna blanket are similar to the benefits of using an infrared sauna room.
Improving circulation
The heat from an infrared sauna blanket gently goes through your skin and warms up your blood vessels. This causes your blood vessels to expand and this allows blood to flow more easily around your body.
Furthermore, the regular use of an infrared sauna blanket can soften your blood vessels. This will reduce your risk of having to deal with certain heart-related problems.
A 2017 survey by Tanjaniina Laukkanen (from the University of Eastern Finland) found that men who used saunas frequently had lower rates of hearts disease than men who used saunas infrequently.
We can apply this conclusion to infrared blankets because all saunas provide the same health benefits – except that with an infrared sauna blanket, you don’t need to pay for overpriced facilities that offer infrared saunas.
Relieving stress
Here is a basic fact about us humans: Coldness makes us miserable. Heat makes us happy. (That is why every year, hundreds of millions of people spend their hard-earned money on holidays to tropical locations.)
So when you use an infrared sauna blanket, the heat from the blanket encourages your body to produce natural feel-good hormones like dopamine and beta-endorphin. The heat from an infrared sauna blanket can reduce your body’s level of cortisol, which is a ‘stress hormone’.
Furthermore, sauna blankets improve the quality of your sleep. This will help your body to deal with the day-to-day stresses of modern life.
And please do not underestimate the importance of relieving stress. Over 75 percent of visits to primary care physicians are associated with stress-related issues!
Lowering blood pressure
High blood pressure (or “hypertension”) is a growing problem in many countries. For instance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 75 million adults in America have high blood pressure (which equates to more than 29 percent of the U.S adult population).
Fortunately, infrared sauna blankets represent an easy way to tackle this increasing health concern.
A study involving more than 1,600 middle-aged participants found that those who used saunas 4-7 times per week were able to cut the risk of high blood pressure by up to 50 percent (compared to participants who used saunas only once a week).
In 2015, Dr. Francesco Zaccardi (of the Department of Medicine at the University of Eastern Finland) published a study titled Sauna Bathing and Incident Hypertension: A Prospective Cohort Study. The conclusion of the study states the following:
“Regular sauna bathing is associated with reduced risk of hypertension, which may be a mechanism underlying the decreased cardiovascular risk associated with sauna use.”
Furthermore – a 20-year long study in Finland, involving 2,000 men, found that participants who used a sauna:
These studies suggest regular use of an infrared sauna blanket can lower your blood pressure. This is because the heat from an infrared sauna blanket can enhance your body’s arterial compliance (flexibility of arteries) and hemodynamic (the ability of blood to flow around the body).
Additionally, frequent use of an infrared sauna blanket can improve the functionality of your body’s endothelium, which is the tissue lining inside your blood vessels.
Soothing tired muscles
An infrared sauna blanket can soothe the pain of tired muscles because the heat from the sauna blanket causes:
Consequently, your tired muscles will receive more blood – which means more oxygen and nutrients for your tired muscle cells.
In addition, the use of an infrared sauna blanket will cause your body to produce pain-inhibiting hormones called endorphins. Endorphins are responsible for making athletes feel good about themselves during a tough workout (this is often referred to as a “runner’s high”).
Based on the work from The North America Sauna Society – it is possible infrared sauna blankets (and infrared saunas) can increase your body’s level of endorphins to increase by up to 200 percent. This means less pain and less discomfort in your tired muscles.
Also, the heat from a sauna blanket will relax your muscle cells. This allows your body to unwind and unravel any tight muscles fibers, joints, or, ligaments.
Decreasing post-workout recovery time
After a tough workout, the cells of your body (especially your muscles) need to prepare for the next workout. To do this, your body needs to do two things:
Both these tasks can be done more efficiently via the increased blood flow that’s associated with the use of sauna blankets.
But if you really want to decrease the recovery times between your workouts – then you will need to improve the mobility of your joints and the flexibility of your muscles. This can be achieved with sauna blankets when they are used as part of a structured workout.
So let’s say you want to decrease your recovery times between running sessions. A good workout structure would be as follows:
Light cardiovascular exercise – To gradually raise your heart rate (e.g. five minutes of easy jogging);
Joint mobility exercises – Pay particular attention to your back, hip joints, shoulders, knees, and ankles.
