The lungs and our respiratory systems are very important, especially for individuals with any condition affecting respiration or taking medications known to depress respiratory. Some of us come at a high risk of lung and respiratory disease. For these people, improving lung function is incredibly beneficial. The problem is, this can be tough to do. Thankfully, in a steam room, you have a way.

A steam room can help lung function through various mechanisms. It’s been shown lung congestion decreases through a steam room. Key metrics around lung function – including capacity, tidal volume, minute ventilation, and in forcing an expiratory volume of the lungs. A steam room has also been shown to help patients with asthma and/or chronic bronchitis help breathing ability.

There was also a recent study examining the relationship between steam room heat and a user’s health over a massive 26-year period, finding that those who used a steam room 4 times or more per week had a 41% lower risk of respiratory disease. Among those who used a steam room 2-3 times per week, a 27% lower risk of respiratory disease was recorded. These are amazing results! Another study also found patients with obstructive lung disease experienced a general improvement in lung function simply by using a steam room.

Steam rooms have become a go-to for athletes seeking to relax muscles, ease tension, and rehabilitate. While there are some extraordinary effects steam rooms can have on athletic performance and general health, the same can be said about the effect it has on athletic endurance.

Athletic endurance is the amount of time you can deliver a high quality athletic performance before you begin to tire. Olympic athletes’ endurance in sports like amateur wrestling are a key to success. Hockey players, football players, MMA fighters, and other athletes all place high importance on endurance. A common way to increase endurance is to train longer at a lesser intensity. Now, enter in what a steam room can do.

A steam room is known to do several things for athletes – improve brain function including in the creation of new brain cells, to increase endurance capacity, and to increase muscle mass. Circulation and blood flow is also affected in a big way. Blood flow to muscles are increased resulting in more nutrients and a reduced dependence on glycogen stores during periods of athletic activity. Blood flow to the heart is increased, reducing strain and allowing the heart to maintain activity over a longer period of time. Blood flow is also increased to the skin, assisting in heat dissipation and helping to keep the body’s core temperature low.

Saunas and their hyperthermic conditioning or ‘heat acclimation’ effect on the body makes for a lot of positives. Athletes, chronic fatigue sufferers, and those with muscle injuries are recommended to consider a sauna to help them rehabilitate. But, did you know restoring and rejuvenating those muscles may also help you live longer? Here’s some of the research and knowledge we know to be true about sauna’s effects on muscle growth.

Heat acclimation, otherwise referred to as hyperthermic conditioning, happens when one uses a sauna regularly. Its’ effects on the health are well understood, increasing muscle endurance, increasing muscle mass, and improving brain function. In essence, what hyperthermic conditioning is is the body’s adaptation to the heat. For example, if you drop yourself into the hottest sauna imaginable, your body’s going to struggle to function for someone who isn’t regularly exposed to the environment. If you’re exposed to the heat regularly however, there’s body adaptation which happens. This makes it so that a person can function exceedingly well even under the hottest temperature. These are the basics of heat acclimation.

Steam bathing is not a term we hear often in North American culture but it’s one that is shared frequently in others. Steam baths have been used for 1,000s of years, by the ancient Greeks, in Turkey, and in parts of Russia. There exists unique steam bath traditions in each of these cultures.

Today’s inventory of steam baths are found mainly in upscale, luxury spas and high-expense exercise facilities. That said, they are becoming more popular for home installation as well, something which is attributable to advances in steam generator technology. These days, steam baths can be installed in any bathroom, however small or large it may be.

We oftentimes confuse the terms ‘steam bath’, ‘steam sauna’, and ‘steam shower’ to mean the same thing. They’re not. A steam bath is a complete enclosure with a temperature set at 45 degrees Celsius, fed with a steam generator which produces thick mist clouds. For a steam bath to work, evidently, the room needs to be sealed. This is to prevent the steam from escaping. Improperly sealed steam rooms can lead to moisture gathering in places you don’t want it to, possibly causing mildew, bacterial growth, and property damage.

Inflammation is one of the most dangerous long-term elements for our bodies to handle. Almost every major disease affecting human beings today has a link, to some degree, to inflammation. What’s troubling about inflammation is that our bodies become inflamed as a response to the need to heal. That said, chronic systemic inflammation is like having a negative feedback loop within the body that delays healing and which can have the opposite effect. That is, your body hurts and chronic inflammation doesn’t allow it to heal.

