Sauna Bath vs Steam Bath vs Exercise....

Which is better?....




Steam Bath


Sauna bath


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The Sauna (pronounced sow-nah) has been used for centuries, not only as a place to bathe, but as a place for healing, relaxing and enjoyment.

The heat is provided by a kiua, a stove or heater that heats the rocks to provide a soft heat. Water is thrown over these rocks to provide humidity. A sauna is usually done in courses; a short time in the sauna to heat up and begin to sweat, followed by a cooling off outside the sauna, Homeland of sauna is Finland that is how it is often called Finnish sauna.

Sauna bathers in Finland splash water on the heated stones in the sauna, raising the humidity level to as much as 40%. Without that, the hot, dry sauna air can irritate the mucus membranes. A Sauna is a Finnish style sweat bath, usually consisting of a room constructed of soft wood, containing a stove which is used to heat the room to about 180 degrees Fahrenheit. 

A steam bath is fed with a steam generator which produces thick clouds of mist. 

A steam bath opens pores, soothes sore muscles, increases circulation, and provides a generally relaxing and healthy experience.

For a very wet and hot health treatment, people often seek out a peaceful steam bath. This usually takes place in a sealed room with wooden benches, similar to a sauna, which is kept at an even temperature and filled with mist. 

Using a steam bath can help open pores, improve blood flow and encourage the release of toxins from the skin. In addition, other benefits of a steam bath include improving the symptoms of certain respiratory infections, such as nasal congestion and coughing, and even relieving the symptoms of asthma and airway constriction.

 

Sauna, Steam Bath Exercise: Common Ground

All three can help you lose weight. How? 

Firstly, all three will raise your metabolism. For exercise its quite common. Exercise exerts your cardiovascular system. For sauna and steam baths, the extreme conditions (heat, dryness or humidity) forces your heart, blood circulation and lungs to work overtime while you are just sitting there. And when your cardio system works overtime, you will burn more calories.

..depending on your weight and sauna settings, a typical 30-60min session can help you burn some 300-500 calories ….

Secondly, all three will help you perspire (sweat) … this can help not only release toxins but most can help you reduce water retention. And yes, water loss is part of weight loss. In fact, weight loss is made up of muscle, fat and water loss.

Uncommon Ground

The main difference between exercise and sauna/steambath is … well exercise! Jogging, rowing, football etc don’t just work your cardiovascular system but also help to strengthen your muscles, joints and bones. And yeah, exercise is probably more fun than sitting in a small room with half naked people …. unless perhaps its a co-ed sauna … but that is a whole other topic.

In conclusion? All three can help you lose weight. If you can, experiment with all three and see how they make you feel.

reference : http://kevinzahri.com/blog/health-fitness/weight-loss-sauna-vs-steam-bath-vs-exercise/