Dynamic stretching – Perform ‘large’ non-static stretching exercises (like shoulder twists, striders with rotation, rolling glute stretches, etc)
Easy strength exercises – Like push-ups, squats, etc.
Neurological preparation exercises – For instance, spend five minutes doing a few running drills.
The main workout (i.e. go for a run) – This is the ‘core’ of your workout whereby you exert the most amount of physiological strain on your body and muscles.
Prepare to use your infrared sauna blanket – After you have returned home from your run, you will need to hydrate yourself to (a) replace the fluids you have lost during exercise; and (b) prepare your body for the upcoming sauna blanket session.
Use an infrared sauna blanket – Use your sauna blanket for around five minutes (at a moderate setting), whilst you still have an elevated heart rate. This will allow your muscles to relax whilst still maintaining a strong blood flow around your body.
Stretching exercises – After you have used your infrared sauna blanket, your heart rate will still be high and your muscles will still be relaxed. Now is the perfect time to perform traditional stretching exercises.
Using a sauna blanket via the above-mentioned workout structure will (a) enhance your body’s overall strength, flexibility, mobility, and endurance; and (b) help your body to adapt to the heavy workload of intense exercise. These combined factors will result in a decrease in the recovery time that is needed between training sessions.
Reducing rheumatoid health conditions
Rheumatology is a branch of medicine that deals with rheumatic disorders, which pertains to ailments or pain that can be traced to connective tissues or joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a common rheumatic disorder. It is caused when the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints of the body.
The key to treating rheumatoid arthritis, and most other rheumatoid arthritis health conditions, is by reducing inflammation within the body.
And this is where infrared sauna blankets can help (normal infrared saunas can also be of assistance).
The heat from infrared saunas can penetrate the epidermis (skin) of the human body. The heat is then absorbed by the cells that are underneath the epidermis.
Each cell of the human body has an ‘energy factory’ called the mitochondria. The mitochondria produce a type of energy fuel called ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). Human cells use ATP to operate and function.
Mitochondria is sensitive to heat. So when cells absorb the penetrative heat of sauna blankets (or infrared saunas), the mitochondria produce more ATP. This releases nitric acid, which in turn, causes blood to carry more oxygen.
All of this results in a faster blood flow. Your body uses this faster blood flow to:
The use of infrared light (heat) to treat rheumatic conditions is well-documented. In 2009, a team of researchers published a study titled “Infrared sauna in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis…“.
The goal of the study was to see how rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients responded to eight infrared (IR) treatment sessions during four weeks. (Ankylosing spondylitis, or AS, is a long-term rheumatological condition whereby the immune system attacks spine joints).
The research report states the following:
“In conclusion, infrared treatment has statistically significant short-term beneficial effects and clinically relevant period effects during treatment in RA and AS patients without enhancing disease activity. IR has good tolerability and no adverse effects.”
So if you suffer from a rheumatological condition – then you can ease your pain and strengthen your joints just by using a sauna blanket 2-4 times per week,
The Limitations
Infrared sauna blankets (and the entire industry of infrared saunas) are all the rage on social media. This has led to the proliferation of certain health claims that are untrue.
We will now debunk the most prevalent of these false health claims.
Not a weight loss aid
Suppose you were to weigh yourself before and after a sauna blanket session. A comparison of these numbers will most certainly suggest that you have lost weight via the use of your sauna blanket.
But virtually all of this weight loss would have been due to sweat. Therefore, when your body starts the process of replenishing lost fluid (e.g. when you eat or drink) – you will put this weight back on!
So always remember – sauna blankets are a body-enhancement tool, not a weight-loss tool.
Won’t ‘detox’ your body
If your body needs to get rid of a toxic substance, then it will do so either via your:
If a toxin is very harmful, then your body might restore to a dramatic action like vomiting (e.g. food poisoning).
But when it comes to sweating – such a process would be an inefficient way to get rid of toxic substances.
Sweating is all about temperature management – not toxin management.
Therefore, it is physiologically impossible to ‘detox’ your body with either a sauna blanket or a sauna room.
Won’t necessarily improve your health
Sauna blankets can enhance the benefits of a healthy style – but they are not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle.
For instance – many online influencers and marketers repeatedly claim that sauna blankets allow you to “sweat as if you were exercising, but without the exercise”. This play of words is misleading and dishonest.
The only way to acquire the benefits of exercise – is to exercise often and hard enough to stimulate a desired physiological response within your body (stronger muscles, less fat, etc).
