Can Sitting In An Infrared Sauna Really Help You Lose Weight ? - Rejuv - Carlsbad - Encinitas - San Diego - Sauna Near Me - Infrared Sauna Near Me

Can Sitting In An Infrared Sauna Really Help You Lose Weight?

Because TBH just sitting there relaxing while dropping pounds sounds pretty amazing.

Can you actually sweat out your fat? Sounds too good to be true. But that's exactly what the popular infrared saunas that are popping up all over the place are claiming.

In case you're late to the craze: Infrared sauna are heated to 120 to 140 degrees compared to the 200-degree heat of a traditional sauna.

Infrared aficionados claim that the benefits of stripping down in infrared hot-boxes (at an average rate of $45 per 30-minute session) include detoxification from heavy metals and toxins, clearer skin, faster muscle recovery, and yes, weight loss.

We're not talking water weight, either. Infrared saunas often claim that because infrared light waves can penetrate the skin, they can literally burn fat and clear your system of both body fat and blood-floating fats, like cholesterol

Saunas (infrared or traditional) also cause your core temperature to increase—and that can raise your heart rate. One 2017 European Journal of Preventive Cardiology study found that participants' heart rates stayed elevated for up to 30 minutes following a sauna session—similar to what people experience when performing moderate-intensity cardio like jogging. Sauna lovers have been quick to equate that with weight loss.

But Can You Really Heat Yourself Thin?

“There are zero studies showing long-term weight-loss benefits from using infrared saunas,” says Brian Quebbemann, M.D.,

One very small study out of Binghamton University in New York exposed people to an infrared sauna three times per week for 45 minutes. After four months, those who used the sauna had up to a 4 percent drop in body fat compared to the control group whose body fat did not change. However, the researchers did not control participants' exercise or diet outside of the experiment. So it's hard to say what really caused their weight loss.

So Are There Any Body Benefits?

It's definitely possible that using an infrared sauna might make some people feel better—and therefore lead to weight loss. After all, many people say that infrared saunas help them feel more relaxed and less stressed, Quebbemann says. And stress has a huge role in weight gain and weight loss.

Plus, in one study published in Springerplus, researchers found that infrared saunas (which emit infrared light waves for heat) improved exercise recovery. So, if your workout leaves you with two days of limp-inducing soreness, sitting in a sauna might help you can get back to the gym sooner.

Should You Hit Up The Heat?

If flushed cheeks and sweat puddles make you feel zen, go ahead and give infrared saunas a try. (Just talk to your doctor first, to make sure your body won't have an adverse reaction to the heat.)

And, remember, no matter how much a sauna makes you sweat, it's no replacement for exercise.