Get better sleep with an infrared sauna

Sleep is a necessity that affects the quality of our waking lives. Exploring methods that can improve sleep can be an investment in one's own health and well-being. For many, infrared sauna has become such a tool.

In our fast-paced modern lifestyle, where the focus is often on productivity, efficiency, and everything we "have to" do, sleep can often be deprioritized. The constant demands of work, social obligations, and how we are "lured" to social media can often interfere with or come at the expense of how much and how well we sleep.

Sleep plays a crucial role in overall health, immune function, mental well-being, and cognitive and athletic performance. In the pursuit of better sleep, the use of infrared sauna continues to emerge. Studies suggest that sauna can improve sleep (and quality of life).

"Studies have shown that passive heat exposure, as with infrared sauna, can significantly improve sleep quality. Essentially, it's about the sleep-inducing processes that occur with the heating and cooling of core body temperature before bedtime."

Sleep is not a luxury. It is a fundamental necessity for the body to function normally. When we sleep, the body initiates a series of vital processes right down to the molecular level, affecting energy balance, the brain, mood, and concentration. Recent studies also suggest that sleep plays an important role in removing the accumulation of toxins in the brain.

Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to a number of health problems. If we don't get the sleep we need, it also affects our mental and emotional well-being.

Sauna, temperature regulation, and sleep hormones

Our ability to fall asleep is closely linked to the body's core temperature. As part of the circadian rhythm, our internal temperature is regulated throughout the day, with a drop in temperature in the evening, paving the way for a good night's sleep. The drop in temperature along with lower light levels in the evening stimulates the production of the "sleep hormone" melatonin in the brain, which prepares the body for sleep.

When you expose your body to passive heat exposure, you stimulate a number of interconnected and sleep-inducing processes, including the immune system (ATP, adenosine and cytokines), an increase in hormones (growth hormones, prolactin) and neurotransmitters from the brain, all of which are important for the body's sleep regulation.

Furthermore, it is believed that the cooling period after a sauna session mimics the natural drop in temperature that occurs before we go to bed. It is therefore important to take a sauna one to two hours before bedtime for the best sleep effect.

Sauna use also has a well-known ability to promote relaxation, boost mood, and reduce stress, which in itself has a remarkable effect on sleep.

Sauna, pain, and sleep

Pain can be a major contributing factor to poor sleep. In 2007, a widespread study found that at least 50% of people with insomnia also suffered from chronic pain. It is perhaps not surprising that pain can disrupt sleep cycles. If you suffer from a lot of pain, it is difficult to get quality sleep, while a full night's sleep can relieve painful symptoms. For those living with chronic pain, tools that promote quality sleep can be a key component to improving daily life.

When it comes to pain management, a number of studies have shown that sauna is a good tool for pain, including improvements in muscle and joint pain associated with conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. Infrared sauna can provide good pain relief for chronic pain patients, with one of the natural "side effects" being better sleep and more joy in everyday life.

Infrared Health Journey: 7 out of 10 reported better sleep

Even in acute circumstances, sauna use can alleviate (or even prevent) muscle damage after exercise, as well as help promote relaxing and deeper sleep. More and more elite athletes use infrared saunas to optimize recovery, where sleep plays an important role.

When Radiant Health organized an infrared health journey for 10 selected participants in 2022, 7 out of 10 experienced better sleep when they tested infrared sauna over a period of 10 weeks. Read about their experiences HERE.

Incorporating sauna use into daily life can yield many beneficial sleep-inducing health benefits. From hormone regulation and immune system boosting to increased mental clarity and pain management, regular sauna sessions can offer a holistic path to improved sleep.