The answer is yes!
It can take time to sweat in an infrared sauna. Unlike in a traditional sauna where the body is responding to hot air and humidity, your body doesn’t start to sweat immediately in an infrared sauna. Infrared wavelengths are absorbed into the body and raising the core body temperature from within, breaking down toxins and inducing a sweat response. Everyone's body is different. Depending on your body’s level of adaptation to heat, the time to sweat and the amount you sweat can vary. Often the sweat glands begin to excrete more during a session between 30 and 40 minutes.
Connie Zack, Co-Owner of Sunlighten, explains that when you sweat in a Sunlighten sauna, it is different than if you were sweating after a workout or on a hot day. You will feel that your sweat is thicker because the content of the sweat is more than just water. You are sweating toxins that are trapped in your body.
If after you step out of your sauna and you are not “sweating,” feel your skin. Is it moist? Does it feel sticky? If the answer is yes, your body is releasing toxins. Some people sweat more than others. But toxins are released during every session.
Are you drinking enough water?
Are you only hydrating on days you know you will sit in the sauna? It is recommended that you drink half your body weight in ounces. Statistically, up to 75% of the American population are dehydrated. Over time, failure to drink enough water can contribute to a wide array of medical complications, from fatigue, joint pain, and weight gain to headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure, and kidney disease.1
Like many people, water is not the first drink that we want to reach for. It is refreshing on a hot day, but most often it is not what we are wanting, although it is what our bodies need to function properly. There are many free apps available to help us drink more water. Here are five popular apps:
- Plant Nanny Available on Android
- My Water – Daily Hydration Tracker Available on Android and IOS
- Drink Water Reminder Available on Android and IOS
- Aqualert Available on Android and IOS
- Water Tracker & Drink Reminder Available on Android
Your body may be adjusting its heat response ("heat acclimation").
Our bodies can acclimate or adjust how they respond to heat over repeated exposure, which can lead to “training” of sweat glands to produce more sweat.1 Heat acclimation, or getting used to heat, can improve fluid balance, which helps the body maintain cardiovascular stability during heat stress.2
Your sweat "fingerprint" is unique to you.
Your unique sweat genetics affect how much you sweat. Just like we all have a unique pattern of lines and ridges that create our fingerprints, every person has a different arrangement of sweat glands throughout their skin. This unique pattern creates your very own “sweat fingerprint.”
Your body has two primary types of sweat glands. Your sweat fingerprint is your own special combination of those types, plus the size, shape, location, and frequency of each varies from person to person. Your unique genetic sweat gland formatting affects the look, feel, amount, content, and even smell of your own sweat. The more sweat glands you have, the more you sweat. Read more information about sweat glands and production here.
For those that want to sweat more than their body is providing and are hydrating properly, Pure Sweat amplifying cream is a great option. Pure Sweat increases your sweating potential three times higher than without Pure Sweat.
There are many health benefits to Sunlighten sauna sessions, including detoxification. One of the main reasons people purchase a far infrared sauna is for the detoxification of heavy metals. Here are 4 steps for a healthy sauna detox:
Each day you are planning to use your Sunlighten sauna, make sure your water intake increases. While our far infrared sauna detoxification isn’t harsh, you are still sweating – some much more than others. It is important that before, during, and after your sauna session, you drink plenty of water to re-hydrate. Detox experts recommend replenishing with a mineral replacement such as BioPure Micro Minerals.
The amount of time spent in a sauna detox session may vary depending upon your tolerance and daily activity level. To get your body accustomed to infrared therapy, start with 10–15-minute sessions every other day. Gradually increase towards 40-minute daily sessions in the optimal temperature range. Listen to your body. Be aware of excessive detoxifying. If you begin to feel symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, or flu-like symptoms during your sauna session, discontinue use.
Preheat sauna and begin session when your sauna reaches 100°F. The optimal sauna experience occurs between 100° and 130°F. With our mPulse® 3 in 1® sauna collection, there is a detoxification program that combines far and mid infrared, starting at a high intensity to increase core temperature then reduces to a low, comfortable intensity level.
After each sauna session, dry off with a towel. It is best to let your body cool off naturally while still burning calories. Finish it off with a cool glass of water and you are ready to take on the day.
Remember to listen to your body and consult with your physician if you have any medical conditions.
