What’s Better Sauna or Steam Room? The benefits of sauna and steam room are very similar. Saunas use dry heat and steam rooms use moist. Saunas are hotter but easier to breathe in. Steam rooms are not as hot and are great for nasal congestion. It all comes down to personal preference.
IS SAUNA OR STEAM ROOM BETTER?
What’s better sauna or steam room? The benefits of sauna and steam room are very similar. A sauna heats the body using dry heat while a steam room uses moist heat.
A dry sauna is better if you want higher temperatures. They are much hotter than steam rooms. And, the air is cleaner and easier to breathe in a sauna due to low humidity levels.
A steam room is better if you prefer moist heat and humidity. They are great for clearing nasal congestion and they do not get as hot as dry saunas.
As for which is better, it all comes down to personal preference. Do you prefer the hot dry heat of a sauna or the high humidity, moist heat of a steam room?
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAUNA AND STEAM ROOM?
The difference between a sauna and a steam room is the type of heat used to warm the body. A sauna uses dry heat while a steam room uses moist heat.
Saunas are dry, low humidity environments with high temperatures of 180 °F. Steam rooms use moist heat with very high humidity levels of close to 100%.
The temperature of a steam room is much lower than a sauna, typically in the region of 110 °F. However, steam rooms feel hotter due to the high level of humidity.
The health benefits of a sauna and steam room are pretty much the same. The beneficial effects of heating the body are the same whether you use dry or moist heat.
However, most people have a preference for either one or the other. Some people find it easier to breathe in the dry clear heat of a sauna. Others enjoy how a steam room relieves nasal congestion and sinus pain.
BENEFITS OF A SAUNA vs STEAM ROOM
What are the benefits of a sauna versus a steam room? In truth, the benefits of both are very similar. The body reacts the same way to being heated regardless of which one you use.
You can expect all the same relaxation and health benefits from a steam room as you get from a dry sauna. Both are excellent for relaxation, post-workout recovery, and boosting cardiovascular activity.
The health benefits of both include deep relaxation, detoxification, skin cleansing, joint-pain relief, cardiovascular activity, and workout recovery. For more, see our full post on the Health Benefits of Sauna.
BENEFITS OF SAUNA
DRY HEAT
A sauna uses dry heat. Many people just prefer the feeling of dry heat against their bodies. The dry hot air in a sauna heats right up to 180°F and quickly triggers an intense sweat – more than a steam room. For more see Do You Sweat More in a Sauna or Steam Room?
EASIER TO BREATH
Many people find it easier to breathe in a sauna compared to a steam room. The dry air of a regular sauna is low humidity and doesn’t hang heavy in the air. Some people struggle to breathe the heavy moist air in a steam room.
CLEAN DRY AIR
The air in a sauna is dry, clear, and clean. There is no steamy moisture in the air. This means the air is cleaner compared to a steam room – where microbes can survive suspended in the humid air.
HIGHER HEAT LEVELS
Saunas run at much higher temperatures compared to steam rooms. The average temperature of a dry sauna is 180 °F. If heat is what you’re looking for, you’ll prefer the experience of a sauna. Steam rooms operate at a much lower 110°F.
INFRARED SAUNA
Infrared sauna is a great alternative to regular dry sauna. It comes with all the same benefits listed above, but they run at lower temperatures. And, feel more comfortable for many people.
Infrared saunas heat the body directly without heating the air around the body. This means you can enjoy a dry sauna without the intense heat of a traditional sauna. It’s the best of both worlds.
If you’re interested in infrared sauna, check out our guide to the best infrared saunas – over here.
CONS OF SAUNA
HIGH HEAL LEVEL
Dry saunas run at much higher temperatures compared to steam rooms – 180 °F. If you’re not a fan of heat, then a dry sauna may not be for you.
However, infrared saunas run at much lower temperatures than traditional dry saunas. If you want to enjoy the dry sauna experience without the intense heat, go for an infrared sauna.
