Certain times of the year seem to be peak times for people getting ill.�If you’re the sort of person who seems to catch every bug doing the rounds, you have probably tried different tactics to boost your immune system.�We’ve all tried taking vitamin C, usually when it’s too late we’re already ill, but eating well and exercising regularly are indeed effective ways of supporting our immune system but they aren’t the only ones.�Add using an infrared sauna such as the one at The Float Spa into the mix and it’s happy snot-free days for your immune system as studies show that people who use them regularly have fewer colds and a stronger immune system all round.
Heat Works
When you get a fever to fight an infection, it doesn’t just function to make your body less hospitable for the invading virus or bacteria, it also helps to stimulate the immune system.�Lots of immune functions in the body are heat-sensitive and are triggered when body temperature is raised by a fever.�Infrared saunas raise body temperature to similar levels as a fever and so help to stimulate these immune functions too.�
The Right Kind of Stress
Raising body temperature also has the effect of putting the body under a small amount of stress.�The body dealing with this sort of stress helps to strengthen it in the same way putting stress on our muscles through exercise makes them stronger.�Infrared saunas introduce heat stress and oxidative stress to the body which strengthens the body’s antioxidant capacity which reduces the chances of getting sick.
The Wrong Kind of Stress
Putting small amounts of stress on your body systems help them grow stronger but prolonged mental stress and worry can weaken your immune system.�This is because when we are stressed, our body produces a hormone called cortisol which suppresses immune responses.�The long term build up of cortisol can have a long term effect on the immune system so an effective way to boost it is to reduce stress to lower those cortisol levels.�Spending time in an infrared sauna is very good at reducing stress and balancing hormones.
The Power of Sleep
It’s actually deep sleep that holds the power to boost your immune system but your ability to get a decent amount of deep sleep can be seriously hampered by stress and changing light and temperature levels throughout the year.�Sleep psychologists have discovered that one of things which lets our body know it is time to sleep is a drop in body temperature.�That’s why a nice relaxing infrared sauna session in the late afternoon is a great way to relax and raise your temperature so it can slowly fall again to tell your body it’s sleepy time.
Regular infrared sauna sessions can tackle stress, detox the body, stimulate the immune system and improve health and wellbeing all round.�They’re a great way to help avoiding catching all those nasty bugs that go around, especially in the winter, in addition to a healthy lifestyle with plenty of nutritious food and exercise.�To find out more about infrared sauna please visit or call 01273 933 680.