Sauna vs Steam Room: Health Benefits Compared

If you’re deciding between a sauna and a steam room, you’re probably asking the same question most people do: which one is better for my health goals? While both use heat to promote relaxation and recovery, they work very differently.

A sauna surrounds you with dry heat at much higher temperatures, which raises your heart rate, boosts circulation, and helps reduce post-exercise muscle soreness. A steam room, on the other hand, immerses you in 100% humidity, opens your airways, hydrates your skin, and creates a gentler heat experience that many find easier to tolerate.

The key is that neither option is universally “better.” It depends on what you’re looking to achieve. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down exactly how saunas and steam rooms affect your body, compare their unique health benefits, and help you determine which investment makes sense for your specific wellness objectives.  

Before we get into the details…

What is a Sauna?

A sauna creates its therapeutic effects through dry heat, typically maintaining humidity levels between 10-20% while reaching temperatures of 160 – 200°F. The low humidity allows your body to sweat efficiently while avoiding the overwhelming sensation that high moisture can create. This dry environment triggers a cascade of physiological responses that form the foundation of sauna therapy.

SaunaLife Model CL7G 6-Person Outdoor Cube Sauna

The magic happens when this dry heat raises your core body temperature by 1-3 degrees Fahrenheit. Your cardiovascular system responds as if you’re engaged in moderate exercise. The heart rate increases, blood vessels dilate, and circulation improves throughout your body. Unlike humid environments where sweat doesn’t evaporate effectively, the dry air in a sauna allows perspiration to cool your skin naturally, creating a comfortable experience even at high temperatures.

Types of Saunas

There are two major types of saunas: 

Traditional Saunas 

Traditional saunas use either wood-fired or electric heaters to warm the air and surrounding surfaces. But they come in two options: 

• Wood-fired saunas rely on a wood-burning stove to heat sauna rocks. When water is poured over the hot stones, it creates bursts of steam that briefly increase humidity. This setup delivers an authentic, rustic experience and is ideal for off-grid locations or anyone who enjoys the ritual of tending a fire.

Golden Designs Loviisa 3 Person Full Spectrum Hybrid Outdoor Sauna

• Electric saunas use an electric heater to warm the rocks and surrounding air, offering the same dry heat environment without the need for wood or fire management. They heat up faster and allow for more precise temperature control. This makes them a convenient choice for modern homes, gyms, and spas.

One key advantage of traditional saunas is their ability to create loyly – the burst of steam created when water hits heated sauna rocks. This momentary increase in humidity increases the heat sensation and can provide brief respiratory benefits without compromising the overall dry environment.

Before investing in an electric sauna for your home, understanding the specific power requirements is crucial for proper installation planning. Different electric heater configurations demand varying amperage levels and dedicated circuits, which directly affects both installation feasibility and ongoing operating costs. For detailed guidance on electrical planning for your home sauna, explore our comprehensive breakdown of sauna electrical requirements for electric and infrared saunas to ensure your electrical system can safely support your chosen model.

Infrared Saunas 

Infrared saunas use infrared panels to heat your body directly rather than warming the surrounding air. They operate at lower temperatures (120-150°F), and penetrate skin more deeply, up to 1.5 inches, compared to traditional saunas’ surface heating. This creates a different sweating pattern; you’ll start perspiring sooner and may sweat more profusely despite the lower air temperature.

For home installations, infrared units require less ventilation and use less electricity, making them an attractive option for indoor setups. However, they lack the intense heat experience that traditional sauna enthusiasts often seek.

When planning a home sauna installation, location selection significantly impacts both performance and user experience. While infrared saunas offer installation flexibility, basement locations provide unique advantages including natural temperature stability, enhanced privacy, and year-round accessibility regardless of outdoor weather conditions. Before finalizing your sauna choice, review our detailed guide on installing a sauna in your basement to understand ventilation requirements, moisture management strategies, and structural considerations that determine installation success.

Benefits of a Sauna 

1. Improves Cardiovascular Health and Circulation

Regular sauna use creates what researchers call “passive cardiovascular exercise.” Your heart rate can increase to 100-150 beats per minute (similar to moderate physical activity) while you’re simply sitting and relaxing. This cardiovascular workout occurs because your body must work to maintain core temperature against the external heat.

This research, which studied over 2000 young men, showed that men using saunas 4-7 times per week had a 50% lower risk of fatal cardiovascular disease compared to once-weekly users. The heat stress improves arterial flexibility, reduces inflammation markers, and can lower blood pressure over time.

In addition, the heat dilates blood vessels throughout your body, and improves blood flow to muscles, joints and extremities.  

2. Detoxifies the body through sweating 

Sweating is your body’s primary cooling mechanism, but in a sauna environment, it becomes a therapeutic tool. You can lose 1-2 pounds of water weight during a 15-20 minute session!

