LED Light Therapy | Nguyen Wellness + Recovery
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FAR INFRARED SAUNA

What are Infrared Saunas?​

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Far infrared saunas provide a modern twist on your traditional sauna. They heat your body from the inside out, penetrating deeply into your joints, muscles and tissues to increase circulation and flow of oxygen. The radiant warmth penetrates at least 2" into your body, increasing your core temperature and boosting your cardiovascular, lymphatic and immune systems.

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Traditional vs. Infrared Saunas

 

Traditional saunas heat the air, often using coals, and can reach temperatures between 150ËšF and 195ËšF. Unlike a traditional sauna, infrared saunas use infrared lamps to warm your body directly, and operate at lower temperatures - usually between 110ËšF and 140ËšF. This makes the sauna experience much more comfortable, while being equally-effective. 

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Many infrared saunas - including ours! - also offer chromotherapy. Chromotherapy is the use of the visible color spectrum to heal the physical, mental and spiritual energy imbalances within our bodies that can lead to disease over time. The understanding is that colors, like all things, hold varying vibrations; each of the color photons has its own wavelength and frequency (which is how we are able to perceive different colors). When sitting under colored light, the body takes in the light, with its distinct wavelength, and then responds to it. That is, electrical impulses within the body are activated, which then lead to biochemical and hormonal processes in the body. These natural stimulants or sedatives help to balance the entire system (leading to homeostasis).

What are the Benefits?

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  • Weight Loss + Increased Metabolism. The body stores toxins in fat cells, which can affect your body's ability to lose weight. Infrared saunas can target these toxins. The gentle infrared heat also helps your body to produce sweat and pump blood, increasing your metabolism and burning calories. A 40-min. session can burn 300-600 calories.​

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  • Muscle Pain Relief. Far infrared heat relieves muscle tension and helps peripheral blood vessels dilate, bringing fresh blood flow to muscle and soft tissue injuries. When blood circulation increases, it carries off metabolic wastes and delivers oxygen-rich blood to tissues throughout the body. When oxygen-depleted muscles receive an increase in blood flow, they recover faster.

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  • Enhanced Immune System. Like exercise, infrared saunas can increase your total white blood cell count. The heat of the sauna raises the core body temperature, which then creates a “false fever” in the body, forcing the immune system to spring into action, creating more antibodies and white blood cells.​

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  • Stress + Fatigue Reduction. Infrared saunas affect the autonomic nervous system, moving your body into the parasympathetic (rest + digest) state, helping you to feel more relaxed and rejuvenated as a result. Studies have also shown that infrared saunas benefitted people with chronic fatigue syndrome, and may also lower blood pressure.

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  • Skin improvement. Infrared sauna users often notice improved skin tone, texture, and elasticity. The increase of blood circulation can have a positive effect on acne, eczema, psoriasis, lesions, burns and cuts, improving healing times and reducing scarring. The profuse sweating during a sauna session helps to draw out impurities and dead skin cells, leaving skin glowing.

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  • Improved Appearance of Cellulite. Infrared heat penetrates deeply into the body's tissues, breaking up fatty deposits in the connective tissue beneath the skin, resulting in a smoother appearance over time.​

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Who Should Not Use an Infrared Sauna?

 

You should likely refrain from sauna use if:

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  • Pregnant or trying to conceive

  • Elderly

  • Currently ill or with fever

  • Intoxicated or dehydrated

  • Heat-intolerant

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If you have any pre-existing conditions or are on prescription meds, it is recommended that you check with your physician first before starting an infrared sauna regimen.

 

 

How Often Should I Use the Sauna?


·Some wellness clinics will say that it's perfectly safe to use the sauna daily, but we highly advise against this. Two times a week is optimal for most people, however, different constitutions will benefit from more frequent usage, while others are better off limiting their sauna use. As licensed East Asian medicine practitioners here in Houston, we are trained to assess underlying patterns of imbalance in each of our patients, and are happy to consult with you briefly prior to your sauna visit, to help you determine the best regimen for you and your body. 

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Can the Sauna be Combined with Acupuncture?

 

Absolutely! Infrared saunas are a great adjunctive therapy alongside acupuncture - especially for those in pain or with fluid retention in the body. We recommended that you schedule your acupuncture treatment first, followed by your sauna session. Sauna sessions are $10 off when booked with acupuncture. See pricing here.

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How Long Should I Stay in the Sauna?

 

Sauna appointments are 60 minutes long, but we highly recommend starting low and slow. You can dial down the temperature and try it out for five or ten minutes, then build from there. Always listen to your body, stay hydrated, and exit the sauna if you ever begin to feel dizzy or overheated.

 

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Info + Guidelines for Using our Infrared Sauna

 

  • We do require clothing in our sauna, We suggest loose, breathable, cotton clothing for your session.

  • Please stay hydrated, before and after your sauna session. Drink plenty of water! We also encourage you to drink coconut water, which contains electrolytes, and can help to re-hydrate your body (without all the sugar contained in other electrolyte drinks).

  • Please wipe your body down throughout your session and then after stepping out of the sauna.

  • DO listen to your body and step out if you ever start to feel dizzy or too hot.

  • Please schedule at a time when you can go home and shower afterward. However, it is recommended that you refrain from showering until your body has completely cooled down. We recommend waiting 1.5-2 hours after your sauna session.

  • We provide towels and mini water bottles (take as many as you need!)

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For pricing, click here. Please contact us if you have any questions!

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