Saunas and steam rooms are two popular health club amenities with a long history of enjoyment. Commonly seen in pools, locker rooms and bath houses, saunas and steam rooms use high temperatures to help rid the body of toxins through perspiration. The decision to use a steam or a sauna is a matter of preference, as both offer their own advantages. Many facilities, such as Russian and Turkish baths, encourage the use of both.
History
Both saunas and steam rooms have a long history through numerous cultures. Both are centuries old traditions for Scandinavians, Native Americans and Russians. The Roman Empire built a complex system of bath houses featuring massive saunas and steam rooms. An ancient Roman bath can be viewed today in Bath, England, where it was built over naturally occurring hot springs. Over the centuries, various heat sources have been used including coal or wood burning ovens and open fires.
Sauna Specifications
The sauna uses high heat in a dry environment that encourages profuse sweating. The room and benches are normally lined with wood, which is porous and will not be too hot to touch or sit on. Most modern saunas use an electrical heater while some work by infrared heaters, which emit infrared radiation that is absorbed directly into the body. Depending on the type of heat source, saunas can operate at anywhere from 125 to almost 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Steam Room Specifics
Steam rooms operate at considerable lower temperatures than saunas, normally no hotter than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. They often feel just as hot, however, due to high levels of humidity. Steam rooms are heated by a generator that fills the room with hot water vapor. Steam rooms are typically lined with tile or stone to resist damage from the steam and make cleaning easier. Breathing the steam, especially when eucalyptus is added, is believed to soothe to breathing passages.
Use
Due to the high temperatures, sauna and steam use must be limited to short intervals, especially for novices. Even for experienced users, 30 minutes is about the maximum exposure without a break. Cold exposure is often used in between exposures to the steam or sauna because it tightens pours and quickly brings the body temperature back down. Most Russian or Turkish bath houses include cold pools for this purpose, Finnish sauna users will often roll around in the snow between uses.
Warning
Exposure to extreme temperatures may be dangerous to those with high blood pressure or heart disease. Drink plenty of fluids to reduce the risk of heal illness or dehydration. Keep yourself safe from germs in public saunas by always using shower shoes, sitting on a towel and showering with antibacterial soap after use.
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