Although more and more people are learning firsthand about the fabulous benefits of owning a far infrared sauna or heat therapy room, many others still possess very little knowledge of this important subject. The following information has been compiled to help spread the good news with the hope of placing more people on the path to greater health, relaxation and happiness.

1. Infrared light lies between the visible and microwave portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Infrared light has a range of wavelengths, just like visible light has wavelengths that range from red light to violet. Near infrared light is closest in wavelength to visible light, and far infrared light is closer to the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Far infrared waves are thermal, meaning they are felt as heat.

2. In the electromagnetic spectrum, far infrared wavelengths measure between 5.6 and 1,000 microns. One micron equals one micrometer or one millionth of a meter. Wavelengths of between 6 and 14 microns are believed to be the most beneficial to humans and other living things on Earth. The human palm emits far infrared wavelengths of between 8 and 12 microns. The energy output from far infrared saunas so closely match the human body’s radiant energy that nearly 93 percent of the sauna’s far infrared waves reach the skin.

3. Certain alternative healing practices such as palm healing, a practice with some 3,000 years of tradition behind it in China, rely on the human body’s ability to emit far infrared radiant energy.

4. Far infrared radiant heat is a form of naturally occurring energy that heats objects by direct light conversion. Direct light conversion warms only the object and does not raise the temperature of the surrounding free air.

5. A good example of far infrared heat is the light produced by the sun. This is the heat you feel penetrate your skin when you stand in the sun and miss when you walk into the shade. It has nothing to do with ultraviolet light, which can damage your skin. When people do not receive adequate amounts of far infrared heat, they often can become ill or depressed.

6. Far infrared radiant heat provides all the healthy benefits of natural sunlight without any of the dangerous effects of solar radiation.

7. The radiant heat of a far infrared sauna is efficient because it warms the sauna bather directly. The body absorbs as much as 93 percent of the heat, causing perspiration and producing a vast array of health benefits.

8. A far infrared sauna will deliver hyperthermic benefits in a much shorter time period (i.e.10 minutes) than a conventional sauna (30 to 45 minutes).

9. Unlike in traditional saunas where temperatures range from 140 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit (60 to 105 degrees Celsius), the temperatures of far infrared saunas typically range from 100 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (38 to 65 degrees Celsius).

10. The temperature inside a far infrared sauna is adjustable and comfortable. This allows a person to perspire faster and to tolerate a longer period of time inside the sauna. Typical sessions in a far infrared sauna last 30 to 45 minutes and can be repeated to maximize the benefits.

11. A far infrared sauna is usually warm within 10 or 20 minutes, whereas a conventional sauna can take more than an hour to reach optimal temperatures.