Many people don’t actually know the difference between an infrared sauna and a steam room.
In fact, if you didn’t know, they are actually quite different and even have different benefits!
If you need help better understanding the difference between steam rooms and infrared saunas, you need to have a sense of both of their advantages and mechanics.
Differences between Infrared Sauna vs Steam Room
Some of the main Differences between Infrared Sauna and Steam Room’s are that Infrared saunas are often rooms made out of wood that are heated up using infrared technology, penetrating the body with infrared rays, whereas Steam rooms are airtight chambers made of non-porous material where a steam generator allows the environment to heat up.
Moist heat is what steam rooms produce, while dry heat is what infrared saunas produce.
There are so many wellness and therapeutic benefits that both steam rooms and infrared saunas provide.
Some of these benefits include stress relief, relaxation, detoxification, respiratory therapy, and more.
While they both offer great benefits, they are still very different because of their unique methods of providing heat.
Here are all the details that you need to know when you want to decide which would be best for you.
What Is An Infrared Sauna?
The infrared sauna is a room made out of wood.
It can make the body feel warm by using infrared rays instead of moisture and high temperatures.
The infrared rays are the same as the rays that our bodies naturally give off as they directly heat the body by penetrating around 1.5 inches deep into a person’s body.
Since infrared rays warm from the inside, the saunas frequently operate from 115 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
These can be so much lower than traditional saunas as they run from 170 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even if it has a low temperature, it directly and efficiently heats the body.
Because of that, infrared saunas are among the best available options.
What Is A Steam Room?
Steam rooms are made with the use of a non-porous material like tile or glass but area also made out of wood.
This airtight room uses humidity and heat to warm up the body.
Steam rooms have a steam generator that boils the water to create steam and allow the environment to be rich in moisture.
On average, temperatures are hovering at approximately 120° Fahrenheit.
Temps in a steam room can actually feel even higher than they really are because of the high level of humidity.
In fact, steam rooms can reach 100% humidity, making them feel much hotter than they are.
Steam rooms are not like infrared saunas that directly heat the user.
They allow the outside environment to heat up to become warm from the outside to the inside.
The Health Benefits of Steam Rooms and Infrared Saunas
Even if both the infrared saunas and steam rooms provide an extensive range of remarkable health advantages, they may differ based on the product.
When it comes to the benefits, their difference stems from the contrast of the used heat methods as previously described.
Here are the main health benefits of Steam Rooms and Infrared Saunas:
The Health Benefits of Steam Rooms
With steam rooms, you can create a moisture rich environment that has high humidity and heat.
Inside the steam room, the air has high moisture that offers numerous advantages, including a great experience that can be distinct from any infrared sauna.
Allows Your Skin to Become Well Hydrated
Whenever you have skin prone to blemishes, having a steam room will allow you to discover that it can help balance out the production of oil so your skin can become so much clearer.
People who regularly use the steam room will experience skin that is so much more hydrated.
Improved Sleep
Whenever you get out of a steam room, your body needs to work on cooling itself down.
Since a session in the steam room has excellent relaxing properties, having it combined with the effort of your body to lower your internal temperature can help you have a night of great sleep, especially during the REM stage of your sleep cycle.
You can get this same benefit from an infrared sauna as well.
Respiratory Therapy
People who use the steam room can experience relief from respiratory problems like cold symptoms, sinusitis, and allergies.
Because of the moistened air, it can open up nasal passages and sinuses so you can breathe more clearly.
Adding essential oils like eucalyptus or lavender to your steam room can further alleviate respiratory symptoms.
Health Benefits of Infrared Saunas
Infrared saunas emit infrared heat so you can have a relaxing and warm environment.
Infrared saunas can also help alleviate pain and improve your circulation.
Since infrared saunas have a modest air temperature and minimal humidity, it comes with many health benefits like reduced swelling and detoxification.
Comfortable To Use
In comparison to steam rooms, infrared saunas have a lower temperature, making it easier to stay for longer periods of time.
People who have lung or eye problems that become worse by breathing in high heat and high humidity would want to use an infrared sauna to make sure they would have a beneficial and enjoyable experience.
Detoxification That Is Concentrated
Compared to the steam room, infrared saunas with far infrared can promote additional sweating.
This is because the infrared rays are penetrating deep inside your body, increasing your blood flow, breaking up clusters of water molecules, and promoting the release of any harmful toxins that often don’t get released whenever you use a steam room.
Infrared Saunas can heat your tissues several inches deep which can help improve your metabolic processes, help in oxygenating your tissues, and enhance your body’s circulation.
Things You Need to Consider When You Purchase A Sauna or A Steam Room
Whenever you need to decide which option would be best for you, take note of some characteristics inherent to steam rooms and infrared saunas, as these can help you determine the best for you, your family, or your household.
Things To Consider For Infrared Saunas
It can be relatively simple to add an infrared sauna inside your residence as they don’t need rigid insulation to ensure that the heat levels are kept high inside the room.
Infrared saunas are ligher and easier to transport from one location to another.
You can typically put infrared saunas together in an hour without the need for a professional installer.
Most infrared saunas can get plugged inside any existing outlet.
They are highly energy-efficient as they only use around 1/3 of the traditional sauna electricity.
Considerations For The Steam Room
Just like the infrared sauna, you can buy steam rooms as a kit that anyone can put together by themselves.
It can also be possible for a contractor to customize and install it.
There are specific electrical and plumbing requirements for steam rooms.
It would be best to buy a steam generator that you have to specially install in a safe area to lessen the chances of getting a burn.
You may also need sloped ceilings and airtight spaces so you can have sufficient drippage.
It is also vital to have an area capable of accommodating the drain.
Since the steam rooms have moist conditions, bacteria can grow.
For all of these reasons, it is crucial to make sure that your steam room regularly gets cleaned with a tile cleaner and periodically drains.
Decide What is Best for You
Both steam rooms and infrared saunas can provide health benefits that so many families and people need.
With these rooms, you can improve your happiness and health, ease your stress, and improve your relaxation overall.
To put things simply, having these can be valuable in improving your lifestyle and home.
Before you buy a steam room or infrared sauna, make sure to allot time considering the specific needs of you and your family and review all of the facts.
What is your existing state of health and which option is best?
Where in your home can you place a infrared sauna or steam room?
Do you want to install it on your own, or would you need a contractor who can do the heavy lifting?
What are your future goals in wellness and health?
Make sure to ask these queries in advance, as these can help you decide which among the steam room or infrared sauna would be best for your unique needs.
Learn more about Infrared Saunas here.
If you are looking to purchase an infrared sauna, here is our Guide to the best ones on the market!
