How Different Types Of Saunas Improve Your Health

Saunas have been used for a couple of thousand years now, and these sophisticated places are still in use. During the long period of their existence, saunas have proven to have numerous health benefits.

Sweating as a natural process at some point has been turned into a very effective therapy, helping people to relax and remove all the toxic matter from their bodies.

Some of the major benefits of saunas are cardiovascular health and relaxation. Yet, saunas are not recommended for everyone. So, we have prepared a list of the most important sauna benefits and how they can influence human health. 

What Are Saunas and What Are the Types? 

The simplest definition of a sauna is a hot room where a person gets to spend a limited period of time. These are the rooms meant to profuse sweating through their unique heating systems.

According to some historical sources, saunas originated in Finland, and it is suspected that these came into existence in 7000 B.C. Some of the earliest forms of saunas were deeply dug into the ground and lined with stones.

However, technological improvement influenced these traditional structures as well. So, modern saunas are typically timber-framed rooms that are heated by various sources ranging from, hot stones, embers, wood stoves, infrared waves, or electricity. Saunas today can be found inside the home, spa center, hotel, or even outside. 

Just as we said earlier, there are different types of saunas. However, there are four main types to be distinguished. The first one is probably the oldest type of sauna at the same time; it is a steam sauna, which is also known as the Finnish sauna.

The next type of sauna is a dry sauna, which is known to be heated by hot air and is the least humid. The Turkish bath, or steam bath, has been popular for a very long period of time, and hammam-based saunas are still popular in some regions. Last but not least are infrared saunas, which are also known as therapy saunas. 

Break It to Basics: What Is Infrared Sauna? 

Unlike other types of saunas, the infrared sauna has been a recent sauna upgrade and is essentially a wooden cabin equipped with infrared heat that is purposefully designed to relax, heal, and detoxify the body.

In contrast to some more traditional types of sauna, infrared saunas do not use any kind of steam or dry heat to heat the room. Instead, they use the waves that heat your body directly. To this end, as your body absorbs these waves, it tends to increase thermal energy, which, eventually, results in a deep and relaxing sweat.

Some of the most significant infrared sauna benefits are reduced muscle pain, detoxification, better sleep, and relief from joint pain. Moreover, benefits include stress reduction, improved circulation, and reduced stiffness. These are just some of the numerous health benefits of infrared saunas. Yet, it would be smart to consult with the doctor before you get serious with your infrared sauna therapies. 

The Main Health Benefits of the Traditional Saunas and Infrared Saunas

If we start from the beginning, we will notice that saunas have been used for therapeutic and relaxation purposes for many centuries. Not only are these saunas used for relaxation and a perfect way to take the burden off your shoulders, but these innovative spaces are also used as part of traditional medicine as well.

If you dig into the essence of every sauna, and those are relaxation, stress reduction, and deep detoxification through sweating, then all the sauna types will be able to provide you with these effects. Regardless of the type, you will experience muscle relaxation, joint relief, and internal, deep relaxation.

However, some of the latest studies point out the benefits of infrared saunas in particular. Some of the most striking ones include relieving any type of body pain, positive impact on high blood pressure, weight loss, significantly improved circulation, reducing facial fine lines and wrinkles, and deep detoxification of your body.

Post-Sauna Treatment 

This is a factor that the majority of saunas differ in. Namely, traditional saunas are very hot and steamy places where the temperature can hit 80 degrees, which means that these are tolerable for a very short period of time- around 20 minutes.

Some people prefer to soak in a cold shower or even plunge into very cold water before they repeat the process. However, infrared saunas are here to provide you with a dry and relaxing heat combined with the ultimate feeling of comfort you will ever experience in your life. This allows you to stay in for 40 minutes or even more.

Since the temperatures in these saunas go from 50 to 60 degrees, this means that you can spend an extended period of time in these saunas and get the most out of the sweating sessions. 

Saunas are one of the most popular ways to get rid of the tension in your body and relax while having a good time. It is like working out without having the need to move an inch. Before you decide what type of sauna you want in your home or what the next one you want to try in the spa center, have a peek into their main characteristics and benefits. It would be to your best advantage for sure.