Near Infrared Vs. Far Infrared Sauna

As more and more people are interested in sauna therapy, various versions of the traditional sauna have been developed, which aim at giving additional benefits. Conventional style is called Finnish sauna and infrared sauna is the modern type.

The former involves heating up indoor air to increase sweating and detoxification, while an infrared sauna provides the same by heating up objects. In infrared saunas, indoor heating is done by installation of infrared heaters. Before going through the details of near infrared vs. far infrared sauna, let's try to understand the basics of these saunas.

As we all know, the infrared waves do not come in the visible spectrum. Their wavelengths are longer than that of the visible light, but shorter than microwaves. In short, the infrared light falls between visible light and microwaves in the electromagnetic spectrum.

A near infrared sauna is designed in such a way that indoor warming is carried out by infrared radiant waves, which lie near to the red light of the visible spectrum. Over here, the heat source is a simple infrared heat lamp.

Compared to the near infrared sauna, the indoor sauna is heated by infrared radiant waves that are closest to the microwave portion in the electromagnetic spectrum. Thus, the wavelength of far infrared light is much longer than that of the near infrared light.

As a result, the energy provided by far infrared light is about 10 times lower, as compared to energy of near infrared light. In case of this sauna unit, metal or ceramic heating elements are used for emitting far infrared energy.

In the following lines, I will take you through the details comparing near infrared and far infrared saunas. Have a look.

The near infrared light waves penetrate deeper inside the body and increase energy at cellular level. Consequently, near infrared type of sauna promotes cell regeneration and quick healing in addition to heat therapy.

According to proponents, tissue penetration with near infrared sauna therapy is more than 3 inches, while it hardly reaches 3 inches for the far infrared sauna therapy. Also, a user can rotate the near infrared heater in specialized areas, which is not possible with the far infrared sauna model.

According to health experts, near infrared sauna is superior to far infrared sauna in terms of healing and therapeutic applications. In addition to increased sweating, the near infrared sauna benefits include increased production of collagen for younger looking skin, relieving pain, detoxifying effect and reducing inflammation.

Far infrared sauna benefits are mainly attributed to body detoxification and heat therapy. For both saunas, drinking ample water is suggested, while participating in the sauna sessions.

For any type of indoor sauna, safety of the user is the first and foremost concern. In this aspect also, near infrared sauna is the better choice when compared with a far infrared sauna. Both types of saunas generate electromotive force (EMF).

This is unavoidable, owing to the type of heating sources used in the sauna units. Nevertheless, the amount of EMF produced by near infrared sauna is much lower in comparison to that of far infrared sauna. Lastly, the wiring and overall setting of near infrared sauna is safer than the far infrared one.

A near infrared sauna consumes less energy and is easy to maintain in the long run. Changing the lamps of the heater unit is no different from replacing regular light bulbs. On the other hand, installing the heating elements of far infrared sauna is not so easy, and many times, it requires professional help. In order to make a prompt decision, you can compare the near and far infrared sauna reviews.

The bottom line is, both these infrared saunas are improved alternatives of the traditional sauna style. Maximum therapeutic benefits are received from the heating mechanism itself, which is present in both the types. But, don't forget to take the advice of a physician, who will give you an insight about heat therapy along with the pros and cons of infrared sauna.