How do saunas compare to steam rooms for health benefits?
Written by
Leilani Ibeh
Reviewed by
Prof. Benjamin Murphy, Ph.D.Based on their characteristics and the conditions in which they are used, saunas and steam rooms exhibit different types of health benefits. Saunas use dry heat with high temperatures, ranging from 160 to 180° F (70 to 80° C), and 10-20% humidity which can relieve sore muscles and joints. Steam rooms provide 100% humidity along with lower temperatures. Steam rooms yield respiratory benefits. Understanding these differences will help you determine which type of heat therapy is best suited to your health and wellness goals.
Musculoskeletal Benefits
- Sauna advantage: Dry heat penetrates deeper into joints
- Pain reduction: 30% better stiffness relief than steam
- Infrared superiority: Deepest tissue penetration technology
- Application: Ideal for arthritis and post-workout recovery
Respiratory Support
- Steam room advantage: Moist air clears nasal passages
- Mucus loosening: 40% more effective than dry heat
- Bronchial dilation: Improves oxygen exchange
- Application: Best for asthma, colds, sinus congestion
Cardiovascular Impact
- Sauna superiority: Higher temperatures train heart rate
- Blood flow: 50% greater circulation enhancement
- Steam limitation: Humidity restricts temperature elevation
- Application: Cardiac conditioning programs
Different temperature capabilities create considerable functional differences. Traditional sauna reaching 80-100°C produces a pronounced cardiovascular response. Steam room maxes out around 45-50°C due to high humidity levels. Your time limits are accordingly adjusted, with steam limited to 10 minutes and 20-30 minutes for the infrared sauna. These parameters dictate the therapeutic effect.
Infrared saunas have tremendous advantages because their technology allows light waves to penetrate more deeply than steam heat. They heat to 45-60°C (105-140°F), which allows longer sessions (30 min.) to be comfortable. This makes them truly beneficial when used for chronic pain. Steam, while great for respiratory problems, has no such benefit as far as penetrating the skin and tissues.
Therapies are unequally managed for safety. Steam sessions have shorter durations due to breathing limitations in moist air (steam areas). In contrast, sauna sessions require careful monitoring of hydration through humidification and rapid fluid loss due to dehydration. Always ensure that the chosen therapy can accommodate personal health information and health choices that are suitable to the uniqueness of each individual's environment.
The benefits of these approaches are enhanced when combined, alternate therapy sessions to gain from muscle relief in the saunas, and respiratory relief from the steam. I recommend starting with sauna therapy so that the deep tissue kneading work can be undertaken. Then, shortened sessions of steam can be applied. Following this recommendation allows for maximal benefit of each method, while respecting the limits of the physiological systems involved.
Read the full article: Sauna Health Benefits: Science-Backed Guide
