Infrared sauna: Hot new home trend?

PALM HARBOR (FOX 13) - When Theresa Broughton wants to relax, she shuts the door on her troubles and heads inside a wooden box in her garage.

"Sometimes I come in here and it's just my think tank,” she explained.

This box of tranquility is actually an infrared sauna.

"I sit here usually for about 45, 50 minutes on at least 147 degrees," she continued.

For her it's more than taking the edge off.  "I like it for purification, your internal organs, blood pressure."

Shannon Cochran says there are other pluses for her.

"It's a dry heat and I like the idea of releasing toxins," said Cochran.

That dry heat differentiates the infrared sauna from the steam sauna.

"It's actual light rays that penetrate into your body and they will raise your core temperature between one and three degrees," said Shelly Moye of the Wellness Center in Palm Harbor.

She said it can also help fight allergies.

"It helps to clear out all of your sinuses. It's helping to kill anything -- viruses, bacteria, any kind of cold or flu you're coming upon,” Moye claimed.

And she said some use it to help stay in shape.

"It's great to raise your metabolism to help with weight loss. Studies show that you can burn up to 600 calories in 30 minutes by using the sauna,” Moye added.