If you’re into fitness, you’ve probably tried a variety of methods to improve your performance and enhance recovery. You may have tried ice baths, are consistent with creatine and collagen, and are delving into wearables for recovery metrics. But what about infrared energy? This light therapy uses longer wavelengths than red light therapy that can penetrate to your muscles and tissues to help your body recover quicker, and can even help you sleep better. If you’re curious about infrared energy and its benefits for athletes, read on to find out how it can help you.
What Is Infrared Radiation?
Infrared radiation, or infrared light, is part of the electromagnetic spectrum that includes radio waves, microwaves, ultraviolet and X-rays. There’s only a small portion of this spectrum that we can actually see—in other words, is visible to the naked eye. This includes red light.
While infrared light is closest to the visible light we can see on the spectrum, you still can’t see it. It’s why infrared energy is used in night-vision goggles and infrared cameras. Infrared radiation has also been used in the health and wellness world for its benefits on circulation and cell health. It can also be used to help treat pain and inflammation.
Infrared Categories and Applications
Infrared light can be broken down into three classifications, based on the wavelength and how deeply it's absorbed into the body. This includes:
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Near-infrared (NIR): This type is the closest to the visible light spectrum. NIR has a wavelength of about 750–1100 nanometers (nm). For comparison, wavelengths in the visible spectrum are between 380 to 700 nm—which is why you can’t see infrared light.
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Mid-infrared light (MIR): Mid-infrared is in the middle of the spectrum between near-infrared and far-infrared. MIR has wavelengths of 1400–3000 nm.
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Far-infrared light (FIR): This is the only infrared type that uses heat as energy instead of light. This heat can penetrate up to 1.5 inches under the skin. FIR has wavelengths of 3000 nm–0.1 mm.
When we talk about infrared therapy and what it means for rest and recovery, we’re mainly talking about FIR therapy. It can help with blood flow, muscle recovery, and managing pain and inflammation.
Infrared Therapy vs. Red Light Therapy
While they sound similar, infrared therapy and red light therapy use different wavelengths of light to target different areas. Red light has a wavelength of 630-680 nm and is on the visible light spectrum, unlike the longer wavelengths of infrared light. Typically, red light therapy is used as a skin treatment to reduce wrinkles and age spots, as well as in wound healing. Infrared light penetrates deeper than red light, so it’s often used to help heal muscles and improve circulation.
Red Light Therapy
Infrared Applications in Athletic Recovery
Using infrared therapy before or after a workout may help you recover faster, with less soreness, according to some research. However, scientists are still studying these benefits. So while there aren't a lot of large, long-term studies of infrared radiation on health, it still holds promise in the growing field of light therapy. Here are some of the biggest potential benefits to your exercise and recovery regimen.
1) Muscle Recovery and Blood Flow Enhancement
It can take several days for your muscles to recover after an intense weight-lifting workout or competition.
Infrared therapy might play a role in a quicker recovery, according to a 2023 study in the European Journal of Sport Science. Study participants received 30 minutes of infrared therapy at certain intervals post-workout and the researchers compared their recovery to those who didn’t receive infrared therapy. They found those who had the infrared therapy recovered fully after 72 hours. But the participants who didn't receive infrared therapy still had about 17-19% less strength five days later.
Your body’s level of nitric oxide can also get a healthy boost with infrared therapy. This is because increased nitric oxide levels cause your blood vessels to dilate, or widen, increasing blood circulation and sending blood flow to muscles.
2) Removing Toxins
Not only can infrared light improve blood circulation, it also might help your body rid itself of toxins and waste from tissues, as well as in your brain, according to one 2022 study. This is largely due to the release of nitric oxide from infrared therapy.
The study, published in the journal Neural Regeneration Research, found that using infrared light helped relax the lymphatic vessels, which acts as a drainage system in your body to carry waste from the body.
3) Pain Management and Inflammation Reduction
Infrared therapy has been around for a while for its uses in reducing pain and inflammation. One study showed infrared therapy—specifically far-infrared therapy—can help manage pain, stiffness and fatigue when using an infrared sauna. It can also help in decreasing inflammation in the body at the level of your cells.
Another study also found infrared therapy may help reduce oxidative stress, which over time can damage your cells. Oxidative stress can cause inflammation in the body which can lead to health conditions like diabetes or arthritis.
Infrared Technology in Sleep Optimization
Infrared therapy may also help you sleep better—and getting a good night’s sleep can improve your athletic performance the next day. Infrared technology can help regulate body temperature and support a healthy circadian rhythm—your body’s 24-hour clock that tells you when it’s time to sleep and when to wake. Using infrared technology can also help you create an environment conducive to good sleep.
1) Regulating Temperature
The blood flow boost from infrared therapy may be the result of your body warming itself up, according to research. But in doing this, it can help you sleep better. When your body gets warmer, blood vessels widen to increase blood flow, bringing the extra heat closer to the skin’s surface, so that it can evaporate and cool you off. This process helps to naturally regulate body temperature, the same way a warm bath or shower before bed can help you cool down to sleep better.
2) Supporting Circadian Rhythm
A 2024 study based in Taiwan had participants sleep using a far-infrared blanket over 14 days and found those who used the blanket had higher levels of sleep-related hormones. The participants also reported better sleep, with longer times spent in deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep—the dreaming stage of sleep.
3) Helping You Relax
Another study, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, showed infrared therapy might help improve sleep quality for its relaxation properties. Using direct heat on the skin can help relax you and decrease your cortisol levels, the chemical you release during times of stress.
Infrared therapy might also decrease the levels of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. Having too high of norepinephrine levels can cause difficulty sleeping, waking up more often during the night, and even anxiety—not a good combination when you’re trying to sleep.
Overnight Recovery Support with Celliant® Technology
You don’t have to visit a medical spa or infrared sauna to get the benefits of infrared light; it’s also available in textile form. Sleep technology is always growing and changing, and you can now use infrared therapy while you sleep just by upgrading your mattress. At Bear, we offer a Celliant infused cover with select mattresses, which harnesses infrared technology for sleep and recovery support.
Celliant Infused Cover
Celliant technology is designed to increase circulation, send oxygen to cells and support temperature regulation. Celliant uses bioceramic minerals embedded into fabrics and fibers that don’t just wick away heat from the body. Instead, it absorbs body heat, and gives it back to the body in the form of infrared light. This light penetrates into the muscles and tissues, which improves blood flow and cell oxygen levels.
As an athlete, you understand the importance of prioritizing sleep in order to perform at your best. When choosing your next mattress, keep the benefits of infrared light in mind and consider a bed engineered for recovery like our Elite Hybrid with Celliant technology.
Disclaimer: Bear does not provide medical advice. All resources on the Bear blog, including this article, are informational only and do not replace professional medical counsel. Talk to your doctor about any health, mental health, or sleep-related issues.
