Advantages of a Steam Sauna

A sauna is a heat room or a device that people use to experience wet or dry heat sessions. They do this to relieve medical conditions such as arthritis or congestion, or to relax. In most saunas, a stove heats rocks that radiate heat throughout the room. Sometimes, water is poured over the rocks to generate steam. The temperature in most saunas typically range from 160-200 degrees but be careful to stay in the sauna for no more than 15-20 minutes at a time to avoid overheating.

Cardiovascular Functions

• Saunas improve cardiovascular functions.

  Saunas have been effectively used to manage some cardiovascular problems like congestive heart failure, according to the National Institutes of Health. Saunas also improve heart arrhythmia because they are used to improve cardiac functioning and blood flow. Short sauna sessions of 15 minutes are adequate to achieve this. Frequent use of saunas benefit the health of patients with these conditions but they have to be medically monitored when longer sessions are required. Patients with hypertension who regularly receive sauna bathing also benefit from these sessions because it lowers their blood pressure.

Sweat

• A sauna causes sweating.

  One of the effects of a sauna is that it causes the body to sweat a lot due to the heat. Aside from cooling the body, sweat is also a means for the body to eliminate waste such as harmful toxins. Sweat originates from the lymph and so toxins present in the lymph fluid will exit the body through sweat. There is a difference between the sweat generated from exercise and that generated from a sauna; this is because the sauna conserves the body's energy by supplying external heat that leaves the body with energy for a more thorough detoxification.

Improved Blood Circulation

• A sauna improves blood circulation.

  The heat from a sauna stimulates sweating and increases the blood circulation. As the body is exposed to the heat, it increases the production of sweat in order to stay cool causing the heart to pump blood at a higher rate. This is a cardiovascular response that simulates the effect of an aerobic exercise. This is not to say that a sauna can replace an aerobic workout, only that the heart responds in a similar way as it would during an aerobics session by pumping more blood therefore increasing circulation.

Improved Skin Appearance

• Sauna improves the skin's appearance.

  Another advantage of a steam sauna is that the increased sweating opens up the pores. A sedentary lifestyle means that people don't sweat a lot and the pores are usually clogged with things like smog residues, grease and even antiperspirants. Sweating cleans the pores from the inside out instead of the other way around as is the case during a bath or shower. This causes the skin to become more supple and clean.