I've been using a far infra red sauna for years and over this period of time I've seen several different views of "how to sauna"
I began slow and worked my way up to 45 minutes with the sauna set at 150 degrees. Then I would wait until I was completely cooled down before showering (was told that the toxins continue to leave the body for 45 minutes)
Then more recently I was told go for 20 minutes at a lower temp or just until I broke a sweat. This is much easier for me because I have a difficult time cooling off.
Here are my questions: 1. How long to you sauna? 2 What temperature do you use? 3.When do you rinse/shower? 4. And why
It seems like I feel better when I sauna long and hot but still trying to figure it out after all these years!
Thanks
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I've saunaed in a tent for two years. I put the dial on "5" so I don't know how hot it is, but it is the hottest setting. My understanding is you should only do the heat setting that you can handle.
My LLMD doc said to stay in it till we sweat, wait another 5-10 minutes, then shower off. No mention of having to be in it for cooling off.
My opinion, and I'm not a doc - it doesn't matter how long we stay in it - what matters is that we break a sweat and sweat out toxins.
Rinsing off hot/cold or warm/cool stimulates bloodflow circulation, always - same deal if you do that in PT too.
My doc also says to take Takesumi activated charcoal for more assistance with detoxing.
I first started with a biomat, for 6 months, then a tent, and all the while I was becoming less chemical sensitive, so I was seeing real results!!
Posted by mojo (Member # 9309) on :
I use the tent type, as well. I can't breath hot air so this works well for me. I'm actually on my second sauna!
Thanks for your input.
I forgot to mention when I go "long and hot" I have a towel handy to mop off while I'm in the sauna and I also pat myself dry when I get out so the toxins can't reabsorb.
If I shower too soon then it's even tougher for me to cool down.
Posted by steve1906 (Member # 16206) on :
In my opinion> I believe most of the (bad chemicals) come out in the first couple of minutes, so staying for a very long time doesn’t do much good.
Waiting to shower after the sauna can (undo all the good the sauna did). If you don’t shower right after the sauna, all of the (bad stuffs goes right back into the body).
I don’t use a sauna, but I do use a (steam-room). I think it’s important to have a towel with you in the sauna/steam-room. As I sweat I wipe my body a number of times. That gets rid of all the bad stuff that’s already come out.
You can also brush your body before saunaing, it helps with sweating quicker.
Drink plenty of water before, during and after your sauna, you need to replenish all lost fluids.
I think we have many different opinions on how long to say in the sauna. I think 20 -45 minutes is fine. If it a 45 minute session I would think the temp should be somewhere around 135 degrees.
Sauna/Sweating detoxing is a must as far as I’m concerned – sick; or not sick!
Steve
Posted by mojo (Member # 9309) on :
Steve - I tried going at lower temps but find if I sweat longer I feel better. And I definitely towel off (a lot during and after sauna) so the toxins can't reabsorb.
I drink electrolyte water while I'm in the sauna and after to avoid dehydration.
The past few months I've been using the sauna for 25 to 35 minutes at 130 degrees and haven't been feeling real relief. So I did two (Sat and today) long and hot and I can feel the difference big time.
I've been herxing everyday from Cryptolepis and was able to increase my dose significantly today and I'm not herxing at all.........
I've been hearing more about the shorter less hot saunas working better (even my Dr. says so) so I wondering what everyone else was doing.
Posted by steve1906 (Member # 16206) on :
If long and hot works better for you than I would say keep doing it, all of us react differently.
I know other members do saunas, what works for you guys?
Steve
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
I have a free standing infrared sauna. I worked up to 45 minutes but I do not go over 120 degrees.
I sweat plenty at that temperature so I don't feel the need to go hotter. I am dripping wet when I get out. I only cool off for 10 minutes before I shower.
Posted by mojo (Member # 9309) on :
Yeah, I'm dripping wet, too. I wonder if I did a long one at a little bit lower temp if I could cool off easier. It takes me a long long time to cool off. sometimes more than an hour. But I get hot very easily and sweat (thank you, Babs!)even on days that I don't sauna.
If I showered after 10 minutes I'd be sweating in the shower and after (especially when blow drying my hair). I hate that
Thanks, everyone for your input. I hope for even more replies from those who have tried different temps, etc.
