You’ve probably heard about Far Infrared Ray (FIR) technology before but you may not know that it has long been used for a variety of applications. Some of those things that FIR is very effective at combating are fat cells, muscle aches and pains, and toxins. The best part about this type of therapy is that it is completely safe. Read on for more information about the history of FIR and how it’s been used for well over a century as both treatment and therapy.
Discovery and Development of Far Infrared Rays
Sir William Herschel is credited for discovering the radiant heat emitted by far infrared rays. Sir Herschel figured out that certain colors on the electromagnetic spectrum were hotter than others; by placing a thermometer at specific points along the spectrum formed by a glass prism, he found that starting at the color purple, the emitted heat increased substantially. But the effect was even stronger beyond the red at the end of the electromagnetic spectrum. The invisible light beyond red began to be referred to as Far Infrared Rays in the nineteenth century.
In the 1960s, NASA began to research the properties of FIR in earnest. What they discovered was that FIR technology is very safe, since it is really nothing more than heat, and by the 1980s, scientists determined it could be quite beneficial in a variety of applications. NASA placed far infrared light generators in astronauts’ space suits in order to stimulate their cardiovascular functioning in the absence of traditional exercise opportunities.
Modern Uses of FIR
After NASA’s patent for the FIR-generating panels in space suits expired, the technology became available to private companies. Knowing the many therapeutic benefits of FIR, it quickly became utilized for everything from muscle rehabilitation to dry sauna treatments to weight loss. Other uses include far infrared ray space heaters and medical units for keeping newborn babies in hospitals warm.
In the past several decades, researchers in China and Japan discovered that far infrared rays could be even more beneficial than originally thought. Taking the concept of cardiovascular stimulation a step farther, these researchers found that a system delivering FIR to the body could result in caloric consumption equal to a six to nine mile run (anywhere from 600 to 2,400 calories) during a 30-minute session.