It should be a critical goal for every person to control and lower the inflammation in their bodies. Chronic fatigue all the way through to the presence of physical pain is linked to inflammation. Reduce inflammation with a sauna. Plain and simple, other than a healthy diet, this is the best method of immediately bringing down inflammation. There’s a lot of reasons why saunas are a great inflammation minimizer. First off, when you jump in, your body temperature temporarily increases and your inflammation will actually spike. This normally would be a bad thing except spiking your inflammation like this will actually lower your body’s baseline which normalizes inflammatory pathways.

There are several studies conducted on the relationship between saunas and inflammation. One study found an increase in production of anti-inflammatory proteins which helped to calm inflammation in patients with chronic health issues. Another study found that two weeks of sauna therapy lowered markers of oxidative stress, a potential source of inflammation. Done over a period of months or even years, there’s no telling the amount of good this will do your body. For anyone who works out and puts their bodies under a lot of stress, or who has an inflammation-related problem, saunas are a short-term and long-term treatment you can’t dismiss.

Sauna bathing produces powerful effects on the body which studies have shown are well tolerated by healthy adults and children. Producing various acute, cardiovascular, and even hormonal responses, there are certainly risks and benefits to sauna bathing to be kept in mind.

If you have asthma, chronic bronchitis, or respiratory-related illnesses, you may find assistance temporarily in a sauna bath. This is because pulmonary function improves and can provide respiratory relief to these patients as well as those who may be struggling with a cold, flu, or congestion.

If you are a healthy, pregnant woman, it is considered safe to use sauna bathing however it’s preferable to discuss this with your physician. That said, academic literature does exist suggesting sauna bathing has no negative effect in “uncomplicated pregnancies of healthy women”. Thankfully, at least according to these studies, there does not appear to be a risk.

A lot of women may go to sauna bathing seeking to increase their fertility but sadly, there’s no benefit for them here. Sauna bathing does not influence fertility, positively or negatively, and won’t help one conceive.

Cold, cool water after a sauna may seem mortifying to most but it’s been a popular aspect of sauna culture for over 1,000 years. A lot of people are probably thinking, “What is it with all these people going from the gorgeous, hugging heat of a sauna to plunging themselves into cold waters?!” Believe it or not, in some parts of the world, it’s not uncommon to go from sauna to cold water and cold water to sauna, back and forth at least a few times.

The sort of cold plunges we’re talking about aren’t the sort of ‘polar plunges’ you’ll see crazy Canadians take in the Arctic every year. Polar plunges happen at horrifyingly freezing temperatures. Cold plunges happen in water that’s usually kept no colder than 55 degrees Fahrenheit so there’s a big difference. They’re used by athletes and healthy adults, all usually seeking the rejuvenating benefits that come with it.

The history of cold plunges and saunas goes back to at least the fifth century BC. For health reasons, the Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks all regularly took cold baths. As saunas came to be mixed into these cultures, one sort of followed the other. Centuries later, there were Scandinavians using post-sauna cold water plunges. This sort of hot-cold plunge has also been incorporate into ancient Chinese medicine.

Let’s be clear before we get started on this somewhat controversial topic, it must be stated conclusively and clearly that saunas are not a cancer cure. They do not cure cancer, in any patient, regardless of what one’s own personal experience or anecdotal evidence may be. It would be irresponsible for us to claim anything of the sort.

This aside, there is some evidence suggesting saunas can help in the fight against certain cancers in addition to other medications or treatments one may be on. Let’s take a quick look through some of the evidence available, supporting the connection between saunas and cancer.

‘Hyperthermia’ is the condition of having a body temperature higher than normal. A study from 2014 looking at hyperthermia demonstrated how it can cause cell death in some patients, successfully killing normal and tumor cells without harming normal cells. This is believed to come from a phenomenon known as ‘differential stress resistance’, which as you may have predicted in the name allows our normal cells to adapt to stress whereas cancer cells cannot.

You may have seen sauna suits in various places over the last few years. For people seeking affordable saunas, it’s an immediate go-to and very attractive to them. After all, it’s small and easily transportable. Even Britney Spears was spotted a few years ago wearing a sauna suit. Naturally, you may think you can achieve the benefits of an infrared sauna without actually owning a sauna – wrong! Here’s why purchasing a sauna suit is a bad idea and why it has absolutely nothing to do with a real sauna.

Sauna suits are made from waterproof fabric, like PVC, and are designed specifically to keep in moisture and heat. Who wears sauna suits? Competitive athletes in sports like boxers, MMA, and wrestling who have to make a certain weight in order to be allowed to fight and who have to work to remain in a designated weight class. In a sense, wearing a sauna suit for these athletes provides them with a tool to lose as much weight as possible in a very fast way. Although one doesn’t keep off the weight, it’s one of several methods these athletes use to squeeze in on weight.

