When infrared sauna blankets came on to the scene, I was a bit skeptical at first and here’s why: I grew up with a sauna at home, built in paneled wood that my Finnish father built with his own hands. I have jumped out of saunas and into a lake outside of Helsinki and understood it as a ritual, a way to commune with friends and loved ones.

Could I really sauna—in a sleeping bag? I crave heat-therapy as a part of my everyday wellness routine, but having a sauna at home has been more of a dream than a reality. So when TCM asked me to try the Infrared Sauna Blanket from BON CHARGE—one I could easily stash in my apartment!—I jumped at the chance. Climbing into the blanket is like wrapping myself in a pocket of heated coziness—I settle into a meditative state and let myself sweat. Climbing out my muscles are soothed and my mind calm—plus there’s the after-sauna glow! Here’s my review…

This could also be the sign you needed to bring an infrared sauna blanket home: BON CHARGE is offering a whopping 25% off for Black Friday and Cyber Monday including their Red Light Face Mask too!

So, What Is An Infrared Sauna Blanket, Exactly?

Traditionally saunas are made of wood and are heated with rocks, with the option to pour water over the rocks to produce steam. This is the ultimate definition of a traditional sauna. By the way, sauna is pronounced “sow-na”, not “sah-na”. Sound out those vowels, friends. Do it for the Finns!

Instead of rocks, an infrared sauna blanket actually uses electromagnetic waves to heat your body directly. Essentially a form of light that has been well-researched and lauded for its many health benefits. You’ve probably spotted the tech in your favorite spas or in the home tours of celeb wellness advocates like Gwyneth Paltrow or Selena Gomez.

Infrared heat deeply penetrates the body at a lower temperature than a traditional sauna. That means a quicker, more convenient sweat at temperatures between 110 and 135 Fahrenheit (traditional saunas can go up to 195 F). That convenience factor has made infrared saunas ubiquitous in gyms and spas around the world.

A sauna blanket has that infrared heat built right in—that means you can wrap yourself into a pocket of heated coziness in the comfort of your own home—without the space required for a full size sauna, traditional or otherwise.

Trying The BON CHARGE Sauna Blanket At Home

As someone that works in front of a computer and is also a regular weight lifter, my muscles can often be pretty loud in their dissatisfaction with me. I’m also going through a period of massive change in my life that can bring extra stress to the picture, alongside the state of the world. That is, to say, I’m always looking for tools to soothe, relieve and calm my entire system. So I welcomed the delivery of the BON CHARGE Infrared Sauna Blanket with open arms.

Zipping open the bag to reveal the folded sauna blanket neatly tucked away inside with the plug attachment. There wasn’t any of that “new car” smell that I expected (the BON CHARGE Sauna Blanket has no toxic chemicals, SGS tested and approved!) and the waterproof PVC was soft and smooth to the touch. It has some heft to it but rolling it out was simple and easy. The bag fit perfectly both on our queen-sized bed and in our usual workout zone downstairs.

Plugging it in and turning it on was simple. All I had to do was select my time and my heat level and wait for it to ping with a beep when ready. I wasn’t even finished changing into my loose pants, long sleeve and socks (Very key useage tip! It gets warm in there!) before it was heated up. Grabbing a pillow for my head, I tucked into the cocoon of radiating heat for twenty minutes.

The sauna bag also gave me the feeling of a weighted blanket that helped me begin to relax. (Double whammy!) Taking some deep breaths, I settled into a meditative state and let myself sweat!

Once my session ended, I noticed that I didn’t feel overheated—and yet there was a glisten of sweat across my entire body, that after-sauna glow. Climbing out I felt calm, comfortable and relaxed, not drenched and red faced. Okay infrared, I see you!

What Are The Benefits Of Infrared Heat?

Studies have shown a wide range of benefits for infrared heat therapy that penetrates deep into the body. Infrared therapy may support:

+ Soothed muscles
+ Lower stress levels
+ Pain relieft
+ Improved circulation
+ Detoxification support

Like so many holistic wellness protocols beloved for centuries, the science is still catching up. But more and more studies are being done to understand the protective adaptive responses to heat stress, similar to what we are continuing to learn about cold exposure. Infrared may support your immune system, cardiovascular health, weight loss, glowing skin, and quality sleep. Conditions studied so far include high blood pressure, heart failure, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, headache, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis.

We’ve been raving about the benefits of infrared saunas here at TCM for years, finally having an opportunity to access a blanket at home really is the dream! You can read more about infrared heat here too.

BON CHARGE has done the work on their infrared sauna blanket to heat up super quickly, provide as much heat as safely as possible, plus ensure any risk of harmful EMF radiation is mitigated.

Final Thoughts On The BON CHARGE Infrared Sauna Blanket

Being a lover of saunas already, I started using my sauna blanket at 130 F for 20 minutes a few times a week. Usually, I’d set up my bag on days between resistance training days for recovery support — that heat can really melt sore muscles.

I even managed to slip in a few BON CHARGE Infrared Sauna Blanket sessions during a month of frequent travel—a major stress relief that I felt helped me avoid getting sick as I often do this time of year. It was a welcome reprieve to come home, set up my cozy cocoon and spend 20 minutes in the heat with that subtle weighted blanket effect each time. I noticed an improved overall sense of calm and resilience during my day-to-day stressors and workouts. Plus, I’ve noticed that I’ve been able to fight off any viruses pretty easily which is an added bonus. Lastly, this new routine makes a welcome addition to my mindfulness routine, a few evening sweats each week really complement my morning meditations.

I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of benefits I feel with continued use, both for my muscles and my mindset! And while I will continue to seek out those traditional Finnish experiences as often as possible, I already feel more like myself having this infrared heat therapy tool right at my fingertips.

Get 25% Off Everything At BON CHARGE

After my first dip into having light therapy at home, I’m ready to try everything else BON CHARGE has to offer. That red light therapy I get during my monthly facial? This Red Light Face Mask would help me get that therapy at home while doing meal prep on the weekends. Or I could take their Mini Red Light Device with me on my next trip. Maybe an Infrared PEMF Mat for my morning yoga sesh…

Save 25% off the BON CHARGE sauna blanket, mask and ALL red light therapy products for a limited time!
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This story is brought to you in partnership with BON CHARGE. From time to time, TCM editors choose to partner with brands we believe in to bring our readers special offers. All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health-related programs.