However, sauna blankets can help you exercise longer and harder. This will enhance and strengthen the physiological response that you want from your body.
Infrared Sauna Blankets: The Verdict
Sauna blankets are an evolutionary next-step in mankind’s 9,000-year history of using heat to eradicate ailments and improve the human body.
If you have specific goals for your health, wellness, or fitness, then a sauna blanket is a wise investment.
FAQs
Are infrared sauna blankets worth it?
Yes, infrared sauna blankets can be a good investment – but only if: (a) you use them at least twice per week, and (b) you want to achieve specific goals regarding health (e.g. reduced inflammation in joints) or fitness (e.g. reduced recover times between workouts).
Are sauna blankets as good as a sauna?
Using a sauna blanket is more effective than using a traditional sauna.
This is because a traditional sauna uses steam to generate heat. But a lot of this heat is lost via contact with human skin.
However, the heat from a sauna blanket can go through your skin and reach your muscle cells.
What temp should I set my sauna blanket?
You should set your sauna blanket to a temperature of 80-160 degrees Fahrenheit.
The post Do Infrared Blankets Work? appeared first on Infrared Sauna Reviews.
via Infrared Sauna Reviews https://infraredsaunaspro.com/do-infrared-blankets-work/
Posted on February 15th, 2022
Infrared Sauna Blanket Benefits
After a long day of work, you’re sure to be worn out and weary. Why not try out an infrared sauna blanket? Infrared sauna blankets are becoming very popular for their many benefits both inside and outside of the home, and are a great method of reducing stress.
Whether you choose to buy your own or visit a venue that offers an infrared sauna blanket session, incorporating this regularly into your life is helpful.
In this guide, we’ll give you a better idea of what an infrared sauna blanket is and how they work, as well as their variety of benefits!
Infrared Sauna Blankets Explained
There are lots of different treatments and experiences that you can enjoy. From invasive to non-invasive treatments, infrared sauna blankets fall into the latter category. So what is an infrared sauna blanket?
What they are
An infrared sauna blanket is a portable device and can be used at any time and anywhere you see fit. That’s why many are taking advantage of having an infrared sauna experience in their home!
Infrared heat is an alternative to steam saunas and warms up your body for an intense sweat which is a lot more bearable than stepping into a steam sauna at your local spa or gym. Think of it as a sleeping bag, as it typically envelops your whole body.
How they work
An infrared sauna blanket work by using electromagnetic radiation which warms up the body. Infrared heat operates anywhere between 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s a great way of getting similar benefits to a steam sauna without having to go to the effort of stripping down to a bathing suit.
With the portability of the device, it means you don’t have to step foot out of your front door if you choose to buy one for the home.
What Benefits Do Sauna Blankets Offer?
Many benefits come with using a sauna blanket. If you’ve never heard of them before, then you’ll likely want to know exactly what’s making them a worthwhile investment and so popular.
Improving your circulation
Studies suggest that the regular use of infrared saunas and saunas is good for improving your circulation.
As you get older, it’s important to ensure blood is circulation regularly throughout your body to help all of your bodily organs to function properly. This is important at all points in your life but as you age, everything in your body has to work harder. Increased use of a sauna blanket might help with optimizing your health and wellbeing.
Lowering blood pressure
Having high blood pressure is one condition that you want to try and minimize where possible. Why? Well if you’re not tackling this pressure issue, then it’s more likely to result in heart problems.
An infrared sauna blanket may help in lowering it as the heat is a great way of relaxing the body. With stress and exercise being the main contributor of this condition, it’s good to slow down your body with a sauna blanket every now and then.
Stress relief
Talking of stress, reducing stress levels is something that many of us have to battle with. Stress from work and your personal life can have a debilitating effect on your body over time. It’s likely one of the most common contributors to ill health for anyone who deals with stress on a regular basis.
With an infrared sauna blanket, you can bring your body to a state of relaxation and help ease that stress away that many of us tend to feel.
According to The American Institute of Stress, around 33% of people will report feeling extreme stress. This can affect both physical and mental health for anyone of any age. Left untreated, it can significantly increase the likelihood of health conditions, some of which can be life-threatening.
