Since creating Hypothyroid Mom in 2012, I’ve heard from reader after reader telling me that they feel better with regular use of infrared saunas. It’s one of the hottest (quite literally) anti-aging trends in the celebrity world. That said, not all infrared saunas are created the same. Quality is everything but low Electromagnetic fields (EMF) testing is an absolute must when it comes to sauna brands. I’ve taken some frequently asked questions to the best in the industry, Sunlighten.
Can an infrared sauna help my thyroid?
People usually come to Sunlighten for two reasons – to treat a specific ailment or to be proactive about staying healthy.
Over the years, as people have ventured to Sunlighten in search of solutions, we have answered many questions about the healing power of infrared saunas. However, the number of people asking the question above has increased dramatically in recent years.
If you suspect you have a thyroid condition or have just been diagnosed with one and are desperately working to reclaim your health then we have answers for you.
10 ways infrared saunas can help heal your thyroid
- Detoxification
Did you know the Environmental Working Group estimates that newborn babies come into this world with as many as 300 toxic chemicals?[1] The truth is you don’t have to be a painter or work in a factory to be overwhelmed by unwanted chemicals. Toxins are found in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, cleaning products, and even makeup. In other words, our world is full of toxins. Our bodies are structured to filter out toxins through a detoxification system led by the liver. People with thyroid disease are vulnerable to developing liver issues impairing their body’s ability to eliminate toxins. One of the most effective ways to shed toxins is to sweat. (Most of us don’t sweat enough especially those of us with hypothyroidism.) Far infrared saunas don’t just help you sweat out water and salt from your body.
Sweating is one of the body’s most innate and secure mechanisms for healing and sustaining optimal health. Sauna detox therapy is readily embraced by alternative medicine for its therapeutic benefits. Extensive research has consistently demonstrated that the body eliminates toxins, including heavy metals, through sweat.[2-4] When coupled with adequate hydration, the more you perspire safely, the greater the removal of harmful substances from both your skin and body.
Between Sports Illustrated swimsuit shoots and Victoria’s Secret runways, supermodel Miranda Kerr knows a thing or two about maintaining an incredible body. In an interview with InStyle, Miranda said, “I really love going in the infrared sauna, just to detox.”
- Reduce Inflammation
It’s essential to understand the distinction between ‘good inflammation’ and ‘bad inflammation.’ Good inflammation is your body’s natural response to illness or perceived threats to the immune system. It’s a protective mechanism, a sign that your body is diligently working to keep you healthy.
The problems begin when your body remains in a chronic state of inflammation, which is often at the root of chronic illnesses. This ‘bad inflammation’ can have awful effects, leading to a range of health issues. For instance, many individuals battling autoimmune diseases, like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, find themselves trapped in this state of chronic inflammation, where the immune system mistakenly targets healthy tissues.
This is where the remarkable benefits of infrared saunas come into play. The heat generated by infrared saunas helps to dilate blood vessels and promote better circulation. This increased blood flow can aid in reducing inflammation by delivering oxygen and nutrients to the affected areas and removing waste products more efficiently. Research suggests that exposure to infrared heat can have anti-inflammatory effects on the cellular level by influencing inflammatory markers.[5]
- Weight Loss
If your metabolism has been compromised from an underactive thyroid you might feel desperate to lose weight. Or if you aren’t able to work out due to medical conditions an infrared sauna could be for you. One of our associates used a Sunlighten sauna after the birth of her second child to help relax and lose weight. After breastfeeding she would jump into her sauna for 30 minutes so she could sweat and relax. Surprisingly, this gentle approach did wonders for her and she lost 20 pounds in 10 weeks while relaxing and taking time for herself. But don’t take our word for it. In a 2009 study, Sunlighten saunas were shown to help lower weight and waist circumference in just a three-month period.[6]
Changing your overall behaviors can also work wonders. An infrared sauna is an enjoyable habit that will help your efforts in many ways, and is a habit you’ll actually want to stick with.
