Sauna | Benefits, Uses, Tips

location: The Sweat Shack in Broken Bow

Writing to you from the sauna today!

The sauna has been one of the biggest factors for improving my health and detoxing my body. The heat and silence is so peaceful and relaxing. I use this time in the mornings to meditate, plan my day, or write like I am now. The Sauna has been the fastest and most beneficial tool in helping me feel better and become healthier in these past weeks. Let’s jump in to what infrared light and sauna is, how it works, the benefits, and why I choose this as part of my healing journey:

Why I Choose to Use an Infrared Sauna:

I use a sauna primarily to support my body’s natural detoxification processes. I started exploring the benefits of sauna treatment after learning more about how the body eliminates toxins. The liver, kidneys, and digestive system all play crucial roles in detoxification but your skin through sweating is just as important. Understanding this made me want to create a regular practice that would encourage my body to sweat and release the impurities it doesn’t need.

Sweating is one of our body’s primary ways of flushing out toxins. I always associate sweating with exercise and struggling with chronic fatigue makes it very hard to physically work out at a significant capacity to sweat a lot. The sauna is the perfect way for me to release sweat while relaxing and not overwork my body.

Each session feels like a reset for my system. I can feel the impact of sauna treatment not just physically, but mentally too even from the first session. After a month of consistent use the visible improvement of my skin and body is incredible. The sauna has become an almost daily self-care practice that clears my mind and prepares me for whatever the day throws at me.

Top Benefits of Sauna and Infrared Light Use

1. Detoxification at a Cellular Level

One of the standout benefits of infrared saunas is their ability to promote deep detoxification. As the infrared heat penetrates your body, it induces a deep sweat that helps eliminate heavy metals, toxins, and environmental pollutants. Traditional saunas only reach the surface level, but combined with infrared light, can stimulate your body to release toxins from within leaving you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

2. Enhanced Circulation and Cardiovascular Health

The heat from infrared saunas increases your heart rate and improves blood flow throughout the body, similar to the effects of moderate exercise. As your blood circulation improves, more oxygen and nutrients are delivered to your muscles and organs, supporting cardiovascular health and enhancing physical performance. This improved blood flow can also aid in the recovery of sore muscles and reduce inflammation in joints.

3. Stress Relief and Relaxation

Infrared saunas offer a relaxing environment that encourages the release of endorphins, your body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals. The warmth promotes a state of calm, reduces anxiety, and lowers cortisol levels—the hormone responsible for stress. Spending time in an infrared sauna can be a meditative experience, allowing you to disconnect and unwind. It is the perfect place to listen to an audio book, podcast, or meditation guide. The sauna at The Sweat Shack also has direct bluetooth to the speakers in the sauna itself so you can play whatever you choose separate from the radio in the gym

4. Pain Relief and Muscle Recovery

Infrared heat has been shown to relieve chronic pain conditions such as inflammation, arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraine, and muscle strains. The heat penetrates deep into tissues, reducing stiffness and increasing flexibility. Many athletes and fitness enthusiasts use infrared saunas to aid in muscle recovery post-workout, as it helps alleviate soreness and improve muscle function.

5. Metabolism Boost and Weight Loss

The infrared heat increases your core body temperature, which can elevate your heart rate and stimulate your metabolism. A session in an infrared sauna can burn calories similar to those burned during light exercise, making it a useful addition to a weight loss routine. While it’s not a substitute for regular exercise, it can support your body’s metabolic processes and contribute to overall weight management for those focusing on a healthy weight.

6. Skin Health and Anti-Aging

Infrared saunas promote increased blood flow and circulation to the skin, which can improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and other skin conditions. The deep sweat induced by the heat also flushes your pores and helps clear out impurities, leaving your skin clearer and more radiant. Regular use of an infrared sauna can stimulate collagen production, reduce the appearance of scars, and improve skin tone and elasticity. I highly recommend using a dry brush before you go to remove any dead skin and leave your pores ready to get the most out of your session!

7. Immune System Support

The gentle heating of the body’s core temperature helps activate the immune system by promoting an artificial fever state. This response can enhance your body’s ability to fight off infections and diseases. The infrared heat encourages the production of white blood cells and can boost your body’s natural defenses, making it a powerful ally in maintaining health and wellness.

Getting the Most Out of Your Infrared Sauna Experience

If you’re new to infrared saunas, start with shorter sessions of 15 to 20 minutes at a lower temperature (I started at 135 degrees) gradually increasing the duration and heat as your body acclimates. It is important to drink plenty of water before and after your session to stay hydrated and help flush out toxins. The sauna alone is ideal for most, however for a more comprehensive detox I take a binding supplement 30 minutes before I use the sauna. A binder is used to grab specific toxins out of your body and package them up for your liver to filter out. The supplement I use is from Codeage and uses bentonite clay and activated charcoal. I drink lemon or coconut water after the sauna to replenish electrolytes. I also use AminoLean in my water after, it is a really good supplement for antioxidant and immune support along with hydration.

What I bring in:

• A Glass Water Bottle
  • (I use one that used to be a cranberry juice bottle but here is one on amazon that is temperature resistant and won’t get too hot)
• Essential oils
  • (there are many different ones with many different benefits depending on what goal you have in mind, I use Eucalyptus and Tea Tree oils I linked this set, it is a great brand and a good price and has all of the main essential oils to get started with I will have a post dedicated to essential oils very soon because I seriously use them for everything)
• Castor Oil
  • I have mentioned some uses for Castor Oil in this post about Why I Use all Natural Skin-Care and one use is on my stomach while in the sauna. Castor oil has been used for centuries in natural medicinal practices and often for liver detoxification. For me, it promotes perspiration I can tell a big difference in the amount of sweat I release when I use it. I also use this as my carrier oil to dilute the essential oils.

What to wear:

• T-shirt or sports bra
• Lightweight clothing
• Slip-on shoes or sandals

Clothing

This is largely personal preference, I wear a t-shirt and shorts most of the time or just a sports bra and shorts. The infrared light does give a slight tan so I try to expose as much skin to the light as possible although it will still penetrate through clothes. Some people wear sweatpants and a hoodie to encourage more sweating but whatever you feel comfortable in is great.

Footwear

I wear slides or sandals, anything simple and easy to slip on and off. The ones I wear are similar to this. I don’t recommend wearing cloth shoes or tennis shoes because you will be sweating and tennis shoes are a bit harder to clean than slip-ons.

Additional

I wear eye contacts some days, however, if you are planning on using the sauna wear your glasses or take your contacts out because the sauna will dry them out, I have left them in before they just irritate your eye a little bit so if you have to wear them bring some extra eye drops. 

The sauna and sweat in general can be hard on your jewelry so I always take mine off (I do leave my earrings in they are waterproof).

It is very important that you shower as soon as possible after the sauna, you have sweated out toxins, heavy metals, and excess minerals that are now sitting on your skin and can be reabsorbed so you want to clean them off pretty quickly.

Conclusion: 

Consistency is key—regular use of the sauna, whether a few times a week or daily, can provide cumulative benefits over time. Whether you’re looking to alleviate chronic pain, boost your metabolism, or simply create a space for relaxation and self-care, the sauna is a great starting place!