Can far infrared heaters help with my health?
A popular concern with Far Infrared technology is whether it is detrimental to a person’s health to be in close proximity to it or use it for extended periods of time. Oftentimes, customers confuse Far Infrared heaters with Mid Infrared or Near Infrared.
Mid Infrared is most commonly found outside pubs and in smoking areas. Due to their obtrusive orange-glare and abrasive heat, it is not recommended for a person to stand next to or beneath a mid-infrared heater for prolonged periods of time as they are medically proven to cause severe migraines.
Near Infrared produces no visible light and creates no form of heat so it cannot be felt. Because of the fact it is invisible, Near Infrared is perhaps even more dangerous than Mid Infrared as it is impossible to know when you are exposed to it. Near Infrared causes a painful reaction to exposed skin and, in the case of the human eye, raises the internal temperature of the eye, essentially “baking” it. This form of Infrared is more commonly found in industrial environments such as steel mills, textile, paper, and glass manufacturers where workers are provided with the suitable PPE to protect themselves. Near Infrared and Far Infrared are polar opposites on the Infrared Spectrum and this is why they have such different effects on the human body.
In the case of our heaters, they emit Far Infrared rays. These rays, unlike their harmful counterparts, are medically proven to have a range of health benefits. In fact, the health benefits of Far Infrared have led to this technology being commercialised to form saunas, hot yoga studios, beauty clinics and health spas.
Within the Infrared Radiation band, only Far Infrared transfers energy solely in the form of heat which is received by thermoreceptors in the skin as radiant heat. This heat is absorbed by the human body, helping to soothe muscle pain and spasms, reducing inflammation, and aiding joint pain and blood flow. By increasing blood circulation, regular Far Infrared treatments can directly prevent certain health issues from surfacing or manage on-going afflictions.
In addition to this, FIR saunas have been proven to remove seven times more toxins from the body than traditional steam saunas. Whilst the human body will naturally dispose of toxins through the kidneys, liver and skin, the theory behind saunas is that proactively helping your body through this process allows the digestive system time to heal so that it can better absorb nutrients in the future.
Infrared saunas encourage relaxation, helping to balance the body’s cortisol level. Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone, controlling blood sugar levels, the regulation of the metabolism and assisting with memory formulation. Having a cortisol imbalance can lead to a number of symptoms, including depression, high blood pressure, severe fatigue, and cognitive difficulties.
As the goal of our FIR heaters is to heat objects rather than raise the air temperature, it does not cause the air in a room to circulate. For sufferers of asthma, allergies and chronic sinusitis, far infrared heating can help to prevent flare-ups and symptoms. Due to the fact it doesn’t stir the air, this means that the air in the room remains clean, dust free and pathogen free.
Not only is FIR absorbed by the human body, but it is also emitted by the body in the form of black body radiation. The term “black body” was coined by Gustav Kirchhoff in 1860. Essentially, all matter absorbs electromagnetic energy radiation to some level and an object which absorbs all radiation falling on it is called a black body- a perfect absorber. When a black body reaches a uniform temperature state, it emits back this absorbed energy and is termed as “black body radiation”. This means that even after the FIR heaters are turned off, a person will continue to feel the benefit of them for some time afterwards.
Unlike other forms of heating, FIR heating doesn’t require any dangerous gases or chemicals meaning that it is safe even if the panel should stop working for some reason. In addition to this, the heaters require a low amount of energy consumption meaning that not only are they safe, but they are economical to run also.