- Pain Relief
Infrared sauna heat works by penetrating joints, muscles and tissues, increasing circulation, and generating more oxygen flow to injured areas of the body. The heat flushes out lactic acid helping muscles to loosen reducing soreness, minor aches, stiff muscles, and muscle spasms. Infrared saunas also help with increasing flexibility. In a 2013 study from Auburn University at Montgomery, Dr. Michele Olson compared the benefits of stretching in a Sunlighten mPulse sauna compared to a typical training room environment. While all types of stretching help to promote joint health and relieve stress, the sauna stretchers displayed significantly greater improvements in flexibility, particularly in the hips, hamstrings, and lower back.[7] Infrared saunas can help people with a thyroid condition suffering from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, migraines, arthritis or joint pain.
No one wants muscle soreness to slow them down. Sunlighten’s infrared sauna therapy penetrates muscles deeper, increases blood flow, and helps muscles recover faster.
Pop music queen Lady Gaga is a frequent infrared sauna user for pain control.
- Cardiovascular Health
According to a 2014 study published in The American Journal of Medicine, “thyroid hormones modulate every component of the cardiovascular system necessary for normal cardiovascular development and function”.[8] Saunas have been shown to reduce complications and improve cardiac performance in heart disease patients.[9] When the autonomic nervous system is in chronic stress mode, the heartbeat becomes less variable. Normally, there is a subtle variability between beats. If there is more variability in the beat-to-beat rhythm, your heart and nervous system are healthier. The least healthy heart rhythm has the least variability—a flat line. The mPulse Series from Sunlighten, the most popular sauna of all, now offers access to your sauna from the cloud with Anywhere Access. Warm up your sauna from anywhere so it’s ready for you when you get home!
In a 2005 clinical study by the University of Missouri Kansas City, Sunlighten’s Solocarbon far infrared heaters were shown to lower blood pressure through a program of 30 minute infrared sauna session 3 times per week. The study concluded that Sunlighten infrared sauna therapy dilated blood vessels and reduced the volume of their inner lining, thus increasing circulation to promote healthy blood pressure.[10] Additionally, a Japanese study published in the October 2008 issue of The Journal of Cardiology examined the clinical effectiveness and safety of infrared blood pressure therapy, as compared to standard therapies for patients with chronic heart failure. The report concluded that far-infrared sauna therapy is both safe and effective at improving clinical symptoms and cardiac function as well as decreasing cardiac size in chronic heart failure patients. Repeated infrared sauna treatments improved impaired blood vessel functions in patients with high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. This suggests a preventive role for infrared sauna use for arteriosclerosis.[11]
- Body Temperature
Slow thyroid function can also cause people to experience chronically low body temperature. Lowered body temperature can cause a series of health concerns including frequent infections candida, or worse tumor growth. Regularly sitting in on sessions will help boost your temperature and white blood cell function.
In a sauna, the body is exposed to elevated temperatures, which can help to reset the body’s internal temperature control mechanisms. Regular sauna use can potentially help individuals with thyroid issues by gradually training the body to adapt more efficiently to temperature changes. This may result in reduced sensitivity to extreme temperatures and an overall improvement in comfort for those with thyroid-related thermoregulation challenges.
- Emotional Release
Country star LeAnn Rimes is a big fan of Sunlighten saunas, noting how she felt after starting a sauna routine ‘I noticed a difference right away, especially in my mood. The days when I feel depression creeping in or feel really low on energy, I am a different person by the time I walk out of the sauna. I feel more awake, vibrant and uplifted.’
- Combat Infections
One of the hallmark symptoms of hypothyroidism is increased vulnerability to infection. For some women they get frequent UTI’s (urinary tract infections) while others experience sinus or throat infections. During a short 30-minute session your body temperature will increase by 3 degrees. The increase in body temperature enhances your white blood cell function helping your body fight infections.
