Red Light Therapy or Infrared Sauna?

Red Light Therapy

Red light waves starting around 620, and upwards to about a 1,070 nanometers can be found on red light devices and equipment. The photons penetrate tissue and increase energy on a cellular level. The light interacts with water in the cells causing cellular respiration, releasing necessary nitric oxide, ATP, and reactive oxygen species. When this happens inflammation is reduced, pain is blocked, and healing begins. The longer length waves can reach over 3.5 inches into the body. The red light waves are not necessarily hot, but they do heat the body when they're absorbed. Moderate sweating can occur. Now other light waves are added like blue and yellow. These colors are great for acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Infrared / Full Spectrum Sauna

This is not like a dry or wet sauna. This type of sauna utilizes the heat of infrared light waves from around 880 nm all the way to 1mm! The temperature you see in the sauna is the temperature of the light waves being emitted to warm the body. The focus is to raise the core temperature by 3 degrees. This gets the heart to pumping and the blood flowing. The heat triggers the body's heat stress response that ultimately releases a calming effect on the body when it starts sweating. This is wonderful for tired, sore muscles and detoxing. The best part? No dry eyes or breathing difficulties often experienced in other saunas.

Can you combine the two?

As both therapies became popular some sauna companies started pushing to add red light panels inside the sauna. But as time goes on, wellness professionals have started voicing benefits of combining the two, but separately. Red light therapy energizes, while infrared saunas induce relaxation. So yes, they're both great, but maybe you should rotate them instead of trying to get it all in at one time. How about 2 red light therapy sessions a week, for 10 to 15 minutes, and 1 infrared sauna for 30 to 40 minutes?