Health benefits of sauna already know as best treatment for human health. Since long ago people has known the benefits of steam sauna or steam bath. Most of literature mentioned that the culture of having steam sauna is derived from Mediterranean, Finland or Turkish. People know sauna as a steam bath but actually sauna is a wooden construction that usually has internal dry air and it used to be operated in the temperatures above 80 degrees celcius and with 3% low humidity or it can also between 5-20% humidity. The humidity in sauna room can be increased by sprinkling some water over the hot rocks on a sauna stove which will result in higher production of steam.
History of Steam Sauna
The history of steam sauna begin since the Ancient Greek times. Greece people loves to bath in the steam and then the Romans adopted the steam sauna concept as sudatorium. The steam sauna later spread to other European part such as Russia and it is known as banjan. Steam sauna nowadays has been improved especially the technology and the technique to produce the steam.
Nowadays sauna is so popular in many hotels, spa, fitness club and other health care in the world. Since steam sauna provides tons of benefits to human, people will more likely to experience it alone or together with their family.
Steam sauna maybe has little difference with ordinary sauna since the steam sauna mostly operated in 43 degrees to 46 degress celcius and the steam sauna also make sure there are enough steam on the sauna room or cabin. Not really similar with sauna which can induce sweating a lot, the steam sauna will not make you feel burn or too hot which trigger the body to produce more sweat.
Health Benefits of Steam Sauna
Health Benefits of Steam Sauna could be best for some health problems and diseases. Sauna which has been so popular along the years, give a lots of benefits to human body. This benefits is maybe because the steam and the warm temperature can open the pores of the skin and help the body to purify it. To know more about steam sauna benefits better check these list of benefits below :
1. Maintain healthy heart
Steam sauna as well as conventional sauna have great effect to human heart. The temperature will make the heart beat slower and make it relax for a while. It can also strengthen the heart muscle and resulting better heart performance in transferring nutrition and oxygen through blood vessel. Some reseasrchers mentioned that the effect of sauna is more like a light sport which can help to maintain healthy heart.
2. Prevent cold and flu
Regular steam sauna can make your body immune system work better and it makes the body in “fever state” condition where the body temperature will certainly kill any microorganism which enter the body. This may prevent the body from getting cold and flu and it has been proven by Scientist from Finland and Germany.
3. Relax muscle
If you experience muscle stiff or feeling tired after work, having steam sauna is a great option. The warm temperature as well as the moist or steam will help the body to loosen the muscle and make it more relax. The warm temperature also will help the body to get rid of lactic acid which known as metabolic waste that causing muscle pain and stiffness.
4. Relieve stress
Steam sauna can help to relive stress and depression. Human body will easily adapted to warm temperature and due the warm temperature and moist it can make the body feel relax. During steam sauna session, the warm temperature and the moist which produced by the steam generator will trigger the production of a hormone that released by the brain called endhorphine. This hormone is known as “happy hormone” which means it promotes the good mood and relieve stress that can be harmful for the body and mind.
5. Maintain healthy skin
Steam sauna can increase blood flow or circulation under the skin and improve the ability of skin in absorbing the nutrients. The warm temperature will also trigger the skin layer to open the pores and the steam or moist will help to remove dead skin cell and make the skin brighter, soft and smooth. If you want to get this benefits its better to get steam sauna session regularly everyday.
6. Lower blood pressure
Steam sauna can improve the blood circulation or blood flow within the heart. It can stabilize the heart beat also help in maintaining normal blood pressure. The steam sauana also increase the vasodilation or enlarge of blood vessel that will surely help in lowering blood pressure. People who have problem with high blood pressure or hypertension is recommended to do steam sauna regularly.
7. Treat sleep disorder
Nowadays people tend to suffer sleep disorder or sleep deprivation due to high stress and busy schedule. Sleep disorder can give bad effect to the body and decreasing body stamina as well as mental health. Steam sauna can help the body to get better sleep since it can help to trigger the melatonin or sleepy hormone production and relaxing muscle as well as relieving stress. These all effect of steam sauna will make you sleep better during night time.
8. Improve kidney function
Steam sauna can help the body to get rid of several toxin or harmful substance that can effecting the kidney function. The steam sauna will purify the blood before it entering the kidney so we can conclude that steam sauna can make the kidney work easier and prevent it from developing disorder such as gallstone.
9. Help in weight loss
Its a good news that steam sauna can be beneficial in losing weight or maintain healthy body mass index. In a single session of steam sauna, the body can burn 300 calories that almost similar with walking an hour. If you lost a bit weight during steam sauna session its due to the water lost and it can be gained back if you drink more water.
10. Purify the blood
The body can flush away the toxin through the excretion system including skin. The skin pores are the way of the body to release toxin and other harmful substance in the body through sweat. It is believed that steam sauna can help the body to clean the blood and make you feel refreshed.
11. Soothe pain
Steam sauna can help to relieve and soothe the pain since it has calming effect and trigger the endhorphin production which is known as hormone that promotes good mood and relieve pain. To get this benefits, just taking a single session of steam sauna at about 15-20 minutes and odnt forget to drink water befire having steam sauna.
12. Boost immune system
People who take regular steam sauna will have better immune system and they will be hardly infected by certain disease. Steam sauna can promotes the rise of body temperature and increase the blood white count within the body. By having steam sauna, people who suffer from some disease especially that caused by microorganism such as cold and flu can recover faster and feel comfortable after the sauna session.
13. Improve respiratory function
Steam sauna can improves the lung function since it can promotes the oxygenation of the body. The warm temperature and the moist will help the respiration tract to get better function and it can clean the respiratory tract from any dirt or dust as well.
14. Fight infection and inflammation
Steam sauna can improve the immune system and the white blood cells within the body that can help to fight infection and reduce inflammation which occur within the body. The steam sauna also can trigger the antibody production that required in fighting inflammation which caused mostly by microorganism.
Tips to Do Steam Sauna
Steam sauna can provide your body with benefits but excessive usage will cause several problem such as faster heartbeat, headache, and dehydration. People who have problem with heart failure or other heart problem should ask the doctor before having sauna session and make sure they take correct timing. To get the benefits of steam sauna, you should watch some regulation and make sure you follow these tips before doing it.
- Remember to avoid drinking alcohol before and after steam sauna session since it can cause overheating and lead to excessive sweating.
- A single session of steam sauna must be last for 15-20 minutes. Its better to take a session everyday regularly and don’t do it more than the time limit. If you have better body endurance and you are used to the warm temperature you can do two or three session of steam sauna
- Take shower before and after the sauna session but after sauna session end better to cool down for 15 minutes then take bath.
- Drink some glass or minimum two glass of water before and after having steam sauna session.
- Remember to do sauna when your body is fit enough and you don’t suffer any serious disease
- Aware to the heat rise and better stop the session and leave the sauna if you feel dizzy, or other uncomfortable feeling.
Steam sauna can really help to overcome daily stress and pain, but if its taken regularly. Make sure you do correct way while having the steam sauna session. Enjoy the steam sauna and grab the benefits.