Self-care looks different for every A-list celebrity. For some, it’s a simple face mask every night or an incognito shopping spree. For others like Jennifer Aniston from the iconic TV series Friends, it’s a little more unique. From her hair care routine to her fitness regime, Aniston is very open on the ways she makes herself feel healthy and good. She’s a fan of both meditation and yoga and she sticks to a balanced diet. But for her fitness favorites, she said that at-home infrared sauna sessions were one of her go-to treatments in an interview. The treatment involves sitting in an enclosed sauna and getting blasted with infrared light and is said to give plenty of health benefits. Aside from improved skin, relaxation, and detoxification, studies also show that home infrared saunas can improve heart health, provide pain relief, and fight off illnesses.
Home infrared sauna therapy benefits Aniston loves
Aniston became a devout infrared sauna user after trying out her friend, Courtney Cox’s, portable infrared sauna. Now, it has become a regular part of her fitness routine.
“Infrared saunas, I also think, are really helpful after a good workout. There are the little infrared blankets. And then I go into my infrared sauna. I don’t even use the regular sauna anymore. It’s just strictly infrared. It’s much nicer and much more effective.” she said in an interview with Byrdie.
Detoxification Benefits
One of the benefits of home infrared sauna therapy that Aniston loves is detoxification.
The sweat you produce in infrared saunas not only helps cool your body down but it also encourages excretion, a crucial part of your body’s detoxification system. The heat also encourages better blood circulation. So as you sweat, you expel various substances from your body including salts, sugar, and even trace amounts of heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and arsenic.
These heavy metals can be found in your food, water, medicine, and other items you often interact with every day. And you can absorb small amounts of them in microscopic form. While the body has natural ways to expel these, heavy exposure can still lead them to accumulate. If not expelled, they will attach to your cells and affect enzyme and protein production preventing your organs from functioning as they should.
Glowing Skin
To maintain her skin health, Aniston depends on a balanced diet, supplements, and proper rest. Then, she augments this with the use of infrared saunas.
With infrared saunas, the near-infrared light comes in contact with the mitochondrion of the cell and stimulates the production of adenosine triphosphate production (ATP). This increases the production of collagen fibers, procollagen, and various cytokines which improves the appearance of your skin.
Given that infrared sauna also helps improve your circulation, your blood can distribute the proper nutrients to your skin tissues as well.
Relaxation
The very act of sitting in an infrared sauna session can act as a form of meditation and mindfulness for many people. This is especially true in the beginning when the heat is just starting to warm the body up.
One of the best ways to get into the meditative state as your body starts to ease and loosen up is through breathwork, more specifically diaphragmatic breathing. This technique, also known as belly breathing, involves deep inhalations and slow exhalations using your diaphragm instead of your chest muscles. Research has shown that breathing techniques like this activate the parasympathetic nervous system and help promote a calm mental state.
There are also plenty of guided meditations available for sauna use. You can find them in meditation apps, YouTube, and websites. These can guide you in relaxing and focusing your mind.
Practices like this have been shown to help manage stress and anxiety. Additionally, research has also shown that infrared saunas can help reduce cortisol, the stress hormone of the body, which helps provide an overall relaxing experience after the sauna.
Better Sleep
Getting quality sleep is important for your day-to-day life and overall health. In multiple interviews, Aniston has noted that this is such a crucial part of her overall wellness. And infrared saunas have been linked to better sleep in users.
As your body cools off after a session, your body sends melatonin to your brain signaling that it’s ready to rest. Added to the relaxation factor that infrared saunas provide, this allows you to fall asleep faster and to get deeper sleep.
If you’re looking to start your own at-home infrared sauna journey like Aniston, take a look at our sauna models. If you’re having a hard time choosing the right make and model, our team would be happy to help. Reach out to us today and we’ll help you find the right sauna model for you.