WILDFIRE WELLNESS - INFRARED SAUNA

Every now and then we all deserve to treat ourselves and do something that is not only relaxing but good for our physical and mental health.

Recently the Wildfire Wellness infrared sauna opened up near me and I was interested in finding out what exactly an infrared sauna is and why they are beneficial for your health.

I knew a little bit about traditional saunas but not specifically infrared so I decided to try it out for myself. After speaking to co-owners and sisters, Caitlin and Larissa Stores, they filled me in on how amazing these saunas actually are for the body. 

WHAT IS AN INFRARED SAUNA?

For those of you like me who know little or nothing about what an infrared sauna is; here is some info from the Stores sisters that might clear a few things up.

"Infrared is invisible light felt as warmth. It is incredibly safe and healing, and is the warmth used in humidicribs for premature babies. The infrared rays penetrate the body deeply to produce an incredibly detoxifying sweat (7x more than a traditional sauna). With over 80,000 chemicals and toxins in our environment, detoxification is becoming increasingly important and sweating is one of the body's most natural ways to eliminate toxins.  Infrared sauna therapy can help to detoxify from heavy metals such as mercury & lead as well as environmental chemicals & pollutants."

BENEFITS

Like anything, you always want to do your research before trying something new that affects your health. I was overwhelmed by the amount of benefits an infrared sauna has on the body such as detoxification, relaxation, anti-aging, pain relief, sports recovery, skin purification, improved circulation & weight loss. Something I was really impressed with was that studies show a thirty-minute infrared sauna session can burn up to 600 calories!

The psychological benefits are also amazing as infrared sauna therapy lowers cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and boosts serotonin and dopamine levels (feel good hormones) making it great for stress relief & relaxation.

MY EXPERIENCE

I first tried the Wildfire Wellness infrared sauna with a friend of mine, the second we walked in we felt like we entered a calming sanctuary. Through a combination of aroma and essential oils that the staff diffuse throughout the day, you instantly feel relaxed upon entering the wellness centre.

Photography: Emma McCraw 
Instagram: @emmamaccrawphotography

For those of you like me who occasionally work from home, the wellness centre provides a blissful room out the back where you can help yourself to a cup of tea or a glass of water where you can work in peace and quiet. They offer free Wi-Fi and anyone is welcome to use post sauna or treatment. There are also a variety of books and magazines to browse and a dedicated stretch space with foam rollers, trigger point balls and exercise bands to use before or after your session.

Wildfire Wellness also sell and support local designers including Billie Mae The Label, Rachel Disalvo, Salty Swimwear, Fauve Hughes and Amaleia Jewellery. They stock a range of Australian natural and organic beauty products including Mullum & Co, Salt + Glow, Inika Organics, Hanako Therapies and Theseeke, along with magnesium oil from The Base Collective. You can also find earth-friendly, biodegradable yoga mats, gratitude journals, a variety of beautiful crystals and the amazing Shakti acupressure mat. They also sell delicious treats from The Clean Treats Factory and Jiva Kombucha.

In the past, I have used traditional saunas after a gym session and lasted approximately about ten minutes due to the overbearing heat. Not to mention the anxiety of being trapped in a sauna which, has scared me for years! The best thing about Wildfire Wellness infrared sauna is that their saunas are all open and glass so you don’t get that trapped feeling, infrared is also a dry heat which prevents the stuffy feeling of a traditional steam sauna.

Depending on whether you want to relax by yourself for some alone time or take a boyfriend or friend. Wildfire Wellness have three sauna’s available. Two sauna’s accomodate two people and one sauna accomodates three people.

First you can choose the coloured light that you would like to use as they all work on different areas of the body. I chose to keep mine on rotation so I got a mix of everything.

Chromotherapy works on various energy points to help balance your body via the full spectrum of visible light, each colour addresses a different need for example, orange is great for mental stimulation and producing happy emotions and blue promotes relaxation and calm. You can change the colour whenever you like throughout the session, or leave it on an automatic chakra cleanse which slowly flicks through each colour.

You can also take your phone into the sauna to plug into the speakers and listen to music and is great way to relax and unwind.

The sessions run for 40 minutes with a temperature around 57 degrees celsius so that you receive all the benefits of infrared therapy whilst remaining comfortable and relaxed.

I found the first fifteen minutes pretty easy and then I started to really heat up and needed some water to cool off. They do recommend drinking water before, during and after the session which, they provide for you and you can also help yourself to a pinch of pink Himalayan salt to add to your water at the front desk, this helps to replace any minerals that you’ve lost through sweating.

After the session, I felt amazing. I was so relaxed I ended up making a quick dinner and going straight to bed. I chose to do a 7pm session and I honestly had the best sleep and woke up feeling fresh and rejuvenated.

The costs include $40 per 40 min session, and you can bring a friend for an extra $15 and share the cost! New client special 3 saunas for $90.
Check out the infrared sauna for yourself and take some time out to relax and unwind.

https://www.wildfirewellness.com.au

TIPS

1. Bring a full-sized towel to sit on and a smaller towel to wipe off with while you sweat, the girls provide a cold towel to freshen up at the end of your session.

2. Wear a bikini or swimming costume to your session, something that you don’t mind getting sweaty in!

3. Wear loose fitting clothes so that after the sauna you are comfortable and not trying to squeeze back into jeans or gym tights!

4. Bring a good book or download a podcast or meditation so that you really make the most out of your quiet time and don’t just resort to watching Netflix or scrolling mindlessly through your phone.

5. Drink plenty of water before, during and after, there is coconut water for purchase at the front desk which is always good to assist with rehydration.

6. Not recommended to wear any oils or moisturiser as, not only do they ruin the delicate cedarwood, your skin is your largest organ and you definitely do not want anything artificial on your skin throughout the sauna process.

7. I love going to the infrared sauna around 7pm. After your sauna session, trust me, you will never have a better sleep!

Enjoy!

SARSHA X