- Skin Purification
The skin is the body’s largest organ and often is in contact with toxins. Infrared saunas unlock toxins trapped beneath the skin by encouraging your body to sweat. Infrared saunas have been known to help dry skin, acne, eczema, and psoriasis. But, it can also make you look younger! The Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy showed significant improvements in skin appearance after just 12 weeks of LED near infrared treatments. Participants experienced a reduction in wrinkles and crow’s feet, as well as improved overall skin tone, including softness, smoothness, elasticity, clarity and firmness.[12]
When it comes to beauty, Jennifer Anniston is all about the natural methods, including infrared sauna use. During an interview with Forbes about her fitness and beauty tips, Anniston shared her love of infrared saunas, citing their detoxification, relaxation, weight loss, and skin rejuvenation properties. Anniston cites the cell generation benefits of infrared sauna use in particular as a secret behind her flawless skin.
Cindy Crawford might be in her 50s, but she certainly doesn’t look it. Thanks no doubt in part to her strict beauty regime, the supermodel has maintained flawless hair and skin for decades. In an interview with Into the Gloss, Cindy dished her best beauty secrets – one of which is spending at least 20 minutes once a week in an infrared sauna. Cindy praises infrared saunas for many different health benefits: detoxification, relaxation and improved circulation, as well as its many benefits for the skin, including collage reduction and improved skin tone. Cindy also says that regular sauna use helps improve her sleep – and gives her 20 minutes of uninterrupted reading time!
- Cost Effective
This therapy is one of the safest, most powerful and affordable therapies for hypothyroidism. We took our most popular mPulse 3 in 1 infrared sauna and leveled it up with red light therapy all in one. The mPulse Smart Sauna takes personalized wellness to a whole new level. With data-driven programs using specific far, mid and near infrared and red light therapy, it seamlessly adapts to your health goals, providing tailored sessions for optimal results.
If you are looking for a smaller, less expensive, portable at-home sauna, Sunlighten also has the wildly popular Solo System.
How is an infrared sauna different from a traditional sauna?
A traditional sauna reaches extremely hot temperatures because it needs to heat the air before it can heat you. Infrared light is the invisible part of the sun’s spectrum, (don’t worry, no UV rays here), with the ability to penetrate human tissue. An Infrared sauna doesn’t get nearly as hot as a traditional sauna because it heats the body directly, not the air around you. In fact, Sunlighten saunas are clinically shown to raise core body temperature by two to three degrees. Our patented 3-in-1® infrared heaters can actually emit all three IR wavelengths – near, mid, and far. These different levels, near, mid and far, represent the different sizes of infrared wavelengths. Each level or wavelength is used for specific treatments.
- Near is the shortest infrared wavelength and it is often used for anti-aging, boosting mitochondria, and wound healing.
- The mid infrared level wavelength is a bit longer and goes deeper to improve circulation to injured areas of the body speeding up the healing process. This level is great for pain relief.
- Far is the longest and strongest wavelength. The far infrared level targets toxins to promote weight loss, detoxification, blood pressure reduction, and relaxation.
Low EMF Levels Provide a Safe and Effective Sauna Experience
You’d never buy an electric oven or other home appliance without knowing it met all safety and performance standards. Buying a sauna shouldn’t be any different. Many electric saunas, including infrared saunas, can emit high levels of EMF (electromagnetic fields) which can be harmful. Sunlighten Solocarbon heaters are the most effective—and the safest—infrared heaters on the market. Sunlighten saunas have met the strictest safety standards for more than a decade. Our patented heater design has a 95-99% emissivity rating and cancels out EMF to levels that are virtually undetectable.
Sunlighten has a popular Solo unit that fits one person as well as large cabin saunas that fit multiple people. Our saunas are found in luxury spas, hotels, gyms, and wellness centers around the world. What if you could have the very best sauna in your own home too.
References:
[1] Environmental Working Group. Oral testimony of Heather White on the regulation of new chemicals, protection of confidential business information and innovation. Retrieved rom http://www.ewg.org/testimony-official-correspondence/regulation-new-chemicals-protection-confidential-business
[2] Genuis, S.J., et al. Blood, urine, and sweat (BUS) study: monitoring and elimination of bioaccumulated toxic elements. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 2011 Aug;61(2):344-57.
