Having a sauna at home is not as complicated as before, but it is considered a luxury object. Taking into account the line of modern saunas in the market, we can put a sauna in any corner of the house: under the stairs, in the living room, in a room, in the attic, in the garage, etc.
When talking about sauna, what first comes to mind are the clouds of steam inside a room. Its benefits are also known that go through the elimination of toxins, muscle relief and the total relaxation of the body and mind.
The health benefits of a sauna are well known: it cleanses the skin (helps in the elimination of toxins), helps lose weight (since it makes us sweat), is relaxing and anti-stress, helps relieve muscle pain, it encourages sleep, so it is good for insomnia, etc.
Steam and Infrared Saunas Face to Face
After knowing a bit about saunas, it is time to get into the subject that brought us here. Let’s have a quick look at some of the properties of both to decide which one is better.
- Temperature
The first difference that can be noticed with just entering the sauna is the setting. The steam version is maintained with hot air. The ambient temperature is usually between 45 and 65 degrees Celsius and humidity levels approach 90%, which tends to rise by at least one-degree body temperature. For this reason, the duration of the sessions should not exceed 15 minutes.
On the other hand, the infrared sauna maintains temperatures ranging between 35 and 50 degrees, which does not represent extreme heat, or the presence of humidity and much less affects body temperature, allowing sessions to last for up to 45 minutes. It is a totally dry environment that resembles being exposed to the sun without the risks of heat, which activates the sweat glands.
- Energy Consumption
A steam sauna requires a power system with more power than the infrared sauna, with larger models requiring three-phase (for common/family use it is not necessary). The steam generator installed in a steam sauna consumes between 3 and 6 kilowatts of power (kW) for each hour of operation.
The use of the infrared sauna, however, supposes an energy saving due to an average consumption between 1.5 to 3 (kW), as well as electrical installations generally simpler and common in the home network.
- Therapeutic Uses
- The hot air in steam saunas raises body temperature causing sweat and the expulsion of toxins by up to 30%. This causes the blood vessels to dilate, which benefits circulation, regulates blood pressure and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Radiation from infrared rays penetrates the body surface reaching the dermal and subdermal tissues, which means a deeper cleaning with lower environmental heat, increases oxygen levels, increases energy reserves and helps burn calories. It also benefits muscle relaxation and improves flexibility, so infrared lights are used in physiotherapy for the treatment of injuries in the musculoskeletal structure.
- It is no longer necessary to take time to go to the gym or pay money to go to the aesthetic center. Having a solution of this type at home is a good option.
Also, there are different types and models of sauna. There are bigger, smaller, more luxurious, more modern … But they all fulfill the same function. There are even homemade saunas made with a heater and a tarpaulin, and there are even those who think that simply by dropping very hot water in the shower, a steam is created that makes a sauna (something that I do not recommend, since it will possibly save you the sauna, but if everyone did the same thing, we would end up with the planet’s water reserves). Therefore, it is best to find a specialist or a company that is dedicated to assembling saunas at home and guide us a little.