Posted by gigimac (Member # 33353) on :
Mojo, that is great that the sauna eases your herxes. how long have you been using a sauna?
I had hoped it would cause relief only but it made me feel herxy the first time i stayed long enough to sweat I am going to try to work up the nerve to do it again soon for less time and less heat butit takes me a while to sweat and is it pointless if u don't sweat?
You guys think it is toxins getting stirred up as they are being released or lyme aggravated by the heat? I am leaning towards the heat cause sweating on a hot ( hot but not 145 like sauna) day doesn't do this.
Posted by spinning122 (Member # 42223) on :
gigimac, when I first started using my infrared sauna I did not feel well afterward, mostly because I am incredibly sensitive to heat (even "warm" days like 72 degrees is too much for me!)and sitting in there while it was heating up was like baking in an oven! But barely any sweat came out.
Then I decided to try to take a warm shower while the sauna was heating up to 122 degrees (the highest I've ever been up to is 126).
The steam from the hot shower opened up my pores and the warm water prepped me for the sauna heat, so by the time I went into my 122 degree sauna, I was able to sweat almost right away.
The most I stay in there is 45 minutes but I don't feel the need to go more than 30 min most days.
I remember feeling sicker afterward for a while in the beginning, but now when I use the sauna it always makes me feel better, less toxic.
Posted by mojo (Member # 9309) on :
I was pretty well detoxed when I first starting to use a sauna (it's been about six years or more now) so I went with 30 minutes right away but at a lower temp (probably 120 degrees)
I don't think it's totally useless if you don't sweat but spinning gave a great idea above. But if you are pretty toxic be very careful and go slow.
After I started this post I continued to research but didn't find much. I did find one dr. who said temp should be between 120 and 130 - so I tried that yesterday. I didn't sweat like he said I should so I ended up going to 140 degrees towards the end.
I think we are all different. Despite advice from many that says otherwise, I seem to do best by going long and hot.
I can tell I am toxic when I have sensitivity to smell. When I'm not toxic this isn't nearly as bad.
I am happily increasing my dose of Crypto this week and I'm no longer herxing! Yay. Next week I'll get even more aggressive.
Posted by Nancy L (Member # 42733) on :
According to info on syphilis in the 1930's studies (also a spirochete infection in the same parasite family), temp of 107.6 degrees and higher killed the syphilis spirochete.
Also some native cures reported healing people of syphilis by heating the patients in hammocks above smouldering fires for a period of time, along with lots of water with certain herb.
Infrared heats up the body into about 1-l/2 inches to about the same temp as the outer skin, I understand, so if 120deg., that should kill the chetes in those inches, causing biotoxins to be released into the system.
So a hertz from this kill, I would think, if the Bb load was pretty heavy.
Otherwise, just a good detox and you would feel better if low/no load, I would think. Or if the Bb had all moved away from the range of the infrared.
Just my thoughts.....
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
I am a seasoned sauna user. I don't recommend what I do, I am not a medical professional. It is just what I do. I feel good when I do this.
But I come from a long line of sauna/steam room users...
Start low and go slow, is my motto and advice. Took me a long time to work up to where I am at.
What I do once to twice a week-when my IV line is not in (otherwise, the tegaderm fills with sweat and peels off).
Take my temp.
Have a hot bath. Wash armpits feet groin with castile soap. I soak in as long and as hot as I can stand it. I monitor my temp in the tub.
I drink coconut water and plain filtered water while I am in there. Then I go in a preheated sauna.
30 minutes at 40 degress Celcius. I like to get my body temp to 39 degrees celcius.
While I am in there I listen to soothing music and picture my body healing and the tissues warming and healing. It is, in my mind, an oasis of comfort, in there.
I guess it would be a meditative thing I do, but whatever you call it, I find it very relaxing and soothing.
Then I shower as soon as I get out, slowly cool the water down to 'normal', drink some more coconut water, kefir and then go to bed.
On a day with my line in, with the tegaderm, I go in the sauna WHILE it is preheating, and position my sore spine in front of the lamps. Even before I start to sweat the IR helps to loosen my spine.
As soon as I start to sweat I get out because I don't like to get the site damp.
Then I have a quick rinse in the tub, and then a longer Epsom soak.