Why Infrared Saunas Are So Popular and Why You Should Book a Session, Followed by this:
Located conveniently in Horsham, our infrared sauna offers deep-penetrating heat that reaches muscles to provide a gentle yet effective detox, improve circulation, and accelerate recovery. Whether your goal is to reduce stress, relieve muscle tension, or rejuvenate your skin, just one session will leave you feeling refreshed and reenergized. Book your local infrared sauna session today and feel the difference from the inside out! For information about parking, please click on the contact page.
The benefits include:
Detoxification in an infrared sauna works by using infrared light to penetrate the skin and heat the body directly, rather than just heating the air around you as a traditional sauna does. This unique heating method warms the body more deeply, promoting intense sweating that helps flush out toxins like heavy metals, chemicals, and other impurities stored in fat cells.
Here’s how the detox process works:
- Deep Heat Penetration: Infrared light reaches about 1.5 inches beneath the skin, warming muscles and tissues directly. This triggers a deep sweat, which can release more stored toxins than surface-level perspiration.
- Sweating Out Toxins: Sweating is one of the body’s primary ways to expel toxins. Since infrared saunas create a more prolonged, intense sweat than traditional saunas, they can help remove a higher percentage of toxins, including heavy metals (like mercury and lead) and environmental chemicals.
- Improved Circulation and Lymphatic Flow: The infrared heat promotes blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, which are essential for the body's detoxification systems. Enhanced circulation means toxins are more efficiently transported to sweat glands and eliminated.
- Enhanced Cellular Function: Infrared sauna sessions can increase the body’s metabolic rate, which can assist cells in releasing and clearing toxins while also promoting cellular repair and renewal. This makes it particularly beneficial for whole-body detox.
Regular use of an infrared sauna can support the body’s natural detoxification process, complementing healthy habits like hydration and proper nutrition for an overall detox effect.
Improved circulation in an infrared sauna happens because the heat from infrared light penetrates the skin and reaches deeper layers of muscle and tissues, prompting blood vessels to dilate, or widen. This dilation improves blood flow and supports better oxygen and nutrient delivery to cells, which aids in various bodily functions.
Here’s a breakdown of how improved circulation works in an infrared sauna:
- Vasodilation: As infrared heat penetrates the skin, it causes blood vessels to expand, or dilate. This effect lowers blood pressure and increases blood flow, much like what happens during exercise. The heart rate rises slightly, which encourages circulation throughout the body.
- Increased Oxygen and Nutrient Delivery: Improved blood flow means more oxygen and nutrients are delivered to muscles, joints, and organs. This helps nourish tissues and remove waste products, leading to quicker muscle recovery and decreased stiffness.
- Enhanced Waste Removal: Better circulation also means waste products and toxins, like lactic acid or metabolic byproducts, are more easily transported to the liver and kidneys to be filtered out. This supports a natural detoxification process.
- Reduced Inflammation: Improved blood flow can help reduce inflammation, as increased circulation moves oxygen and anti-inflammatory compounds through the bloodstream, reaching areas of discomfort or swelling.
- Boosted Immune Function: Since blood carries white blood cells and immune system agents, improved circulation helps the body respond faster to potential infections or injuries.
Overall, regular infrared sauna sessions can promote healthy circulation, benefiting cardiovascular health, muscle recovery, immune function, and reducing inflammation.
Pain relief in an infrared sauna is achieved primarily through deep heat penetration, which relaxes muscles, reduces inflammation, and enhances circulation. Infrared saunas target heat directly at the body, warming muscles and tissues from the inside, which can alleviate pain more effectively than surface-level heat.
Here’s how infrared saunas help relieve pain:
- Muscle Relaxation: Infrared heat warms muscles deeply, which reduces tension and spasms. This can be especially helpful for people with muscle tightness, joint pain, or conditions like arthritis. The heat relaxes muscle fibers and soft tissues, helping reduce stiffness and increase flexibility, which eases pain.
- Improved Blood Flow to Painful Areas: Infrared heat encourages blood vessels to dilate, increasing circulation to sore areas. Improved blood flow brings oxygen and nutrients to injured or aching areas, aiding in faster recovery and reducing pain.
- Reduced Inflammation: Many types of pain stem from inflammation in muscles and joints. Infrared heat stimulates the immune system, promotes circulation, and triggers anti-inflammatory responses in the body, which can reduce swelling and pain over time.
- Endorphin Release: Exposure to heat can stimulate the release of endorphins, the body's natural "feel-good" hormones. These endorphins work as natural pain relievers and can help improve mood, making pain easier to manage.
- Increased Range of Motion: The relaxing effects of infrared heat can improve range of motion in joints and muscles, particularly beneficial for conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia. As muscles and joints loosen up, there is often less pain during movement.
