Getting your sweat on in a steam room has to be one of the best parts of visiting a spa or a gym, right? Not only is it a great way to relax after a workout or long day at work but sitting in a steam room also has LOADS of health benefits.
To fully understand its benefits, let’s get back to basics by looking at what a steam room actually is. Steam rooms are small, enclosed spaces that are heated with steam. Temperatures of steam rooms might vary from place to place but they are typically kept somewhere around a toasty 44 degrees.
The history of using steam rooms to benefit health dates back all the way to the ancient Greeks and Romans who regularly used hot springs and steam bathing, so it is a practise that has truly stood the test of time.
Benefits of a steam room
The list of benefits of using a steam room is longer than you might think, with some surprising benefits.
Is steam room good for skin?
One of the most popular benefits of steam room use is that it helpsimprove skin, and who doesn’t want that? The steam helps to open up your pores and cleanse the skin, loosening any debris or dirt buildup.
Do steam rooms help colds?
If you’re prone to allergies or colds, using a steam room could be a great way to help with congestion. The steam helps to loosen any mucus and phlegm (lovely image), making it easier for you to blow your nose and clear congestion. Although maybe don’t start blowing your nose whilst actually in the steam room, as we don’t think it will make you very popular amongst other guests.
Other health benefits
The heat from a steam room can dilate your blood vessels, which helps move blood from your core to your skin, which can in turn lower your blood pressure. So, if high blood pressure is something you struggle with, try hitting the steam room. This dilation of blood vessels also helps improve circulation as it is moving blood towards the skins surface.
Steam rooms after workouts
The reason that steam rooms are often found in gyms is because they offer great relief for those who have damaged or injured themselves during a workout. The moist heat can help relieve the pain and increase blood flow to the muscles.
This is also the same for those with stiff joints, this increase in blood flow can help relieve stiffness and acts in a similar way to warming up before you work out.
Do steam rooms help you lose weight?
In some ways yes and in others no. Sitting in a steam room for 20 minutes isn’t going to magically make you drop the pounds but it can help to reduce water weight. As you sweat, you’re sweating out water, therefore losing water weight. However, this is not a sustainable, healthy way to lose weight. First of all, as soon as you drink something the water weight will return and secondly you can run the risk of becoming severely dehydrated.
If you’re after a glimmer of hope, then sitting in a steam room increases your heart rate in a similar way to exercise, however this increase is only ever so slightly higher than calories burnt sitting at rest.
Steam room vs Sauna
Some believe that the two are interchangeable but in fact steam rooms and saunas offer completely different approaches to helping you reap the benefits of hot air.
Steam rooms work by having a water filled generator pump steam into the small space which creates moisture in the air, leaving the room extremely humid. However, in contrast, saunas create dry heat from hot rocks or a closed stove.
So, to break it down, steam rooms produce humid heat and saunas produce dry heat. Both have very similar benefits, so choosing which to use is pretty much a matter of personal preference depending on how your body reacts to humid and dry heat.
How often should you use a steam room?
Whilst there aren’t any strict rules about steam room use, to get the most out of your steam room sessions it is recommended that you use them 2-3 times a week for no more than 20 minutes at a time. If you want to go in for longer than 20 minutes, make sure you step out for a five-minute break before you resume your sweating.
Are there any health risks to steam rooms and saunas?
In general, steam rooms and saunas are relatively safe to use, however if you have a history of fainting or low blood pressure you should be extra careful as you may be more sensitive and prone to fall.
Also, if you’ve had a heart attack or stroke in the last three months you should stay clear of both saunas and steam rooms as they can cause fluctuations in heart rate and blood pressure.
Steam room during pregnancy
Whilst there is little research on steam room and sauna use in pregnancy, the NHS advises that during pregnancy, they should be avoided as they carry the risk of overheating, dehydration and fainting.
Home steam room
Unfortunately, not all of us are lucky enough to have frequent access to a steam room, but all hope is not lost as you can recreate a steam room spa experience in your own home. Sure, it might not be as glamourous as if you were going to a spa or a gym but is a great way of helping to get those steam room benefits in your own home.
First you have to start by sealing off your bathroom. Make sure any windows and doors are shut and place towels around the thresholds to trap the air in the room. Then you’re going to want to turn on your shower on the hottest setting (careful not to burn yourself!) and then place a bucket of ice near the shower with a washcloth on top. This will help to create the steam fill the room fast.
To create a nice atmosphere, turn off the lights and turn on a candle for that home-spa feel.
Steam room or sauna first
When it comes to deciding whether to use a steam room or a sauna first, there is no rule. It is entirely up to you to decide which one you prefer, and you don’t even need to use them together as they both provide similar results. Some believe that a steam room is easier for beginners as the humid heat is easier to handle than the dry heat of the sauna, but it is entirely a matter of personal preference.