As people continue to seek out special sunscreen lotions to protect them from the suns damaging ultraviolet rays, more and more individuals are also embracing modern technology to benefit from far infrared or thermal light indoors at their own leisure. Chief among the consumer products making use of the technology is the far infrared sauna or heat therapy room.

A key characteristic of far infrared light is its ability to heat an object directly without raising the temperature of the air surrounding the object. In technical terms, this is called direct light conversion. Its perhaps best demonstrated when youre outdoors on a summer day and a large cloud moves in front of the sun. In the shade, you do not feel as warm as you did when you were basking in the direct path of the suns energy. The air temperature, though, is no cooler than it was before the cloud obscured the sun. Yet, by moving between you and the sun, the cloud has blocked the suns far infrared rays from reaching you. Thats why you feel cooler even though the temperature of the air surrounding you did not change.

The value of far infrared light to our health and wellness should not be underestimated. Penetrating as deeply as three inches into our bodies, far infrared rays improve blood circulation, stimulate endorphins, lower lactic acid, kill certain bacteria and parasites, and burn calories. Proponents of hyperthermia, also known as fever therapy, maintain that using such deep-penetrating far infrared energy to therapeutically induce higher body temperatures helps fight infections and even cancer. Their argument is supported by the human body itself, which radiates infrared energy for the benefits of warmth and tissue repair.

Saunas have always been a tried, tested and true source of health benefits. For centuries, traditional saunas have helped to improve cardiovascular function, promote body detoxification, maintain general health, and foster greater relaxation in sauna bathers throughout the world. For many, the traditional hot sauna the Finnish sauna remains the preferred route to renewed health and a revitalized spirit.

Far infrared saunas or heat therapy rooms offer most of the same benefits that traditional Finnish saunas do; however, they do so at lower, more tolerable temperatures. While the air temperature in a typical traditional Finnish sauna bath ranges from 170 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, such temperatures are not required in a far infrared sauna to induce effective bather perspiration.

By penetrating the bathers body and achieving a deep, satisfying heat of just 100 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the far infrared rays can create a thoroughly cleansing, detoxifying and rejuvenating experience for the bather. In fact, many sources claim that the volume of sweat produced during a far infrared sauna session can be as much as three times greater than in a traditional Finnish sauna. The higher volume of sweat means a faster, more thorough, and therefore more beneficial flushing of toxic chemicals and heavy metals from the body.

Far infrared rays are a fundamental, indispensable part of life on Earth. All creatures in our environment people, animals, plants receive and radiate them. And now, with far infrared saunas and other infrared applications becoming increasingly common, we humans are wisely taking steps to benefit from those rays and improve the quality of our own lives.