Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful times of life. Along with the beauty can come to a lot of discomforts, however. While pregnant, many women experience sore muscles and an overall feeling of stress in their bodies. Infrared saunas can help pregnant women embrace relaxation while pregnant. The important thing is learning how to use infrared sauna during pregnancy safely.
What Is Infrared Sauna?
Before learning how to use infrared sauna during pregnancy safely, it’s important to understand exactly what infrared sauna is. This treatment has been gaining popularity recently, and for good reason.
An infrared sauna is a specific type of sauna that uses light to create heat. It is sometimes referred to as a far-infrared sauna because of where the infrared waves fall on the light spectrum.
So, what’s the difference between an infrared sauna and a traditional sauna? Traditional saunas warm the air with heat to subsequently warm your body, while infrared saunas heat your body directly rather than the air around you.
The main appeal of infrared saunas is that they are accessible to a wider range of people. This is because they use lower temperatures than traditional saunas to provide the same results. This means that people who are unable to tolerate high temperatures due to a variety of reasons, including pregnancy, can safely use infrared saunas.
Benefits of Using Infrared Sauna During Pregnancy
If you’re on the edge about trying an infrared sauna during pregnancy, it may be helpful to learn that you do stand to benefit from the experience. As long as you have consulted with your doctor and been given the green light to use the infrared sauna while pregnant, you have a lot to gain.
Here are 5 benefits that come from using an infrared sauna while pregnant:
- Detoxification: one of the main functions of any sauna, including infrared saunas is detoxification. Sweating is one of the body’s natural ways of removing toxins and infrared saunas boost that process. Infrared saunas facilitate the removal of up to seven times more toxins than traditional saunas. Keeping your body detoxified during pregnancy will help maintain the health of you and your baby.
- Relaxation: pregnancy is a wonderful time of life, but it can also be stressful dealing with the constant body changes and hormonal shifts. Using an infrared sauna will help balance your body’s stress hormone, cortisol, resulting in the release of tension throughout your body and the overall feeling of relaxation.
- Pain Relief: muscle and joint pain is one thing you can’t get away from during pregnancy. Rather than suffering day in and day out, besides having the best recliner for back pain, use an infrared sauna to relieve inflammation by increasing circulation and relaxing muscles.
- Better Circulation: swollen feet are a common affliction during pregnancy which can be traced back to issues with circulation. Using an infrared sauna on a regular basis during pregnancy will stimulate blood flow to keep your circulation moving.
- Skin Purification: along with the hormonal changes of pregnancy come many issues including skin blemishes. Infrared saunas help to eliminate the toxins building up in your pores. This leaves you with clearer, softer, and more radiant skin.
How To Use Infrared Sauna Safely While Pregnant
While using an infrared sauna during pregnancy offers a wide range of benefits, it’s crucial that you engage in treatments safely. Before you use an infrared sauna, have a thorough conversation with your doctor about whether it’s a safe option for you and how to proceed with treatments.
Here are a few factors to focus on to ensure safety while using an infrared sauna during pregnancy:
- Temperature: when using an infrared sauna during pregnancy, make sure that the temperature does not climb higher than 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Babies in utero cannot regulate their own body temperature. This means they are unable to withstand the extreme temperatures of traditional saunas.
- Session Time: if your doctor has given you the okay to spend time in an infrared sauna while pregnant, be sure to keep a timer handy. Pregnant women should not spend more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time in an infrared sauna. Luckily, just a few minutes in an infrared sauna can provide relief from muscle and joint pain during pregnancy.
- Hydration: spending time in an infrared sauna can lead to dehydration. That is why it is vital that pregnant women drink plenty of water before using infrared saunas. Even if you’re not thirsty, drink a good amount of water before stepping into the sauna.
- Blood Pressure: another risk for pregnant women in using infrared saunas is low blood pressure, which usually results from dehydration. Before starting an infrared sauna session, check your blood pressure to ensure that it is steady at a normal level. Never use an infrared sauna if your blood pressure is low while pregnant.
- Listen to Your Body: you know your body better than anyone. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or faint in any way while using an infrared sauna during pregnancy, stop the treatment immediately and take yourself into an area with a cooler temperature.
Where To Find Infrared Saunas
Like any type of sauna, you will be able to find infrared saunas available at many spas or therapeutic treatment centers in your area. Infrared saunas have become increasingly popular, so you should not struggle to find one available for use.
If you feel that getting to a spa while pregnant is a challenge, but you’re still interested in reaping the benefits, you can consider investing in a portable infrared sauna. Investing in a portable infrared sauna will allow you to relax and detox from the comfort of your own home or other locations you may visit during pregnancy.
Conclusion
Infrared saunas are a useful tool in the fight against discomfort and stress during pregnancy. If you’re interested in using an infrared sauna, seek out the advice of your doctor before trying the treatment. Remember to control the temperature, enjoy short sessions, and listen to your body while in the infrared sauna!
Born in Belarus, 1985, a pedagogue and family psychologist, mother. Taking part in procedures of social adaptation of the foster children in new families. Since 2015 is a chief editor of the motherhow.com project, selecting the best and up-to-date material for those, who are planning, expecting, and already having babies.