Saunas have been a popular part of the health, wellness and relaxation equipment industry for centuries, and continue to be popular with a presence in most fitness centers and spas. A newer development in spa technology is the introduction of the infrared sauna. Saunas are typically used more for relaxation, but theories have been developing regarding the role a sauna can play on weight loss.
History
Traditional saunas have been used for centuries, with earlier versions using rocks heated in a fire that were coated with water to create steam. Infrared saunas were invented more recently starting with Japan in 1965. Starting in the late 1990s, infrared saunas began to gain popularity in the United States and continue to grow in popularity as an alternative to installing the more complex and often times more expensive traditional saunas.
Function
Infrared saunas work by using special wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. These wavelengths are produced by infrared heaters within the sauna. Instead of just heating the air like a traditional sauna, infrared wavelengths penetrate the skin, using radiant heat similar to the sun to actually heat the core of the body instead of just the air around it.
Sweat and Weight Loss
Although all types of saunas can cause you to lose weight, including infrared saunas, the most immediate results come from the amount of sweat lost during the time in the sauna. As your body heat increases in the sauna, the body reacts by activating sweat glands to move sweat toward the surface of the skin, cooling the body down as the sweat evaporates off the skin. Because sweat has weight to it, the sweat produced during a session in the sauna can cause weight loss.
Temporary Benefits
Sweat can create weight loss, but these effects are only temporary, according to an article by Dr. A. J. Searle in the Journal of the American Medical Association. As soon as you rehydrate the body, the weight is regained as the liquid enters and is stored back into the tissues of the body.
Potential Dangers
Although saunas can provide a relaxing effect and temporary weight loss effect, spending too much time in a sauna can actually increase your risks for some of the dangers related to saunas. For example, too much time spent in a sauna can dramatically decrease the level of fluid in your body, resulting in problems with dehydration. If dehydration is not addressed, it can quickly lead to problems with heat exhaustion and even heat stroke if your internal body temperature is allowed to reach above 104 F or higher, suggests MayoClinic.com.
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