While claims about “toxin elimination” through sweat are often overstated, sauna use does support your body’s natural detoxification processes. The increased circulation helps deliver nutrients to cells and assists in waste removal through the kidney and liver function. 

Studies from ScienceDirect suggest that certain heavy metals and chemical compounds can be eliminated through sweat, though the liver and kidneys remain your primary detoxification organs.

3. Aids Muscle Recovery and Relaxation

By raising your body temperature, the sauna increases blood flow to sore or fatigued muscles. This improved circulation delivers a fresh supply of oxygen and nutrients that aid in repair while helping flush out metabolic waste products such as lactic acid, which contribute to soreness and fatigue.

When paired with light stretching, sauna sessions may also improve flexibility and mobility. Unlike moist heat methods, which sometimes cause joint swelling, the dry heat of a sauna penetrates deeply into muscle tissue without adding unnecessary stress to sensitive areas.

4. Reduces Stress and boosts Mental Health

Sauna going also supports mental health. The intense heat places your body under temporary stress, but when the session ends, it triggers a powerful relaxation response. Stress hormones like cortisol decrease, while mood-boosting neurotransmitters such as endorphins and serotonin increase, leaving you with a sense of calm and well-being.

Many people also find that saunas improve sleep quality. The natural drop in body temperature after leaving the sauna mimics your body’s pre-sleep cooling process, making it easier to fall and stay asleep. Over time, this rhythm may help regulate your circadian cycle.

In fact, studies from Finland (the birthplace of the sauna tradition) show that frequent sauna users report lower rates of depression and anxiety. While researchers are still exploring whether these benefits come from the heat itself or the meditative, ritual-like experience, the mental health advantages of regular sauna use are hard to ignore.

5. Improves Skin Health 

Regular sauna use can also benefit your skin. The heat boosts circulation, increasing blood flow to the skin’s surface where it delivers oxygen and nutrients that support healing and a healthy complexion. The deep sweating that occurs helps flush out impurities and unclog pores, but it’s important to shower afterward to wash away salt and prevent reabsorption of waste products released through sweat.

For some skin conditions, saunas may offer therapeutic relief. People with psoriasis often find that the dry heat reduces inflammation and itching, providing comfort that topical treatments alone may not achieve. However, those with eczema or highly sensitive skin should use caution, since the intense heat and sweating can sometimes aggravate symptoms.

In short, saunas can promote clearer, healthier skin for many users, but results depend on individual skin type and condition.

Risks of Sauna Use

1. Dehydrates the body

The most common risk of sauna use is dehydration, since heavy sweating quickly reduces your body’s fluid levels. Even a 2–3% loss of body weight from water can impair both physical performance and mental clarity. 

If fluid loss becomes more severe, you may experience symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, or fainting. In extreme cases, prolonged exposure without rehydration can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

To reduce this risk, proper hydration is essential. Health experts recommend drinking 16–20 ounces of water about 2–3 hours before your sauna session, and if your session is long or particularly intense, you can sip small amounts of water during breaks.

Afterward, it’s essential to rehydrate thoroughly to restore lost fluids and electrolytes. Avoid alcohol as it not only accelerates dehydration but also impairs your body’s ability to regulate temperature, greatly increasing the risk of overheating.

2. Health Conditions and Contraindications

While saunas are safe for many healthy individuals, certain medical conditions make their use risky or require professional guidance. People with unstable heart disease, recent heart attacks, severe aortic stenosis, or uncontrolled high blood pressure should avoid sauna use unless cleared by a physician.  

What is a Steam Room 

A steam room creates its therapeutic environment using 100% humidity at relatively moderate temperatures, between 110–120°F (43–49°C). 

This is how it works: 

A steam generator heats water and releases pressurized vapor into the enclosed space, filling the room with dense moisture. Unlike in a sauna, where sweat evaporates to help cool the body, the humidity in a steam room prevents evaporation, so perspiration stays on your skin.

This creates a unique thermal experience. While the lower air temperature feels gentler than a sauna at first, the trapped moisture makes it harder for your body to regulate heat, producing a deep, penetrating warmth that can feel more intense over time.

One of the defining benefits of steam rooms is how the moist heat interacts with the respiratory system. The inhaled vapor helps hydrate airways, thin mucus secretions, and ease congestion, making steam rooms suitable  for people with asthma, allergies, or sinus-related discomfort. In addition to supporting lung health, the environment can also relax muscles, promote circulation, and create a soothing mental reset.

