What is a steam room?
Steam rooms, much like saunas, are enclosed spaces that are heated to a specific temperature. The difference between the two is that steam rooms are filled with steam as opposed to dry heat and are widely thought to be better for the skin as it stays hydrated, however, both steam rooms and saunas encourage you to sit in small, enclosed rooms and claim to have health benefits. In steam rooms, the temperature varies, but generally speaking they are kept at around 45 degrees celsius. They tend to be a staple inside gyms or spas.
A steam rooms health benefits include:
Improved circulation
A study of older individuals showed that moist heat actually improves circulation, especially in the extremities. Improved circulation is beneficial as this can lead to lower blood pressure and a healthier heart. It has also been known to promote better healing of broken skin tissue.
Lowering of blood pressure
Research has shown that when in a steam room, human bodies release hormones that can actually change your heart rate. One of these hormones, known as aldosterone, regulates your blood pressure. So, part of the reason you feel so relaxed in a steam room is because when aldosterone is released, your blood pressure lowers.
Reducing stress
Another big reason why people use steam rooms is that it decreases your body’s production of cortisol, also lowering your stress levels. Cortisol is the hormone that regulates your stress levels, so when cortisol levels drop you feel more in control and relaxed. This is hugely beneficial to the human body, as being in a relaxed state not only improves your health but helps heal and focus your mind.
Promoting skin health
Through daily exposure to the environment, all sorts of toxins get trapped underneath our skin. Steam rooms actually help solve this problem, as wet heat actually opens up your pores allowing impurities to be expelled. Warm condensation rinses away all the dirt and dead skin that can lead to bad skin breakouts and after using a steam room, you are left with cleaner, clearer and more even-toned skin.
1st Option and steam rooms
Steam rooms are generally found in spas, health and wellness facilities and gyms. Therefore, residential steam rooms tend to be incredibly rare and hard to come by. However, here at 1st Option, we do pride ourselves in representing the best of the best and because of that we do, in fact, represent a fabulous residential property with a steam room. Check out the awe-inspiring Villa and its magnificent steam room here!