THE HEALING HEAT ADVANTAGE

Why an At-Home Infrared Sauna May Become One of Your Favorite Rituals for Relaxation, Radiance & Whole-Body Vitality
 

Why I Use High Tech Health at Home—and How You Can Save $500 with Code SSJ

Want to hear why I am so passionate about infrared sauna therapy? Listen to my This Week in America interview with host Ric Bratton where we discuss the head-to-toe benefits of doing infrared sauna bathing in the comfort of your home. You'll discover how the warm heat heals body, mind, and spirit and brings rejuvenating results. Enjoy it now: The Healing Benefits of Infrared Sauna Bathing
 

For decades, one of the most treasured practices in my healthy-living routine has been something wonderfully simple: I step into my infrared sauna, close the door, let the soothing warmth surround me, and give my body permission to slow down, sweat, relax and renew.

I have used High Tech Health infrared saunas (in Boulder, CO) at home and in my office for decades, including both the Transcend TR-2 and roomier TR-3, and I would not want to be without one. Having a sauna at home means no driving across town or waiting for an appointment. It is simply there when you want it — after a hike, on a stressful afternoon, before an important event, or whenever your body whispers, “A little extra TLC, please.”

If you are considering one, I recommend calling High Tech Health at 1-800-794-5355. Their team can help you compare the current one-, two-, and three-person Transcend models and decide which size and features best fit your home, budget and wellness goals. Use my code SSJ (Susan Smith Jones) for a $500 discount.

WHY INFRARED HEAT FEELS DIFFERENT

Not all saunas create heat in the same way.

A traditional dry sauna heats the air around you to a very high temperature. The hot air warms your skin and body from the outside in, which can produce a vigorous sweat. A steam room — sometimes called a wet sauna — also heats the environment, but adds heavy humidity. Because the air is saturated with moisture, sweat does not evaporate as easily, so a steam room can feel especially hot and enveloping.

An infrared sauna works differently. Infrared energy warms the body more directly, so you can often enjoy a deep, satisfying sweat at a lower air temperature than in a traditional sauna. Many people find that gentler environment more comfortable for a wellness session. In other words, you can get beautifully warm without feeling as though you have accidentally climbed into a pizza oven. 😊

That comfort is one reason I have stayed faithful to infrared sauna therapy for so many years. I can sit quietly, pray, meditate, listen to music or an audiobook, do deep breathing, visualize goals, or simply enjoy a few rare minutes when nobody is asking me to answer an email.

WHY I CHOSE HIGH TECH HEALTH

After years of researching sauna technology, High Tech Health is the company I personally trust and recommend. Their Transcend saunas are designed specifically for home infrared use, with an emphasis on low electromagnetic-field exposure, carefully selected materials, and thoughtful ventilation. Their current line includes one-, two- and three-person designs, so you do not need a ballroom to create a home wellness sanctuary.

I also like that you can speak with knowledgeable people before purchasing. A sauna is a meaningful investment, and this is one purchase where I would rather ask twenty questions before buying than discover Question #21 after a very large wooden box arrives at the front door.

If you are interested, call 1-800-794-5355 and tell them what you hope to accomplish, where you plan to place the sauna, how many people may use it, and any health concerns you want to discuss. Ask which Transcend model is the best match for you.

Use my name as the code, Susan Smith Jones, for the $500 discount. International callers can use 1-303-413-8500.

 

12 REASONS I LOVE INFRARED SAUNA THERAPY

1. DEEP RELAXATION AND STRESS RELIEF

Warmth has a remarkable way of telling the body, “You may stand down now.” A sauna session creates a quiet transition from doing to simply being. For me, warmth, solitude, and unhurried breathing help melt away the tension of the day and encourage a calmer mood.

2. HEALTHY CIRCULATION

As the body warms, blood vessels near the skin widen and circulation increases. Your heart rate may rise modestly, similar to the response created by gentle physical activity. Research on sauna and passive heat therapy suggests potential cardiovascular benefits, although infrared-specific research is still developing. I think of sauna as a supportive wellness practice — not a replacement for walking, hiking, or other exercise.

3. MUSCLE RECOVERY AND JOINT COMFORT

This is one of the reasons athletes and active people are drawn to heat therapy. Warmth and increased circulation can feel wonderful on tired muscles after exercise and may help ease temporary stiffness and soreness. After an active day, stepping into my sauna feels like sending every muscle a thank-you note.

4. SUPPORT FOR A HEALTHY INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE

Heat therapy is being studied for its effects on inflammation, vascular function, and recovery. I have long valued sauna sessions when my body feels achy or overworked. It is not a treatment for an inflammatory disease, but as part of a healthy lifestyle, infrared warmth may be a comforting way to support recovery and mobility.

5. SKIN CLEANSING, RADIANCE & NATURAL BEAUTY

This benefit gets my enthusiastic vote. Sweating, warmth, and increased blood flow can leave the skin looking fresh, rosy, and wonderfully alive. I have often taken an infrared sauna several hours before a photo session, interview, or special event because I love the healthy glow it gives my skin.

