Do you have a steam room at your gym? If you’re not using steam rooms even when you have access to them, you’re probably not aware of the many health benefits of steam rooms. It’s time to start taking advantage of the pleasures of a steam room to relax your muscles, improve your skin and unwind from stress. After all, it feels luxurious to indulge in the seemingly sensual embrace of warm steam as it grazes your skin.
Steam rooms are not a modern invention, in fact, they date back to the ancient Greek and Roman periods, where they were called steam baths. Ancient civilizations enjoyed cleansing their body in steamed baths because they knew that it was essential for overall health and wellness.
Back in the day, philosophers, gladiators, athletes, and even commoners used steam baths with simple basins heated with burning coals to create the steam. Apart from cleansing, relaxation, and recovery from training, steam baths were also a place for socialization.
Today, this tradition is still in place as you can find steam rooms in gyms, spas, and even luxury condos. However, a distinction must be made between saunas and steam rooms. Saunas use dry heat, while steam rooms rely on moist heat. Below are 10 health benefits you can get from regular steam room use:
1. Post-Workout Recovery
You should take advantage of your gym’s steam room because it will help your muscles recover after a gruelling workout session. Besides, wouldn’t it be nice to get the most out of your membership by using amenities such as steam rooms? When you exercise, you push your body’s limits. This results in micro-tears in your muscles and lactic acid build-up.
If you want to recover faster after a tiring routine, a post-workout steam room session will help. It promotes relaxation, helping your worn-out muscles feel invigorated. In addition, the heat from a steam room improves blood flow, so it helps bring oxygen-rich blood to your cells and flushes out the lactic acid. As a result, steam rooms aid in post-workout recovery.
2. Cleanses and Hydrates the Skin
The skin is the largest organ of the human body, protecting your internal organs from harsh environmental elements. You’ve got dust, dirt, sun rays, and so much more. As a result, your pores get clogged from dirt, sebum, dead skin cells, makeup, and other impurities. Oxidative stress may eventually lead to acne, clogged pores, hyperpigmentation, and other skin ailments.
For this reason, you must take good care of your skin. Apart from regularly washing your face, moisturizing, and sunblock, another effective method is using a steam room regularly. Steam baths are proven to help cleanse the skin because the heat opens up the clogged pores and purges all the impurities. To maximize your results, use a deep cleansing face wash after your steam room sessions for thorough cleaning.
Steam rooms are much more hydrating for your skin than saunas, and steam rooms are great for your skin health.
3. Helps with Weight Loss
If you want to maintain a healthy weight or promote weight loss, steam rooms can help you achieve your fitness goals. Of course, you must couple this with a healthy diet and exercise for maximum benefits. Nevertheless, seeing faster results is possible if you spend lots of time in the steam room.
The heat can help people sweat out excess water weight. As a result, you won’t look or feel as bloated. In fact, athletes like boxers with a weight category use this trick of the steam room if they need to make a certain weight for competition. This method is extremely useful to keep you motivated, but keep in mind that this is a temporary fix only. If you want permanent results, you must eat clean and exercise in addition to using steam rooms.
4. Natural Detoxification
Everyone knows that sweat is one of the best ways to get waste out of your body. Thus, spending as little as 20 minutes in a steam room can help your body flush out toxins. It works by artificially inducing hyperthermia (the opposite of hypothermia). This means your body temperature rises above normal levels, resulting in rapid sweating.
In his study, Dr. Zane Gard, a board-certified kinesiologist, noted that microorganisms would not survive when the host’s body temperature is increased beyond the typical threshold. For this reason, your body can readily flush them out. Therefore, detoxifying your body with steam room use is an effective and efficient cleansing solution.
As far as skin health goes, since steam rooms help remove toxins from your skin, your skin stands to benefit from this detoxification component as well.
5. Helps Prevent Heart Disease
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in adults. Unfortunately, you can have a genetic predisposition because heart disease often runs in families. An unhealthy lifestyle can also exacerbate it with poor nutrition, no exercise, smoking, lack of sleep, and excessive alcohol consumption.
