What is the Difference Between a Sauna and a Steam Room?

Saunas and steam rooms both use heat therapeutically, but they do it in different ways. Essentially, a sauna uses dry heat, while a steam room incorporates high humidity and warmth. Both open up the pores of the body, helping them to eliminate toxins through sweat, ease joint pain, improve circulation, relax bathers, and strengthen the immune system. Which one you use is a matter of personal preference; most people who cannot endure the dry heat of a sauna, for example, greatly enjoy a steam room, while people who do not enjoy the sensation of a steam room benefit from using saunas instead.

A sauna uses a heater or a wood burning stove in an enclosed room to elevate the temperature, usually above 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius). In a traditional dry sauna, sauna bathers sit or lie in the sauna to absorb the warmth, which elevates the internal temperature, stimulates blood flow, and opens up the pores. After a set period in the sauna, the bather jumps out into a cold plunge or shower, and then rests at room temperature before entering the sauna for another round.

Some saunas incorporate small amounts of steam, usually in the form of cold water which is sprinkled on the sauna heater, or rocks placed on top of the sauna stove. Often, the water is mixed with essential oils such as lavender to relax or eucalyptus to improve to ease muscle pain and kill germs. The brief burst of humidity caused by the steam makes the sauna feel more hot, and can in fact scald sauna bathers if the sauna is too hot, causing the steam to boil the skin it contacts. For this reason, water is used sparingly in a sauna.

A steam room is maintained at a much lower temperature, usually not more than 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius), but the humidity is kept very high: usually around 100%. Bathers who enter a steam room are usually immediately surrounded by a cloud of vapor, and sit or lie on benches to absorb the benefits of steam. The cooler temperature makes steam rooms more bearable for some people, and also helps asthmatics and other people suffering from breathing conditions.

In the case of both a sauna and a steam room, bathers should immediately exit if they feel at all unwell, and they should also drink plenty of fluids. Drinking fluids helps the body to eliminate toxins through sweating, and also prevents dehydration, which often causes dizziness and fainting. If you are in a public sauna or steam room and notice someone feeling unwell, help him or her out and hail a bath attendant to assist.