[3] Sears, M.E., et al. Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in Sweat: A Systematic Review. J Environ Public Health. 2012;2012:184745.
[4] Klinghardt, D.K. A Comprehensive Review of Heavy Metal Detoxification and Clinical Pearls from 30 Years of Medical Practice. Kinghardt Academy. 2006.
[5] Lidija Kandolf-Sekulovic, Milena Kataranovski, Milos D. Pavlovic. Immunomodulatory Effects of Low-Intensity Near-Infrared Laser Irradiation on Contact Hypersensitivity Reaction. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed 2003; 19: pp 203–212, Blackwell Munksgaard.
[6] Dr. Richard Beever BSc, MD, CCFP. Do Far-Infrared Saunas have Measurable Health Benefits? A Sequential Longitudinal Interrupted Time Series Design Study. 2009. Dr. Richard Beever BSc, MD, CCFP. Do Far-Infrared Saunas have Cardiovascular Benefits in People with Type 2 Diabetes? Canadian Journal of Diabetes 2010; 34(2):113-118
[7] Michele Olson. A study of changes in flexibility with full spectrum infrared sauna therapy. Retrieved from http://www.sunlighten.com/pdfs/manuals/auburn-flexibility-study.pdf
[8] Ira Martin Grains and James R. Sowers. Thyroid and the Heart. Am J Med. 2014 Aug;127(8):691-698.
[9] Nava Blum and Amon Blum. Beneficial effects of sauna bathing for heart failure patients. Exp Coin Cardiol. 2007 Spring;12(1):29-32.
[10] Becky Edwards, M.D., Heather Kort D.O, Faculty Staff Advisor: Dr. John Foxworth, PharmD. A Study of the Health Benefits of Far Infrared Sauna Therapy – Conducted by the University of Missouri, Kansas City, 2005.
[11] Dr. Masakazu Imamura, MD, et al. Repeated Thermal Therapy Improves Impaired Vascular Endothelial Function in Patients With Coronary Risk Factors. Vol. 38, No. 4, 2001. Journal of American College of Cardiology: pp 1083-1088.
[12] Russell, B.A. et al. A study to determine the efficacy of combination LED light therapy (633 nm and 830 nm) in facial skin rejuvenation. J Cosmet Laser There. 2005 Dec;7(3-4):196-200.
*Hypothyroid Mom participates in an affiliate partnership with Sunlighten and commissions on sales help cover operating expenses to keep this website running.
READ NEXT: When hypothyroidism is painful: Musculoskeletal manifestations
About Dana Trentini
I had Hodgkin’s lymphoma which resulted in the removal of my thyroids. Would infrared saunas help me at all with
Health and weight loss?
In my opinion, forget the docs. Most are too dumb and I have zero time to argue. I say own your issues and treat as you see fit. Of course, educate yourself on the options. Unfortuately, there is no one size fits all solution. For me, increasing good nutrition and increasing good sleep are critical.
I have a sauna but it is a regular heat sauna (not infrared), I can use steam with it.. is this going to help me at all?
I have suffered with hypothyroidism for 24 years. My two biggest problems are extreme constipation and I sleep for 10-12 hours at a time and never have enough energy. I’ve seen so many Drs and they all say “take this drug and you’ll be fine.” I haven’t been fine, especially the last 10 years, I am desperate for help!
You need to find a functional medicine doctor in your area. If you don’t have one then get the book “The Root Cause” by Izabella Wentz. This book changed my life alone with Curcumin made by Terry’s naturals. Diet is everything.
Hi, I’ve been hypothyroid for over 20 years. It did get progressively worse. I too slept many hours and never felt rested. My MD did not have the tools or the background to treat me as my lab tests always came in “normal” even though my body temp was 2 -3 degrees below normal. I also had many other symptoms. I finally found a natureopath who was able to treat the thyroid and adrenal dysfunction. Keep looking!