Not all forms of heat are created equal.
Have you ever walked into a hot yoga studio and experienced heat levels that were intense, oppressive, and uncomfortable?
Chances are the space is heated by convection and utilizes airflow to disperse the heat throughout the room; not only does this distribute the heat unevenly, but it also stirs up dust, allergens, and unhealthy bacteria in the room. At NBalance, we utilize radiant, infrared heat panels to provide a comfortable, therapeutically heated environment for each of our yoga classes. Unlike convection heat, infrared heat warms objects in the room (including bodies) instead of the air and creates an evenly distributed temperature throughout the room. Think about the dry heat of Arizona in the Summer versus humid heat in Clarksville, and you will begin to sense the difference. Since no airflow is involved, those pesky microbes are not an issue either.
The infrared panels at NBalance radiate heat that is absorbed by your body (several inches deep), thus increasing your internal temperature, and has many beneficial effects on your health. Infrared heat causes blood vessels to dilate, thereby increasing blood circulation that delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and organs faster. This speeds up the metabolic processes of the body as well as promotes healing to areas that need it most. The heat-induced increase in blood flow also stimulates stronger, more efficient contractions of your heart, which can lower your blood pressure over time (especially diastolic blood pressure). The increase in internal body temperature also stimulates your immune system, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the body to fight bacteria, viruses, and pathogens. As you heat up, your body responds by sweating, which aids in the detoxification process; but since infrared heat speeds this up even more, then major pollutants such as heavy metals can be released from the body, along with other toxins much faster. As heat is absorbed in the body tissues, joint stiffness decreases, the extensibility of joint structures (ligaments, tendons and connective tissues) increases, and muscles relax. Infrared heat even reduces inflammation and pain, as well as promotes healing both internally and externally. While the therapeutic benefits are numerous and accelerated during yoga practice at our studio, you can still gain benefits by being in the room. In other words, is not uncommon to see individuals in savasana throughout some of our classes so that they can receive the benefits from the infrared heat.