Infrared Sauna Dangers: What You Should Know

T he traditional sauna and its benefits are well renowned, yet the inconveniences it brings (high heat inside the room, the need to fuel the heater, etc.) soon got its fans to switch to an infrared model. Indubitably, it is easier to sit 15 minutes in a room that doesn’t need to reach 170 degrees to make you sweat. Instead, what most people were amazed to find out is that even the best infrared sauna doesn’t heat more than 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and this is because the technology is different. More precisely, these models direct the heat to your body, the FAR infrared radiation penetrating the skin and warming the muscles, so only 20% of the heat goes into the air.

Saunas that use IR technology are considered safer due to the small temperatures, yet there are still some categories of people who should use them with care or even avoid them. Below, we present the situations in which it would be better to choose an alternative to the sauna.

Young Woman in Sauna

What Happens to Your Body When You Use an Infrared Sauna?

One nice feature IR sauna has is its short heating time. In most cases, you just turn it on, wait 5 minutes, and you are ready to step in. In a minute, you will feel the warmth entering your body from all sides, and it is a great idea to wear as fewer clothes as possible since they can block some of the heat. During the session, the following changes take place in your body:

• Your blood circulation increases – heat makes your blood vessels expand, which causes your blood to travel faster. This happens especially at the surface of the skin and is the reason you look flushed when you step out of the room. Since your blood can flow more freely, the tension that is put on your blood vessels decreases, and this is why, according to this study, sauna treatment can contribute to reducing blood pressure.
• Your muscles relax – when heat is directed toward your muscles, the tension is replaced with a pleasant state of relaxation. While the sauna is great after working hard hours at the office, it is one of the main therapies used to alleviate the pain in individuals who suffer from chronic diseases like fibromyalgia or arthritis.
• You sweat – your internal temperature raises, and your hypothalamus recognizes this effect, so it activates your eccrine sweat glands, which start producing sweat to help your body cool off. Even if the sauna doesn’t help you sweat the toxins in your body, as some think, it does help purify your skin from toxins, dust, and cosmetic products, leaving your pores clean.

Who Should Not Use the Infrared Sauna?

While most people can just step in and enjoy an invigorating sauna session, in some specific cases the doctor’s advice is required. Here are the categories that should avoid sauna treatment or reduce their exposure to the minimum:

• Individuals who suffer from major health issues – if your body is fighting a major illness and you have a weak immune system, you should avoid the sauna or talk to your doctor before using it. If your illness gives you dizziness, seizures, or nausea, the heat may make them worse. Moreover, if your body is already battling an infection and your temperature is elevated, you risk giving yourself a heat stroke if you raise it even more.
• Individuals with cardiovascular issues or chronic diseases – even if the sauna has been proven to help reduce blood pressure, it is recommended that you talk to your doctor before using it if you have an arrhythmia or other cardiac problems, especially if you are on medication. The same goes if you have diabetes or other chronic diseases.
• Hemophiliacs – people who have a history of bleeding easily due to hemophilia should avoid the sauna since the increased heat can cause nose bleeding or complications.
• Pregnant Women – a series of studies tested pregnant women’s response to sauna heat, but the results were not conclusive. This is why most physicians advise that, during pregnancy, women should try to maintain a body temperature under 38.9 degrees Celsius. Since the sauna can increase the temperature over this value, it is better to avoid it if you are expecting.
• Children – especially small children and babies shouldn’t be exposed to heat since they cannot identify if something is wrong with their bodies and may not be able to signal that they are not feeling well. For older children, it is recommended to reduce exposure time to no more than 5 minutes. Keep in mind that you should never let a child unsupervised in the cabin.
• Individuals who have just had surgery – in the first 48 hours after surgery it is indicated that you use ice packs or an ice therapy machine to lower the temperature around the incision. Even in the following days, you should avoid the sauna, as high temperatures make the body more prone to inflammation and infections.
• Individuals who wear a pacemaker – although in most cases, electronic devices that are located inside the body reflect the radiation, you shouldn’t risk having the activity of your pacemaker disrupted. Talk to your doctor to make sure that it is safe to use this therapy.
• Individuals with insensitivity to heat – if you suffer from hypoesthesia and have problems feeling sensations like heat or pain, do not go inside the sauna. You may not be able to tell if the temperature is too high, and you may end up having a heat stroke.

Young Woman Feeling Unwell in Sauna

What Not to Do Before an Infrared Sauna

If you have ruled out the aspects we have mentioned above and decided that you will enjoy a nice sauna session at the SPA or at home in your portable sauna, here are some additional guidelines of what you should avoid doing just before. By following them, you will not only be able to enjoy the therapy to its fullest, but you will avoid getting sick during or after it.

Do Not Drink Alcohol

Mixing alcohol with heat is a bad idea, according to this clinical trial published in the Annals of Clinical Research. If you have a big quantity of alcohol in your blood when entering the sauna, your body may not be able to maintain a stable blood pressure, which can lead to you fainting or developing arrhythmia. In rare cases, heart attacks were recorded. The risk is real, so if you have been partying hard, it is better to go to sleep.

Do Not Eat a Large Meal

The explanation is simple: after you have eaten, your body is directing a lot of its efforts toward digesting your food, but when you are in the sauna with your internal temperature on the rise, your body needs to direct some of its energy to keep you cool. The result? Your digestion is affected, and you may end up with stomach cramps and dizziness. If you have just had a big meal, make sure to leave at least 2 hours between it and the sauna session.

Do Not Get Inside if You Feel Dehydrated

If you are planning on relaxing in the sauna right after running a marathon (or simply going to the gym), this may not be the best idea. Your body is already overheated, and you have lost water. Let your body cool off and drink a lot of water to restore the balance. Alkaline water is considered to have the best hydration properties, so it can help you prepare for the sauna faster. However, if you experience dizziness or nausea, which are associated with severe dehydration, move your sauna moment to another day.

The Bottom Line

Heat therapy has a lot of benefits and is the only way some people get relief from pain caused by certain conditions. Nevertheless, the sauna increases your internal temperature and triggers a response in your body, so you should treat it with care. Talk to your doctor if you are in one of the situations we have described above and follow our advice of not drinking or eating before exposing your body to heat. Remember to drink a lot of water, which will help keep your body hydrated. Also, if you feel dizzy, too hot, nauseous, have palpitations, or have a headache while you are in the heated room, it is time to get out and cool off.