Safety guidelines for using an infrared sauna

Generally, infrared rays are safe for humans. When you use an infrared sauna, you are getting exposed to the same heat rays from the sun without the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, which cause sunburns and in extreme circumstances, cancers.

In fact, infrared rays are so safe that hospitals use them to warm up baby incubators for premature children. Thus, using an infrared sauna is safe and in fact has multiple health benefits.

However, like with anything that is good, it is important to observe certain infrared sauna safety guidelines so that you and your family can enjoy it without injury.

8 infrared sauna safety guidelines you should always heed

1. Always make sure your sauna is not hotter than 140F.

Most sauna manufacturers have designed your infrared sauna so that it cannot be heated above 140F. Therefore, you will not typically have to worry about that issue.
However, accidents happen and the thermostat in your sauna could be broken. If that is the case, your infrared sauna could get overheated and cause burns. To avoid burns from happening, it is always helpful to check the temperature of your infrared sauna before you use it.

2. If children use the sauna, make sure to supervise them.

Unfortunately, innocent mistakes cost parents their children each year. If your children use the sauna, you should never leave them in there unsupervised. It will only take a few minutes for a child to get burned from the heat or to lose consciousness because the infrared sauna is so hot.
Even if your children don’t use the sauna, make sure to keep it locked when you are not using it. It is also helpful for you to educate your children on the dangers of getting stuck in your infrared sauna.

3. Don’t smoke in your sauna

The gases from tobacco can create a toxic breathing environment for everyone.

4. Avoid using toxic chemicals to clean your sauna

We highly recommend that you use a 10% vinegar solution or baking soda solution to clean your infrared sauna. Many commercially available cleaning products contain chemicals that easily create toxic fumes when they come into contact with heat.
To avoid inhaling these toxic chemicals, it is important not to use anything but mild cleaners in your sauna.

5. Avoid sitting in your infrared sauna for longer than 40 minutes

By 40 minutes, you should have gotten all the health benefits an infrared sauna can provide. Because an infrared sauna heats you up directly, it is possible for your body to become overheated. This can cause your skin to burn.

6. Rehydrate after you use an infrared sauna.

Drink water and cool yourself after you use an infrared sauna. You just exposed yourself to a lot of heat and chances are you lost a lot of water in there.

7. Take care of your skin

As mentioned above, your skin and other tissues dry up in an infrared sauna. Apply lotion to your skin to reintroduce some of that moisture.

8. Report any failures to a certified service person

If you experience any failures with your infrared sauna and you use it regularly, it is important to report those failures to your manufacturer or certified service person so the faults can be fixed. Fixing the faults now will prevent avoidable accidents later.