The Sauna offers similar benefits as the Steam Room. They are both hot places and heat is key to the overall effects on your body.

Key Benefits

For me the key benefits of taking a sauna are:

Skin Rejuvenation

The soothing heat opens up the pores of my skin releasing impurities from my body and leaving my skin re-toned and refreshed. After taking a Sauna I always shower right away and wipe down firmly with a towel. This I find this prevents the toxin re-absorption and leaves me feeling rejuvenated.

Improved Circulation

Heating the body just a few degrees brings greatly increased circulation, as the body attempts to maintain its basal temperature. Good circulation improves virtually every function in our bodies, helps transport nutrients, eliminates toxins and gives you a lovely rosy glow to your body on exit!

Personal Reflection Time

I find the Sauna a great place to reflect on a lot of things. I lie there in the warmth with my eyes shut, and I think about the workout I’ve just done. Was it intense enough? Should I have pushed myself harder? What will I do tomorrow?

I try not to think about stress related issues when in the Sauna. It’s my place for relaxation - 20 minutes for 'me' time. It’s important for us all to have a bit of time out every day. Just allow your body to feel heavy, breath deeply and enjoy!

Improved Sleep

I also find that if I have trained in the evening and finish off with a Sauna, I get a much better and deeper sleep.

Other’s Views

Amy Guy

“Personally I prefer to use the Sauna over the Steam Room as a Sauna uses dry heat and a steam room uses moist heat. Using dry heat allows the room temperature to get much higher without the resultant humidity that you would get in the steam room. I think this increases the intensity of the sweat. Many people say that they sweat more in the Steam Room, but I don’t believe that is true. It only seems that way as the sweat doesn't evaporate as it does in the Sauna.”

Jenny and Wayne’s Sauna Tip - Cold Showers

“For those of you who are feeling brave, we also recommend hot and cold variations. A hot sauna alternated with a cold shower is great for flushing out the muscles. Hot water causes blood vessels to dilate, bringing the blood to the surface of the skin. This brings toxins to the surface as well so you can sweat them out more easily. Exposure to cold water constricts the blood vessels, stimulating the thyroid and lymphatic system to flush out metabolic and cellular waste.”

Daniel Singh (aka Gladiator Warrior)

“Of course the steam room offers benefits from steam e.g. breathing related benefits but has some disadvantages as well.

With all of the physical activity I do – attempting personal bests in a maximum or low rep range lift - my joints take a blasting as they take the load. This causes discomfort to my tendons. I find the sauna allows my tendons to relieve the built up tension and gives them an opportunity to alleviate some stress”

And Back to Famously Homme

At the end of my investigation, having read available information and listened to fitness experts opinions, I feel like I understand more about saunas, Jacuzzis and steam rooms.

My suggested key benefits, as a result of my investigations and discussions, for the Sauna, Steam Room and Jacuzzi are:

Sauna – Perspiration
Steam Room – Respiration
Jacuzzi – Relaxation

We spend so much time and money on recovery after exercise it’s well worth having a better understanding of what we are doing to our bodies in the process. I now use the sauna more than I did before because I have a better understanding of the benefits and I am finding my skin is improving as a result!