- Enhanced Recovery from Injury: For those healing from injuries, infrared sauna use can be a gentle way to promote recovery without further strain. The increased circulation helps deliver healing nutrients while flushing out waste products, supporting recovery and reducing lingering pain.
For people dealing with chronic pain, muscle soreness, or joint stiffness, regular infrared sauna sessions can provide ongoing relief and support the body's natural pain management systems.
Weight loss and calorie burn in an infrared sauna occur primarily through heat-induced calorie expenditure, similar to the body's response to moderate exercise. Infrared saunas stimulate the body’s natural cooling process by raising the core temperature, which leads to sweating, elevated heart rate, and calorie burning, even while at rest.
Here's a breakdown of how it works:
- Increased Heart Rate and Metabolism: Infrared heat penetrates the body, which raises the core temperature. This increased temperature signals the heart to pump faster to maintain cooling through sweat, just as it would during physical activity. The elevated heart rate boosts metabolism, burning more calories than the body would at its resting state.
- Passive Cardio Effect: The effects of infrared sauna heat mimic low to moderate cardio exercise. Studies suggest that a 30-minute session can burn between 200 to 600 calories, depending on factors like age, weight, and fitness level. Although calorie burn varies, the increased cardiovascular activity helps with weight management when combined with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
- Improved Fat Cell Breakdown: Infrared heat can help stimulate lipolysis, the breakdown of fats in the body. When the body uses fat as fuel to produce sweat, it may lead to gradual weight loss over time, particularly with regular sauna sessions.
- Water Weight Loss Through Sweating: Sweating causes an immediate, though temporary, loss of water weight. While this water weight is regained with hydration, it can contribute to a feeling of reduced bloating and lightness. When paired with other fat-burning practices, this process can complement long-term weight loss goals.
- Reduced Cortisol and Stress-Related Weight: Stress and high cortisol levels can lead to weight gain, especially around the abdomen. Infrared saunas can help relax the body and lower cortisol levels, potentially reducing stress-related weight retention.
- Enhanced Post-Workout Recovery: Infrared sauna use after workouts can improve muscle recovery and reduce soreness, allowing people to maintain an active lifestyle and achieve fitness goals with less downtime between sessions.
While infrared saunas support calorie burn and may aid weight loss when combined with a healthy lifestyle, they work best as a complementary approach rather than a primary weight-loss method. Regular use can promote a healthy metabolism and support other wellness goals.
Infrared saunas promote skin health by stimulating circulation, encouraging collagen production, and promoting detoxification through sweating. The infrared light penetrates deep into the skin, which can improve tone, texture, and clarity by nourishing skin cells and clearing out impurities.
Here’s how an infrared sauna benefits the skin:
- Enhanced Circulation and Nutrient Delivery: The infrared heat increases blood flow, delivering oxygen and essential nutrients to skin cells. This circulation boost nourishes the skin and promotes a natural, healthy glow by supporting cellular renewal and repair.
- Detoxification and Deep Cleansing: Infrared saunas induce a deep, cleansing sweat that helps flush out toxins from the skin. These toxins include environmental pollutants, dirt, and dead skin cells that can clog pores. This deep cleanse can improve clarity and reduce the risk of breakouts, leading to smoother, clearer skin.
- Increased Collagen Production: Collagen is a protein responsible for skin elasticity, firmness, and resilience. The heat from the infrared sauna stimulates collagen synthesis, which can improve skin tone and texture over time, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Improved Skin Elasticity: The increased circulation and collagen support can improve skin elasticity, which makes the skin more resilient and reduces sagging, helping it to look firmer and more youthful.
- Reduction in Inflammation: Infrared saunas have anti-inflammatory effects, which can help calm irritated or inflamed skin, making them beneficial for conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and acne. Reduced inflammation can leave skin looking less red and more evenly toned.
- Enhanced Healing: By improving blood flow and supporting skin cell turnover, infrared saunas promote the healing of minor skin blemishes, wounds, and scars. This can lead to a smoother complexion and faster recovery from skin irritations.
- Anti-Aging Effects: Regular infrared sauna sessions can lead to long-term skin health benefits by reducing the visible signs of aging. Increased collagen and elastin production, improved hydration, and a reduction in fine lines contribute to an overall youthful appearance.
With regular use, infrared saunas can help achieve a radiant, clear, and youthful complexion. Pairing sauna sessions with good hydration and skincare can further amplify these skin health benefits.
Stress reduction in an infrared sauna is achieved through a combination of gentle, relaxing heat, physiological changes, and the soothing environment of the sauna session. Infrared saunas activate the body’s natural relaxation response, similar to the calming effects of meditation or mild exercise, which can significantly lower stress levels.
Here’s how an infrared sauna helps reduce stress:
- Heat-Induced Relaxation: Infrared heat promotes muscle relaxation and reduces tension by penetrating deeply into the body’s tissues, which soothes tight muscles and eases physical stress. This physical release can directly influence mental relaxation, helping users feel more at ease.
