Steam Rooms, Saunas, and Your Health

By Stepy Kamei

If you've ever been to a spa, or to a particularly fancy gym or sports club, you've more than likely noticed a sauna and/or a steam room. Whether you've used either one of them before or not, you've probably at least been made aware of their existence. There is a distinct difference between saunas and steam rooms. Knowing the difference between the two types of therapeutic outlets, as well as understanding how each of them can benefit your overall health and wellness, can set you on a path to natural well-being. 

All About Saunas

A sauna is a room filled with very dry heat. It is often decorated with wooden benches for people to sit on. The heat usually radiates from very hot rocks placed in a specific area of the room. The heat from saunas is known to be helpful to people who deal with chronic pain-related illnesses, such as arthritis, joint pain, and migraine headaches. Sauna heat can ease muscle tension, and also relax the nerves and muscles in the body. Saunas can also help to reduce stress and anxiety, which in turn can help promote better sleep by reducing instances of insomnia. The heat from saunas encourages the body to release endorphins, which are the chemicals that promote happiness and feelings of calmness. When you exit the sauna, melatonin will begin to release in your body as well, which will help you start to feel sleepy naturally. 

All About Steam Rooms

Steam rooms, as you can tell from the name, use hot steam to benefit the body. The steam has been known to help people with breathing and respiratory issues. Some steam rooms add aromatherapy into the steam vapors for added herbal benefits. Steam rooms can help open up congested or constricted nasal passages and airways. Pressure may be released, which is especially beneficial for people who are sick or facing a chronic breathing ailment such as asthma. It's also true that steam rooms can aid with weight loss and speeding up a person's metabolism. Sweating in a steam room causes your body to shed weight, which helps reduce your water weight, while shedding the body of toxins as well. As one more final bonus, steam rooms can improve circulation, which can clear up your skin and improve concentration, as well.

To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.