What is infrared ?

Infrared is a type of heat emitted by the sun. You may feel it especially when sunbathing, and miss it when walking into the shade. Infrared is not to be confused with ultra-violet radiation which is skin-tanning and also skin-burning type of the sun rays.

Infrared energy is also emitted as body heat, and the human body can best absorb infrared energy in the 3-to 50-micron range.

How does a far infrared sauna work ?

The electromagnetic spectrum is divided into three segments by wavelength measured in microns (1/1,000,000 of a meter).

• 1. 0.76 to 1.5 microns = near infrared
• 2. 1.5 to 5.6 microns = middle infrared
• 3. 5.6 to 1000 microns = far infrared

This invisible band of light warms objects without warming the air between the source and the object (known as conversion).

Do not confuse this with UV radiation (sunburn) or atomic radiation (nuclear). This radiant heat can also be called Infrared Energy (IR).

This band of light is not visible to human eyes but can be seen by special instruments that translate infrared into colors that are visible to our eyes.

The best example is the sun (80% of the sun's rays are infrared). Our atmosphere allows IR rays in the 7 to 14 micron range to safely reach the earth's surface. When warmed, the earth radiates infrared rays with its peak output at 10 microns. The human body radiates infrared energy out through the skin at 3 to50 microns, with most around 9.4 microns.

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