Wellness Trend: Infrared Sauna

The leaves are changing color and the first chestnuts line my way to the Radiance Bar. These are still the pleasant sides of autumn. Then it starts to rain and the wind has decided to blow into my face from all sides. Just a few meters more, then I have escaped autumn for a moment. My destination is an infrared sauna studio. In such dreary weather, a wellness oasis is especially tempting for me. That's why I want to introduce you today to my favorite place for wellness and relaxation in Hamburg: the Radiance Bar.

Coming from the USA, the beauty trend has finally established itself in Germany as well. I first heard about infrared saunas in 2018 in New York and shortly after visited my first infrared sauna at IMD Beauty Spa. I was immediately enthusiastic and even more excited when I heard that in 2019 the Radiance Bar Hamburg would open as the first infrared sauna studio in Germany. The studio is located directly in Winterhude, just a stone's throw from the Alster. The infrared sauna cabins are each in four separate rooms and can be used privately and undisturbed alone or with a friend. Additionally, at the Radiance Bar you will also find a small café including a shop, a bathroom with a shower, and recently lymphatic drainage boots, which complement the studio into a wellness temple. The sauna cabins are all equipped with infrared light panels that include the full spectrum of near, mid, and far infrared rays. The heat is generated by the infrared rays, which penetrate under the skin and warm the body from the inside. In technical jargon, this is called “deep heat.” 

Cozy warmth instead of an oven 

 But what is special about the infrared sauna and what is the difference from the traditional sauna? Anyone who has been in an infrared sauna - some know them from ski vacations - will know: the saunas are not as hot as traditional Finnish saunas. The temperature of an infrared sauna averages 40 - 65°C, whereas traditional saunas can get up to 105°C, where the air in the cabin is heated to make the body sweat - which can be a stressful experience for many. Infrared saunas work differently: instead of heating the air in the closed cabin, the infrared radiation, as described above, heats the body directly from the inside. The infrared rays penetrate deep into the skin and create a warm and pleasant feeling. Unlike the traditional sauna, which relies on several short sauna sessions, you can stay continuously in an infrared sauna for about 30 minutes. At the Radiance Bar, you can book the cabins for 30- or 50-minute sessions accordingly.

You don't really notice much in the first 10 minutes, but after that it really starts! You'll sweat a lot - much more than in a regular sauna. And that's the unique selling point of infrared saunas: you sweat much more, it actively promotes circulation and detoxification. The heat is also more pleasant, you can regulate the temperature in the cabin yourself and adjust it lower or higher according to your preference. Additionally, the red light of the sauna is very calming. You can also listen to your own relaxing music (the cabins are equipped with speakers that you can connect to your phone via Bluetooth) and you'll be in seventh heaven - at least that's how I feel!

 Why an infrared sauna has so many advantages:

The ancient Romans already knew that sauna bathing is healthy. Infrared radiation also brings several health benefits. Sweating stimulates the detoxification of toxins in the body and initiates an internal cleansing process – especially beneficial for people with skin problems. It even goes so far that after sauna bathing, you can see small black spots on the towel you sit on from the sweat-excreted toxins! 

But not only does the skin's appearance improve with regular use. Circulation is proven to improve, allowing injured muscles to heal faster and tension to be released – especially good for athletes as a recovery measure. That stress is also reduced and active relaxation is promoted goes without saying. The effect lasts sustainably and guarantees you a calm and restful sleep.

All advantages at a glance

• Detoxification
• Stress reduction & relaxation
• Better sleep
• Cleansing of the skin
• Improved circulation
• Muscle regeneration & relief from tension & muscle soreness 
• Strengthening the immune system
• Promotion of collagen production
• Weight reduction

 

If you also feel like doing something good for yourself and want to try the infrared sauna, then definitely stop by the Radiance Bar . Especially attractive for new customers is the beginner's weekly pass, where you can book 5 sessions of 30 minutes each over 7 days for 59 euros. Otherwise, bookings for 30 or 50-minute single sessions or various memberships are also possible. Apart from a negative corona test, proof of vaccination or recovery, you don't need to bring anything: towels, bathrobes, as well as shampoo, shower gel, and a hairdryer are provided in the studio. All further information about prices and conditions can be found on the website or on instagram. 

A second studio in Munich is in planning, and many sauna landscapes and thermal baths already offer infrared sauna cabins; just ask and feel free to try it out!

Abroad, you can find infrared sauna studios here:

London: The Glow Bar

New York: Higher Dose, IMD Beauty Spa

And for hardcore fans: You can also buy your own infrared sauna cabin for home. Small models are available from 600 euros, larger models go up to 2500 euros. This is at the top of my list, then I can save myself the trip in the rain.

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About the author:

Eva Staudinger is a German model signed with international agencies in New York, London, and Paris. With her many years of professional experience, skincare, beauty, and wellness are topics she engages with daily and with great enthusiasm. Business trips to New York, Sydney, or London allow her to always get insights into the latest beauty trends, which she will then share with us in the SoSue Beauty section. Besides her work as a model, the native of Bergisch Gladbach also completed her bachelor's degree in economics at the University of Cologne. She has since relocated her base from the Rhineland to the north in Hamburg, where she lives with her boyfriend and where her German agency “PMA” is located. She regularly takes her followers on her Instagram account “evastaudinger” on her travels around the world and shares insights from her latest discoveries in beauty, wellness, and food – anyone interested is welcome to take a look.