We all have moments when we’re down in the dumps. When you’re battling anxiety, sadness, fatigue, or frustration, wrapping your body in soothing infrared heat can leave you feeling more relaxed, calm, warm, and fuzzy. (Well, maybe not fuzzy, but you get the point!) Here are the top three ways an infrared session can improve your mood and provide wellness benefits at the same time.

Better Relaxation

When you’re in a funk, attempting to “relax” is often a challenge. Your mind is racing and you aren’t focused. And while this experience is very common, there is a solution. 

Have you ever walked outside on a sunny day and noticed your spirits lift immediately? Sometimes a little bit of heat on your skin is all you need. 

When you wrap up with infrared heat, the soothing rays work to lower or balance your levels of cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone made in the adrenal glands. This hormone raises your heart rate and blood pressure, and high cortisol levels can lead to health problems, trouble sleeping, and weight gain. 

During an infrared session, cortisol levels may remain the same or slightly increase. However, after a session, cortisol levels can drop drastically, leaving you feeling heaps more relaxed than before your session. 

Improved Sleep 

In our fast-paced world, with long to-do lists and struggles to maintain a work-life balance, many people deal with chronic insomnia or restless sleep. Infrared can improve your trips to dreamland both by lowering cortisol levels and by increasing serotonin levels. 

A 2009 study done on patients experiencing depression and insomnia found that frequent infrared immersion increased their serotonin, which directly and positively impacts poor mood, sleep, and behavior. The study participants also experienced lower levels of MDA, a common marker for oxidative stress, which occurs when the body produces more free radicals than antioxidant defenses.

Less Toxicity

Mood swings and sluggishness may indicate toxic overload. (Other symptoms include frequent illness, congestion, and body pain.) High toxicity levels can also stress your organs and tissues and alter your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Those who detox regularly report a sense of clarity and relaxation.

 Infrared heat makes you sweat, and because it penetrates an inch and a half into the body, your sweat can carry out ammonia, sulfuric acid, nicotine, alcohol, mercury, and other environmental toxins. When this accumulated waste is removed, it allows your body to function properly, leaving you feeling lighter and more refreshed. 

When your spirits are low, practicing self-care is an excellent way to recharge your batteries. Infrared body wrap sessions are exceptionally helpful during these times because all you need to do to soak up the benefits is lie down and relax. 

Contributed by Vanessa Drew from her blog at CleansingConceptsWorld.com. For more information about infrared body wraps, or to schedule an appointment, call Cleansing Concepts at 516-640-5322 (Garden City, NY); 732-741-2444 (Red Bank, NJ); or 631-656-6313 (Smithtown, NY); or visit CleansingConceptsWorld.com.