The best satisfaction we get in The Jewel is seeing the transformation in a guest’s face when they walk out of Reception after their 2-hour spa experience. So often we get the comment, “that infrared sauna worked wonders on my back pain”.
You see, unlike traditional saunas, the infrared heat penetrates deep into the body. It is credited with reducing inflammation, releasing toxins and improving mood by increasing serotonin levels. We always recommend maximum 15 minutes at a time during a spa visit. Toxins are released through perspiration so the best practice is to have a quick shower , or cold plunge, after every use to get rid of the toxins.
Our river plunge pool provides double benefits then. The heat from the infrared sauna, and traditional sauana, causes the blood vessels to dilate which improves circulation and relaxes muscles. The cold water constricts the blood vessels, reducing blood flow, swelling and pain.
I first heard about the anti inflammatory powers of infrared light when my sons were playing hurling as teenagers. It was the way of ensuring after a physical match on a Sunday that they were ready for school on Monday morning. No excuse of injuries or niggly aches. We bought a simple infrared lamp online. It served its purpose wonderfully. Ten or fifteen minutes lying down with the lamp positioned over the achy area seemed to sort out the tired muscles after a hard fought battle.
Over time, I found myself using it just for a feeling of wellness. In the depth of winter when we are starved of sunshine, there is something very soothing about the light from the infrared lamp. You can feel the heat penetrating into your body, and unlike sunshine, there is no damaging ultraviolet rays to damage the skin. Setting boundaries and limiting the time spent to 15 minutes and keeping hydrated are good guidelines.
So when it came to chosing therpaies for our Riverside Spa in Glengarriff, an infrared sauna was top of the list!
