Since Jenny Cornelia A. Nyborg became chronically ill with ME, self-care has had its own slot in her schedule. Infrared sauna has become part of her health journey.
– If there is one thing I have learned, it is that health must always come first. When I really want to treat myself, I have a session in the infrared IR Sauna Blanket Breeze or IR SauunaPod Active. I have become so fond of them! Infrared sauna warms you deeply, which a hot bath does not. My recipe for success is therefore to have a sauna followed by a hot bath with Epsom salt.
She laughs, before continuing.
– For me, I notice a big difference before and after using the sauna. Especially in the winter months. I live in a very cold place. I do not know how the winter would have been for me if I had not been able to warm my body right to the bone. On top of that, it feels like having been to a spa and had a really good skincare treatment. My skin becomes silky soft.
Jenny alternates between the seated sauna and IR Sauna Blanket Breeze.
– I can get a little dizzy if I sit in the heat for too long. That has not been a problem in the IR Sauna Blanket Breeze. The advantage of the seated sauna is that I can sit in the living room with my fiancé, Håkon, and watch a series while my body gets proper care. The advantage of the infrared sauna blanket is that I can lie down and really have some me-time without interruptions.
She says that the well-being aspect of it all is better in the sauna blanket because she becomes more aware of the moment.
– I am a fan of meditation and relaxation techniques. I usually practise them lying down; a great combination.
Severe ME
Ten years ago, Jenny's life took a complete turn. She was 19 and a nursing student. She exercised, looked after herself, and was a good friend and partner.
– Everyday life was fantastic. I felt free and I liked who I was as a person. Serious illness was not unfamiliar to her.
– Mum got breast cancer when I was 12. She never recovered. That was why I wanted to become a nurse. It seemed so rewarding to help people in vulnerable phases of life. After being struck by glandular fever, she first experienced improvement, but then a deterioration a year later.
– The doctor advised me to carry on as before. I pushed a body that needed rest, and ran my health into the ground. She was eventually diagnosed with a severe form of ME.
Identity crisis
The illness led Jenny into an identity crisis. For who was she when she could not laugh or talk as before? Who was she when she could not be the friend she used to be? Who was the nursing student who found herself on the wrong side of the sickbed?
– Everyday life consisted of going to the toilet, going to the sofa and eating. Everything I identified with was stripped away. I felt like an empty shell without personality, momentum or the ability to cope with life.
Jenny remembered so well who she used to care for. She was not perfect, but she was at least not a shell of a life that had withered away.
– That is how it felt. Illness is not voluntary. I was forced to adapt to new rules that were hard to adjust to. When I realised I was facing an identity crisis, I decided to find new things to identify with.
Sauna and ME
Infrared heat treatment has become part of her health journey.
– I have tried an enormous amount since I became ill, as many people with ME do. The sauna is perhaps what has made the biggest difference to symptom relief for me, she says, stressing that she can only speak from her own experience and what she has heard from others with ME who also have a sauna. For Jenny it is pain-relieving, as circulation improves and stiff muscles soften.
– Absolutely magical. I feel the brain fog lifting, as long as I do not overdo how long I sit. Now that I am a lot better, I feel more energised afterwards, but people with ME should always be careful. Symptom exacerbation is a huge problem for this patient group, and the severity of the illness affects what you can and cannot tolerate.
– There is a lot to consider with ME, such as exertion-triggered symptom exacerbation. It is important to get good information and to listen to your own body. Not everyone tolerates heat equally well, but those who do can really benefit from infrared sauna. To begin with, I sat for no more than ten minutes to find out how my body reacted. Now I am a lot better, and can comfortably do 30 minutes in the seated sauna or 40 minutes in the sauna blanket.
One thing she thinks may be worth noting for people with ME is how important it is to drink enough, before, during and after.
– I was often dehydrated when my health was worse, even though I drank a lot of water. So I took extra steps. I bought effervescent tablets at the pharmacy, Resorb sport and original, which I used to ensure a decent fluid balance. The sport version on sauna days and the original version on other days. The sweat does pour when you have a sauna, she smiles.
Improved quality of life
By being open on social media, Jenny helps others in vulnerable phases of life towards a better quality of life.
– I want to be a solution to the lack of support for the chronically ill. Being chronically ill has ripple effects far beyond the illness itself. Many do not even dare tell those closest to them that they are ill. Openness is needed. She does not take everyday life with progress and improvement for granted.
– Now I am sharing this crazy journey, where I can actually leave the house without getting sicker from it. Ironically, I would have had a wheelchair and a power chair to get out more. Health is more than a healthy body.
– Everyone needs to prioritise things in life that make them happy, and people with chronic illness have the same need for well-being as everyone else. There is a lot you can do to improve your quality of life.
She herself does not say no to a cup of turmeric milk, a little chocolate, a heated blanket or a good series on Netflix.
– Preferably in Håkon's arms. I love spending time with him.
If you would like to follow Jenny on her ongoing health journey, check out her blog or Instagram
Disclaimer: The content of this article is intended as general information only. Research on infrared heat and red light therapy is still evolving, and individual results may vary. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. Contact a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional if you have questions about your own health, diagnosis or treatment.
