The debate of the century is steam sauna vs infrared sauna.

Which is better and what are the differences?

Both types of sauna are different and both affect the body in different ways.

Below we highlight some key differences from the perspective of the user.

It's important to note that a traditional steam sauna is often associated as being a wet sauna. And an infrared sauna is a dry sauna.

Steam or Infrared - What are the differences?

1. Presence of Steam

A traditional steam sauna is very well known for it's steam! It brings to mind a communal experience sitting around, draped in towels. The environment is very hot and humid and seemingly your sweating out all the bad stuff.

Traditional saunas often have hot rocks, where water is poured over to create steam in the surrounding room. Alternatively, steam generators can be connected to bring steam to the sauna that way.

There are also dry saunas on the market, that uses a stove or other heating element to heat the small space.

This makes the saunas very hot!

The addition of steam to a sauna can assist with clearing up the lungs and opening blocked sinus'.

The steam can also assist with opening up of pores which can help with clearing up skin conditions.

Infrared Saunas are known as dry Saunas. They emit dry heat as well as invisible infrared waves.

The Infrared Sauna doesn't use stoves or rocks, but rather electricity and infrared waves to heat the space.

2. Temperature

Because of the type of heating mechanisms that steam saunas use as well as the steam, they are generally far hotter then an Infrared Sauna. The type and degree of heat, of course comes down to personal preference. Generally speaking the length of time spent in a steam sauna will be much shorter due to the degree of heat experienced. Both saunas will cause a decent sweat response. Steam saunas get you sweating from the hot air around you, opening your pores up and releasing toxins in the skin.

Infrared waves penetrate deep into your core. This raises your body temperature from the inside, creating a deeper level of detoxification. Despite having a lower temperature, the sweat response can sometime be more profound then in a steam sauna!

An infrared sauna will often run cooler then a steam sauna, but don't get me wrong it's still hot inside! It is a much more tolerable heat, which means that you can spend a longer time in the sauna and yield greater benefit.

3. Humidity

The moist air within a steam sauna is what increases the feel of humidity. Many people prefer the wet feeling of the air. They feel it assists with purifying their skin and can assist with respiration.

An infrared sauna doesn't have any humidity at all as it is very much a dry heat experience.

A lot of our clients do comment that it is much more enjoyable as the experience is more tolerable.

4. Community

Steam Saunas tend to be in spas and gymnasiums and are quite large. This makes them readily available and often without additional charge for you. You get the convenience of spreading out, lying down and not feeling cramped. This also means that there may be other people in the sauna with you at the same time.

It really is up to personal preference whether the experience is preferred on your own or with strangers. Knowing that there is the availability to go with a friend is an added bonus.

Our infrared Sauna is a 3 person sized sauna. If a communal experience is desired, then bring a friend and we can easily accommodate two people. Do rest assured that you won't be booked in with people you don't know. It will be private unless you request otherwise.

This allows you to have a communal experience if desired, otherwise you can sweat in peace.

5. Time spent Sweating

We've already identified the heat, steam & humidity that can turn some people off a steam sauna. The combination can also make it difficult to spend extended periods of time within and so sessions are often limited to 15-20 mins. It is definitely possible to take short breaks between sauna sessions, however to really yield a deep sweat response constant heat must be maintained.

An infrared sauna session can comfortably last for 40 mins. Towards the end the increased heart rate and sweating can be challenging to cope with but as the experience isn't stifling it is quite enjoyable. The deep penetration of the infrared waves into your body's core means that the experience has a profound effect on a cellular level. These saunas work to improve your mitochondrial health and are excellent at releasing heavy metals.

As the sweat is not just on a skin deep our clients often exclaim how much healthier they immediately feel after just one session!

6. Personalise it!

A limiting factor of a Steam sauna is any kind of personalisation. If you're too hot you must get out of the sauna and then hop back in again.

Our infrared sauna is highly personal.

The advantage allows you to remain in the sauna and yield the benefits of the infrared waves without the need to step out!

Our temperature control is flexible and runs seperate to the infrared waves. Heat really is a personal choice here.

We also have the advantage of having a tablet in our sauna that is connected to both WiFi and Netflix.

You can read a book, sit in the quiet or be entertained with your favourite tv show!

So which should you choose?

At the end of the day, a steam sauna & an infrared sauna are both different.

Whilst they do have similarity they essentially function differently and benefit the body differently.

Purists much prefer the standard traditional steam sauna, but there is a growing momentum (and we're included here) of preference towards an Infrared sauna.

The addition of the infrared waves penetrates deeper into the body. It elicits a greater metabolic response facilitating a more profound detox.

The waves also have beneficial effect towards muscular aches and pains promoting pain relief as well as improving cardiovascular health and assisting in weight loss.

Steam Sauna Vs Infrared Sauna

Steam or Infrared - What are the differences?

1. Presence of Steam

2. Temperature

3. Humidity

4. Community

5. Time spent Sweating

6. Personalise it!

So which should you choose?

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Phone & E-mail

Paramount Health Sydney

Location

Steam or Infrared - What are the differences?

1. Presence of Steam

2. Temperature

3. Humidity

4. Community

5. Time spent Sweating

6. Personalise it!

So which should you choose?

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Phone & E-mail

Paramount Health Sydney

Location