Difference Between Steam Room and Sauna

Steam Room vs Sauna
 

Knowing the difference between steam room and sauna is useful as they are two of the many methods of giving heat to the body for therapeutic purposes. However, steam room and sauna are the two of the most popular methods to provide heat to the body. The main purpose of taking heat is to help the body relieve itself of toxins through sweat. These heat therapies have been especially beneficial to people suffering from joint pains. Heat therapy improves blood circulation and also strengthens the immune system of the body. Though both the Steam Room and Sauna are used for detoxification, the method used to produce heat is different in both and different people have their own preferences when it comes to steam room and sauna.

What is a Steam Room?

A Steam Room is a place where you can unwind and relax completely taking in the benefits of hot steam for as long as you can endure. An hour in a steam room is enough to energize a person by removing the toxins from his body in the form of sweat. Steam Rooms were the imagination of the people of Finland, who conceptualized them for people living in very cold climates. Steam Rooms present a great opportunity to relax for a while. However, since there is visible health benefits associated with steam rooms, today they are not restricted to cold countries alone and are found in tropical countries as well.

Despite a decrease in prices in installation and maintenance, steam rooms are mostly found in health clubs and spa centres. One main reason people use these steam rooms is detoxification. By spending 10-15 minutes in a steam room, a person can sweat profusely making him lose various toxins accumulated over a period.

The second important benefit is that sweating makes people lose fat. Using steam rooms is a good way to lose weight these days. Third benefit is that all the pores of the skin are opened and it becomes hydrated. The skin starts to look suppler and glows.

What is a Sauna?

Sauna is a heat therapy where dry heat is produced using a heater or a wood burning stove to slowly increase the temperature of a room. Usually this temperature is taken up to 70 degrees Celsius. People either sit or lie in a Sauna to take in as much heat as possible. A few minutes in a Sauna can increase the internal temperature of the body that makes a better blood flow. It also opens all the pores in the body. Normally, after a few minutes in a Sauna, the bather goes out and jumps in cold water or takes a shower, and then returns to sauna to take in more heat. Saunas have very little humidity and so much higher temperatures can be used. In a room with sauna, wooden furniture is used so as to not lose heat generates by the heater.

What is the difference between Steam Room and Sauna?

As described earlier, both the steam room and sauna are heat therapies that seem to have the same benefits for human beings.

• The major difference between the two is that the sauna uses dry heat while in the steam room, the heat generated is moist.

• People have their own preferences and those who cannot bear high heat of a sauna tend to go for steam rooms.

• The temperatures at which both heat therapies are used are also different. Whereas, in a Sauna, the temperatures are high up to 70-80 degrees Celsius, Steam Rooms employ a temperature of Forty degrees.

Both being heat therapies, steam room and sauna are equally popular all over the world. It is only personal likes and dislikes of people that make them go for a particular system of taking heat.