The ritual also encourages me to hydrate, shower afterward, and care for my skin from head to toe. While no sauna can erase every wrinkle — otherwise we would all be living in one — regular self-care, circulation, hydration, and a wholesome lifestyle can help us look vibrant at every age.

6. SWEATING AND THE BODY’S NATURAL ELIMINATION PROCESSES

Sweat is one route through which the body can excrete small amounts of certain substances, including some metals and environmental chemicals. But it is important to keep this in perspective: your liver, kidneys, lungs, and digestive system do most of the body’s detoxification work. I use sauna as a way to support the body’s natural cleansing processes, not as a cure-all or substitute for medical care.

And because sweating means losing fluid, hydration matters. I always bring water with me and replenish fluids before, during, and after my session.

7. SUPPORT FOR WEIGHT-MANAGEMENT HABITS

A sauna raises body temperature, heart rate, and energy expenditure, but the immediate drop you may see on the scale after heavy sweating is mostly water loss — not body fat. Once you rehydrate, that water returns. So, I do not promote sauna as a magic weight-loss machine.

Where I do find it helpful is as part of an overall wellness routine. When you feel relaxed and committed to caring for yourself, you may be more inclined to exercise, eat nourishing foods, sleep well, and stick with healthy habits. That is where the real magic happens.

8. BETTER RECOVERY AFTER EXERCISE

Whether you hike, garden, lift weights, or simply stay active, recovery matters. Gentle heat after physical activity may help tired muscles relax and can make your entire body feel more comfortable. It is one reason I love having the sauna only a few steps away in my home rather than across town.

9. A CALMING PRE-SLEEP RITUAL

Many people find evening warmth deeply relaxing. A sauna session followed by a shower, hydration, and a quiet wind-down period can become a lovely signal that the busy part of the day is over. Sleep research on sauna is still evolving, but relaxation alone can be a powerful ally when you are trying to create a more peaceful bedtime routine.

10. A MENTAL RESET

For me, sauna time is as nourishing mentally and spiritually as it is physically. I may pray, meditate, listen to beautiful music, practice gratitude, or simply sit in silence. When I step out, I often feel as though someone pressed the reset button on my nervous system — without needing to find the instruction manual first.

11. A CONSISTENT SELF-CARE HABIT

One of the greatest advantages of owning a sauna is convenience. A healthy habit is much easier to maintain when it lives in your home. You can use it around your own schedule and create a ritual that belongs to you. Consistency usually matters more than occasional heroic efforts in almost every area of wellness.

12. A GIFT TO YOUR FUTURE SELF

A quality home sauna is not an impulse purchase. But if you will use it regularly, it can become part of the way you care for yourself year after year. Instead of thinking only about the purchase price, consider the convenience, privacy, and frequency with which you might actually use it.

MAKE YOUR SAUNA PAY ITS WAY — CREATIVELY & RESPONSIBLY

If purchasing a sauna alone stretches your budget, consider sharing the cost with a family member, friend, or trusted neighbor. I have always liked the idea of making wellness communal rather than complicated.

Another possibility is allowing others to use your sauna for a fee so it generates some income while you continue enjoying it yourself. Before doing this, however, check the manufacturer’s guidance, your insurance coverage, local business rules, and any health or sanitation requirements. Done responsibly, a shared or income-producing arrangement could help offset the cost. Sometimes your wellness investment can learn a second job. 😊

A FEW SAFETY BASICS

More heat is not automatically better. Start conservatively, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, stay well hydrated, and leave the sauna if you feel dizzy, weak, nauseated, short of breath, or unwell. Avoid alcohol before or during sauna use. If you are pregnant, take medications, have heart or blood pressure problems, kidney disease, neurologic conditions, or another significant medical condition, ask your healthcare professional whether sauna use is appropriate for you.

Sauna therapy should complement good medical care, nourishing food, movement, restorative sleep, stress management and other healthy habits — not replace them.

THE GIFT OF HEALTH AT HOME

I love bringing into the home things that make healthy choices easier. A bowl of fresh fruit invites us to eat better. Walking shoes by the door whisper, “Come on — just twenty minutes.” And an infrared sauna quietly waits for the moment when your body could use warmth, stillness, and renewal.

That is why I consider my Transcend sauna one of the best gifts I have ever given myself. It is private, convenient, comforting, and woven naturally into my life. I do not have to schedule wellness. I can walk into it.

If you would like to hear me talk about why I am so enthusiastic about heat therapy, sweating, and infrared saunas, listen to my This Week in America interview with host Ric Bratton. I will include the interview with this article so you can hear our conversation and learn more.

And if you are considering purchasing a sauna, I strongly recommend talking with High Tech Health before choosing a model. Their specialists can explain the current Transcend options and help you choose what makes sense for your space and goals.

 Call High Tech Health at 1-800-794-5355 and use my code SSJ for a $500 discount on your Transcend infrared sauna.  

Your health is not something you put on a shelf and admire. It is something you nurture every day — one meal, one walk, one good night’s sleep, one peaceful thought and, perhaps, one wonderfully warm sauna session at a time.

Give your body the gift of care. Give yourself permission to slow down. And keep choosing the small, joyful practices that help you feel more vibrant, resilient and fully alive.