Do You Burn Calories In An Infrared Sauna?
Infrared saunas have become increasingly popular as they boast a huge number of health benefits without the hassle of a full, traditional sauna.
But one health claim has perhaps stood taller than the rest – the ability to burn calories.
So, is it true? Can infrared saunas burn calories and just how effective are they in doing so? This guide will explain exactly what you need to know.
Does an infrared sauna burn calories?
The simple answer is yes. Infrared saunas can burn calories and help you lose weight.
Now, it’s important to be clear that there is some debate on just how many calories you can burn (and this is true of traditional saunas as well as infrared ones) and there are a number of factors that can affect this too.
Our range of saunas allow you to burn calories, but again, it has to be done safely.
How does it work?
Infrared Sauna heat therapy can aid in burning calories by speeding up the metabolic process of vital organs and endocrine glands resulting in substantial caloric loss in a sauna heat session.
Effectively, it mimics the effect of moderate exercise causing the body to expend energy to cool down which is exactly what burns the calories.
How many calories does an infrared sauna burn?
Now we know that an infrared sauna can burn calories, but just how many can they burn? One study suggests that you can burn as many as 600 calories per hour whilst using a sauna, whilst another study estimated that you can burn between 495 to 1125 calories in an hour of sauna use.
So a standard 30 minute session could see you burn between 300 and 560 calories which is pretty impressive.
Now, it should be mentioned that these studies looked at the calories burned in a traditional sauna rather than an infrared sauna. Because of this, it’s difficult to say just how many calories you would expect to burn in an infrared sauna but we are likely in the same ballpark.
Factors that can impact how many calories you burn
You shouldn’t just look at the baseline estimates above – there are other factors at play. In short, the following can affect how many calories you burn:
- Body weight
- How long your session is
- How your body reacts to the infrared sauna
How long is it safe to stay in an infrared sauna?
The immediate reaction of many people is probably to want to stay in their infrared sauna for hours and burn as many calories as possible, but this would be a big mistake.
The ideal time limit in an infrared sauna for beginners is 15-30 minutes, while the more experienced users can tolerate being in an infrared sauna for 45 minutes up to an hour. Anything more than these limits would be unsafe.
However, it is certainly safe to use your infrared sauna on a daily basis, but please, listen to your body and don’t go overboard.
Other health benefits
Whilst calorie burning can be considered a health benefit of an infrared sauna, it certainly isn’t the only benefit. You can also see health benefits like relaxation, detoxification, improved circulation and even relief from aches and pains.
Summary
If you are looking for a boost in your weight loss journey, then an infrared sauna may just be what you’re looking for. Even just half an hour in an infrared sauna could potentially see you lose 300-500 extra calories which is the equivalent of a decent cardio workout.
If you want an infrared sauna in your home to help you burn extra calories, then have a look at Sun Stream’s range of fantastic infrared saunas.