steam room / sauna

[richfinch]

my local gym has a steam room and a sauna - but whats the difference? and what benefits do each give, as to me (with little knowledge) i would imagine they are almost the same

[mattie]

Sauna is dry heat, increases circulation to extremities, raises pulse rate and metabolism. Thought to promote physical wellbeing and to have basic healing properties.

Steam is wet heat, opens the pores and helps you to sweat out toxins.

[Skreecheeboy]

Steam's also very good for chest conditions like asthma. Don't know why but when I was really wee and my asthma was bad I had to sit in the bathroom when my family were showering and it seemed to help, maybe loosens some of the mucus or something.

[sunflower71]

i prefer the steam room,
try both and see what you prefer

[chazza]

I was also told that if you have dry skin, the steam room is better for your skin, and the sauna is better for people with greasy skin!

[Mattenai]

A sauna has less humidity than steam does. When you are inside a sauna, it almost seems as if the air is dry, but when in the steam room you can see the moisture in the air, and you can see it rest upon your hair and skin.

Think of a kettle, when it comes to boil, steam billows out. That is steam: that is what is in the steam room: but obviously not at that temperature all the way throught!

Lots of reading on this:
http://www.divapor.com/health-articles.php