Boost Metabolism: Steamroom vs. Sauna - Which is Better? - Thomas DeLauer

You may have heard discussion around the benefits of the sauna and the steam room, but is one better for you than another? There is only so much time in the day to spend at the gym, so we want to be sure to get the most out of what we do in the least amount of time.
Saunas have been around for thousands of years. Finland has a sauna tradition that has been around for two thousand years strong, and many attribute their endurance and longevity to the time they spend in the sauna.
Saunas and steam rooms are touted to induce mental and physical relaxation, and both induce large amounts of sweating, which has health benefits such as releasing toxins from the body. So where does the difference lie?
Saunas are dry heat whereas steam rooms are at 100% humidity. One of the biggest differences has to do with temperature - when a room is humid we feel as though it is hotter than it actually is. Due to this, saunas are able to be kept at a much higher temperature than steam rooms. Saunas range from 160 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, wheres steam rooms are at 110 to 120.
In order to understand how these differences would lead to the best option of the two, we must first understand the benefits of both saunas and steam rooms.

Benefit 1: Increased blood flow
Blood vessels enlarge when your body temperature rises, allowing increased delivery of oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. After particularly vigorous exercise, try to get 15-30 minutes in the sauna or steam room to reap the benefits of this increased nutrient and oxygen delivery to your muscles. The increased blood flow allows an acceleration of tissue repair post workout. The faster you heal the better you feel and more able you are to take your next workout to a higher level.

Benefit 2: Increased metabolism and physical endurance
Increase the temperature and you will increase your metabolism, which is simply how quickly your body burns calories, due to this heat. Your body works harder to try and keep itself cool, thereby burning calories at a higher rate.

Benefit 3: Inflammation
Exposure to the high heat results in a release of noradrenaline, adrenaline and cortisol, which all have anti-inflammatory properties. This can help in mobility and pain, temporarily relieving stiffness post workout. Many people suffering with arthritis have reported relief after spending time in the sauna or steam room.

Benefit 4: Sweating
Sweating helps to lower blood pressure by secreting salts, detoxify by expelling toxins through our pores and helps to increase caloric expenditure.

Benefit 5: Mood
We are all familiar with the pleasant mood that you feel after going to the sauna or steam room. People report feeling less anxiety, increased relaxation, improved general mood and even increased alertness after trips to the sauna and steamroom. Why does this happen?

4. Finnleo - Pure Sauna: Sauna and Arthritis
6. New Scientist: Saunas Could Heal Your Mood and Your Heart
7. Effects of Waon therapy on chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot study
8. Go Ask Alice: Benefits of Sauna
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[chaz]

I sit in the sauna and steam room for 30 to 45 mins everyday its been 3 months and i feel amazing! You have to hydrate and maintain your vitamin and mineral levels

[iceman]

I recommend not going in with headphones. Saunas are a great place to think about life/goals, etc...

[wuhanwendy]

I have a steam room/shower and I use it every day after the gym and I go steam for 15-20 minutes then very cold shower after and It shocks the system and I feel great for the rest of the day. It is like a reset anytime of the day! I would recommend the steam to everyone

[oJAYarista]

I literally just came back from a Sauna room for my first time and let me tell you, within 2minutes I felt my muscles relaxing and the soothing flowing through out my body. I was tired and my body was aching before I went in, now I feel really rejuvenated

[grego]

Steam room clears out my respiratory system really well... every time!
The sauna not so much.

[amycarter]

I am loving all of the comments coming from the Finns. Hop in the sauna, sweat your sweet graces off, cut a hole in the ice, jump in, warm back up in the sauna. Finnish pride! 🇫🇮

[cajunvegan]

I use a steam room to avoid dehydrating my skin and hair. Its good to finally hear about the differences and similarities.

[IHCgraphix]

Personally, I prefer to sit in the Sauna after a good workout for a few minutes to start sweating then sit in in the steam-room for 10-15 minutes or so. Heat is important, but the steam-room is slightly more beneficially, at least for me. Helps with weight loss, detoxification, lowering blood pressure, muscle relaxation, clears skin and is great for the respiratory system.

[deborahsimon]

At 6:45 --- the very end of the video -- he finally gets to the question: "Which one is better, a sauna or a steamroom?" He answers it by saying that in his opinion, a sauna is better than a steam room because it gets hotter. The end.

[Nick-lhwi]

I go to the banya every other weekend and spend 6-8 hours going from dry sauna, steam room, to cold plunge, repeat... I love it. I can’t wait till I can build my own sauna one day!

[maegfry]

I have a natural woodstove sauna. I live in a heavily populated Finnish community and the original way. we carve a hole in the ice on the lake and jump in. We then use natural spruce branches to promote circulation. nothing is more cleansing and never a better sleep will a person have. Great video by the way.

[zgjfinance]

When I was on dialysis; it helped me so much to maintain my fluid weight through ‘stimulated sweating’ but I still use jacuzzi, sauna and steam room 5x(I love my gym lol) a week post transplant as well!

[Ryosa]

I appreciate your thought out analysis of sauna - as a Finn, but also someone who has studied its benefits in great detail, I can say that first of all, yes, the temperature is extremely important, as is duration. You need at least 70c to get the true benefit and preferably more but this depends on your base condition. Second, the "sweat" that you get in a steam room with high humidity likely isn't really much of your own sweat to begin with so I would question its ability to do much of an effective detox. When you sauna you are supposed to do a dry period first, then apply water to the rocks periodically for the bursts of heat shock via steam. There is actually something called heat shock protein which is activated in your cells during this process. And to the guy who asked, no sauna is not harmful to your testicles or obviously all of Finland would be impotent, and they are not....

[Lioness]

I go to Sauna everyday for 1 hour. I 've doing this for over 30 years. It is awesome health and skin benefit.

[monp.]

At Lifetime Fitness there are both. The steam room has a eucalyptus smell to it, if I ever have sinus issues, they get cleared up! Steamroom then cold shower makes my skin very smooth, I like it better than the sauna. But if the sauna has more benefits, I'll start incorporating it more into my routine. Thanks!!

[Klaudieja]

Thank you for discussing this. Lately I've seen pop ups saying how beneficial saunas are but nothing about steam rooms, which I prefer. The sauna is just too hot for me and I feel like I breath better in the steam room.

[jimmyziogas]

My gym has both I usually do 15 min steam cold shower then finish 15 min in the sauna each workout. It’s amazing I can notice many of the benefits discussed in the vid

[larryhoover]

sat in a steam room for 10 minutes for the first time ever after a work out. felt like I took a drug when I was out and walking in the fresh air. thanks for the info. I always want facts to back what I'm doing. I'm going to make this a regular part of my workouts (not everyday of course)

[cuevas]

Steam room is best for me.. it keeps my skin nice and healthy. if i don't use the steam room for a couple weeks i start breaking out.

[jefftate]

I usually use the sauna first to stretch and get a sweat going then go work out. When I'm done I sit in the steam room for 10 min and then light swimming in the pool to cool down.