Recently, I shared a little behind-the-scenes of our new at home infrared sauna. Today I’m giving you all the deets including why this “extra” item wasn’t “extra” to us.

Back in February, pre-pandemic-sht-hitting-the-fan, Evan and I closed on our first home together!

We saw this house for the first time in September 2019. It was there that I laid eyes on a (portable) sauna installed by the owners. It looked big, looked heavy so I assumed if we got this house, the sauna would be an easy negotiation point. I mean who wants to assemble and lug this thing around?

The past owners...apparently. I WAS SO BUMMED!

BUT this turned out to be a blessing in disguise!

As I started my research on buying a sauna, I realized there was so much I didn’t know about this industry– and so much I’d have to learn before choosing the right one for us.

In this post you’ll learn about the type of home we’re creating, what infrared sauna is, why I wanted one, and the top priorities I had in mind when choosing the brand for us.

The SHLOF Sanctuary…

Call us trendsetters, but Evan and I are pre-covid homebodies. We LOVE being home. With Evan now employed full time cardiac surgeon, and me working home full time, we decided that our home would have to double as an oasis. Rather than focusing on big vacations 2x a year to recharge like most of America, we wanted to build a peaceful place where we could easily recharge on the daily!

Think a retreat without having to actually retreat anywhere!

Cue, the Shlof Sanctuary — our home where we prioritize well-being over everything… to the point we had the sauna and stair master up and running before we got a couch for the den.

I know a sauna feels “luxurious” and “extra” to most, but feeling good and connected to my body is TOP priority. This “luxury item” (as many call it) was actually a necessity to me.

Okay– I could live with out. But I knew it would optimize my well-being and with COVID and quarantine, I only stand more firmly behind this choice.

Fact is, less people are leaving their homes–and if they are, it’s low chance they’re going to a communal sweat chamber for their health. After posting on my instagram stories, I now know that more and more of YOU are considering this– and I’m so excited about that. I’ve been using mine for over a month now, and I can honestly say I LOVE IT.SO.DAMN.MUCH!!

My top reasons for having a sauna at home

Mental Health

With a history of depression (which worsens in cold months), I know that warmth and sweating is key for me.

Over winter of this year I was traveling about an hour from my home to use a sauna at a small spa. Infrared sauna sessions calm my thoughts, help me process, and help me connect deeply to my insides– so that commute was worth it for me. There’s research to back that up.

But honestly, I don’t need research — I can feel the good hormones that are produced within a single sauna sesh.

The sauna also improves my sleep quality- something I’ve struggled with my whole life. Better sleep means a better functioning me.

Physical well-being and body pain

I’ve got a decade-long issue going with my hip and low back. It flares worse in the winter and turns into pain shooting down my leg– that. will. not. stop. I’ve tried it all because when I have a “flare” it’s pretty debilitating.

Sauna and all heat methods are one of the best ways to relieve the pain. Also a big fan of my infrared mat with crystals for this helping heal my body on the daily.

When I learned the past owners took their sauna, I wanted to replace it immediately. But as I started the search, I quickly learned that I had A LOT to learn for this permanent investment!!

TIP: This is not an “Add to cart” type of purchase. It’s an investment. Do not buy your sauna on Amazon!

What I didn’t expect when buying an infrared sauna

Well hot damn!! There’s a lot of science and big words that make it confusing.

Before you can even learn about what’s good and bad- you need to get a grip on the LINGO.

From EMFS to ELFS to NEAR and FAR rays -it’s enough to make you just want to find the cheapest or cutest and “add to cart.” (DO NOT DO THIS!!)

Prior to February, all I knew was that I like saunas and I’d be happy to take one, for free, from past owners 😀

Fast forward to August 2020, and I’m now a self-proclaimed expert in infrared saunas. Okay, I’m not actually an expert, but I do have many months of research under my belt, a good grasp on the science, and I knew what to look for when making this investment for us.

Fortunately for you, translating science into english is my jam.

If you’re looking to optimize your home and well-being with this investment, it’s important you make the right move so you have no regrets or headaches with disassembly and returns. This thing is mammoth and HEAVY. Save yourself the headache and put in the work researching first.

Let’s zoom OUT then zoom IN!

What’s the difference between a traditional sauna and an infrared sauna?

Tradition saunas have a single heater that heats the air (not the person). The room is hot and heavy. Infrared saunas are not like this at all.