Fortunately, you can prevent its onset by changing your bad habits. Moreover, studies show using the steam room is an effective method because your body reacts to the heat and humidity in the same manner as it does to moderate exercises. The intense heat and steam stimulate heart activity. This means you exercise your cardiac muscles without exhausting them. As a result, your heart becomes stronger without risk of damage or injury.
6. Relieves Pressure from Sinus Cavity
When you have a common cold or allergies, you can expect the mucus membranes in your nose to become inflamed and irritated. This is because your body increases mucus production to arrest the infection or irritant. Unfortunately, this results in heavy congestion and sinus pressure.
Fortunately, the moist environment in steam rooms can help loosen the mucus clogging your sinuses and nasal passages. It can help provide temporary relief. For this to be effective, you must tilt your head up and take long, deep inhales through the nose. Then, exhale carbon dioxide through the mouth.
7. Improves Blood Circulation
Elementary science class lessons espoused heat dilates and cold contracts. Hence, staying in heated steam rooms will cause your capillaries to dilate. As a result, you will have more efficient blood circulation throughout your body. Remember, blood carries oxygen and nutrients to all your organs, so doing this will make you feel revitalized and refreshed. Besides, improved blood flow can help with the following:
- Minimize heart diseases risk
- Regulate blood pressure
- Flush out waste
- Better oxygenation
- Improve enzyme production
8. Boosts Mental Health
When you’re in the steam room, you have to leave your electronic gadgets in the locker because they can’t withstand a moist environment. Being detached from technology, even for only 20 minutes, can help you meditate and de-stress. The steam room is the perfect quick getaway if you want to block out noise and find peace. Many people find steam rooms to be the perfect place to meditate.
Staying in the steam room means you can escape from the rat race. You can start your day or end it with this routine so you can reflect upon your life and enjoy your time relishing your thoughts. The mental health benefits of going to the steam room are definitely worth it. So take time out from your busy schedule to give it a try.
9. Positive Impact on Joints and Muscles
Heat is often used to treat joint and muscle pain to loosen any form or hardness, pressure, or strain. That’s why hot water bottles, heating pads, and heat pad stickers exist in the market. Heat has a positive impact on your joints and muscles. Similarly, steam rooms can help you by:
- Easing joint and muscle pain
- Improving mobility
- Enhancing feelings of well being
10. Strengthens Lungs and Improves Breathing
Steam rooms are one of the best places to practice your breathing exercises. Since the heat from a steam room opens up the mucous membranes, you’ll be able to breathe more deeply and easily. Steam rooms also improve congestion in the sinuses and lungs, and therefore can be used to unblock sinuses and breathe better.
Benefits of Steam Rooms: The Bottom Line
You’ve just read about 10 health benefits of steam rooms, but don’t forget about the added benefit of socialization. People have been using steam baths since time immemorial for socialization purposes.
Those who regularly frequent the steam room tend to get to know each other and talk during steam room sessions, especially since you can’t bring your phone in the steam room. Socialization positively affects mental, emotional, and physical health. Remember, when you are surrounded with like-minded people, it is much easier to stay motivated towards your goals.
There are many rules regarding steam room usage. One recommendation is not to use the steam room alone because it is safer to use it with a friend. Being with a companion reduces the risk of dehydration and other health hazards.
Keep in mind; always obey steam room rules to prevent any problems. Bring a cool water bottle with you to keep you hydrated during your steam room session. If you have any blood pressure issues, it is wise to speak with your doctor before using anything with excessive heat because it can result in a high pulse rate due to acceleration in your heartbeat.
Overall, visiting steam rooms can provide various health benefits while providing a venue for socialization. If you want to take your holistic health and wellness to the next level, consider taking a CircleDNA test from the comforts of home to find out more about your health. This comprehensive DNA test provides detailed reports on your health and disease risks based on your DNA. It also offers you diet and fitness reports based on your genetic strengths and weaknesses.
