The Benefits of Saunas vs. Steam Rooms

Heating your body has been a tried-and-true recovery practice since 500 B.C., when ancient Egyptian physicians recognized the healing power of the sun's rays and used them in conjunction with thermal baths, mud baths, and hot air caverns. In fact, the ancient and global bathhouse culture is the inspiration behind what we experience now as a modern spa — particularly, saunas and steam rooms, which can be found today in a wide variety of gyms and recovery studios, as opposed to just ritzy day spas.

Athletes and wellness enthusiasts have long been rejuvenating and relaxing with heat therapy, but saunas and steam rooms provide very different experiences. So which one should you choose for a relaxing recovery ritual? Here's how the benefits of a sauna vs. steam room stack up, and how to get the most out of each heat therapy to maximize your recovery.

What Is a Steam Room?

A steam room — sometimes called a steam bath — is probably exactly what you think it is: a room filled with steam. A generator with boiling water creates steam (or, in a manual steam room, boiling water is poured over hot stones), and the room is filled with hot humidity.

"A steam room's ambient air temperature is ideally between 100 and 115 degrees with humidity levels close to 100 percent," says Peter Tobiason, founder, and CEO of LIVKRAFT Performance Wellness, a recovery and health center in La Jolla, CA.

Spas and healthcare professionals typically recommend that you spend no more than 15 minutes in a steam room. Any longer than that, and you'll be at risk of dehydration.

The Benefits of Steam Rooms

Beyond simply feeling nice on your skin, steam rooms can also have real physical effects on your body. Here are some of the top benefits of steam rooms.

Alleviate congestion

"Steam has the edge over both dry and infrared saunas in the stuffy nose department," says Tobiason. "One of the major benefits of steam rooms is alleviating upper respiratory congestion. The combination of inhaling steam, usually mixed with eucalyptus oil, increases vasodilation in the sinuses allowing the nasal passage to clear and relieve congestion." It's almost as if you're climbing into one big essential oil diffuser.

But it's probably best to steer clear of public steam rooms during cold and flu season, warns Tobiason. You could increase your risk of "picking up bugs and viruses from everyone who has the same idea," he shares. To reap similar benefits, you could try hanging eucalyptus on your shower head and taking a long, steamy shower at home, or try one of these home remedies for sinus infections.

Promote mental and muscular relaxation

Being in a steam room can feel like you're melting stress off of your body. Your muscles relax from the heat, and you can slip into a more peaceful state, shares Tobiason. Some steam rooms even use essential oils to enhance the relaxing experience.

Improve circulation

"Moist heat" (gross, but okay), such as what you'd find in a steam room, can improve circulation, according to research shared by Harvard Medical School. Improved circulation helps with overall wellness and organ function, as well as building a healthy immune system. That's because when your blood and oxygen flow freely throughout your body, they're transporting certain blood cells that can help fight infection via your bloodstream.

What Is a Sauna?

A sauna is the steam room's dry counterpart. "A traditional sauna or 'dry sauna' utilizes a wood, gas, or electric stove with heated rocks to create a very low-humidity, dry environment with temperatures between 180 and 200 degrees," says Tobiason. According to historical resources, this type of dry heating has been used since the Neolithic age (although the Finns get full credit for inventing the modern sauna over 2000 years ago).

It's recommended that you spend a maximum of 20 minutes in a dry sauna. Again, dehydration is a major risk of overdoing it in the sauna (no matter how great that dry heat might feel).

You may also be familiar with infrared saunas, the modern upgrade to the ancient sauna. The heating source is infrared light — not a stove — that penetrates the skin, muscles, and even into your cells, says Tobiason. "This raises your core body temperature to produce sweat to cool the body, versus your body strictly reacting to the outside ambient air temperature of a dry sauna or steam."

In an infrared sauna, the body heats at a lower air temperature, between 135 and 150 degrees. This means you can spend more time in a sauna with a reduced "risk of dehydration and any cardiovascular concerns," says Tobiason. You can spend upwards of 45 minutes in an infrared sauna depending on your tolerance, physical condition, and clearance from your healthcare provider.

The Benefits of Saunas

Wondering how the sauna vs. steam room compare? Here's more on the benefits of saunas, which partially depend on which type of sauna you choose — traditional or infrared.

Improve circulation

Like steam rooms, saunas also help increase circulation by expanding blood vessels. A Swedish study published in 2018 even showed that saunas could provide "short-term improvement in cardiac function," suggesting saunas have potential as a lifestyle treatment modality for heart failure.

Relieve pain

Research has found that infrared sauna use can lead to statistically significant reductions in pain and stiffness in people with lower back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. That's likely because when you're in an infrared sauna, your blood vessels relax and dilate and blood flow increases, which can help reduce tension in the joints and relieve sore muscles. Saunas might also help those with chronic pain and arthritis.

Boost athletic recovery

Studies have found that saunas can help relieve soreness and tension in muscles, which can help hasten recovery post-workout. For instance, a 2015 study on infrared saunas from the Department of Biology of Physical Activity at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland examined 10 athletes and their recovery. After a strength training workout, they spent 30 minutes in the hot box. The conclusion? Infrared sauna time is "favorable for the neuromuscular system to recover from maximal endurance performance."

Enjoy longer relaxation sessions

In an infrared sauna, you can "give your body more time to experience a deep, detoxifying sweat," says Tobiason. That's because you can stay in there for much longer than both a steam room and a traditional sauna. "This means your muscles, joints, and skin are receiving more time with helpful infrared rays," he adds.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Steam Room and Sauna Sessions

Whether you choose a steam room vs. sauna, there are several tips you can follow in an effort to maximize your heat therapy. That said, check in with your doc before you try either option to make sure you're cleared to enjoy saunas or steam rooms safely. "As always, consult with a qualified medical professional before participating in any type of infrared sauna, steam, or dry sauna session," cautions Tobiason.

Hydrate

"The main thing to remember with any heat therapy is to ensure you're hydrated!" says Tobiason. "Hydration is key for safety and session optimization. Proper hydration allows your body's processes to work efficiently. Bring a bottle to fill with water and trace minerals or electrolytes for before, during, and after your session."

Shower before an infrared sauna session

"Showering before [an infrared sauna session] can speed up your sweat in an infrared sauna by opening the pores on your skin and relaxing your muscles," he says. "This is essentially a 'warm-up' for your session." (And in case you were wondering, here's exactly what happens when you quit showering.)

Get cold first

"Try whole-body cryotherapy or an ice bath before your sauna session," says Tobiason. "This can increase the circulation of all the 'fresh' blood that just was brought to you by the cold therapy." (Also: Should You Take a Hot or Cold Shower After a Workout?)

Dry brush

"Before your session, spend three to five minutes dry brushing to amplify your sweat," he shares. "Dry brushing increases circulation" and promotes lymphatic drainage as well.

Rinse off after

"Take a cool shower [whether you do a sauna vs. steam room] to close the pores," says Tobiason. "This stops you from sweating and reabsorbing toxins you just released."