Contrast Therapy

In a 2006 study3, researchers examined the impact of infrared on collagen and elastin, two key ingredients of healthy skin. They found that both collagen and elastin increased after exposure to infrared and all patients included in the study reported enhanced skin texture, less roughness, and improvement in color.

Infrared increases circulation and delivery of oxygen to injured or damaged areas and helps with cell turnover, which aids the appearance of scars. Studies using NASA LED technology concluded that NIR LED light significantly promotes faster cell regeneration, wound healing, and human tissue growth. Human cell growth increased by 155-171%.4

Infrared saunas may help reduce acne and improve the appearance of acne scarring. Build-up of oil on the skin causes acne, and when your body produces a lot of oil it leads to constant breakouts. Infrared saunas stimulate sweat from infrared heat – not heated air – which can help clean out those clogged pores at the cellular level.

Infrared saunas are clinically proven to reach deeper levels into your skin, effectively removing environmental toxicants. Our SoloCarbon® technology heats your body to the core, triggering your body to release toxins that can clog your pores and lead to a host of health issues beyond just within your skin.

It's frustrating to feel your body holding you back when you want to live a full, active life. Today’s world places a toxic load on our bodies, from environmental toxicants1 to stress and anxiety that create inflammation and other symptoms. Infrared sauna’s fundamental benefit is the ability to sweat out toxic substances naturally. Sunlighten infrared saunas promote a deep detoxifying sweat that will leave you feeling cleansed, refreshed and energized.

Healthy bodies have healthy cells managing the chemical exchanges with nutrients and minerals for a vibrant life. Environmental toxins can hinder that, affecting energy, stamina, pain, insomnia, obesity, mental health and more. 3 Perspiration, respiration and elimination are the natural ways our bodies expel the metabolic waste produced inside us. We can help our bodies get rid of and prevent build up through natural detox therapies that support the body’s natural detox work of the liver, kidneys, lungs and skin.

It’s one of the body’s safest and most natural ways to heal and maintain good health. Alternative medicine widely embraces sauna detox for treatment. Researchers have long told us how the body sweats out toxin build-up, including heavy metals. 4, 5, 6 As long as you maintain proper hydration, the more you safely sweat, the more toxicants you’ll expel from your skin and body.

You want to take care of your heart. Good circulation is critical to your overall health. We understand how hard it can be to make the lifestyle changes you need to fight genetics. Or simply to stay on track with all the things you need to do to keep your heart healthy as long as possible. Sunlighten makes it pleasant and effective, and science supports using a Sunlighten infrared sauna regularly as part of a healthy lifestyle can be good for your heart.

Infrared sauna sessions raise your heart rate and increase circulation. This replicates a cardiovascular workout we term “passive cardio.” In fact, blood flow during infrared sauna use may rise from a normal rate of 5-7 quarts/minute to up to 13 quarts/minute. Your heart is a muscle; working it makes it stronger. A stronger cardiovascular system helps capillaries deliver more oxygen to muscle cells. For people with injuries or conditions precluding them from cardio activity, Sunlighten saunas can help serve as an alternative for needed cardio benefits.

Sunlighten saunas have been clinically shown to provide one of the best, natural ways to help temporarily lower blood pressure.* In a 2005 clinical study by the University of Missouri Kansas City, Sunlighten’s SoloCarbon far infrared heaters were shown to temporarily lower blood pressure through a program of 30-minute infrared sauna session 3 times per week. The study concluded that Sunlighten sauna sessions, as part of a healthy lifestyle, dilated blood vessels and reduced the volume of their inner lining, thus increasing circulation needed for healthy blood pressure.

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 use improved impaired blood vessel functions in patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. This suggests a preventive role, as a part of a healthy lifestyle, for infrared sauna use for arteriosclerosis1.

We understand you want to do everything you can to stay healthy and well. You already manage your diet, your fitness and activity levels, your water intake, your mental health. Adding in infrared sauna use to your wellness routine can help even more, especially now. Its natural preventative properties help support all your goals with benefits for circulation, weight loss, sleep, immunity, stress relief and temporary pain relief.

Your body naturally defends itself. During a fever, body temperature rises and strengthens the immune system. It’s a signal to white blood cells and the body’s antiviral army of lymphocytes, neutrophils and interferons to come to the rescue.1,2,3 Increased body temp may also help fight infections as it stimulates heat shock proteins that deter viruses from reproducing and reduces inflammatory cytokine proteins.4 Raising body temp above normal for therapeutic treatment is called hyperthermia. Sunlighten’s infrared heating technology gives you the highest quality and quantity of infrared clinically proven to raise core body temperature by three degrees.

Nature uses a process called hormesis to make us stronger. It’s a 2-phase response our bodies have to certain stressors, like exercise or fasting, heat or cold, where a little bit of strain creates strength or resilience. When our ancestors were less insulated from the environment, their bodies naturally responded to the challenges. Modern life requires us to recreate opportunities to challenge our immune system and sauna use is the most efficient and effective way to do that. The benefits of hormesis affect overall wellness, heart health, and immune system boost.

