There are a lot of people who enjoy infrared sauna benefits, and this is understandable the more we look at how wide-ranging those benefits are. Time spent in the heat relieves the aching joints caused by arthritis, so older adults have been using the home versions more. Athletes like the way it helps their bodies heal after intense workouts or running long distances. But there are also benefits that can be enjoyed by anyone, at any age, and that’s what we’ll be focusing on here.

Cardiovascular Performance Is Critical

When we’re talking about cardiovascular performance in humans, part of what we’re talking about is how well the heart and circulatory system are operating. The human body runs on electrical impulses, and this is your heartbeat. How regularly and strongly your heart beats is directly linked to how healthy you are. In an infrared sauna, your skin heats up, as does your core temperature. The blood vessels close to the surface dilate. This causes your cardiac output to increase, meaning that your heart is beating faster as it pumps blood throughout the body. This is the identical thing that happens when you jog, lift weights, or any other sort of physical exercise.

Regular sauna use can train the heart muscles to get used to physical activity, and this is especially good for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. By using a sauna, you’re helping the body’s regulatory system. It’s even better if you take a cool shower afterward. This change in temperature causes the heart rate to increase in much the same way it would with mild exercise. Getting your blood flowing and speeding up your heart rate occasionally can be a good thing.

Weight Loss

There have been some claims made that you can forego exercise and lose weight just by using a sauna often. That is not the case, as exercise is still the best way to drop pounds and shed inches. It is true that sauna use can cause us to lose a little weight, however. The sweating that we undergo and the increased heart rate can result in the loss of 300 calories or as many as 600 from a forty minute session. Used as a supplement to a good workout, you can indeed use a sauna as a helpful weight loss tool over time.

It’s never good to neglect your health, but it’s something of which far too many of us are guilty. It comes about from our being distracted and prioritizing other things over ourselves. Our work lives and social lives are important, but our bodies are even more so. Remember, you only get one, so treat it with love and respect. Regular infrared sauna use is an excellent way to do that.