What is the difference between steam rooms and saunas

Now, there is an increase in the popularity of infrared saunas which are more commonly found in gyms. While this utilizes more modern technology, both provide whole-body heating in a dry environment. Saunas have been studied to understand the benefits they may have to support many different health conditions. However, it's inconclusive as to whether or not they may be recommended for specific clinical conditions and more research is needed.

However, there has been some research to show the ways in which it may support a healthy heart. Since the body is heated up, the brain, the nervous systems, and endocrine systems work together to respond to this external stimulus by increasing blood flow, heart rate, cardiac output, and sweat production in order to cool the body down to maintain balance in the body.

This has been linked to direct benefits for both cardiovascular diseases in general, and in assisting with reducing inflammation. This could provide relief for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and allergic rhinitis. There is also evidence that the heat provided by saunas increases the amount of nitric oxide metabolized in the body. Nitric oxide can help to keep blood vessels flexible, which can help to support healthy blood pressure. It can also help reduce the likelihood of plaque developing on the blood vessel walls, which also lowers cardiovascular risk.

Heat has been used for centuries to promote wellness in the body, and both saunas and steam rooms use heat to benefit the body in a myriad of ways. How they do so however is quite a bit different. Saunas use dry heat, generally somewhere between and degrees Fahrenheit. This heat can come from a variety of sources, depending on the type of sauna that you have—such as electricity, wood, gas, or infrared light.

Steam rooms , on the other hand, provide you with a high humidity environment heated to about to degrees Fahrenheit. The benefits of heat for the body are the same regardless of whether it comes from a dry source or a humid one, meaning the benefits of saunas and steam rooms are pretty much the same too. These include:. In addition, steam rooms help open the lungs which can help with respiratory troubles.

There are two cost factors to consider with both saunas and steam rooms: the cost of the unit itself and the cost of installation. Want a custom steam room? The key difference is that while steam rooms are filled with moist heat, a sauna provides dry heat from a wood or electric stove.

A sauna is wood-paneled, and the stove heats rocks that, in turn, radiate heat into the enclosed room. There will sometimes be a small amount of steam in the room if the user puts water onto the hot rocks. While there are lots of benefits associated with a steam room, people using them should do so with caution and be aware of the risks.

Due to the heat, there is a risk of dehydrating the body and it is advisable not to spend longer than 15 to 20 minutes inside. It is important to drink plenty of water beforehand, as well.

A steam room also provides the ideal environment for certain types of bacteria and germs to grow and spread. So it is adviseable to wear a towel and flip-flops or shower shoes when inside a steam room. Due to the extreme heat in steam rooms, there are certain people who are advised to avoid them:. Hand massage devices may help relieve pain and improve flexibility.

Learn more here. A new study showed that virtual reality-guided breathing led to a similar increase in the ability to withstand pain as traditional mindful breathing. A burning sensation can occur anywhere in the body. It may feel like heat, pins and needles, or a sharp, prickly pain.

Various conditions cause it…. The increase in sweating, rise in heartbeat, and added lethargy you feel after sitting in a sauna or steam room for minutes post-workout is actually something called hyperthermic conditioning. This is because during hyperthermic conditioning your body has to adapt to stress heat , and even more so than normal because it is presumably already tired from your gym session.

It also reduces inflammation by releasing the brain chemicals noradrenalin, adrenalin, and cortisol. Hyperthermic conditioning is also an incredible mood booster, which can in turn assist with feelings of confidence and self-esteem which are always welcome at the gym! This is thought to partly be due to the hormonal changes that take place when the core body temperature rises above a certain level, as well as the resulting stimulation in certain areas of the brain responsible for pleasure.

There has been experimentation with using this method of conditioning as anti-depressant therapy, and studies have so far yielded positive results. Saunas are heated by way of small stoves called kiuas. They can either be electric, gas, or less commonly, wood-burning, and they work by warming a pile of rocks that either continually or initially emit heat. The resulting heat is dry in nature, and because of this, saunas can be up to 40 degrees or sometimes more hotter than steam rooms.

Steam rooms are warmed by using an external water filled generator that pumps steam into the room. This puts steam rooms ever-so-slightly in the lead in terms of detoxing. Steam rooms also soothe your mucosal membranes and can help those with congestion or breathing issues. If the sole purpose of sitting in a sauna or steam room after a workout is to reap the maximum benefits from your session, then a sauna is most likely a marginally better choice.