Muscle Recovery & Performance
Beyond building muscle, the right recovery is important.
Most people understand the benefits of exercise and training when trying to enhance performance or build muscle. In fact, that’s often the only thing they do. Equally important is the recovery process, or downtime in between training, when energy is restored, and the body is able to heal tissue damage and rebuild muscles. Building muscle not only increases strength, but also boosts metabolism, reduces risk of injury, improves bone density and helps with excess body fat.
Infrared and red light benefit muscle recovery and performance.
Heat, in and of itself, is great for recovery and temporary pain relief. Infrared light heats the body from within and increases circulation and blood flow. Good circulation is critical for proper healing. Red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to the site of the strain or inflammation, which helps to create new blood vessels and tissues at the site. The more red and white blood cells that can get delivered to muscles, the quicker they rebuild.
Sunlighten’s patented SoloCarbon® far infrared heaters have been found to be 99% effective in terms of far infrared absorption into the body. Sunlighten’s mPulse® Smart Sauna is the only sauna with optimal red/near, mid and far wavelengths delivered in dosages specifically designed for recovery and pain relief.
SportingKC Story
The trainers of this championship pro soccer team believe in the power of infrared sauna for recovery and performance. They built a custom Sunlighten sauna in their world-class training facility as part of the innovative technologies they provide their athletes to help them succeed on the field. Hear from the trainers and players why they use a Sunlighten sauna.
I use it as a post training tool. It helps with circulation. It’s great for my joints, reducing inflammation in them. I’m going to continue to utilize it as much as I can. We’re lucky to have this incredible facility and they provide us with everything we need to succeed on the field and for me the sauna is a part of that.
Train and recover like a pro athlete.
Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Tackle Chris Jones swears by his Sunlighten mPulse 3 in 1 sauna because he loves that after a game or workout, he can walk down the stairs in his home, choose which program he needs and enjoy a faster recovery. Read this article from Sports Illustrated for more information about recovery for athletes:
Science shows how infrared and red light help muscle recovery and performance.
Far infrared accelerates recovery.
The Journal of Athletic Enhancement published a study of 10 national-level power athletes that found far infrared improves neuromuscular performance during intensive training associated with increased testosterone/cortisol ratio. “Improved recovery can enable harder training and accelerate further athletic development.”
Red light/near infrared help build muscles, decrease inflammation.
One of the foremost researchers on infrared, Dr. Michael Hamblin, published a study which suggests that red light and near infrared (NIR) can increase muscle mass gained after training, and decrease inflammation and oxidative stress. Red light and NIR are available in our mPulse Smart Saunas and our portable, hand-held lumiNIR® for targeted muscle recovery and temporary pain relief.
Infrared increases flexibility.
Flexibility is also important for performance and injury prevention. A study conducted at Auburn University of Montgomery showed a Sunlighten mPulse 3 in 1 sauna can increase your flexibility up to 3x. Benefits of increased range of motion include joint mobility, less friction in the joints, enabling of joint function to diminish stiffness and joint relaxation.
A whole-body longevity modality.
You’re on a mission to stay healthy and active for as long as possible. Aiding in recovery and relieving pain are just a few of the many ways infrared sauna impacts longevity and quality of life. While you relax in comfort, our patented infrared sauna goes to work on several biomarkers of aging to make health improvements that are linked with reversing biological age, and help fight age-related diseases to support overall well-being and vitality.
Your goals. Your perfect sauna.
Choosing the right infrared sauna goes beyond features. It’s about finding the right fit for your body, lifestyle and wellness goals.
We build every Sunlighten sauna on a foundation of the highest quality and quantity of far infrared your body can absorb for maximum benefits. Whether you’re focused on relaxation, recovery, detoxification, skin health, or longevity, our quiz will help match you with the right sauna for your needs.
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How to use infrared light therapy for muscle recovery
Use infrared light therapy to target muscle fatigue and speed recovery. Learn which method—heat, cold, or contrast—your body actually needs.