I honestly can't believe that in 10 years of owning this thing that I haven't written a post about how helpful it is for me... I think it just proves that I do A LOT and I can't really keep track of it all to write about it!
My super duper cheapo portable Far Infrared Sauna! (As opposed to the $1,000+ ones...)
And look, despite CRAZY inflation, it's only gone up to $219 in 10 years! Ha! They're still making it too, so I think I made a good choice:
First, let me acknowledge the elephant in the room, which was something I didn't know about at the time of purchase:
EMFs. I have no idea what kind of EMFs this sauna emits, and I recognize that they are a problem with infrared saunas in general. If you're sensitive and must avoid them, you will probably need to invest in a much more expensive brand that verifies low EMFs from their products. I know there are sauna companies out there, but I have zero experience with them and I'm the wrong person to ask.
I'm not real clear on if EMFs affect me... maybe they're the reason I zone out so much indoors, but feel way more awake and alert when I'm up in the mountains in national parks. What I can say is that I don't feel worse from using my sauna regularly.
I got started with using saunas because of my Naturopathic Doctor, who is the reason I recovered some of my health. He has a really high quality far infrared sauna in his clinic, and he had me using it regularly as part of my treatments. It was really difficult to endure. I was so sick that the energy it took to survive that thing still haunts me. I remember my heart pumping into my throat, the sweat flowing like waterfalls, my vision going in and out... it was tough. But the more I used it, the more I was able to endure it, and the better I felt after each session. I was comfortable with the process because I trusted my doctor, and his nurses were monitoring me.
I was living in North Dakota, and my doctor was in New Hampshire. I wanted an option to use at home. So, on a whim, and with encouragement from my dad, I bought this one. It's not as effective as my doctor's, but it has the same effect if I stay in it long enough. I sweat waterfalls, my heart rate goes sky high, and I'm left feeling completely exhausted after. Yeah, it does the job I want it to do.
Yes, it does seem crazy for someone with ME/CFS and POTS to be using a sauna. I am only sharing my experience, and I am NOT recommending all my readers do this. Remember, these blog posts are NOT medical advice. In fact, I would probably work with your doctor before using a sauna, because there are definitely some potential risks. I do not use my sauna when I don't feel strong enough to tolerate it - in fact I usually take all my pills and drink some caffeine first to stabilize myself the best I can. I don't use it on days when I have something to do. I only do it on days when I know I can rest and recover. It can trigger my PEM (post exertional malaise) when I don't time out when and how I use the sauna, but the PEM it causes is so much more peaceful than a typical crash and I recover faster from it.
Here's the benefits for me, personally:
- Clears up hives and rashes on my skin
- Helps my blood flow to every part of my body (it's like a miracle!)
- It takes away my shakes, jitters, and itches and lets me rest calmly afterwords
- I sleep more deeply and peacefully when I use it regularly
- My digestion and metabolism is improved when I use it regularly
- It reduces my muscle pain and cramping, probably because it gets blood to my muscles
- I feel more stable and stronger when I use it regularly, with fewer POTS episodes
- It helps manage my weight a little
- My vision seems to be sharper after I use it
- I feel more resilient to changes or stress when I use it regularly
- My reactions to allergens and chemicals are reduced when I use it regularly
- I just feel better... yes, it leaves me tired, but I feel more calm and at peace.
And here's some articles and studies on Far Infrared Saunas for you skeptics:
sauna-webinar (drbenlynch.com)
Far-infrared saunas for treatment of cardiovascular risk factors - PMC (nih.gov)
I like to lay a thick towel on the bottom to collect my sweat. I fold another thick towel into a soft seat to sit on. I've found that I do not like to sit on the chair and poke my head out the top. I greatly prefer to sit on the bottom cross legged, completely enclosed. It's easier for me to endure this way, and I feel the whole effect on my whole body instead of keeping my head cool. I keep another towel or two in there to use to wipe my face regularly.
They say it's safe to use a phone inside it, so I do... but it does get hot. I like to keep it on the bottom front (it's a lot cooler down there because the heating plates are only in the upper back) and watch something on my phone while I use it. I need something to focus on while I'm dying from the high heart rate. I also bring a water bottle full of electrolyte water in with me. I use a stainless steel bottle, not plastic. I also like Ultima Electrolytes because they're sugar-free, but effective.
I always try to manage for 45 minutes (typical for a dry sauna, not for a wet sauna,) but somedays I really can't. I just stay in as long as I can tolerate it. Once I'm done, I wipe as much sweat as I can off of me with a towel while I'm recovering. You don't want your skin to let the sweat soak back in, so you want to dry yourself as quickly as possible. Once I'm able to walk into the shower, I take a hot shower. Not cold. I don't want my body to cool down. I want to keep that blood moving well. But, me being the way I am, I typically sit during the shower so I don't fall over and hit my head and kill myself.
In a good session I SWEAT. I sweat so much it's hard to keep it from dripping into my eyes! It's amazing! I remember when I first started to use the sauna it would cause me to break out with acne... but that doesn't happen anymore since using it regularly. I think I'm keeping my pores clear this way.
Side note... I've had times when I can't sweat in the sauna, and other times when I sweat waterfalls. Not being able to sweat can be a sign of dehydration. It can also be a symptom of dysautonomia, when the nerves don't signal instructions to do things like sweat (or breath, or digest, or pump blood... isn't dysautonomia fun?) In my experience (again, NOT medical advice!) when I can't sweat I still get the benefits of pushing blood in my body. It still helps. But I also notice that I'm WAY more tired after. I had an episode once when I couldn't stand up to get from the sauna to the shower, so I crawled into it and laid down in the bottom of the tub until I was able to turn the water on and just take a bath. That was kind of scary... so since then, if I'm unable to sweat in the sauna after 15 minutes, I don't continue. I stop and get out before I hurt myself.
THE ONLY CON about this particular sauna:
The zippers are made of metal, and they get REALLY hot. I can burn my skin on them. The zipper... what do you even call it, the part of the zipper you grab to use it? The tag? The handle? That part hangs down on all 3 and I have to be careful not to let it touch my forehead. The main big zipper handle can be tucked away in the Velcro that seals the top, so that won't bother me. It's the two zippers for the arms that can burn me if I'm not careful.
So, I'm not trying to sell you on this exact sauna... there are probably better choices. But, I can tell you that it's been reliable for me for 10 years!
UPDATE
It's the next day, 24 hours since I finished using my sauna. I'm struggling to move much today. I'm so tired my eyes are zoning out on me frequently. I can move as long as I keep moving, but if I sit down then I can't get back up. I go frozen. It's hard to move. I'll recover... but it's worth it to me because it's helping combat my allergies (it's spring it the south, there's layers of yellow pollen on everything.)
Tom Odell - Heal (Live )
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