Immersing yourself in the heated waters of a spa, hot magnesium pool, or the soothing warmth of a sauna is the ultimate in relaxation. These popular heat therapy and wellness experiences soothe sore muscles, relax the mind and rejuvenate the but different mediums. A sauna is a heated room with dry heat while a spa typically refers to a hot tub which is hot water with jets. A hot magnesium pool is a body or water infused with magnesium for recovery, reset and relaxation. While saunas and spas or magnesium pools are used for heat therapy, they often serve different purposes. Understanding the difference between a sauna and spa can help you decide which therapy is right for your health or relaxation goals.
What is a Sauna?
A sauna is a room that is specifically designed as a space for raising body temperature by providing dry or wet heat. Saunas are usually made from soft woods like cedar or basswood but modern saunas may have glass features. Traditional saunas heat the air with electric, wood or fuel powered heaters. They usually have bench seats around the walls where people sit and enjoy the high temperatures, usually between 40°C and 90°C. The heat from a sauna promotes deep relaxation and heightens mindfulness. It warms the body and produces sweat for relaxation and detoxification.
Types of Saunas
The three main types of saunas range from traditional to steam and infrared. Each is designed to heat the body and induce sweating but use different methods.
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Traditional Saunas: A traditional sauna is a wood lined room that uses a stove with heated rocks to create dry heat that usually ranges from 70°C to 90°C. However the humidity of the sauna is quite low at around 5 to 20% which means it doesn’t tend to feel as hot as other saunas.
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Infrared Saunas: This type of sauna uses infrared lights to heat inside the body, instead of externally. Rather than ambient heat caused by a stove or heated rocks like a traditional sauna, this method uses infrared lamps to heat the inside of the body. It is a comfortable sauna experience with a temperature between 45°C and 60°C, and extremely low humidity.
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Steam saunas: As the name suggests, this type of sauna uses steam to heat the room. Sometimes steam saunas are referred to as steam rooms, as the heat in the room is caused by boiling water causing steam. This is the most humid of sauna experiences as the steam causes a high moisture content, resulting in a humidity level of around 95%. The temperature in a steam room is slightly lower, however, reaching about 40°C to 50°C.
- Wood fire saunas: Featuring the traditional wood fire sauna, this sauna reaches temperatures of around 85°C. The heat source for a wood fire sauna is actual fire which creates a dry heat experience.
Benefits of Saunas
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Heat therapy: Saunas are a form of passive heat therapy which is when a person is exposed to high environmental temperature for a limited time. Also known as thermotherapy, this therapeutic treatment helps with body aches and pains, improves circulation and promotes muscle recovery. Saunas use dry or moist heat for heat therapy.
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Lowers blood pressure: Saunas heat the body causing the vessels to constrict which decreases blood flow and lowers blood pressure.
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Relaxation: The heat of a sauna creates a feeling of relaxation. A rise in body temperature causes cortisol levels to drop which calms the mind and relaxes the muscles.
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Promotes immune system: The increase of internal temperature can strengthen the immune system. The heat stimulates a fever which is the body’s natural defence mechanism against disease.
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Weight loss: Saunas often cause sweating which results in a loss of fluid and, by extension, weight loss. A session in the sauna also leads to an increased heart rate which burns calories which can contribute to losing weight.
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Skin health: Because the heat from a sauna causes sweating and the pores in the skin to open, it flushes out dead cells. All the impurities and toxins leave the body, resulting in brighter, more radiant skin.
What is a Spa?
A spa bath is an indoor bathtub with jets that provide a massaging effect through circulating water or air. These baths are designed to be more luxurious than a standard tub, offering a relaxing and therapeutic experience that can help relieve muscle tension. When the jets are not running, a spa bath functions as a normal bathtub, filled and drained for each use. Both hot magnesium pools and spa baths are a form of water therapy, designed to relax the muscles, detoxify the skin and soothe the nervous system.
Types of Spas
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Jet or whirlpool spas: These are spa baths equipped with built-in jets that provide hydrotherapy for relaxation and muscle tension relief.