- Lowered Cortisol Levels: Cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, is often elevated during periods of mental or physical stress. Infrared sauna sessions help reduce cortisol levels, leading to a decrease in feelings of anxiety and tension. Lower cortisol also supports better overall mood and sleep quality, which can further reduce stress over time.
- Endorphin Release: The warmth of an infrared sauna encourages the release of endorphins, natural "feel-good" hormones. These endorphins can boost mood, increase relaxation, and alleviate pain or discomfort, all contributing to a sense of well-being and reduced stress.
- Improved Sleep Quality: Infrared sauna use promotes better sleep by relaxing the body and mind. The calming effects of heat combined with lower cortisol can help regulate sleep patterns, supporting deeper, more restful sleep, which is crucial for stress management and emotional resilience.
- Calming Environment: Saunas provide a quiet, tech-free space for relaxation, away from daily distractions. This break from external stimuli can be restorative and create a sense of calm, allowing users to mentally unwind and recharge.
- Parasympathetic Nervous System Activation: The infrared sauna’s warmth triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” mode. This response helps the body recover from stress, lower heart rate, and promote relaxation.
- Mindfulness and Meditation Opportunity: Spending quiet time in the sauna can also be an opportunity to practice mindfulness or meditation, which can further reduce stress levels.
Regular infrared sauna use can provide cumulative benefits, making it easier to manage everyday stress, relax more deeply, and maintain emotional balance. Combining sauna sessions with deep breathing, meditation, or relaxation exercises can enhance these stress-relieving effects.
Infrared saunas can boost the immune system by creating a fever-like effect in the body, stimulating immune cell activity, and promoting better circulation. This process helps the body strengthen its defenses against infections and illnesses.
Here’s how infrared saunas support immune health:
- Fever-Like Response: Infrared heat increases the body's core temperature, mimicking a mild fever. This artificial fever creates an environment in which bacteria and viruses struggle to survive, giving the immune system an advantage in fighting infections.
- Activation of Immune Cells: The heat stress from an infrared sauna stimulates immune cell activity, particularly white blood cells (like T-cells and natural killer cells) that target harmful pathogens. This boost in immune cell activity helps the body respond more quickly to infections.
- Increased Circulation: Infrared heat improves blood flow, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients to tissues and cells. Enhanced circulation also allows white blood cells and other immune agents to travel more effectively throughout the body, speeding up response times and recovery.
- Detoxification Support: Sweating in the infrared sauna helps flush out toxins, heavy metals, and environmental pollutants that can burden the immune system. By reducing this toxic load, the body is better equipped to fend off potential threats.
- Reduction in Cortisol Levels: High stress and elevated cortisol can suppress immune function, making the body more susceptible to illness. Infrared saunas reduce cortisol levels, lowering stress and enabling the immune system to operate more effectively.
- Lymphatic System Activation: Infrared sauna sessions stimulate the lymphatic system, which is essential for clearing out waste and toxins from the body. The lymphatic system also transports immune cells, so improved lymphatic flow supports stronger immunity.
- Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Infrared heat can reduce inflammation, which plays a role in many chronic conditions and weakens immune function. By reducing inflammation, the sauna can help the immune system stay focused on real threats rather than managing internal inflammation.
Consistent use of an infrared sauna, combined with hydration and a healthy lifestyle, can help keep the immune system primed and resilient, enhancing the body’s natural defenses against seasonal illnesses and stressors.
Enhanced energy production in an infrared sauna is achieved by stimulating cellular activity and improving mitochondrial function. Infrared light penetrates the skin and is absorbed by the cells, particularly in the mitochondria, which are the energy powerhouses of the body. This effect can boost the body’s ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the molecule responsible for storing and delivering energy in cells.
Here’s how infrared saunas enhance energy production:
- Mitochondrial Stimulation: Infrared light penetrates deeply, reaching the mitochondria in cells. This light energy stimulates the mitochondria to produce more ATP, which provides energy for various bodily functions. Enhanced ATP production is associated with increased energy levels and overall vitality.
- Improved Oxygen and Nutrient Delivery: The infrared sauna increases circulation, bringing more oxygen and essential nutrients to cells. This boost supports cellular energy production, as oxygen is essential for efficient ATP generation in the mitochondria.
- Detoxification for Better Cellular Function: The detoxifying effects of an infrared sauna help clear out toxins and waste products that can inhibit cellular function. By reducing this toxic load, cells can operate more efficiently, enhancing overall energy production.
- Enhanced Blood Flow: The improved circulation from infrared heat supplies more oxygen and nutrients to muscles and organs, fueling them for optimal performance. This increase in blood flow also aids in quicker recovery and reduces fatigue, giving you more energy post-session.
