What is healthier steam or infrared sauna?

Author: Lacy Barton  |  Last update: Monday, July 28, 2025

Infrared saunas are excellent for deep muscle relaxation, detoxification, and improved circulation. Steam rooms, with their moist heat, are better for respiratory relief, skin health, and joint pain relief.

Is a sauna or steam room better for toxins?

Both steam rooms and saunas will make a person sweat due to the heat. The sweating opens up the pores and helps cleanse the outer skin. Warm condensation will help rinse away dirt and dead skin and may help treat acne. However, unlike a sauna, a steam room also helps remove the toxins trapped below the skin.

What type of sauna is healthiest?

There are benefits associated with all three types of wavelengths. Far-infrared: Far-infrared wavelengths penetrate the most deeply past the skin and into the body, making far infrared saunas the preferred choice for many who are looking for the most powerful healing benefits.

Which sauna is best for detoxing?

In the controlled environment of an infrared sauna, the heat stimulates the sweat glands, facilitating the elimination of heavy metals, chemicals, and other impurities. Components like lead, mercury, and environmental pollutants are expelled through the skin, providing a natural detoxification process.

Is infrared sauna good for your organs?

Perhaps. Many studies have looked at using infrared saunas in the treatment of long-lasting health problems and found some proof that saunas may help. Conditions studied include high blood pressure, heart failure, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, headache, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis.

Steam vs. Infrared Sauna: What’s Better for Your Health?

What are the downsides of infrared saunas?

Although they don't use steam, infrared saunas still warm up the body and cause it to sweat. Over time, sauna bathing can deplete the body's store of water, causing dehydration and associated symptoms like a dry throat, headaches, and so on.

What's better, an infrared or steam sauna?

For most people, an infrared sauna is the more suitable choice due to its comfortable heat levels, deeper penetration for muscle relaxation, and ease of installation. However, if you have specific respiratory health needs or prefer a traditional sauna experience, a steam sauna might be the better option for you.

What toxins do saunas get rid of?

Sweating it out in a sauna can help you detox and remove a variety of toxins from your body including:
  • Drugs and alcohol (and the toxins that illegal drugs are often cut with)
  • Heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium which.
  • Harmful chemicals, pesticides, mycotoxins, and BPA.
  • Bacteria and viruses.

Does a steam room have the same benefits as a sauna?

Relaxation: Like saunas, steam rooms offer relaxation benefits, helping to reduce stress levels and promote mental well-being. Joint and muscle relief: The moist heat of a steam room can help soothe sore muscles and joints, providing relief for conditions like arthritis or muscle stiffness.

Why am I so tired after an infrared sauna?

An infrared sauna can take a lot out of you. You lose water through sweat, toxins leave your body and your heart rate can rise quite a bit too. All these factors can leave you feeling tired after a session.

How long does it take to see the benefits of an infrared sauna?

The time it takes to see the benefits of an infrared sauna can vary from person to person. Some individuals may start to notice improvements in their health and well-being after just a few sessions, while others may take longer to experience the full effects.

What sauna does Joe Rogan use?

He uses both traditional and infrared saunas depending on the benefits he's looking for that day.

How long should you sit in a steam room to detox?

How Long Should You Sit in a Steam Room to Detox? The duration of time you SHOULD spend in a steam room depends on your individual health needs. Generally, most people BENEFIT from spending 10 to 20 minutes at a time in the steam sauna, although this can be adjusted DEPENDING on how your body responds.

Should you steam or sauna first?

Sauna first:

Saunas provide dry heat, which can help you start sweating and open your pores gradually. The dry air is easier to breathe initially compared to the moist air of a steam room so it can serve as a good warm-up for the more intense humidity of the steam room.

Can I use a steam sauna every day?

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.”

Is a sauna or steam room better for lungs?

Steam rooms create very good respiratory conditions with the humidity level at 100%. People with coughs and lung problems sometimes use a steam room to soothe their respiratory systems. Steam rooms are also more hydrating for your skin than saunas.

Should I shower after a sauna?

STAGE TWO COOLING DOWN

According to the classic Finnish method, there is a short bath in ice-cold water, which can be replaced by a shower in cold or lukewarm water, waiting at least two minutes after leaving the sauna.

Does sauna detox the liver?

But, if you're reading online about using an infrared sauna for liver detox, you're probably reading a quite misleading explanation of what is truly happening. A sauna doesn't detox the liver directly - instead, it helps detoxification processes become more optimal by removing toxins from the equation!

Are there negative effects of sauna?

A sauna use may also cause blood pressure to fall, so people with low blood pressure should talk to their doctor to make sure sauna use is safe. People who have recently had a heart attack should also talk to their doctor first.

Why do I feel sick after the sauna?

Be aware of what your body is telling you and how your body is handling excessive detoxification. If you start to feel symptoms such as nausea, fatigue or flu-like symptoms during your sauna session, end your sauna session for the day.

What is the healthiest sauna?

Far infrared saunas stand out as the healthiest option due to their quality of materials and design and their ability to provide the widest range of health benefits.

Why not to use infrared sauna?

Infrared saunas may not be a safe choice for people with certain health conditions, and they can cause dehydration and blood pressure changes.

Can I turn my shower into an infrared sauna?

An infrared radiator can be easily integrated into almost any shower and turns an existing shower into an infrared cabin at the same time, without taking up any more space.

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