Can Weekly Sessions in an Infrared Sauna Improve Your Heart Health?
In 2011, heart disease was the number one cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 787,000 people. That is a very high number if you consider that many people can prevent heart disease simply with some lifestyle changes.
When I was researching infrared saunas for detoxification for my husband’s cancer, one of the things I liked was that they have also been found to improve heart health.
What is an Infrared Sauna?
The difference between an infrared sauna compared to a traditional one is that an infrared sauna heats the body from the inside out. They also use light, as well as heat. This creates very little humidity and the high temperature is reached quickly; making the sauna more bearable to sit or lay in.
What appeals to me is that you experience a quick increase in body temperature, but the air around you doesn’t feel too warm. This makes it easy to use an infrared sauna in your home, which both my husband and I do.
Read more about detoxing using a sauna and infrared saunas and weight loss.
Improving Heart Health
According to The Heart Foundation, someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds. There are ways you can avoid becoming part of this statistic and improve your heart health:
- Exercise
- Eat your fruits & veggies
- Eliminate sugary drinks
- Eat heart healthy nuts
- Swap out red meat for some fatty fish
- Stop smoking
- Limit sodium consumption
- Limit alcohol drinking
And now there is one more thing you can add to this list: regular treatments in an infrared sauna. A session in an infrared sauna works to open up your capillaries and improve blood flow. It actually mimics a passive cardio workout.
Studies Linking Infrared Sauna and Heart Health
- A study done by the University of Missouri, Kansas City showed that the use of an infrared sauna helped lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in subjects that had a 30-minute session, 3 days per week.
- The Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that infrared sauna treatments helped improve “the function of impaired vascular endothelial cells in patients who are at risk for coronary artery disease”.
- A review by the University of British Columbia found evidence supporting the use of an infrared sauna for normalizing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, treating congestive heart failure, and helping with chronic pain. (source)
- The Journal of The Japanese Circulation Society performed a study that found infrared saunas can help patients who have heart arrhythmias and suffer from chronic heart failure. (source)
Sunlighten Saunas
I have teamed up with Sunlighten Saunas because I use one; plus I genuinely feel that they are a great natural tool to improve your health. Their saunas emit low EMFs (also known as electromagnetic fields, which can affect your health). Sunlighten meets strict safety standards and their “heater design has a 95-99% emissivity rating and cancels out EMF to levels that are virtually undetectable”.
And this month Sunlighten is offering a promotion that a portion of your purchase will go to the American Heart Association. Click here to learn more about Sunlighten Saunas.