What is an infrared sauna

The work of infrared saunas is based on the ability of infrared radiation to heat the human body. Infrared radiation or heat radiation is a form of heat propagation. This is the same warmth you feel from a hot stove or from a central heating battery. It has nothing to do with either ultraviolet or X-ray radiation and is absolutely safe for humans..

Infrared saunas are best suited for modern life. Judge for yourself: low time and energy consumption for a session, small dimensions allow you to place it in an ordinary apartment, high efficiency in the fight against fatigue, prevents colds and other diseases, accessibility to people of different ages. It is very important to understand that an infrared sauna is just a modern technological solution to an old problem – to heat the body and it cannot be opposed to traditional baths and saunas. Most likely complementary devices. We can say that traditional baths and saunas are a place for traditional passing of time with friends, while infrared saunas are wellness devices..

The infrared sauna is a cabin made of natural wood. Rear, corner (frontal) and foot infrared emitters (heaters) made of special ceramics are installed inside the cab. A session in such a sauna lasts approximately 30 minutes at an air temperature of only 45-500C and natural humidity. Sweating in an infrared sauna is significantly higher than in conventional saunas and baths, under much milder conditions, which is responsible for the great health effect.

The infrared sauna uses the method of direct (direct) heating of the human body, which is significantly different from the indirect heating method used in traditional baths and saunas. Of course, there is no need to prove that the direct heating method is significantly more efficient than the indirect one. In ordinary saunas, a stove (wood-burning or electric) first heats up the stones, then the stones heat up the air, and only after that the human body heats up. The air has a low heat capacity, therefore, to effectively heat the human body, it is necessary to heat it up strongly, as is done in Finnish saunas, or add steam, as is done in Russian steam rooms or Turkish baths. Another significant disadvantage of traditional baths is that the air in their steam rooms is almost motionless. During operation, it is quickly saturated with a large amount (up to 4-5%) of carbon dioxide and sweat fumes. Therefore, in the process of work, after a short time in the steam rooms of such baths, the effect of stuffiness is formed, since the concentration of carbon dioxide increases by 8-10 times compared to its content in the air of the recreation rooms.

An increase in air temperature has its drawbacks: the possibility of getting burns of the skin and upper respiratory tract increases, and there is a risk of getting skin diseases. An increase in air humidity also has its negative sides – the partial pressure of oxygen in the air decreases and, as a result, the risk of exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases increases. Absolute contraindications for taking a bath or a Finnish sauna are tumors (benign or malignant) or suspicion of their presence, active forms of tuberculosis, bleeding, circulatory failure.

In an infrared sauna, special emitters are used that work in the invisible range of the infrared spectrum. They are located around the human body for the most efficient heating. Thus, up to 90% of the energy generated by the radiators goes directly to the human body, bypassing the heating of the air. Only 10% of the energy goes to heating the air (in the case of ceramic heaters). This explains the low temperature in the infrared sauna. In addition, these heaters do not burn oxygen in the sauna..