Saunas utilize dry heat generated by rocks, electric heaters, or wood-burning stoves, while steam rooms produce moist heat by boiling water and releasing steam. This contrast in heat sources results in different humidity levels, with saunas maintaining low humidity and steam rooms offering nearly 100% humidity.
Which one is best for you? If you prefer dry heat and want muscle recovery, go for a sauna. If you need hydration, respiratory benefits, or prefer lower temperatures, a steam room is ideal. Both improve circulation, relaxation, and detoxification--so it comes down to personal comfort and health goals!
The sauna/steam room should be used “2-3 times a week for no more than 10-20 minutes at a time,” Jay says. Some individuals like to opt for intervals. “You can do 15 to 20 minutes inside the room, take a 5 minute break outside the room, and then go back inside, repeating this for 3-4 cycles.”
Steam room is not as good for cutting weight as a sauna. You won't sweat as much and it will take longer. You want to minimize time spent cutting weight and make things as easy as possible. The humidity of the steam room can leave some people more drained too.
Just a single session in the steam room could help your body to eliminate up to 30 per cent of its waste and toxins through perspiration. Although it is worth noting the more regularly you visit the steam room the better the results. Your immune system will benefit from regular steam room sessions too.
At a typical temperature, a 15-minute steam shower session can burn up to 150 calories. This is typically water weight but as the body generates sweat, its working harder resulting in the breaking down of calories and removal of toxins.
Relax, recover, refresh
Sauna-goers should leave enough time to cool down before warming up again. If you can, don't have a shower straight after the sauna. It's better for the body if you cool off in the fresh air first. Take slow deep breaths once outside, to fill up on oxygen.
The answer largely depends on your personal preference and wellness goals. Some experts suggest starting with the sauna to induce a deep sweat and kickstart the detoxification process. Following this with a steam room session can then help to hydrate the skin and relax the muscles.
The heat of a steam room can make the body release endorphins. They are known as 'feel good' hormones because they help reduce stress in the body. Relaxing in a steam room can also decrease cortisol levels, which is a hormone the body releases in response to stress.
Loose-fitting cotton shorts, t-shirts, and bras absorb excess heat waves and allow the skin to breathe properly. Never enter a steam room wearing the shoes you wear outdoors. A pair of flip-flops or sandals used only in the steam shower is best for not tracking in street dirt and unwanted bacteria.
Because you sweat during your session and toxins are released, having a shower after your sauna will help to cleanse the skin and close pores. A cold shower after your sauna can also activate cold shock proteins in the body, which may help assimilate fat for weight loss.
Contraindications to sauna bathing include unstable angina pectoris, recent myocardial infarction, and severe aortic stenosis. Sauna bathing is safe, however, for most people with coronary heart disease with stable angina pectoris or old myocardial infarction.
Expert Insights on Steam Rooms and Lung Function
Moreover, studies have suggested an improvement in lung function for patients with certain pulmonary diseases after regular steam room use. The heat and steam can help to improve blood circulation and oxygen intake, which may enhance overall respiratory health.
If steam come into close contact with the eyes, it may irritate them. The sensitive tissues in your eyes may become irritated by the heat and humidity, causing redness, wetness, and pain.
The short answer is that it's generally not recommended to bring your phone into a sauna. The high temperatures and humidity levels can cause damage to your phone's internal components, and the risk of overheating or even explosion is not worth the convenience of having your phone with you.
Saunas, with their dry heat, are renowned for improving circulation, promoting detoxification through sweat, and inducing muscle relaxation. On the other hand, steam rooms excel in respiratory benefits, providing relief for conditions like asthma and sinus congestion due to the moist, steam-filled air.
While it is possible to use a steam room every day, it will not be as effective as using it more sparingly or intermittently with a sauna, such as a few times a week.
The heat in a steam room can dilate, or enlarge, your blood vessels. This helps move blood from your core to your skin, which can lower your blood pressure. Your body will then compensate by raising your heart rate. Improves circulation.
Don't wear metal jewelry. It's going to get hot! Take off all metal jewelry or hooks, or anything you might be wearing which could hold in the heat and burn you. You don't want to be thinking, for the whole time you're in there, 'ouch!
Regardless of whether you use a bathing suit or not, you need a towel in the sauna. Basically, if you do not want PVC fabrics on your skin while you enjoy the heat, the towel is all you need. Otherwise, you can wear a swimsuit, but also use the soft towel to put on a bench before sitting.
If you are new to steam rooms, start with no more than five minutes and build to a maximum of 15 minutes. If you feel dizzy or unwell in any way, leave the room immediately, drink lots of water, and rest somewhere cool.
Although a steam room may assist you in temporarily shedding some water weight, it is not an effective way to lose fat or maintain permanent weight loss.
Steam rooms operate at a lower temperature, ranging between 110°F to 120°F, but the humidity makes the heat feel more intense. Because of this, steam room sessions should generally be shorter than sauna sessions—aim for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Most people burn 30-40 calories per 1,000 steps they walk, meaning they'll burn 300 to 400 calories by walking 10,000 steps, Hirai says. However, this is just an estimate. Each step you take burns calories, but the exact amount is highly individualized. "Calorie burn rate can be quite variable," he says.