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NOT ALL STRESS IS BAD!!
Exposure to short term stress can actually help to protect you from long term chronic stress (BAD STRESS!). Short term stressful events produce a rise in cortisol (the 'stress hormone') and a physical response (like running away) followed by a steep reduction in cortisol, resetting the levels to lower than they were before. It is when our bodies are constantly in this high stress state, without the consequential reduction in cortisol, that we end up in a state of chronic stress which, unfortunately, is all too common these days!
Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can shut off your immune system, upset your digestive and reproductive systems, raise blood pressure, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, speed up the ageing process and leave you vulnerable to many mental and physical health problems.
Fortunately, there are ways that you can manually reset your stress response and assist your body in taking a break from this high stress state. Apart from regular exercise, an amazing way to reset your stress response is by using an infrared sauna, and here’s why:
When your body is exposed to heat stress your cortisol levels will typically stay the same (in some cases they may rise). When you remove this heat stress source by, say, hopping out of the sauna, your cortisol levels will drop almost immediately and, as mentioned above, these levels will be reset to a lower point than before, leaving you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
In addition to lowering cortisol levels and helping with stress management, infrared sauna use stimulates the release of ‘feel good’ neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which help your mind stay calm and focused and help you to resist depression (and other mood disorders) which is why you float out feeling on top of the world!
Combining your regular infrared sauna use with the use of our medical grade chromotherapy lighting allows for a deeply relaxing experience and can assist your body with managing stress (BLUE is a powerfully relaxing choice as it exhibits tranquillising properties and is used to help address stress and nervous tension).