Benefits of a Steam Room 

1. Congestion Relief and Respiratory Support

Steam rooms excel at providing respiratory benefits that dry saunas cannot match. The warm, moist air helps thin mucus secretions in your sinuses and bronchial passages, and provides relief from congestion caused by colds, allergies, or dry air exposure. This is a huge plus if you live in cold or high humid areas. 

However, keep in mind that while steam can provide temporary relief, it’s not a medical treatment for chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma or COPD. Anyone with severe breathing issues should consult their physician before using steam rooms regularly.

2. Hydrates and cleanses the skin  

The 100% humidity environment helps hydrate your skin’s outer layers. If you have dry skin, the moist heat from the steam room can help open pores more gently than the intense dry heat of saunas. This makes it easier to cleanse embedded dirt and oil.

The combination of warmth and moisture may help improve skin elasticity temporarily and can make your skin feel softer and more supple after sessions. However, the high-humidity environment requires thorough cleaning to prevent bacterial growth.

3. Aids Relaxation and Stress Relief

Steam rooms, like saunas, promote relaxation by exposing the body to heat, which helps lower stress hormones and encourages the release of endorphins. However, the experience is noticeably different. The gentler temperatures paired with 100% humidity create a softer, more enveloping warmth that many people find soothing, especially if they find the intense, dry heat of a sauna overwhelming.

4. Supports Post-Workout Recovery Benefits

Steam rooms can play a valuable role in recovery after exercise, though their effects differ from sauna therapy. 

The moist heat promotes circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to tired muscles while helping remove metabolic waste that contributes to soreness. Because the temperature is lower than in a sauna, many people find steam rooms gentler and more comfortable immediately after a workout, especially when their bodies are already warm and sweaty.

The humid environment can also feel hydrating to the skin and airways, offering relief after strenuous activity. However, this surface-level moisture doesn’t replace the need to drink water after exercise. 

Potential Risks of Steam Room Use

1. High Humidity and Bacteria Growth

The combination of warmth, humidity, and organic matter (dead skin cells, sweat) in steam rooms can support harmful microorganisms that cause skin infections, athlete’s foot, or other health issues.

2. Heat Intolerance and Health Concerns

The high humidity can make temperature regulation more challenging for some individuals. People with cardiovascular conditions may find the combination of heat and humidity more taxing than dry sauna heat, as their body must work harder to maintain core temperature without the benefit of evaporative cooling.

Individuals with certain skin conditions, such as eczema, may also find that a humid environment triggers flare-ups, as trapped moisture can irritate sensitive skin.

Differences Between Sauna and Steam Room 

The main difference between a sauna and a steam room is how they impact your body’s cooling system. Saunas create intense dry heat that allows efficient sweat evaporation, enabling your body to regulate temperature naturally even at high air temperatures. 

Golden Designs Kaarina 6 Person Outdoor Traditional Sauna

Steam rooms, on the other hand, prevent evaporation entirely and make lower air temperatures feel more intense due to your body’s inability to cool itself through perspiration.

This difference affects how long you can comfortably remain in each environment and how your body responds physiologically. Most people can tolerate longer sessions in saunas despite higher temperatures because their cooling system remains functional.

Verdict: 

Other differences are: 

1. Health Benefits 

While both saunas and steam rooms promote relaxation and recovery, the type of heat they use creates distinct health outcomes. 

Saunas are often associated with cardiovascular benefits, improved circulation, reduced blood pressure, and accelerated muscle recovery. As we highlighted earlier, regular sauna use lowers the risk of heart disease and supports overall longevity. The dry heat also promotes deep sweating, which may help clear skin and support detoxification.

Steam rooms, on the other hand, shine when it comes to respiratory health. The moist heat helps hydrate airways, thin mucus, and ease congestion. They also support relaxation, skin hydration, and a gentler recovery option for those who find sauna heat overwhelming.

Verdict: If your goals focus on heart health, circulation, or muscle recovery, go for sauna. If you’re looking for respiratory relief, skin hydration, or a gentler heat experience, a steam room will serve you better.

2. Session Experience

Sauna sessions often begin with an intense wave of dry heat, but as your body adjusts and sweating kicks in, the experience becomes invigorating. Many describe the sauna environment as cleansing, meditative, and deeply restorative, with the dry air allowing for longer, more controlled sessions.

Steam room sessions, by contrast, start off feeling gentler thanks to the lower air temperature, but the lack of evaporation can make the moist heat feel heavy and overwhelming after a shorter time. The dense humidity wraps the body in a cocoon-like atmosphere that many find nurturing and soothing, though it may limit how long you can comfortably stay inside compared to a sauna.

Verdict: Saunas allow for longer, more focused sessions, while steam rooms provide a softer but shorter-lived comfort that appeals to those who prefer a cocooning heat.

