It’s Fit Five Friday!

WELOME to Fit Five Friday with with your amazing hosts – me, Darlene -My First 5K and More, Michele – Running With Attitude, and Jenn – Runs with Pugs !

OK so this week our theme is Fitness Habits That Stick (Even When It’s Cold) and yes I’m deviating from that a bit, but trust me one of the things I am talking about below helps Even When It’s Cold!

Disclaimer – all items mentioned below were purchased by me with no influence from any company, nor have I been asked to review. These people don’t even know I exist haha! So yeah, none of this is an ad for any of these products. I did my research before buying on what was the right product for me.

Five Ways I used Red Light for Self Care

1 – Red Light Therapy Face Mask – This is my latest gadget but something I have actually looked into for a couple of years! My initial reason was to help with collagen production and possibly smoothing away fine lines and wrinkles.

My particular mask from Currentbody is red light only, but other light masks are available. I do not use it every day, but every other or 3rd day is enough. Since I’ve been focusing more on my skin health the last couple of years, I feel like this is a great addition to my repertoire. Plus it’s a great excuse to sit back and ‘do nothing’ for 10 minutes!

How it works – LED light therapy masks are basically little glow panels that give your skin a boost using gentle, targeted light. Each color of light sends a different kind of “message” to your skin — red light is often used to support natural rejuvenation, while blue light is commonly used to help keep the skin’s surface clearer. There’s no heat, no harshness, just low‑energy light that your skin absorbs and responds to over time. Think of it as a calm, consistent ritual that helps your skin do what it already knows how to do, just with a little extra encouragement.

2 – Infrared Heat Lamp Red light therapy for healing

Back when I had my first MTP fusion a year ago I purchased a small infrared heat lamp to help with my recovery. Now whether it worked or not, I can’t 100% say, but I do know that my recovery was amazing and I had very little pain after the first week. I used my device several times a day and then when I had the second MTP fusion of course I used it again. Ron likes to use this to target sore muscle spots, particularly his back and bum.

This lamp from Beurer is 300 watts and has a timer you can set up to 15 minutes. It’s basically your own little pocket of cozy, targeted heat. It gives off a deep, soothing warmth that people love using when they want to unwind, loosen up tight spots, or just create a moment of calm in their day. Because the heat is focused, you can aim it exactly where you want it, making it an easy, at‑home ritual that feels both grounding and restorative. It’s one of those simple tools that turns a few quiet minutes into real self‑care. Again, do we need an excuse for a few moments of down-time? I think not !

3 – 5 Infrared Sauna Blanket – seriously the best purchase ever!

initially I bought my sauna blanket to help me with muscle soreness and joint pain. Between operations I had a LOT of pain in my hips and in my lower legs and was getting really fed up with it.

Later I started using it simply to relax – some nights I have a lot of trouble sleeping and my restless legs aren’t helped by my medication. Instead of tossing and turning for hours I often just go upstairs on the couch into my blanket for a half an hour and then return to bed. Whether it’s mental or really does something it doesn’t really matter to me! I’m glad it’s there and is an option.

Lastly, it’s been REALLY COLD here! Some days I take a break and just go lie in my blanket for a half an hour to warm up ! It’s been a real lifesaver in that respect.

My blanket is from Koanna, but there are several on the market. They also claims it detoxifies and helps with weight loss but personally I do not believe such hooey. But just like going to the sauna, you can sweat a lot in it, if you turn the temperature up. I keep mine fairly low (but still hot enough to get some benefits).

How it works – The Koanna infrared sauna blanket feels like your own personal, wrap‑around sauna session. Instead of heating the air like a traditional sauna, it uses infrared heat inside the blanket to warm your body directly. You slip in, zip up, and the blanket surrounds you with this deep, steady warmth that helps you unwind and settle into a calm, restorative moment. It’s simple to set up, easy to store, and turns a few quiet minutes into a cozy, full‑body ritual you can enjoy anytime.

Other Red Light Therapy Options (that I have not tried)

• Red Light Hand Held Devices
• Red Light Therapy Panels
• Red Light Wands or Pens
• Red Light Therapy Beds

Have you tried red light / infrared therapy?

Here are the guidelines:

• Your link should center around some kind of fitness (exercise, wellness, mental health, nutrition… the possibilities are endless!)
• Please link back to your hosts! It’s the right thing to do! 
• Share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!
• Feel free to share about Fit Five Friday on your social media! Tag #FitFiveFriday to get the word out!