What to do in your Clearlight® Infrared Sauna
Ahhh. Stepping into an infrared sauna to begin your day or after a long day of work is like stepping into the warm arms of someone you love. You are immediately comforted by the cozy oasis just like having your loved one holding you tightly in their embrace.
The infrared sauna is a magical place to breathe, think, reflect, sweat, stretch, and grow. It is amazing how much you can accomplish by sitting still for 30 minutes. And believe me, time flies when you are relaxing in the warm bungalow.
Upon entering the sauna, you should take off your shoes and clothing. To maximize health benefits, it’s best to wear nothing in the sauna. If you are more comfortable in garments, a bathing suit is best. Leave your phone and any other distractions outside of the sauna, however, you may bring water in with you. Make sure your water is in a glass bottle or cup, not plastic.
Once inside, you may sit or lie down on a towel. On the days I’m feeling exhausted, I like to lie down and practice my breathing techniques. The only downside to this is that the infrared lights aren’t reaching my back. It’s important that the infrared lights shine on all parts of your body - arms, legs, chest, and back so sitting upright is most beneficial. Get into a position that is comfortable for you and begin to unwind your mind.
I’ve mentioned breathing. As someone who has struggled with asthma for 25 years, breathing has been a challenge for me. The sauna is my favorite place to practice the different breathing techniques that have helped me overcome my asmatic symptoms. While I'm breathing, the world begins to melt away. The oxygen flowing through my body from the breathing and heat allows my mind to go to other places. It can stay focused on my breath, it might wander to the creative corner of my brain, it might reflect on the day, the week, the month, the year, or it might just go blank. I don’t force my mind to do anything during this time, I trust my body and allow my mind to take me wherever it needs to go.
About 15 minutes in is when I begin to really heat up and droplets of sweat cover my body. It’s important to wipe the sweat off so that your pores stay open to continue sweating. I always have three towels in the sauna - one to sit on, one smaller facial towel, and one larger body towel. Once I start sweating more consistently, I enjoy moving around a little bit so I take this time to do some stretching either seated on the bench or standing up. Between stretches, I make sure to wipe off excess sweat.
Towards the end of the sweat session, I like to find a still, comfortable position and just breathe. Sitting still helps me stay focused on the present moment and enjoy my final minutes in the sauna. It also helps prepare my body and brain to step back into the real world with a sense of peace and confidence that was restored over the past 30 minutes. A few big deep breaths and I’m ready to slowly stand up, wipe off my entire body, and exit the infrared sauna, already excited about my next visit to my warm bungalow oasis.