WHAT: The Sunlighten mPulse Infrared Sauna is the only one of its kind that is able to utilise all three ranges of infrared “rays” – near infrared, mid infrared and far infrared. The various wavelengths are meant to affect different areas of your body.

Near infrared is supposed to help with things like “cell health and immunity, wound healing, skin rejuvenation and pain relief”; mid range is for “pain relief, improved circulation and weight loss; while far infrared is supposed to assist with weight loss, detoxification, blood pressure reduction and overall relaxation” according to mPulse manufacturer Sunlighten.

There’s a whole bunch of literature on the benefits of infrared rays for dealing with these issues; even Oprah and her favourite doctor, Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Professor of surgery at Columbia University, are convinced that using infrared has real benefits.

The mPulse infrared sauna at Verita Advanced Wellness offers users infrared combined with the more established and accepted benefits of a sauna, but without the foggy steam of the traditional version.

The Sunlighten mPulse infrared sauna is available at Verita Advanced Wellness, 308 Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park, Tel: +65 6737 2377, www.VeritaAdvancedWellness.com. The mPulse Infrared Sauna costs $60 for one session, $270 for 5 sessions and $480 for 10 sessions. Verita Advanced Wellness is Singapore’s largest progressive and integrated wellness centre and offers natural, non-invasive health assessments and treatments.

REVIEW: I’m not one to say no to anything that could possibly help me lose weight, feel refreshed, improve my circulation and rejuvenate my skin all without having to move. Yes, you do have to sweat, but this is totally induced by external forces – you don’t have to lift a finger, in fact it’s probably better if you don’t.

The mPulse infrared sauna is a neat, natural wood box with large glass doors and lighting you can brighten or dim as  you need. The fact that the heat of this sauna is created using infrared rays means there’s not a drop of water other than the icy jug outside and what appears on your body.

Heat from a traditional sauna is generated by pouring water on to heated stones and creating steam – which is fabulous for those in super-dry climates like Scandinavia, but totally unnecessary for us in steamy Singapore.

This is why an infrared sauna makes so much sense. Your body is heated via the infrared, you quickly break a sweat and, if you can stand it, an hour lying still on a bamboo carbon fiber towel – it allows the rays to pass through unlike ordinary cotton – will burn 400 calories!

Personally I actually enjoyed being forced to lie still and do absolutely nothing for an hour or so, with no reading, no mobile, no email – not as painful as I first thought. The actual sweating was a doddle.

Without the encompassing stream of the traditional sauna you don’t actually feel as “hot” despite the fact that the temperature went up to around 55-62 degrees according to the dial; it tops out at 65 degrees celsius.

The mPulse infrared sauna comes with a variety of tech tools. There are preset “settings”, I tried the Cardio which is meant to assist with weightloss by increasing the “heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate”. While I didn’t emerge panting as you would after a normal workout, you do feel nicely lethargic and a bit tired. I certainly slept well the following night.

Your skin definitely feels smoother and softer – the lovely Verita Advanced Wellness facilities include great showers with good hot water and all natural washing products supplied so you really only have to cart a few bits and pieces with you – and my body felt “lighter”.

Did I lose any weight? Maybe a kilo or so, as far as I can judge. However I certainly felt much more relaxed, although that might have been just the hour of rest, I do think that the mPulse infrared sauna aided my sleep and helped relax some very knotted up muscles.

INFO: Interestingly there are people who absolutely swear by the benefits of infrared rays – check out what Oprah has to say in the video below – and if you’re convinced you can actually buy one of these mPulse infrared saunas for your own home.

They come in a variety of sizes, with versions small enough for an HDB flat or large enough for a multi-generational family to fit into; they’re also not as expensive as you’d think.

For more information on actually buying your own mPulse infrared sauna, contact Felicia Ngiam from Quantum Life Technologies on 9114 5601 or email her at felicia.ngiam@guantumlifetech.com and go to www.quantumlifetech.com for more information about the various versions available.  

WATCH OPRAH & DR OZ: