I have a healthmate cedar sauna suitcase type box with a cd player. It can go inside or out. It’s held up over decades without needing repairs. Simple electric plug in.
Very relaxing. Think of it like meditation and escape with some health benefits.
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Does a very hot whirlpool spa have some of the same benefits as a sauna? The IR sauna at my gym had been out of commission but they are fixing it now. I really like the whirlpool though, before and after lap swimming. Great for my back.
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Yes if the water is hot enough, it should have benefits. One study even said it beats the sauna Hot water immersion boosts health more than saunas
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Thanks for sharing this study! The hot water before and after swimming does feel like a good practice. Getting the body really heated, and then going directly to the pool --it’s certainly not a cold plunge, but feels icy cold on the surface of the skin. But being heated up internally makes those first few laps quite bearable. Almost like a Baked Alaska in reverse.
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My AI says Photobiomodulation uses wavelengths from 600-1200 or so, Infrared sauna uses 3000-100000. So not the same at all. Seems like a missed opportunity. While you’re sitting there mostly naked you could be making use of the good stuff.
For that matter you could do the 5 minutes of UVB in there too. Just trying to save time.
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The reason she said that you have to stay in longer is because she said that they only reach around 140 degrees F (60 Degrees C) but my Infrared Blanket reaches 176 degrees F (80 degrees C), which is the temperature she recommends in a normal sauna, so I’m pretty sure that is the same.
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What Chinese supplier did you use? What process did you follow? (Just sent them an email? Went through website?) Where there language issues? Could you share what details you decided you definitely wanted in the sauna?
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Could you recommend any model? Arent you worried about the plastic in the blanket?
I chatted with them on the chat function of their store and took it from there. They gave me all the details including lead times and were accurate in their projections. My only after sales problem was with a circuit that for some reason fried, and my point person was on maternity leave. Her replacement was either a complete moron or language barriers made her sound so. In the end I got the replacement part sent but it was a bit frustrating as a process and took too long. Still I ended up getting a very good deal on the sauna.
I settled on red cedar instead of birch because it’s nicer and better for outdoor use. I weatherized it and added waterproof roof, which was extra $$. If you’re placing it indoors only you can save quite a bit.
I got the hybrid model that can flip from infrared to Finnish style sauna. For infrared, there are various types of heaters and I chose a mixture just because I couldn’t decide. I’m glad I have the dual function as depending on the day I prefer one over the other.
If you like the product could you mention the supplier? If you’d rather not make it public maybe you could send it to me in a direct message? Thank you
I do like the product. Here is the supplier:
The inner components were rather cheaply made, according to my handyman who poked around, but it’s held up well for me and I love using it.
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100˚C is wild. Literally cooking yourself, haha.
@P_Taylor I am curious what the forum thinks about the infrared blanket “saunas” though. That’s quite an accessible option for those of us who can’t feasibly install a sauna at home and don’t want to travel to a fitness centre to access one. 80˚C is really hot. Have you verified that your blanket actually reaches that? I thought most of them top out at 60˚C, but they stimulate heating of the body effectively and thus as perceived as hotter.
I use one and it is better than sitting in a sauna imo: Infrared Sauna Blanket | Infrared Sauna Bed | Infrared Sauna Wrap | MiHIGH – MiHIGH AUS
I use it at least once a week on Sundays and it’s a nice way to start a relaxing rest day while watching some Youtube videos and relaxing.
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Cool (or hot!) Yeah, I’ve seen this MiHIGH brand being promoted quite a bit and I’m curious. So you do get a good sweat in there? Heats up quickly?
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Yea I sweat good depending on how high I set the temp. It heaps up fairly fast, faster than a sauna room. I usually put it on for 5 minutes before I hop in.
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I do infrared sauna mostly for relaxation. However, I have noticed that it has an effect that I have not seen reported on (not that I’ve looked very carefully), which is that it seems to make different colors of light more vivid a few hours afterwards (maybe even into the next day). Maybe it recharges the mitochondria in my retina or something. For example, if I do an infrared sauna session and then leave after dark, the red brake lights of cars seem more vivid, as do stop lights and even the green lights. It sort of reminds me how when I was a child colors seemed more engaging and intense.
I notice the same effect after I drink red wine. I think, also, high dose fisetin has a similar effect – though, I haven’t done that (high-dose fisetin) in a long while now; so, I’d have to try it again to remind myself of the effect, but definitely I experience it after a small glass of red wine.
I think berberine might have a similar effect, also, as I was just noticing the other day how colors suddenly seemed more vivid after I took some. (I started experimenting with berberine again after years of not trying any. I don’t take it for the blood sugar effects, but for the potential microbiome effects.)
I’ve heard coluracetam can have the same effect.
Healthmate sauna- 22 years old I got a scare recently when my cd player in the sauna panel lost sound and then I got the dreaded 888 sauna panel error code. No one works on infrared, I tried the advertised sauna services ( steam, pools) , infrared sauna sales stores. all the electricians in town and after three days of searching found a self employed appliance service tech who claims he could fix it but as it turned out it was my GIFC outlet and its working now. With the Healthmate, I like it’s possible outdoor/ indoor dual placement and with this sauna there’s no glass doors. I like that it comes apart like a suitcase and is easy to move and that it can sit on the covered porch out of the way in all types of weather. It’s a one seater but takes up a lot of space. If I had to buy another it would be a two seater 6k Finnmark sauna. They are supposedly indoor, outdoor. They don’t make them like they use to though. Today mostly they have glass door and are just indoor or they are a barrel type and can be used outside. If you plan to get a sauna find out who repairs and services them in your area before you buy. It’s the controller that usually fails. I was also considering a infrared blanket as a cheaper 700 dollar alternative but the heat is conductive and doesn’t penetrate as deeply.