BENEFITS OF STEAM ROOM
RELIEVES NASAL CONGESTION
One of the key advantages of s steam room is its ability to help relieve nasal congestion. The hot humid air of a steam room relieves the blocked-up congested feeling of a nasal blockage.
The warm moist air helps soothe sinus pain and the headache associated with nasal congestion. If you’ve got a head cold and some sinus problems – head for the steam room.
MOIST HEAT
Steam rooms use moist heat to heat the body. If you prefer moist steamy heat instead of dry heat – then a steam room is the place to go.
It all comes down to personal preference, but many people prefer the wet heat of a steam room over the dry hot environment of a sauna.
LOWER HEAT LEVEL
When considering what’s better sauna or steam room, many people prefer the lower heat level of a steam room. Steam rooms run at lower temperatures compared to a sauna. Although, due to the high humidity levels they often feel hotter.
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CONS OF STEAM ROOM
DIFFICULT TO BREATH
One of the main cons of a steam room is that some people find it difficult to breathe. The air can feel heavy. It is close to 100% humidity and the high moisture content can be a challenge for some people.
The steamy air can leave some people feeling uncomfortable and having to step outside to get a breath of fresh air.
MICROBES IN AIR
The air in a steam room is potentially favorable for the presence of microbes such as bacteria. The heavy water content means they can float about suspended in the air.
Also, the relatively low temperature of the steam room compared to a sauna means they are not being killed off. If you are sharing the steam room with other people there’s potential to cross-contaminate one another.
SAUNA vs STEAM ROOM FAQ
IS WET OR DRY SAUNA BETTER?
At the end of the day, it all boils down to personal preference. The health benefits of wet and dry saunas closely mirror one another. If you prefer dry heat, go for a sauna. If you prefer moist heat, go for a steam room.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A SAUNA?
The benefits of a sauna include relaxation, stress relief, system detox, skin cleansing, joint and muscle pain relief, elevated cardiovascular activity, and a range of therapeutic effects. Many people use sauna to relax at the end of a stressful day.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A STEAM ROOM?
The main benefit of a steam room over a sauna is the ability of the moist heat to remove nasal congestion. This can ease sinus pain, respiratory breathing difficulties, and sinus-related headache.
WHAT’S BETTER FOR LOSING WEIGHT SAUNA OR STEAM ROOM?
Neither is effective for long-term weight loss. You can achieve a short-term weight loss due to the amount of water lost through sweating. However, this water must be replaced to avoid dehydration.
WHAT’S BETTER FOR DETOX A SAUNA OR A STEAM ROOM?
The detox effect is the same for both devices. They both heat the body, open the pores, and induce a detoxifying intense sweat. The detoxification results are the same regardless of which you use.
READ NEXT
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- IS SAUNA GOOD FOR SORE THROAT? – click here
- DOES SAUNA KILL HEAD LICE – click here
- PROS & CONS OF INFRARED SAUNA – click here
- ORIGINS OF SAUNA – click here
- IS SAUNA GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN? – click here
- HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD YOU DRINK IN A SAUNA? – click here
- IS SAUNA GOOD FOR A HANGOVER? – click here
- PUBLIC SAUNA ETIQUETTE TIPS – click here
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Steam room IMO. Steam room is better for after exercise.
Steam room is good if you have a cold. The steam helps with the headcold. Otherwise I think they are both pretty much the same.
I have been using a dry heat sauna about 4 times a week since 1998. I love it. I am 85 and my skin is much better than most 50 year olds. I do not believe anyone sits for any significant length of time above 140 degrees F. My sauna is 6’w 6’h and 4’depth. I am able to recline and I built a back rest which conforms to my back. . I usually enter my sauna when the temp gauge reads 125 and come out 30 minutes later and the temp is 140F. Please explain how you can get 180F in a sauna of any size. Seems to me it would take a large amount of power. I have a dedicated 120 v 20 Amp circuit for mine. And again. Who the heck can tolerate 180F. ?
Steam is better for less sweat. If you don’t want to get dehydrated choose a steam room vs sauna. The water in the air reduces your sweating.
🙂