3. After a Workout

Post-exercise recovery depends on how your body is feeling and what you want to achieve. A steam room’s lower temperature can feel gentler if you’re still overheated from training, offering a more comfortable transition into heat therapy. 

A sauna, however, delivers deeper heat penetration and more pronounced circulation benefits, which may better support long-term muscle recovery and reduced soreness.

For both, it’s best to allow a brief cool-down after exercise before entering, and give your body a chance to stabilize and prevent additional strain on your temperature regulation system.

Verdict: Steam rooms are preferable immediately after a workout for comfort, while saunas often provide greater overall recovery benefits if used after a short cool-down.

Sauna or Steam Room: Which One Is Better for Your Health?

The answer depends entirely on your specific health goals and physical considerations.

Choose a Sauna If You Want:

• Maximum cardiovascular benefits and intense heat therapy
• Deeper muscle recovery and stress relief
• Lower maintenance requirements and operating costs
• More customization options and an authentic heat therapy experience
• Better long-term investment value

Choose a Steam Room If You Need:

• Respiratory support and congestion relief
• Gentler heat therapy due to health sensitivities
• Skin hydration benefits
• More comfortable post-exercise recovery environment

Usage patterns matter too. If you’re looking for daily sessions, saunas are a more practical choice, as they offer sustainable wellness benefits with minimal upkeep. 

Steam rooms, however, may be better suited for occasional use when respiratory relief or a deeply hydrating experience is the priority.

Avoid Saunas If You Have:

• Unstable cardiovascular conditions or recent cardiac events
• Difficulty regulating body temperature due to medication or medical conditions
• Severe dehydration or kidney problems
• Recent surgical procedures or open wounds

Avoid Steam Rooms If You Have:

• Severe claustrophobia triggered by humid environments
• Chronic respiratory conditions that worsen with humidity
• Skin conditions like eczema that flare with moisture exposure
• Difficulty with fungal or bacterial infections

Note: Pregnant women should consult physicians before using either option. Anyone taking medications affecting circulation, blood pressure, or temperature regulation needs medical clearance.

Should You Combine Sauna and Steam Room?

Well…it depends. Some wellness facilities and high-end home installations include both options, allowing users to experience different benefits in a single session. This approach, sometimes referred to as contrast therapy, involves alternating between different heat environments.

For example: 

For instance, you might spend 10–15 minutes in a sauna to stimulate circulation and cardiovascular benefits, followed by a brief cool-down, then move into a steam room for 10 minutes to support your respiratory system and promote more profound relaxation.

That said, combination use requires extra caution. The cumulative heat load can be more taxing than using either option alone, and hydration becomes especially critical. Always listen to your body, take adequate breaks, and avoid exceeding safe total exposure times.

Whether you choose a sauna, steam room, or combination approach, maximizing therapeutic benefits while maintaining safety requires understanding proper usage protocols beyond just temperature and duration guidelines. From pre-session hydration strategies to optimal cooling periods between rounds, following established best practices ensures you extract full value from your heat therapy investment. For comprehensive guidance covering session timing, breathing techniques, and safety protocols, explore our complete guide on how to use a sauna properly for both home and gym environments.

Not sure still? Send a message to any of our sauna experts for a personalized recommendation. 

FAQs

Is a sauna or a steam room better for heart health? 

Saunas offer superior cardiovascular benefits due to their higher temperatures, which create more intense “exercise-like” responses. Finnish studies specifically show significant heart health benefits from regular sauna use. However, individuals with heart conditions should consult physicians, as steam rooms may be more appropriate for some cardiovascular concerns.

Can a steam room help with skin problems? 

Steam rooms can benefit dry skin through direct hydration, but they may worsen certain conditions like eczema or fungal infections. A high-humidity environment requires excellent hygiene to prevent bacterial growth, which can cause skin problems. Saunas may be better for deep pore cleansing through vigorous sweating.

How long should I stay in a sauna or steam room? 

Beginners should start with 10-15 minutes and gradually increase as tolerance develops. Experienced sauna users can safely extend to 30 minutes, while steam room sessions typically remain shorter (15-20 minutes maximum) due to the body’s inability to cool through evaporation. Always exit if you feel dizzy, nauseous, or uncomfortable.

Should I use a sauna or a steam room after a workout? 

Both can support recovery, but timing matters. Allow a brief cool-down period post-exercise before entering either environment. Saunas may provide better long-term recovery benefits through deeper heat penetration, while steam rooms might feel more comfortable if you’re already overheated from exercise.

Which burns more calories: sauna or steam room? 

Neither burns calories nor fat. The weight loss during sessions represents fluid loss that is typically replenished through rehydration. Saunas create more intense metabolic responses due to higher temperatures, but both are relaxation and recovery tools rather than weight loss methods.