Weekend Engagement - Sweat And Self Reflect In The Heat

What did you do last weekend?

I am not an exciting person, or rather, I should say that my lifestyle isn't very exciting. I prefer to plan out my schedules and I feel very comfortable in my routines. But that doesn't mean I don't try out new stuff or experience. It's always a balance, and I do feel that some spontaneous activities once in a while can be fun and add colours to my relatively plain and peaceful life.

So last weekend, I was back at the spa for my periodic infrared sauna session. I don't think most people are familiar with infrared sauna therapy and its health benefits, largely because the awareness is not there, and these sessions are not cheap either.

Potential Health Benefits

For those who are interested, any search on Google or any form of AIs such ChatGPT or Grok would reveal quite a long list from benefits. Summarising some of the responses, the list includes improved blood circulation, pain relief, detoxification, skin rejuvenation, relaxation and stress reduction, and weight loss. Of course, there is also the usual disclaimer that these are anecdotal evidence and there is no comprehensive scientific evidence that supports these benefits.

Personally, my experience is actually quite aligned with the anecdotal evidence. Staying 30 to 45 minutes in the infrared sauna really allows me to sweat quite a far bit. And the good part about infrared sauna is that infrared heat actually penetrates more deeply into the body, compared to traditional sauna which relies on heating the air within the sauna, the sweating is more on a surface level. At least that's what I was told. So I definitely agree with the detoxification part.

The part about relaxation and stress reduction is also a key benefit for me. These solo sessions have allowed me to temporary disconnect from all the distractions in life and just do some meditation and self reflection, about life, about my goals, etc. It's like my mini sanctuary where I escape from the reality for 1 hour.

Recently, I had a mild fall (thankfully just a mild one) and the impact actually caused some aching in my body. It was nothing too serious and I sort of let my body heal on its own. But I actually observed that the ache got a lot better after I had the session, which was a little surprising. While I don't think the infrared heat cured my ache, it likely had an effect on the speed of the recovery. So it's money well spent. Haha.

How Expensive Is It?

Speaking about the cost, I wouldn't say it's cheap or affordable. But what I would say is, everyone has things that they are willing to spend on. Some people are okay paying hundreds of dollars per month on gym membership, and some people are willing to splurge thousands of dollars on branded apparel and even the latest gadgets. You get my point. For this, I signed up for a package so it's slightly cheaper, and each session is about SGD 72 (USD 53). After all, health is wealth, and since I could feel the benefits on myself, I would continue to go for these sessions.

Alright, here's a quick tour of the location. This is actually the waiting area where customers sit or rest after their sessions. It can be busy during weekends because this spa also offer a variety of treatments as well (but I find them quite pricey).

This is actually how the infrared sauna cabin looks like. The part I liked about it is that it's a private room with a shower attached. This means after the session, I can just cool down and head to the shower on my own. And the level of privacy is also a reason why it's more expensive.

And they have a little corner where they provide some amenities for the customer to freshen up after the shower. I must say, that Evian mineral water they provide is quite high class though.

Alright, that's all I have for what I did last weekend! Thanks for reading and as always, feel free to share your thoughts or comments below! Have a good weekend!