Colin Cook
Can infrared sauna help you manage chronic inflammation? There’s considerable evidence that it can, but before getting into that, I want to explain why you should care.
A Leading Cause of Death
A 2019 review article in Nature Medicine put the case starkly. “Chronic inflammatory diseases have been recognized as the most significant cause of death in the world today, with more than 50% of all deaths being attributable to inflammation-related diseases such as ischemic heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and autoimmune and neurodegenerative conditions.”
This seems to say that statistically, you have a 50-50 chance of dying from chronic inflammation. If you don’t like those odds, you need to find ways to avoid the condition. The most direct source of chronic inflammation may be acute inflammation that has gone untreated. You get acute inflammation from an injury or infection. But acute inflammation is not the only path to chronic inflammation. You can also have it as a result of an autoimmune disorder or from exposure to dangerous chemicals or even polluted air.
Inflammation Sources You Can Control
The environment, autoimmune diseases, and the misfortune of injury or other disease are sources that are difficult to control. But there is solid scientific research that relates chronic inflammation to sources you can control: smoking, obesity, alcohol, and chronic stress. Some of these, of course, are more avoidable than others. But if you recognize any of those four baleful influences as part of your life, you may want to reconsider your lifestyle.
Is there a way to tell whether you already have chronic inflammation? According to Healthline, there are symptoms: fatigue, body pain, depression or anxiety, diarrhea, constipation, weight gain, weight loss, and persistent acute infections. For many of us, however, those are the symptoms of everyday life in a world full of stress.
That doesn’t mean you should resign yourself to chronic inflammation. You can live your healthiest life by getting treatment for infections and injuries, by avoiding exposure to injurious environments, and by learning to manage stress. In addition, you can refrain from smoking, drinking, and excessive weight gain. To maximize your protection, you can adopt an “anti-inflammation diet,” such as the Mediterranean Diet. And you can develop a sauna habit.
Infrared Sauna for Chronic Inflammation
I have written in this space before about research showing that sauna reduces chronic inflammation (see here and here). The latest research I have found dates from 2018. I don’t know why I cannot find anything after that. It could be that researchers now feel the association is so obvious that it’s no longer interesting to study. In any case, the evidence is still strong that regular use of a sauna can help protect you from chronic inflammation. The research has demonstrated this both with large populations (i.e., epidemiologically) and blood analysis (i.e., with chemical markers of inflammation).
So if you want to incorporate sauna into your inflammation fighting program, there’s plenty of science to back you up. And, if you want to do so, may I recommend you consider infrared sauna? It achieves the same effect as regular sauna, but it does so more comfortably, safely, and conveniently.
I can tell you from personal experience that the infrared sauna here at Peak Recovery & Health Center will leave you feeling relaxed and with lowered pain levels and blood pressure. While it’s no excuse to drink, smoke, or gain weight, it is also likely to reduce or prevent your chronic inflammation. Book a few sessions today.