- Hormonal Balance and Cortisol Reduction: Infrared saunas help balance stress hormones, such as cortisol. Lowered cortisol levels reduce stress and enhance energy levels, as chronic stress can deplete the body’s energy reserves.
- Boosted Enzyme Activity: Infrared light can also activate enzymes involved in energy production, supporting more efficient metabolism and energy availability at a cellular level. This process ensures that cells are well-prepared to meet the body’s energy demands.
- Reduced Muscle Fatigue: Infrared saunas help relax muscles and reduce lactic acid buildup, often a source of post-exercise fatigue. By minimizing lactic acid accumulation, they help users feel less tired and more energized after physical activities.
Consistent infrared sauna use can lead to better energy levels by supporting cellular health and promoting efficient ATP production. This effect can help improve endurance, mental clarity, and overall physical stamina.
Infrared saunas help reduce oxidative stress by promoting antioxidant production, improving circulation, and enhancing cellular repair. Oxidative stress occurs when there's an imbalance between free radicals (unstable molecules that can damage cells) and antioxidants in the body. Chronic oxidative stress contributes to aging, inflammation, and various diseases.
Here’s how infrared saunas can reduce oxidative stress:
- Stimulation of Antioxidant Production: Infrared sauna sessions have been shown to increase the production of antioxidants like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione. These antioxidants neutralize free radicals, helping to balance oxidative stress and protect cells from damage.
- Improved Blood Circulation: Infrared heat increases circulation, allowing oxygen and nutrients to reach cells more effectively. Enhanced blood flow helps transport antioxidants to areas of oxidative stress, where they can combat free radical damage.
- Enhanced Cellular Repair: Infrared light penetrates cells, stimulating the mitochondria to produce more energy (ATP) and supporting cellular repair mechanisms. Healthier, more resilient cells are better equipped to manage and reduce oxidative stress.
- Detoxification Support: Sweating in the sauna aids in flushing out heavy metals and environmental toxins, which contribute to oxidative stress. By reducing this toxic load, the body can focus on balancing free radicals and maintaining cellular health.
- Reduction of Inflammation: Infrared saunas can reduce chronic inflammation, which is both a cause and effect of oxidative stress. Lower inflammation decreases cellular stress and helps limit the production of free radicals, further reducing oxidative damage.
- Lowered Stress Hormone Levels: Chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, which can contribute to oxidative stress. Infrared saunas promote relaxation, helping to reduce cortisol and allowing the body to maintain a better oxidative balance.
- Enhanced Immune Response: By supporting immune health, infrared saunas help the body more efficiently manage oxidative stress and repair cellular damage. A robust immune system can better combat the oxidative damage caused by infections or chronic inflammation.
Regular infrared sauna use can help protect cells from oxidative stress, contributing to better skin health, reduced inflammation, and potentially slowing the aging process. When paired with a healthy lifestyle, infrared saunas can be a powerful tool for managing oxidative stress and supporting overall well-being.
Infrared Sauna for One Person
Non-members
Block of 5 sessions
£125
Non-members
Single session
£30
Infrared Sauna for Two Persons
Non-members
Block of 5 sessions
£225
Non-members
Single session
£50
We also offer an Infrared Sauna Monthly Membership, which includes 4 sessions per month.
What to Expect in Our Infrared Sauna
You will be greeted by one of our friendly staff members, who will escort you to the private sauna room. The room includes its own shower and relaxation area for your convenience. Our team will set the timer, temperature, and ambient lighting before you begin.
When you start your session, the temperature will be around 25°C and will gradually rise to a maximum of 50–60°C. This range allows your body to comfortably absorb and release heat. Unlike traditional saunas, far infrared saunas offer a more tolerable heat, allowing for longer sessions. We recommend a 25-minute session for beginners, and up to 45 minutes for more experienced users.
We provide a shower facility, towels, shower soap, hairdryer, water, herbal tea, and relaxing music, so you can start or end your day feeling refreshed. If you'd like to listen to music or meditation from your phone, you can connect via Bluetooth. However, we recommend leaving your phone outside the sauna to avoid potential heat damage and distractions during your session.
Our saunas are spacious and can be used either privately or shared with a partner.
Once you're ready, undress completely and step into the sauna, making sure to close the door firmly. A fresh towel will be provided on the seat, as you’ll sweat quite a bit during your session.
You will gradually feel the warmth, unlike the sudden intense heat of a traditional sauna. The seat remains comfortable, and the air inside isn’t humid or difficult to breathe. The heat feels more like the warmth you experience while exercising but without the physical effort. If the heat becomes too much, you can easily open the door for instant relief.
Most people find the experience deeply relaxing and soothing. By the end, you’ll be covered in sweat, which is the goal! You’ll leave feeling mentally calm and physically relaxed.
After your session, we recommend taking a shower and enjoying a cup of herbal tea while you cool down.