KEEP THOSE WINTER BLUES AT BAY WITH SOME INFRARED THERAPY.

Byline: LINDSAY CLYDESDALE

SUMMER already feels like a distant memory, particularly if, like me, you work in an office and rarely see daylight.

One way of battling the winter blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder is 30 minutes inside a Physiotherm Infrared Therapy cabin.

This cabin, for individual use, is based on the same idea as infrared deep heat treatment, but instead of it being applied locally to an injured limb or other body area, it is applied to the whole body.

Unlike a sauna, which needs higher temperatures to work, infrared heat gets the same results at a more comfortable 30-40C. It also produces greater amounts of sweat than traditional sauna or steam rooms and so is more effective at removing toxins.

The lava sand heaters produce no ultraviolet so it's safe to use. I stayed in for 30 minutes although you can do anything from 20 to 45 minutes, up to three times a week.

You can choose which colour therapy you'd like - different colours have different benefits from relaxing to empowering.

I opted for the full-spectrum sunlight, which is reputed to help regulate the metabolism, produces Vitamin D and supports the immune system.

All you have to do is sit and enjoy the warmth. It's very relaxing and boosts circulation, as well as being a fantastic detox. And you can even choose your own music to listen to while you unwind as the cabin has a CD player.

A cool shower afterwards is a good idea, to bring your body temperature down and I was advised to drink lots of water to rehydrate. My skin was glowing and I felt energised and upbeat.

The cabins cost about pounds 1000 to buy but you can get a regular fix by visiting one of the gyms across the country that now have one.

Greens at Finnieston, Glasgow, has one as does Fitness Lounge in the city's St Vincent Street.

Sessions start from pounds 10. To find your nearest location visit www.physiotherm.co.uk or call 0845 2255 008.

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TREAT: A Physiotherm Infrared cabin