Saunas are still growing in popularity in Western culture but overseas, in European, Asian, and Middle Eastern cultures, they’ve been around a long time.

Little do people know how often saunas have shown up in major Hollywood motion pictures, indie films, and movies from all over the world. If you’re looking for some movies to get you in the mood for your next steam or sauna, here’s a few of our recommended picks.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

This American movie classic receives a lot of attention on its soundtrack and music-centric humour, and rightfully so but a sauna actually pops up in a single scene and makes more than a few drops of sweat. In The Blues Brothers, the scene we are talking about has the two leads sitting together in a sauna in an allusion to a popular Blood, Sweat & Tears album called No Sweat. Absolutely classic!

A lot of people ask the question, does using a steam room actually help you lose weight? Is it equal to doing cardio? The simple answer is that there’s a fine line between a steam room and cardio.

There is no replacement for cardio, unfortunately. While a steam room can help weight loss, it can’t be all you’re relying on. Needless to say, sweating it out in a steam room instead of doing cardio may be ill thought-out but there are various health benefits worth noting, including reduced risks of heart disease and dementia.

The first thing you may pick up on about a steam room is how it instantly de-stresses and relaxes your muscles. The heat then sinks in and before long, perspiration is dripping off your body which literally takes the weight right off you. The problem with this, if there ever was one, is that a lot of weight you lose in the moment is water weight. That means, sure, you can eat into your weight quickly but as soon as you hydrate, your number is going to go up again.

Physically and mentally, a sauna’s an excellent investment at fine-tuning your body’s internal systems and functionality. As a prospective new sauna owner though, you have to think about where you want to install your room. The first step to getting there is to figure out if you want it indoors or outdoors. There are benefits and detriments to both admittedly. Whether to go with indoor or outdoor sauna installation ultimately boils down to these points.

The benefits to an indoor sauna

When you have an indoor sauna, it’s easy because it’s usually more accessible. Also, you have better access to electricity and water which can help with keeping the installation easy, quick, and inexpensive. You’ll have no need to hook up any additional water or wiring accommodations. You won’t need to insulate against weather. You may be able to convert one of your existing rooms into the ‘sauna rooms’ which could keep construction easy. A lot of sauna owners love indoor saunas for all these reasons.

The disadvantages to an indoor sauna

The biggest drawback with an indoor sauna is that it will take space or potentially a whole room to install. You will also need to ensure there’s proper ventilation which can be a huge challenge in some residential properties. You could also run into issues with water drainage. Typically, an indoor sauna will be more affordable than an outdoor sauna but these detriments may quickly increase your costs.

Are infrared saunas ok to use with a pet? Well, sort of. Far infrared heat technologies have been used to warm and soothe different pets without any risk but it requires supervision and extra consideration of course. In essence, the answer’s not just a yes or no. There’s a lot which must be weighed and ultimately if you feel it’s unsafe, that’s not something you should have to compromise on. Nevertheless, here’s some information about infrared saunas for pets.

Now you might think, your pet is so small. Does this mean they’re making dog houses but with infrared sauna tech – the answer is not really. What is most commonly given to pets for infrared heat are pet sauna beds. Oftentimes quite stylish, these beds have been on the market for a decade at least. Far infrared heat technology warms and soothes pets like a dog with no risk of burning or discomfort. Thankfully, with a dog, they will no doubt make you aware if they are experiencing any uncomfortability in a sauna. Regardless, they should always be monitored.

The power of heat stresses on the body have been extensively studied by scientists. Every study has concluded that, when done with an appropriate temperature, one can bolster the immune system simply through the application of heat.

Regular sessions in a steam bath initiate a mechanism that stimulates innate and adaptive immunity. Although scientists are still studying precisely how these mechanisms work and what’s affected, what is known is that numerous immune-related effects transpire and multiple pathways in immune function are positively altered simply through steam room heat exposure.

Oftentimes, how immune system function is measured is in its response to infection. As we know to be the case, steam rooms fight infection by momentarily boosting immune system response. Through regular exposure, this boost can become elevated and somewhat permanent.

A still, clear mind is focused and calm. For a lot of patients using steam rooms, they practice meditation and mindfulness while they are inside. Taken from non-Western cultures, meditation has become firmly entrenched in a lot of our culture these days and is considered important to achieving a healthy mental state. For some, it’s almost a necessity to calming depression and anxiety. For others, it’s simply a way to keep balance and achieve harmony.