Infrared sauna heat works directly on the body- not the air. No steam is produced. Translation: the air doesn’t get too hot, but the body does. This results in deeper heat penetration throughout the body and maximization of positive effects– and a much more comfortable setting where you don’t feel like you’re suffocating.

But what is INFRARED?

The sun produces different rays of light — some visible and some invisible.Infrared is one of the invisible rays — it’s makes the sun feel warm- but best of all! it has none of the damaging effects.

So, will any infrared sauna do?

I wish it were that easy. Saunas, specifically infrared saunas, are a BIG, lucrative business.

Like I said, this stuff is confusing. Most people that know they want an infrared sauna will skip over what you’re reading and go for either the cheapest or most instagrammable.

Don’t. Do. This.

If you’re doing this for health (which I assume you are), you must consider what you’re getting (or losing) when you get a deal.

Before making a decision, I spoke to tons of people I trust in my wellness sphere who have their own at home infrared saunas; I read tons of articles and impartial reviews; and I looked at the results from people who did their own testing online.

It all came back to one brand: Clearlight Sauna.

Clearlight is a 23-year-old company, now licensed by Jacuzzi (as of 2017). The more I read, the more confident I was that I’d be going with one of the models from Clearlight.

Top priorities for me when buying an infrared sauna

LOW EMF

EMF is a term you’ll hear a lot in the infrared sauna world. It stands for Electromagnetic Fields which are fields of energy we’re always being exposed to—but even more so in the last century because of technological advancements. EMF come from cell phones, electronics, house wiring, televisions, microwaves, etc. Lifetime exposure to EMF is becoming the subject of a lot of science research since it has the potential to cause a lot of negative effects to our bodies and health.

While all saunas will emit EMF, the amount they emit varies. Generally, and logically, the cheaper the sauna, the more EMF and less protection you get.

Clearlight is the pioneer of low EMF carbon infrared sauna heaters. Their patent-pending infrared heater (True Wave™) technology reduces EMF levels where you sit to virtually zero.  Note: I have not done my own individual testing yet but here is one I found on YouTube.

Clearlight also has their wiring run though a metal conduit, shielding the ELF and EMF to make sure the sauna is the safest. To my knowledge, no other sauna does this.

I knew I’d be using the sauna most days of the week — and therefore, kept EMF exposure top priority.

Materials used

Many of the cheaper saunas use toxic glues and plastic coatings. Some even use Formaldehyde.

As these chemicals can be released with heat, sitting in a heat chamber (for health) and being exposed to toxic glues and plastics seemed silly.

Clearlight has been in business for over 23 years and uses non-toxic materials only. Each infrared sauna is sanded by hand.

Room for Two People

Even within the Clearlight family, there are many tons of options, and choosing the right one would depend on where it went — for example, a corner unit vs. wall unit, indoor vs. outdoor, traditional voltage requirement or working with our electrician.

A top priority for me was space so I could use the sauna with Evan.

We went with Sanctuary Corner Unit C- it sits perfectly in our basement.

Some units are what’s called“plug and play” meaning they go right into the regular socket.

Things to Consider: Heater Placement

Heater placement matters and most companies don’t know where to place the heaters for optimal effectiveness. This is a critical mistake.

Heaters above the head are ineffective as it’s the infrared wavelength coming off the heater that offers the benefits. The idea behind infrared therapy is to allow the infrared heat into your body — you want to think about front, back, sides. Improper placement affects how effective it will be.

I’ve read that most people self-assemble–but err… assembly is not a talent of mine and Evan’s, and usually results in someone getting hurt and big fights. The electrician that handled the voltage requirements assembled it on the spot in less than 2 hours.

One of the things I love about Clearlight is that you can’t just click and order it online. There isn’t a simple “add to cart” option like with other brands. They require a consultation and ensure you are making the right decisions for you. They know that getting the right infrared sauna takes time, research, and involves evaluating a lot of personal factors.

To learn more, head here or call 1.800.798.1779 to speak to a customer service rep. There’s a sale now through Monday, September 7th 2020 to save $500 – $700 plus FREE shipping. If you’re a front line worker (healthcare, fire fighter, store clerk, driver, police), be sure to mention it.

As a proud affiliate, you can tell them The Well Necessities sent you ♡

I’ll be doing an IGTV and YouTube showing you all the features, plus a part 2 blog post! I ordered two additional “add ons” that haven’t arrived yet. I’ll review those after using them for a bit!

Drop your questions below!!