Mood-boosting
A lot of the self-care treatments out there, whether invasive or non-invasive make us feel good on the inside and out. It’s not always just about the external transformation but the internal one too. When using infrared saunas, many find that they get a mood boost that is great when you’ve been having a rough week.
Everyone needs the time to decompress and do things that they enjoy. A sauna blanket is a great way to make you feel better. It’s good to have your outlets in life, regardless of what they are. For many, an infrared sauna can be a regular addition to their day or week.
Soothing aches and pains
Infrared blankets are meant to be helpful in soothing aches and pains that we can all experience. From injuring or overexerting yourself at the gym to standing up or sitting down all day at work. There are a lot of general body aches and pains that are felt throughout life.
A traditional sauna is known for soothing aches and pains so why not have the option of a portable one? That way, you can focus on giving your entire body a relaxing and soothing experience in the comfort of your own home.
Relief from rheumatic conditions
There are a number of studies that have been conducted that have linked the use of an infrared sauna blanket with rheumatic conditions.
With rheumatic conditions like arthritis, there’s a lot of fatigue, stiffness, and pain that can come with these issues. Infrared saunas can often be a great solution in helping reduce those feelings of pain and discomfort.
For those with rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatic conditions in general, it may be worthwhile exploring the use of infrared sauna therapy.
Improving your skin
Not everyone is blessed with clear skin and this can often be influenced by genetics, the environment, and what our body is subjected to every day. Having a good skincare routine is important to look after your skin as it ages.
The reason why many will use an infrared sauna blanket is due to the positive effects it’s supposed to have on your skin. Infrared is not just a heat healer but it provides plenty of heat that produces a deep sweat.
This deep sweat is what helps push all of the bad toxins out of your body that can be trapped underneath the skin. Having this blanket all over your body can help release all of the toxins and contributes to your skin’s renewed look.
It can also help to reduce inflammation, which can often be found on various parts of the body for those with redness.
Faster post-exercise recovery
In order to help combat muscle recovery and sore muscles, an infrared blanket is a great way to aid faster recovery, post-exercise.
Infrared sauna blankets help relax the body and can target the sore muscles that we all get when exercising and not warming up or down properly.
There are many benefits of using an infrared sauna or sauna blanket to help tackle a variety of bodily functions and problems. It’s something a little different from traditional saunas and it can be an entire body experience if preferred.
The benefits of infrared itself have provided a lot of success for both the external parts of the body and internally too. Infrared rays aren’t harmful to the skin and nor are they felt as they penetrate the body’s surface.
Sauna Blankets Vs Walk-In Saunas
There’s nothing better than enjoying a relaxing spa day and seeing the sign for a walk-in sauna. If you’re lucky enough to have a gym that has the luxury of a sauna or steam room, then chances are you’re taking full advantage!
So how do they compare? Are there differences between an infrared sauna blanket and walk-in saunas?
Price
An infrared sauna blanket is a worthwhile investment if you love the experience of a sauna but you perhaps don’t always have the time to get out to a place where they’re typically located.
Typically, you’d expect to pay around $500 for a high-quality sauna blanket. There are cheaper and more expensive options out there but this is a price point to aim for.
With walk-in saunas, you would typically pay it as part of the spa or gym fee. This might work out at a few dollars per visit, perhaps more depending on where you go for it.
Over time, you’re going to quickly make the money back in value from getting a blanket you can use at home.
Convenience
The obvious difference between infrared blankets and a walk-in sauna is that it’s probably more convenient for most people. Not everyone has an option to visit a walk-in sauna and there may not be any within the local vicinity to use.
Having one at home to hand can be useful for anyone who might be limited to what’s around them. Those in the city or with plenty of spas/gyms nearby may find it much of a hassle, especially if they’re going to those venues anyway.
However, having the option to have one at home can be handy for most.
Health benefits
Both infrared sauna blankets and walk-in saunas offer all of the benefits and they’re fairly similar when comparing them to one another.
Infrared light however is more bearable as it helps to perfectly distribute heat to your body. For walk-in saunas, they may vary in heat levels and you may find that certain parts of your body will overheat quicker.
A sauna blanket is a good way of helping give a full-body experience but without making it too uncomfortable.
For health benefits, both can be useful but infrared heat can go deeper into the skin. It offers a more thorough release of toxins and may help just that little bit more. Ultimately though, both options are great for those looking to tackle a variety of ailments from stress to blood pressure, arthritis to respiratory problems.