We don’t necessary always associate meditation and steam rooms but when combined, there are some excellent benefits. In fact, meditation has been shown to go beyond the mental and provide physical benefits in some people, including increasing exercise tolerance, boosting the immune system, lowering cholesterol levels, increasing serotonin production, increasing concentration, and reducing instances of insomnia. The power of the mind is truly something impressive.

Steam room rituals are extremely common among users of steam rooms, steam baths, and hammam’s all over the world. Turkish baths and steam rooms are filled with different cultural, familial, and personal rituals.

Going into a steam environment with the right mindset, open to psychological and physical changes, can maximize the benefit you get out of it. After all, if you aren’t going in thinking health benefits, are you going to enjoy yourself in there – probably not.

A steam room is just as much like going to the gym as it feels like being at the spa. It gets your pulse up and your body’s circulation going. For this reason, steam room rituals for beginners will build around getting the user used to the environment. The body must be trained for the temperature. Slowly but surely, anyone can get there as long as it does not conflict with one’s existing health condition.

Infrared sauna use has been known to provide a wide variety of health benefits. These benefits span many categories, including inflammation reduction, increased energy, and general vitality. One of the specific benefits is the alleviation of the pain and other symptoms brought on by fibromyalgia. The most well-known symptoms of fibromyalgia are widespread muscle and joint pain. These are common symptoms of many other conditions, often leading to misdiagnosis. Regular sauna use can rapidly help to reduce these symptoms and provide sorely needed relief.

Some fibromyalgia patients have been undertaking a new course of treatment, including sauna use. The therapy prescribed involves a combination of both regular sauna use and underwater exercise. These two activities complement and synergize to provide greater alleviation of symptoms. Patients who underwent this course over a period of 12 weeks showed marked improvement in their quality of life. Reductions in pain of 31 to 77 percent were recorded, associated with the relationship between fibromyalgia and infrared saunas. These improvements were shown to last during the 6-month monitoring period following the program.

Steam baths have a long history as a therapeutic treatment. It has been long known that they offer the benefits of rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. The reaping of these benefits long predates any modern understanding of those benefits. Today we have that understanding, and science has demonstrated the extent of these benefits across many fields of medicine. The health effects of steam baths continue to be studied and as time goes on more and more benefits are discovered. Here are some of the many benefits that steam bathing is known to confer.
 Heat and humidity in a steam bath promotes improved sinus drainage.
 Bronchial secretion is loosened by the steamy conditions of a steam bath.
 Steam baths help soothe sore throats.

Delivering more oxygen throughout your body has many benefits. To effectively accomplish increased oxygen delivery, increasing one’s red blood cell count does it. Surprising to some, a steam room has the potential to increase your red blood cell count which helps muscles and tissues receive oxygen and healing. If you’re an athlete straining in workouts and athletic performance, suffering from a chronic condition, or are in poor health, this may be the answer you need.

The more oxygen delivered to the cells, the more energy they have. This improves brain performance, physical performance, and athletic endurance. Do you remember the scandal surrounding the Tour de France? This involved athletes injecting their own stored blood into themselves, increasing their red blood cell count, in addition to injecting erythropoietin (EPO) to stimulate the body’s production of more red blood cells. Another way to stimulate these advantages are to train at altitude. All this was done to increase energy and endurance.

Steam rooms improve skin health, both in appearance and function. Although statements like these are often made, we thought we’d go a little more into the details on exactly how and why steam rooms have this effect on skin.

A lot of the focus around skin and steam rooms is the effect on appearance. It makes a person look younger, more vibrant, gives the skin some bounce and plumpness, and just helps the appearance overall, many will tell you.

A large part of why a steam room affects skin apperance has to do with nutrient delivery to the cells. The more nutrients your skin cells have, the more building blocks there are to keep you looking your best. By making use of heat therapy through a steam room, this helps the microvascular function of the skin. We’re talking the opening and function of the veins to deliver nutrients.

A few academic studies have looked into the exact impact a steam room has on the skin, concluding mild heat stress has an anti-aging hermetic effect on the growth of human skin fibroblasts. ‘Fibroblasts’ are the cells in connective tissue known to produce collagen and other fibers. To this point, an increase in fibroblasts means more collagen and skin fibers, and hence, better-looking skin. This is excellent news for people looking to use steam rooms for skin appearance.