Health Benefits of Saunas

Many health benefits can be experienced whether you are using an infrared sauna or a steam sauna and the lasting effects will be greater with a sauna used consistently.

You decide which type of sauna would be better for your lifestyle and one that you will likely use more often.

The heat therapy you experience from a sauna can potentially improve many conditions, including:

• Blood circulation
• Improved immunity
• Joint inflammation
• Skin conditions
• Stress relief
• Muscle relaxation
• Improved metabolism
• Weight loss
• Improved sleep

... and many more.

If health benefits can be the same, what difference does the sauna type make?

There are additional things to consider when purchasing a sauna to use in your home. You need to consider the space you are placing the sauna in, how many people will be using it, if children will be using it with you and also expenses, even after the purchase.

Steam Saunas are More Expensive to use

Steam saunas are typically more expensive to run. They use either an electric heaters or a wood-burning stove. And these heaters require rocks, usually recommended rocks available for purchase with your selected heater. You may need to purchase wood if you have the wood-burning stove.

Steam Saunas Take Longer to Heat Up

Steam saunas take longer to heat up and require the heating of the air to heat you to the point of sweating. The infrared heaters in infrared saunas are lighter and are not too hot to the touch. They heat up quicker since they don't need to heat the air. the infrared waves penetrate your body and heat you from the inside bringing you to the point of sweating.

Infrared Saunas Require Less Maintenance

Infrared saunas are better indoors because they create less humidity. Steam saunas require more maintenance and care to prevent mold and mildew and are usually a better outdoor choice for more air circulation. 

Steam Saunas Have to Work Harder

A steam sauna outdoors must also contend with the outdoor temperatures. In much colder temperatures, and particularly in a sauna with little to no insulation, the heater will be working harder to keep the sauna cabin at a desired temperature, or it will be cooling off rather quickly.

Although there are infrared sauna options for outdoors, they are typically used indoors. Depending on your housing, such as a rental apartment, an infrared sauna may be the better option. 

You Can Stay in an Infrared Sauna Longer

You can remain in an infrared sauna longer than is advised for a steam sauna. This means you can get more use out of it and enjoy it a little more often.

Consider the Children

If you are a family using the sauna and you have children to consider, the infrared heaters in an infrared sauna do not get too hot to the touch, whereas the heaters with hot rocks in a steam sauna certainly do. Even with the protective measures of heater rails around the electric heaters, it is still too dangerous for children.

Hot Air Might be Too Hot in a Steam Sauna for Seniors

Older people will also be likely to enjoy an infrared sauna when the hot air in a steam sauna would be hard for breathing.

Infrared Saunas tend to be Used More Often

Some people will find the benefit to having a sauna indoors is that they will use it more often than a sauna outdoors that may be more 'out of sight, out of mind'. then again, those that want a larger sauna for the purpose of sharing it with others, will like the steam sauna units for outdoors, maybe even the barrel saunas that can accommodate as many as 8 people at one time.