For relaxation, lots of people go to the sauna. Apart from its health benefits for the body, it provides the mind with a relaxed feeling. If you’re considering adding a sauna to your home, make sure you’re familiar with the most popular types you can get and their function. It can be quite expensive to take home your own sauna, but its benefits are worth every penny. There are many factors to look at when choosing the sauna that suits you best.
The health benefits of both steam and infrared sauna are very similar. Some people think that the health benefits of an infrared saunas are amplified due to the light waves that penetrate the skin and tissue.
What Is A Steam Room Sauna?
Early steam room saunas are designed with log cabins and fire pits with heated stones from the fireplace. Steam is produced by throwing water at the stones.New steam rooms are made up of non-porous material like glass or tile and are an airtight room that heats up the body by high heat and humidity. Water is boiled in the steam generator to make steam, creating an environment rich in moisture.
In a modern steam room, the average temperature ranges up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit compared to traditional temperatures that reach much higher, up to 200 degrees. Due to the nature of the room, the apparent temperature (or the actual temperature felt by humans) is higher due to the moisture locked inside.
What Is An Infrared Sauna?
An infrared sauna is made of wood and it contains specialized devices that emit infrared rays to heat the body. The average apparent temperature of this type of sauna reaches up to 130 degrees due to the nature of heat distribution, much lower than traditional saunas operating between 170 – 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Two types of infrared saunas are also based on what rays it emits: near and far. Near-infrared waves are those included in the sunlight spectrum, while far-reaching infrared waves have different wavelengths. They have different characteristics for different needs. But they still operate like normal saunas, only with a distinct effect and benefit.
Are Infrared Saunas Safer Than Steam Room Saunas?
Waves of infrared are safe. These waves occur naturally in our environment, and our body receives these waves from the sun on a regular basis. In incubators, lamps emitting infrared waves are also used to heat newborns. Saunas are generally safe, but precautions are still in place.
Best Sauna for Detox?
Saunas are a great way to detoxify the body, but there are so many different types such as wood- burning, electrical, steam and infrared.
The air around the body is heated by a “traditional” sauna, such as a steam sauna, wood-burning sauna or electric sauna. On the other hand, infrared saunas use light to penetrate the skin and heat the inside of the body and it is considered to be the best for detox.
The temperature of some traditional saunas can be up to 185 -195 degrees F, capable of overwhelming those sensitive to heat. An infrared sauna provides a much milder climate between 120 and 150 degrees F. The light of infrared saunas travels much deeper into the body, meaning they are to cause a more vigorous sweat, despite the lower temperature.