There’s a lot of options you could pursue to fit fitness into your life, just like there’s a lot of opportunities you could choose to work in the fitness industry. But not all options are equal, and when we as our members and studio owners alike what led them to choose Oxygen Yoga & Fitness, but there’s one reason that comes up time and time again – infrared heat.
Our classes are taught in infrared heated rooms, using radiant heat to warm your body as you workout, as opposed to typical hot yoga practices which heat the air around you. Whether or not you’ve looked into the details of infrared heating, you might have noticed our studios aren’t hot and stuffy like a car with no AC, but instead provide a gentle warmth which allows for deeper penetration of your muscles.
Comfort isn’t the only reason to love infrared heat though. The experience, especially mixed with your fitness practice, provides a myriad of benefits. Through our new article series, ‘Infrared and Your Body’, we’ve been highlighting some of our favorite benefits to infrared heat, starting with one one unexpected benefit of far infrared heat – weight loss.
Many different benefits of infrared heat come together to make it a potential benefit for weight loss. First, as explained by Clearlight, stress is “often a hidden contributor to struggles with losing weight”. Far infrared heat has been linked to stress relief as we’ll explore deeper in upcoming weeks. Infrared heat also releases endorphins which have been found to regulate your appetite, therefore making it easier to stick to eating healthy.
Moreover, a study about infrared saunas at Binghamton University found that an increase in core body temperature results in a decrease in body fat and infrared heats us by increasing our body temperature. When our bodies absorb infrared light, it heats our deep tissues which in turn gives our metabolisms a boost. A higher metabolism, as explained by Hotworx, means burning more calories. On the other hand, chronic stress can decrease metabolic function, so once again it’s a benefit to us that far infrared heat can decrease stress.
To learn more about how far infrared heat can affect your body and workout routine, watch out for upcoming articles outlining how far infrared heat affects you and your health goals.