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Everyone knows what a sauna is, but what is a far infrared sauna? Not so many people are familiar with infrared saunas and what they do.

A regular sauna, often known as a Finnish sauna or hot rock sauna, works by heating the air inside the sauna. Anyone who sits in the sauna is thereby heated as well, and the heating effect produces various benefits, including a feeling of wellbeing, de-stressing and relaxation. There are also many health benefits claimed for sauna use.

However a regular, or Finnish, sauna can get up to temperatures of 200 deg or above, and can be quite uncomfortable. Many do not like the sensation of overheating and heavy sweating that come from a while in a regular sauna. And this is usually accentuated by the use of water thrown on the rocks to increase the humidity.

However the number of people who swear by the benefits of saunas are testament to how successful they are.

But there is a new kid on the block. The infrared sauna, otherwise known as the far infrared sauna.

Everyone knows about infrared light, even if they don't know it. Every time the sun comes out from behind a cloud and you feel that immediate heating effect you are sensing the effects of far infrared light.

Infrared is light that comes from the invisible part of the suns spectrum of light waves. It lies somewhere between visible light, and microwaves. Infrared light, or more specifically the far portion of the spectrum, heats us up, but the light in the near part of the infrared spectrum does not.

Infrared has been used in therapies for many years, most are familiar with the old "heat lamps" that use infra red technology. And infra red heating is used in hospital humidicribs. However it is now also used in saunas to produce a more "user friendly" sauna.

As the infrared light used in the sauna does not heat the air as is the case in traditional saunas there is not the same sensation of overheating. The infrared light heats the body in the same way that the sun does, and this is much more relaxing, not producing the same sensations of overheating and oversweating.

And many say that all the therapeutic health benefits of saunas are equally available from infra red saunas, in fact more so. And there are many many claimed health benefits from the use of saunas, including weight loss, cardiovascular improvements, improvements in skin conditions, loss of cellulite in women, reduction in blood pressure and lots more. Infrared therapies are certainly on the rise.

Not only that but unlike traditional Finnish saunas, infrared saunas can be made light, easy to pack up and totally portable, so you can take it along with you. Throw a portable infrared sauna in the car when you go away and take it with you.

If you're handy you can even build your own infrared sauna, so there's no excuse not to have one.

Get yourself an infrared sauna, it's way better than a traditional one, and just as good for you.