Common Sauna Blanket Myths
It is very typical that with the health and wellness industry, information can be warped. Some claims for certain procedures and treatments may go beyond the reality of what they provide for the user. Whilst these blankets can be useful, it’s worth addressing some of the myths that are common with this type of treatment.
Sauna blankets will cause weight loss
After using a sauna blanket, you can often come out sweating and feeling like you’ve just done a workout. Whilst there is a bit of weight being lost, it’s not something that you should be relying on totally to help you shed the pounds.
The reality is that the weight lost is water weight, something you’re very likely to put back on within hours of drinking water to replenish the hydration you’ve lost.
They can ‘detox’ your body
An infrared sauna blanket can do plenty to help penetrate deep into the skin and release toxins whilst sweating. However, whilst this might be the case, it’s not going to detox your body.
With infrared rays, they can help raise the temperature of your body, enabling you to sweat. However, when eliminating toxins from your body, it also requires a certain amount of fat burning. A sauna blanket doesn’t do much in the way of fat burning, if at all.
Alternatively, something like a hot yoga class would likely rid more toxins because not only are you sweating, you’re burning fat through the movements.
An infrared sauna blanket might be good for helping with ridding some toxins but they won’t completely detox your body like other methods of detoxing do.
Sauna blankets improve your immune system
Improving your immune system is a good way of helping stay healthy and to avoid any future health issues. When it comes to using an infrared sauna, there can be some contributions to your immune system.
These infrared blankets can raise your body temperature and target stress and tension in your body. As we’ve mentioned stress, in particular, can be harmful to your immune system.
However, if you’re not looking after your body in other ways, you could easily damage your immune system. It’s why eating healthily, exercising and attending regular medical appointments are crucial.
Find Out More With Infrared Saunas Pro
If you’ve never heard of an infrared sauna blanket until reading this article, then chances are you’ve got a lot more questions.
Infrared Saunas Pro is a useful resource for those who are looking to invest in their own infrared sauna blanket. There are lots of options out on the market to choose from when shopping for a sauna blanket. It’s worthwhile doing some comparisons in order to find out which one would best suit your budget and requirements.
When it comes to infrared blankets and other devices, it’s a technology that has become significantly more popular over the years. Several studies and research have looked into the benefits of these blankets, meaning more people are turning to infrared sauna blankets to aid in their health and wellbeing.
FAQs
Are sauna blankets good for you?
A sauna blanket can have many great benefits. Many love to use an infrared sauna blanket because it’s a quick and easy way to help the body recover. With a number of bodily functions and issues that it can help with, many are utilizing it in their everyday life.
Some like to use it every day, whilst others may use the blankets on a weekly basis. As a sleeping bag, it’s a great way to unwind after a hard workday, or at the weekend with a good book.
How often can you use an infrared sauna blanket?
A sauna blanket can reach similar heights of temperature to a walk-in sauna, so it’s good to be wise about how many times you use it. On average, users of a sauna blanket will often use them three to four times a week.
When using an infrared sauna blanket, it’s always important to have plenty of water before and after you use them. This is just like a walk-in sauna where you lose a lot of hydration. Water weight might be good to lose but you don’t want to be starving your body of water for too long.
Do infrared sauna blankets work for weight loss?
Weight loss is something that requires you to burn fat and with an infrared sauna blanket, it really doesn’t do that. If anything, the only weight loss you’ll see is through water weight.
In order to fully detox your body or see weight loss results, exercise is part and parcel of that. A sauna blanket shouldn’t be relied on fully for helping lose weight in any scenario. A balanced diet and a good exercise routine are required on top of using the blanket so many times each week.
The post Infrared Sauna Blanket Benefits appeared first on Infrared Sauna Reviews.
via Infrared Sauna Reviews https://infraredsaunaspro.com/infrared-sauna-blanket-benefits/
Posted on February 15th, 2022
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Infrared Saunas Pro
Address: 2519 Mendocino Way
Valrico, FL 33594
Email: info@infraredsaunaspro.com
Phone: 813-390-2660
Website: https://infraredsaunaspro.com/
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Your resource for infrared sauna reviews & buying guides. Read our reviews and get all the information necessary prior to purchasing your dream infrared sauna. Read articles about the best near, far, indoor or outdoor infrared saunas on the market!
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Posted on May 13th, 2021