Why Are You Feeling Worse After An Infrared Sauna?
Our customers can go on and on about just how good they feel after coming out of their infrared saunas. They feel relaxed, rejuvenated and just… healthier. But what about the other side? Why do some people feel worse when they come out of an infrared sauna?
There are a number of potential reasons why someone may come out feeling off and if it’s happened to you, this guide will explain exactly what’s happened and how to prevent it from happening.
Why Can Infrared Saunas Make You Feel Worse?
The main reasons why you may feel worse after an infrared sauna session are due to dehydration, fatigue, your body reacting to detoxification, heat discomfort or light-headedness.
We will now go through each of these so you know why they happen and how you can prevent them from happening:
Dehydration
As you sit in an infrared sauna, you will begin to sweat quite profusely. This is a very normal part of the experience, but if you were not adequately hydrated before your session, then it’s very easy to become dehydrated.
Before you enter one of our infrared saunas, make sure you are fully hydrated to ensure you are fully prepared for your session.
Fatigue
An infrared sauna can take a lot out of you. You lose water through sweat, toxins leave your body and your heart rate can rise quite a bit too. All these factors can leave you feeling tired after a session.
Once again, make sure your body is fully hydrated and ready to enter the infrared sauna to reduce the fatigue you feel when you come out of the sauna.
Your body reacting to detoxification
One reaction that some people get from infrared saunas is called a healing crisis. This is effectively a temporary negative reaction to treatments like detoxing that can last for up to three days.
It’s generally seen as a normal part of the detoxing process and isn;t something to be worried about.
Heat discomfort
While not quite as extreme as a traditional sauna, an infrared sauna will make you hot. For some people, this heat can be a little bit overbearing, particularly if you are very heat sensitive.
In this case, it may be worth reducing the length of your sessions or even lowering the temperature of your sauna.
Light-headedness
This is often a culmination of other factors like dehydration and heat discomfort but some people do report feeling light-headed after an infrared sauna session.
Again, it’s important to know your limits and take it a bit easier if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed.
Should I Be Worried About Feeling Worse After Being In An Infrared Sauna?
It’s important to listen to your body if you aren’t feeling great. If you find yourself feeling dehydrated then it’s important to drink plenty of water before and after your session.
Similarly, if you struggle with the heat, maybe reduce the length of time you spend in a sauna.
With something like a healing crisis, this is a short term reaction and isn’t something you need to worry about after a couple of days. However, if symptoms last longer than three days, it may be worth speaking to a healthcare professional.
How to Avoid These Negative Effects
There are things you can do to ensure you don’t feel worse after being in an infrared sauna:
- Hydrate beforehand: Make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid the effects of dehydration in a sauna.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol: Both of these can quickly dehydrate you, increasing the chances of feeling bad after a session.
- Dress appropriately: You want to ensure you’re wearing minimal clothing, not only to allow the infrared heat to directly contact your skin, but also to ensure that you don’t overheat.
- Listen to your body: Don’t overdo it if you’re feeling weak or tired. It’s not a competition and if you feel you can only do 15 minutes rather than an hour, that’s fine.
- Don’t do too much too fast: Beginners shouldn’t be doing much more than 15-30 minutes. Extending your session duration takes time and there’s no need to rush.
Summary
Most people feel great after coming out of our different types of infrared saunas, but if you don’t it isn’t something you should panic about. Many people struggle with these saunas, particularly beginners.
Just remember, keep yourself hydrated and listen to how your body is feeling. Don’t overdo it.
If you have any questions about potential side effects of using an infrared sauna or are interested in trying an infrared sauna yourself, then get in touch with us today.