- Hot tub: A conventional hot tub is typically a larger, standalone tub with jets and filled with warm water for hydrotherapy.
Benefits of Spas
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Hydrotherapy: Spas uses warm or hot water as a therapeutic treatment called hydrotherapy. The buoyancy, warmth and pressure of the water creates a therapeutic environment that helps with chronic pain like arthritis and aids in recovery from injuries. The warm water increases blood flow and circulation to aid in pain relief.
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Cardiovascular health: When you immerse in warm water, the heart rate raises and circulation is improved in a way that is similar to mild exercise. It is good for cardiovascular health as it helps reduce blood pressure and improves heart health.
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Stress and pain relief: Because water is buoyant and reduces the body weight by about 90%, it causes less stress on joints and, in turn, less stress on joints.
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Mental wellness: Spas are an excellent way to wind down and enjoy mental and physical benefits. A spa provides improved sleep and boosts overall wellbeing. The hot water boosts circulation and relaxes the muscles while the jets help to ease aches and pains, which improves mental wellness by decreasing the stress from pain.
Similarities between Saunas and Spas
While saunas and spas are different in that one uses dry heat and the other warm water for therapeutic benefits, they also have similarities. Both use heat therapy to raise the core body temperature and provide relaxation. They both provide a great way to unwind after a long day and are an excellent way to calm the mind and relieve stress. Saunas and spas are used for muscle relaxation, pain relief and even to improve sleep. When sitting in a hot tub or spa, there are usually seats around the outside to relax the body. A sauna has similar seating with bench seats around the timber-lined or glass walls.
Sauna Spa Combination
Combining a sauna and spa offers a versatile approach to wellness and relaxation. Users can enjoy the benefits of hydrotherapy from the spa and intense heat exposure that the saunas provide. For those looking to maximise their wellness experience and create a regular health routine, the sauna spa combination is ideal. Both offer a retreat for socialising, de-stressing and improving circulation as you move from the intense heat of the sauna to the warm, bubbly water of the hot tub. As a form of contrast therapy, alternating between the sauna and spa creates a pumping action of the blood vessels, boosting the body’s ability to expel toxins. The sauna phase dilates the blood vessels, relaxing the muscles and increasing circulation. The spa then constricts the blood vessels, reduces inflammation and detoxifies the body.
To use a sauna and spa combination to improve health and relax, start with these steps:
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Hydrate: Drink one to two glasses of water before the session to prepare your body for the heat.
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Shower: Take a quick shower or rinse off to prepare for your contrast therapy treatment.
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Start with the sauna: Enter the sauna for about 10 to 15 minutes. This is usually enough time to start sweating and enjoying the detoxification benefits.
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Transition to the spa: When leaving the sauna, have a cool shower then move to the spa or hot tub for about 15 to 30 minutes. Immerse yourself in the warm water of the spa. The pressurised jets work to massage the muscles, reduce pain and improve circulation. This form of hydrotherapy is also ideal for relieving tension, aiding in post exercise recovery and providing therapeutic relief from issues such as arthritis, back pain or insomnia.
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Cool down and hydrate: Finish the session by taking a brief shower or stepping outside to the fresh air to cool down. Alternatively, sit in a comfortable chair and drink plenty of water to hydrate. The cooling period helps bring your body back to a normal temperature and experience the ongoing state of relaxation from both the spa and sauna experience.
- Listen to your body: If during either session you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded, step out of the sauna or spa to cool down and hydrate.
Saunas and spas both provide a wonderful therapeutic experience using hydrotherapy and dry or wet heat. Individually they provide health and wellness benefits like stress and pain relief, improved sleep and overall wellbeing. Used together at About Time Bathhouse, a spa and sauna combination provides both hydrotherapy and intense heat for the ultimate experience of rejuvenation. Choosing between a spa or sauna or opting for both depends on your specific needs preference for health and relaxation therapy. Regardless of whether you decide to immerse in the warm bubbly waters of a spa or soak in the intense heat of a sauna, each has therapeutic benefits and will enhance your quality of life.