How to Use a Sauna Belt
Sauna belts are touted as devices that help you lose weight and inches off your measurements. While there is no scientific data to prove the accuracy of these claims, many people have offered anecdotal evidence and claims toward the effectiveness of the devices. It is important to understand exactly how to properly use a sauna device because improper use can result in health problems.
How to Use a Sauna Belt
Place the sauna belt securely around an appropriate area of the body; this can be the stomach, waist, or hips. The belt is attached with Velcro and can be adjusted for snugness and comfort. Strap the belt securely so that there are no creases or folds, but do not strip it too tightly.
Set the temperature of the sauna to the maximum or as close to the maximum as you can stand for the first five minutes. Then reduce it to a temperature setting more comfortable. Sauna belts heat up rapidly, so be prepared for the maximum setting to be somewhat uncomfortable and reduce the setting after five minutes.
Check your body to see that you are producing sweat, If you are not, you have reduced the temperature too much. Stand up and, if possible, move around rather than sitting to burn more calories. Wear the sauna belt for 45 minutes. Towel yourself dry--if you did it right you should be soaking in sweat--and wait a minimum of 15 minutes before bathing, showering, or even having a cold drink.
Wear a T-shirt if you have sensitive skin because the sauna belt may cause skin irritation or in some cases even burns. Do not overuse the sauna belt and make sure to wait an adequate period between uses so that your skin returns to normal color and temperature. Make sure the temperature regulator is turned off after each use.
Tips
A sauna belt will be of no use unless accompanied by healthy diet and exercise.
Warnings
Do not wear the sauna belt for more than 45 to 50 minutes at a time.
References
- Beever, R. (2010). Do Far-infrared Saunas Have Cardiovascular Benefits in People with Type 2 Diabetes? Canadian Journal of Diabetes, 34(2), 113–118. doi:10.1016/s1499-2671(10)42007-9
- Beever R. (2009). Far-infrared saunas for treatment of cardiovascular risk factors: summary of published evidence. Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien, 55(7), 691–696. PMID: 19602651
- Crinnion WJ. (2011). Sauna as a valuable clinical tool for cardiovascular, autoimmune, toxicant-induced and other chronic health problems. Environmental Medicine.
- Dean, W. (1981). Effect of sweating. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 246(6), 623–623
- Imamura, M., Biro, S., & Kihara, T. (2002). Repeated thermal therapy improves impaired vascular endothelial function in patients with coronary risk factors. ACC Current Journal Review, 11(2), 32. doi:10.1016/s1062-1458(02)00539-1
- Joy Hussain and Marc Cohen, “Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2018, Article ID 1857413, 30 pages, 2018.
- Kunutsor, S. K., Laukkanen, T., & Laukkanen, J. A. (2017). Sauna bathing reduces the risk of respiratory diseases: a long-term prospective cohort study. European Journal of Epidemiology, 32(12), 1107–1111. doi:10.1007/s10654-017-0311-6
- Laukkanen, J. A., Laukkanen, T., & Kunutsor, S. K. (2018). Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 93(8), 1111–1121. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.04.008
- Laukkanen, T., Khan, H., Zaccardi, F., & Laukkanen, J. A. (2015). Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events. JAMA Internal Medicine, 175(4), 542. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8187
- Margaret E. Sears, Kathleen J. Kerr, and Riina I. Bray, “Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in Sweat: A Systematic Review,” Journal of Environmental and Public Health, vol. 2012, Article ID 184745, 10 pages, 2012.
- Mero, A., Tornberg, J., Mäntykoski, M., & Puurtinen, R. (2015). Effects of far-infrared sauna bathing on recovery from strength and endurance training sessions in men. SpringerPlus, 4, 321. doi:10.1186/s40064-015-1093-5
- Oosterveld, F. G. J., Rasker, J. J., Floors, M., Landkroon, R., van Rennes, B., Zwijnenberg, J., … Koel, G. J. (2008). Infrared sauna in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Clinical Rheumatology, 28(1), 29–34. doi:10.1007/s10067-008-0977-y
- Shui, S., Wang, X., Chiang, J. Y., & Zheng, L. (2015). Far-infrared therapy for cardiovascular, autoimmune, and other chronic health problems: A systematic review. Experimental Biology and Medicine, 240(10), 1257–1265. doi:10.1177/1535370215573391
- Soejima, Y., Munemoto, T., Masuda, A., Uwatoko, Y., Miyata, M., & Tei, C. (2015). Effects of Waon Therapy on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Pilot Study. Internal Medicine, 54(3), 333–338. doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.54.3042
- Stephen J. Genuis, Sanjay Beesoon, Detlef Birkholz, and Rebecca A. Lobo, “Human Excretion of Bisphenol A: Blood, Urine, and Sweat (BUS) Study,” Journal of Environmental and Public Health, vol. 2012, Article ID 185731, 10 pages, 2012.
Tips
- A sauna belt will be of no use unless accompanied by healthy diet and exercise.
Warnings
- Do not wear the sauna belt for more than 45 to 50 minutes at a time.
Writer Bio
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