What Are Steam Rooms Good For?
A steam room or a steam bath is a designated area, either as part of a fitness facility, a home, or, in Europe or Asia, an entirely separate facility, where people envelop their bodies in steam from water. Steam rooms (referred to as "vapour baths" by the British, and used interchangeably with "Turkish baths") have an extensive history throughout various parts of the world--particularly in Eastern Europe--where they have been used for health and fitness reasons, relaxation, and even social time. Steam rooms are used for the same reasons today and are increasingly popular in North America. Does this Spark an idea?
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Features
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Steam rooms vary in structure, size and shape, but the common and primary component is the generation of constant steam (or, scientifically, mist). Contemporary steam rooms use pipes and pumps that draw from the local water supply to bring up and cycle the water, though some steam baths draw the water from natural hot springs beneath the ground. Mist generators and heaters sustain the steaming temperatures of the enclosed space, where the humidity exceeds 100 percent, and the optimal temperature range is between 43ºC (110ºF) and 46ºC (116ºF), with humidity above 100 percent. Unlike in saunas, steam rooms are built with ceramic tiles.
Function
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The steam room induces a thermal effect on the body. The external temperature is much higher than the body's temperature, and as the body tries to lose the heat through the skin and lungs, sweating occurs. Because it cannot sustain its natural temperature in the heat of the steam room, the body temperature rises and circulation increases. As the body adjusts to accept more heat, these effects intensify.
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Detoxification
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The body's rising heart rate rises in the steam room and encourages sweating to a degree that ensures the excretion of toxins. Toxic substances in the body are excreted through the skin's pores. The temperature of the steam room and the length of the session determine how much sweating occurs, and therefore the degree of detoxification.
Alleviation of Respiratory Ailments
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People with respiratory ailments often seek relief in the high humidity levels of the steam room. The moisture in the air helps loosen the chest muscles and mucous, thereby relieving the discomfort of such ailments as bronchitis and asthma. Also, increased circulation aids the oxygen supply to and in the body.
Rejuvenate and Hydrate the Skin
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The steam room's high humidity levels also benefit the skin. The moisture in the air ensures that the skin stays supple and hydrated, even while the pores are being "cleaned out" or detoxified like the other body organs. The beads of moisture that coat the skin prevent the loss of heat through evaporation. After a steam room session, the skin doesn't just feel hydrated but deeply cleansed as well.
Misconceptions
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A sauna and a steam room are not the same, though the terms are mistakenly used interchangeably. The sauna uses dry heat, allowing many to be constructed with wood. The temperatures of saunas can also reach higher levels than that of steam rooms, though the moisture of steam rooms often makes people believe they are better places to "sweat it out."
Warning
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Steam rooms require proper cleaning and disinfection since the hot, moist environment may easily produce bacteria and germs. Shower before and after each steam room session, and be cautious that the steam room you use is properly disinfected.
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