THIS WEEK: WE TEST OUT AN AT-HOME INFRARED SAUNA LOVED BY JENNIFER ANISTON, LADY GAGA AND PARIS HILTON

Fancy working up a sweat while lying down? Then say hello to infrared therapy. It’s the hottest way to perspire right now, with celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston [right] using it to detox, relax, soothe and boost immunity.

Infrared even promises to help you lose weight, and not just by shifting a few pounds of water that you’ll put back on as soon as you have a drink. The infrared waves penetrate your tissues, rather than just heating the air around you, so while you don’t feel unpleasantly hot, you sweat – a lot. It’s claimed that your body burns between 200-600 calories in a 30-min session as it works to cool you down.

Although trendy infrared beauty salons are shut for now, you can go down the celebrity route and install your own sauna at home. Jen has a Sunlighten system, as does Paris Hilton and even Lady Gaga, who uses it to treat the pain of fibromyalgia.

You don’t have to live in a mansion to find space for one either, as I discovered when I tested out Sunlighten’s portable Solo System. It looks alarmingly like an MRI scanner and although it’s hardly petite, I did manage to cram it into a corner of the bedroom.

It took about 10 minutes to heat up, before I slid myself into the tube. It felt warm but not uncomfortable. It was like stepping out of a plane into holiday air. Sob!

I don’t think I’m a particularly sweaty person, but this machine found more pores than I knew existed and turned each tiny tap on full blast. It was disgusting, yet weirdly satisfying and calming. By the end of the 30 minute session, I felt cleansed, physically and emotionally. Just one icky note, I’d recommend putting a waterproof sheet under your towel to avoid soaking the pad you lie on.

I’ve loved using this sauna. I’ve not lost weight but my jeans still fit which is a miracle considering my cake and booze intake, and it’s fabulous to shut my eyes, relax and enjoy a bit of me-time. SUNLIGHTEN SOLO SYSTEM FROM £2,800 AT SUNLIGHTENSAUNAS.CO.UK.