A Local Gem: Inner Light Wellness, Infrared Saunas
Hello people! A lot of bloggers start their posts off like “Hey ladies,” but I know more than a few of my readers are guys, so, hi guys! Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about you and most importantly, I really appreciate you following along! Today’s post is A) a collaboration that I’m so excited to share with you and B) something for ALL my readers, girls, guys, doesn’t matter!
If you’ve been following along with me for the past I dunno 2 months or so you’re aware of my 40-day sugar detox! Eek! Well, that’s been over for a few weeks now, but my decision to live a healthier lifestyle is still in full swing! That’s why I’ve teamed up with Inner Light Wellness in Darien to share with you my first Infrared Sauna therapy! Before we dive into how amazing this was, I received a complimentary service in exchange for my review of the experience. All opinions are my own, and I only partner with companies that I know I’ll love.
Infrared saunas, for those who don’t know, are different from the regular saunas you’re probably used to! For starters, infrared saunas are much more effective at ridding your body of toxins compared to regular saunas. But the actual difference between the two is that infrared saunas heat your body, while regular saunas heat the air around your body and this difference is what makes infrared saunas much more enjoyable!
There are a variety of health benefits linked to infrared sauna usage: detoxifying the body of heavy metals, relaxation, weight loss, blood pressure reduction, stimulates blood flow, pain relief, the list goes on! I’ve only done one session so I can’t speak to seeing any of those sorts of improvements, but when I left Inner Light Wellness I had so much more energy and was so much more awake! I visited Inner Light Wellness after waking up at 6:00am to do a Pure Barre class and I think the night before I’d stayed up past midnight so yes, I was tired! And yet once I left Inner Light Wellness I had a much more positive outlook on the day and the energy to get me through it! Yippie!
Okay! I’m going to spend the rest of the post walking you through my first experience at Inner Light Wellness and my first time doing an Infrared Sauna! (By the way, Inner Light Wellness uses a top of the line Infrared Sauna model!)
Inner Light Wellness is nestled right in downtown Darien, but it’s set back off of the main street, so in other words, parking is super easy! It’s right behind Chase Bank and there is ample off-street parking! I was warmly greeted by Haley, (hi Haley, you’re awesome!) along with an extremely light, airy wellness boutique. I’ve seen so many Insta-stories about this wellness boutique, which is stocked with anything and everything you need to bring positive energy into your life! I was on a tight schedule the morning I visited Inner Light Wellness so I had to kind of rush out after my session, but I would have definitely done some damage with their carefully curated product selection! Everything from Moon Dust to water bottles to books! (I’m not kidding about the Moon Dust, see!)
I was the first 9:00am apt that arrived, so I had the place all to myself for picture taking! Haley showed me back to sauna room 1 (there are a total of 3), where I was able to change in private into a bathrobe (provided) before stepping into the sauna. I have lots of pics, but basically each of the three sauna rooms is outfitted with ample changing space and then of course the sauna! You even have a mirror, lots of water, a timer to keep track of your session, and reading materials if you care to learn more about infrared saunas. P.S- there is a sound machine in the corner to completely drown out any outside noises and distractions.
I changed into a very comfy bathrobe before starting my 20 minute timer. I had a complimentary express session (25 minutes), but there is also the option for a full length session (55 minutes). With the express session they suggest 15-20 minutes in the sauna, and then 5 minutes to change. For the longer session they suggest 30-45 minutes in the sauna and then you have the extra time to relax, dry off, change, and hmm not sure what else, but basically you have plenty of time so no need to rush!
I stepped into the sauna with my water carafe, water glass, reading materials, and of course my phone to document the whole thing! Although the next time I visit Inner Light Wellness I’m going to leave my phone in my bag, on silent! I highly recommend leaving technology out of the experience altogether! My number one tip to get the most out of your infrared sauna treatment is to just relax and focus on yourself. If you’re a mom, enjoy the you-time, if you’re addicted to your phone, enjoy unplugging, if you’re super stressed about your job, enjoy an environment that takes your mind away from your worries and places them on the amount you’re sweating!
Coming up with little contests for myself is something I do quite often. So of course I challenged myself to finish the carafe while I was in the sauna. And I almost did! Perhaps one of my favorite parts of this experience was how it reminded me to stay hydrated. I did such a great job during my 40-day sugar detox with drinking 55 ounces of water each day! But since I’ve ended the 40-dady challenge I’ve been doing a not so great job with keeping on the hydration train. So thank you to Inner Light Wellness to getting me back into the swing of things!
The first 5 minutes in the infrared sauna I found the heat to be welcoming, like a blanket wrapped around you. The longer I spent in the sauna the warmer I felt, umm duh! Maybe this is all super obvious to you, and if so, sorry! But I didn’t start to reallyyy sweat until around the 10-12 minute mark. (And this is probably different for each person, just sharing my experience here!) Prior to the 10 minute mark I was focused more on being mindful and on my breathing, after the 10 minute mark I was much more in the mindset of: wow, I really am sweating out all these toxins! I spent the full 20 minutes in the sauna and am so glad I did because those last five minutes I felt so awake and relaxed. Yay!
After my 20 minute session I stayed in my robe for a few minutes to dry off. I grabbed a chilled eucalyptus towel, which smelt amazing and was so refreshing! Mental reminder: I need to make a bunch of these and put them in my freezer! Now get ready- here’s 100% honesty/transparency: I used the eucalyptus towel to wipe the sweat off of me and ended up going through the rest of my day sans shower. I showered that night of course, but honestly, although I sweat a lot during the 20 minute session I didn’t smell bad at all, so I had no problem throwing my athletic outfit back on before going about the rest of my day. That’s the not-so-stinky truth!
Outside of the three private sauna rooms there is a spacious seating area with plenty of natural light and plenty of iced tea! So. Yummy. Inner Light Wellness definitely has every last detail accounted for! The experience is nothing short of luxurious. Have I sold you on it yet? I hope so!
If you’re in the Fairfield County/Westchester County area, then you need to make the trip to Inner Light Wellness. My personal suggestion is to schedule your session first thing Monday morning, just like I did! Um hellooo there is no better way to start off your week than to sweat out all those weekend shenanigans, right!? Try something new, treat yourself, and I promise you won’t be disappointed! I’m already planning my next visit, and I want to bring my dad with me because I know this is right up his alley!
Check Inner Light Wellness out here and on Instagram here! Thank you again Inner Light Wellness for partnering with me!
