Sauna vs. Steam Room: Which Is Better?
Saunas and steam baths have been used from time immemorial for all the healthy reasons. While both of them serve the same purpose and have almost similar characteristics, there may be some slight differences between the two, albeit not significant. Both the sauna and steam bath produce heat. They also both are used to stabilize the body functions.
So, what is the difference between the sauna and the steam bath? And which one of the two is better than the other? This article will elongate on both characteristics, variations, and examine which is the best to use at what point.
The Sauna
The sauna provides your body with dry heat that makes you sweat profusely, opening the pores of your skin to allow for air and nutrients to penetrate your skin thereby causing it to glow. Most toxins on your skin are released through the sweat, leaving behind a fresh feeling afterward.
Saunas provide dry heat. This means the only wet thing in the room is your sweat. The heat is generated from stones that are heated in the room, and the heat let to fill the room with only a few gushes of fresh air being let in occasionally to reduce the humidity therein.
Saunas are hotter; this could be because of the dry heat they provide. As a result, this means you cannot sit on a metal seat in a sauna as it will burn you. You can, however, use a wooden chair as it helps maintain the equilibrium state in the sauna room.
Inside the sauna room is dry for lack of humidity and this is not a great thing regarding health.
The Steam Bath
The steam bath provides moist heat. The heat makes you sweat and opens up your skin pores for better air circulation. It helps rid the skin of toxins through the sweat. When you come out, your skin appears to be shiny and glowing as a result.
The steam bath is not as hot as the sauna. It is more bearable owing to the wet and moist heat provided. You can use a metal seat and still feel comfortable in a steamy bathroom. The heat originates from boiling water that lets the steam fill the room or a cedar barrel sauna.
Inside the steam sauna, it is moist and highly humid hence more favorable to health checks.
Similarities between Sauna and Steam Bath
– Both sauna and steam baths use heat to make you sweat profusely.
– Both sauna and steam bath help to clear your skin leaving it healthy and glowing.
– Both sauna and steam baths help relax tour body muscles and body tension.
– Both sauna and steam bath offer therapeutic treatment to the body and mind.
– In both cases, the mind relaxes, and energy levels are boosted through the production of the energy-booster hormone.
The Flipside of the Sauna
– It uses dry air in the room. This means low humidity levels not very healthy for the body. Occasionally though, fresh air comes in to bring a little bit balance.
– There is no scientific explanation behind the detox idea. Sweating alone may not be enough to detoxify the body, only cleanse the skin.
– Too much use of the sauna can dehydrate you.
The Flipside of the Steam Bath
– As it uses moist heat to make you sweat, it is bound to dehydrate you more and failure to top up your system with fluids may cause some discomforts like headaches.
– Cannot be used for more than twenty minutes then it will dehydrate you more.
– Being in a moist environment means you can easily pick germs from another person.
– Steam rooms cannot be used by pregnant women and people with low immunity.
– Steam room baths might not help you to lose weight; the weight loss is only water weight and is gained back with the water you drink.
Benefits of the Sauna
– The sauna helps to relax your body and mind from a long day. It helps produce the stress hormone that relaxes your mind and stabilizes your mood.
– The sweating helps to clear toxins from your skin leaving it clean, aerated, and glowing. This prevents chapped skin and dry skin.
– Sauna enhances deep, restful sleep. After a day at the sauna, you will notice that it gets more comfortable to sleep at night hence boosting your energy levels for the next day.
Benefits of the Steam Bath
– Steam baths help to clear congestion on the skin through the sweating. As a result, your skin health is significantly improved as congestion is eliminated.
– It helps to boost the immune system protecting you from various illnesses. Your joints stop being stiff and make you get more flexible.
– Steam baths are essential in muscle recovery and regeneration of muscle energy.
– The therapeutic characteristics help lower cases of high blood pressure and improve blood and oxygen circulation in the body.
– Steam baths help burn calories at the moment. These are usually water calories that get back as soon as you take water, but are essential in weight loss goals.
Sauna vs. Steam Room: Which Is Better?
While this depends on an individual’s experience, between sauna and steam bath only lies in the highlights and flip sides. Not everyone can enjoy the sauna, and not everyone can enjoy a steam bath. This lies in personal preference from whichever angle you look at it.
If the disadvantages of using a sauna cannot work with you, it is okay to choose the steam bath, and the reverse is also true. Focus on the advantages of either side and stick to minimal applications of both heat treatments for maximum benefits.
From a personal level, the sauna will remain better because it has minimal adverse effects. It also uses dry heat thereby minimizing the risk of accidents from slipping, as well as reduced risks of transferring of germs and infections from person to person through the moist environment.
Saunas also stand out because steam baths can only be used for such a short time, implying that maybe the reason is that the side effects are significant even with the humid environment.