Using a sauna regularly helps your body stay well. An Austrian study5 of 25 healthy subjects who regularly used saunas found they had significantly fewer episodes of common colds than those who did not. This benefit becomes more significant, especially after 14 weeks of consecutive sauna use. To maximize these benefits, it’s recommended to use it at least twice a week throughout the year.

No one wants muscle soreness to slow them down. Whether you’re a competitive athlete, a weekend golfer or simply trying to stay active, proper muscle recovery impacts your ability to keep doing what you love. Sunlighten's infrared sauna therapy penetrates muscles deeper, increases blood flow and helps the body recover faster so you can stay in the game, of sports and life.

Most people understand the benefits of exercise and training when trying to enhance performance or build muscle. In fact, that’s often the only thing they do. Equally important is the recovery process, or downtime in between training, when energy is restored, and the body is able to heal tissue damage and rebuild muscles. Building muscle not only increases strength, but also boosts metabolism, reduces risk of injury, improves bone density and helps with excess body fat.

Heat, in and of itself, is great for recovery and temporary pain relief. Infrared light heats the body from within and increases circulation and blood flow. Good circulation is critical for proper healing. Red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to the site of the strain or inflammation, which helps to create new blood vessels and tissues at the site. The more red and white blood cells that can get delivered to muscles, the quicker they rebuild.

We’re programmed to push ourselves. Sometimes getting through the day takes everything you’ve got. Science validates the value of rest for your whole self. Stress impacts not just the mind but the body as well. Infrared saunas provide an enjoyable place in your wellness routine to receive the full-body benefits of relaxation and stress reduction.

Studies show stress impacts the brain, blood pressure, weight and immune system. It creates memory problems, anxiety and learning difficulties. Neuroscientists say chronic stress can cause physical changes in grey and white matter, impact quantity of neurons and the size and connectivity of the amygdala.

The American Institute of Stress estimates stress problems make up 75 to 90% of all primary care doctor visits. Cortisol is the culprit. Stress increases that “fight or flight” hormone that raises heart rate, blood pressure and deposits excess calories in our midsection.

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to feeling your best. When you don’t get the rest you need, the health consequences quickly add up. It's hard to give yourself fully to what—and who—you love. Infrared sauna helps the body in so many ways that can help improve sleep, and give you back the energy you need to thrive.

There’s not much scientific study on infrared saunas and sleep – yet. Anecdotal evidence often points to possibility and creates the need to learn more. In recent years, we began seeing a pattern of feedback from people noticing an effect on their sleep after they began saunaing. We asked our Sunlighten Community who experienced improvements in their sleep: 70% of those who responded said they had. Not everyone does, and the reasons for that are varied. For those who have, we found their experience compelling enough to share.

Maintaining a healthy weight is important to your quality of life yet can be so challenging. Changing your behaviors is key to success. You can create an enjoyable habit that will help your efforts in many ways with a Sunlighten sauna. You get all the benefits of sauna and infrared light therapy in a pleasant session. It’s an easy lifestyle and behavior change you’ll actually want to stick with for sauna weight loss support.

The most current research shows behavior change techniques are now critical to weight management programs.1 Sunlighten saunas are beautiful, enjoyable experiences using infrared light to heat your body from the inside instead of heating the air. Infrared saunas can do more for the body’s health in a more pleasant environment (between 110 and 130 degrees) than the harsh suffocating heat of traditional saunas (180-210 degrees). Built-in chromotherapy lights create body-balancing beauty and calm.

A 2019 study compared participants’ cardiovascular effects in a sauna and on an exercise bike. The increase in heart rate was similar to a short, moderate workout. Researchers stated, "A sauna session is a physical strain. Its long-term positive effects are comparable to sports activities."2 The focus was on the benefits to the heart and cardiovascular system, rather than weight loss or muscle development. We call it a “passive cardio workout.”

Studies have shown that sauna therapy can release environmental toxins stored in fat tissues that can prevent weight loss.3 Heavy metals and fat-soluble chemicals like PCBs, PBBs and HCBs can trigger the body to protect itself, resulting in the immune system’s inflammatory response."4,5 Infrared sauna therapy heats the body at the cellular level, helping to detoxify the body and reduce inflammation.

Studies have shown the direct connection between stress, cortisol and weight gain. Chronic stress leads to cortisol production in large amounts, which leads to obesity and weight gain.6 Dr. Amy Myers recommends infrared sauna for weight loss to help break the connection between cortisol and weight gain by naturally relieving stress. Stress relief lowers cortisol, which can help create a healthy metabolism, thus contributing to weight loss.

People often report feeling energized after infrared sauna sessions. Cells need energy to perform their best, just like our bodies need energy to function. Near infrared stimulates cellular energy when the body’s energy-producing cells absorb the light energy (photons) and produce more adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which fuels all cells.7 This can increase cell health and performance throughout the body and all of its systems.

Having healthy body composition and waist size help us live a longer, healthier life. A Mayo Clinic pooled study showed that waist circumference is a critical factor for assessing the risk of premature death.5 As part of an overall program of nutrition, behavior change and exercise, a sauna can help achieve health goals. A study of diabetic patients attending three 20-minute sauna sessions per week over three months showed a decrease in waist circumference, suggesting benefit to regular sauna use.8