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Beat the winter blues with infrared heating
01,June,2020
I love summer don’t you? During the warmer months of the year I feel lighter, happier and more energised. It feels like a holiday. Unfortunately, when the cooler, cloudy autumn and winter months start rolling in so do the blues.
Some of us start to feel a little down, a little depressed and bleak. For most people this is only a temporary thing but for others it can be more than that. Some of us can be prone to SAD, 'Seasonal Affective Disorder’. Can infrared heating at home help?
What is 'SAD' and why does it happen?
According to the National Sleep Foundation, and other experts, Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is mainly caused by a reduced level of sunlight which can effect the following things:
- Your body’s internal clock or circadian rhythm leading to feelings of depression. SAD is believed to be influenced by the changing patterns of light and darkness that occur with the approach of winter.
- The change in season can also disrupt our levels of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that’s made by the pineal gland in the brain helping to control your daily sleep-wake cycles. Your body’s internal clock (also known as your circadian rhythm) influences how much melatonin the pineal gland makes, and so does the amount of light that you're exposed to each day.
- The light-induced effects of serotonin are triggered by sunlight that goes in through the eye. Sunlight cues special areas in the retina, which triggers the release of serotonin sometimes called the ‘happy chemical’ as it contributes to our sense of wellbeing. It is mainly found in the brain and a drop in levels can negatively effect our mood.
Infrared Rays
Infrared rays are a portion of the sun's rays along with visible light and ultraviolet light. Infrared is the warm energy, the heat that you feel even though you can’t see it. These rays fill us with energy and make us feel energetic and alive by releasing the feel good hormones such as serotonin and melatonin. They are an everyday part of life penetrating your skin and revitalising your cells, even protecting you from the harmful ultraviolet type.
Sun without the Sun
Products such as saunas and heaters are now using infrared heating as it is a safe, cost effective alternative to other forms of heating, providing all of the benefits of natural sunlight. Infrared is effectively the same heat we emit from our bodies. Instead of heating the air the infrared directly heats the object, a direct transfer without having to heat everything in between.
There are three ways that heat can be transferred:
• Conduction - through another medium like copper pipe
• Convection - via liquids and gases
• Radiation from infrared
Infrared is largely invisible because it has a longer wavelength than visible light. We feel it, rather than see it. There are two types of infrared 'far' and 'near' and they are quite different.
Near Infrared Heaters
Near Infrared heaters are the old fashioned type. These heater emit heat of up 1300 degrees celcius. If you get close to these you can get burnt or damage your skin.
Far Infrared Heaters
With Far Infrared heaters such as the BioSari you don't see any light and the temperature is lower. Our skin can absorb this type of heat better making it perfect for heating your home. You feel the effects of infrared heating almost immediately as the heat is directly providing warmth to your body and not the air around you.
Turn your home into a winter haven...
During the colder months when you may have less access to the suns rays you might find it helpful to bask in far infrared rays either in an infrared sauna or snuggled up by an infrared marble heater. You can enjoy the nice things about the cold but also get the 'summer holiday feels' even in the depths of winter.
Read more about Infrared Sauna benefits.
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