Combining wellness practices with a home infrared sauna has grown rapidly in popularity over the course of the decade, as we see its integration with any number of lifestyle preferences. However, as with any wellness practice, it’s key to understand both the benefits and potential risks that these combinations carry. This comprehensive guide by Sun Stream Sauna AUS explores the science behind using an infrared sauna while fasting, and its associated risks.
The Benefits of Using a Home Infrared Sauna While Fasting
During fasting, the body stops relying on glucose as fuel and starts metabolising fat instead, in a process called ketosis. This transition is primarily associated with weight loss – but also offers other health benefits, such as decreasing inflammation, aiding blood sugar control, enhancing heart health, and increasing growth hormones. On the other hand, infrared saunas are known to provide detoxification, pain relief, improved heart health, better sleep, and improved circulation. Combined, these two practices can complement each other in various ways:
Burning More Calories
When fasting, your body uses stored calories to produce energy, increasing your overall calorie expenditure. Going into an infrared sauna increases that calorie burn by 400 – 600 calories. The key factor that melds these two together is the body’s hormetic response, a biological reaction where exposure to low doses of an otherwise harmful agent yields beneficial effects
In an infrared sauna, hormesis occurs as the body responds to heat stress – causing the blood vessels to dilate, and urging the body to burn more calories to induce sweating and stabilise the body’s core temperature. This, combined with the hormetic response to fasting, amplifies calorie burning.
Helping Turn Body Fat Into Energy
As you burn through most of your body’s carbohydrate reserves, your body will enter ketosis. The heat from an infrared sauna session increases your body’s demand for energy, accelerating this process. The effects of this can persist after leaving the sauna, as your body works to cool itself down.
Increasing Heat Shock Proteins
Heat shock proteins (HCP) are a diverse group of proteins necessary for cell repair and maintenance, and both infrared saunas and fasting help stimulate their production. In infrared saunas, the heat triggers a heat shock response – while in fasting, the physiological stressor leads to HCP synthesis. This boost in HCP production helps enhance its benefits for stress adaptation, inflammation regulation, protein folding, damage repair, and more.
Can You Do a Home Infrared Sauna Session While Fasting?
Yes, incorporating regular infrared sauna sessions into your fasting routine is generally safe. However, it’s important to recognise that while it may amplify beneficial effects on your body, the added stressors may also intensify associated risks. Consider the following factors to mitigate these risks.
Lack of Electrolytes
Sauna sessions lead to electrolyte loss through sweating. Without replenishment due to fasting, you may experience electrolyte depletion which can result in fatigue, headaches, irregular heartbeats, muscle spasms, or nausea. To prevent this, monitor your electrolyte intake before and after the sauna. A simple tip is to add a teaspoon of natural salt to every litre of water you consume. Additionally, consider adding a high-quality potassium and magnesium supplement to your diet while you’re fasting to maintain proper electrolyte balance.
Low Blood Sugar
For those in poorer health, combining these two treatments can be more taxing on their bodies. For instance, diabetics risk hypoglycemia, as the body absorbs insulin quicker in hotter temperatures for a faster decrease in blood sugar.
The good news is that these kinds of instances are easily preventable. First, if you have any underlying chronic health conditions or are not in your best shape, consult your physician before combining the two treatments. Second, build up your fasted sauna time slowly and gradually, letting your body get used to the stress and becoming stronger over time.
Embrace Double the Benefits with Fasted Saunas
Using a home infrared sauna while fasting potentially offers a myriad of highly desirable benefits, however, it’s also important to consider the potential risks that come with the added stress on the body. It’s important to listen to your body and take proactive measures to ensure you’re strong and healthy enough to go through the process and achieve the results you desire.
For more information about home infrared sauna benefits, check out the SunStream blog. You can also contact us for more information about our infrared home sauna products.