Steam showers offer many physical and mental health benefits. There’s a reason why these fixtures are seen in fitness clubs, gymnasiums, and healing centers. Steam holds remarkable healing qualities that were originally discovered in Ancient Rome. Since then, steam showers have been used to heal and treat many ailments. With this in mind, I thought I’d share with you five key benefits to having a steam shower cubicle installed at home:
Healthy Skin
As your body’s largest organ, your skin plays an incredibly important role in your overall health. But it’s a tough world out there, and repeated exposure to things like ultraviolet radiation and environmental air pollutants can result in layers of filth and dead skin cells as well as dry, calloused, or damaged skin. A great step toward improving the health of your skin is to soften and remove some of those layers. Steam both loosens dirt and other contaminants from the skin and causes you to sweat, which helps to flush out pores. Freshly cleaned pores are also better able to absorb skin creams with active ingredients such as retinol based-products or prescription creams from your dermatologist.
Exercise Recovery
Sore muscles are a side effect of workouts. Moist heat can help relieve pain and lower muscle damage. Steam rooms might offer some relief by increasing blood flow to muscles. Experts used to think that these heated rooms only moved blood to the skin. However, they also shift blood from your core into your muscles. More blood flow might help wash away the waste products your body produces during exercise that can cause muscle damage.
Relaxation and Stress Reduction
If you are looking at ways to manage stress, spending some time in a steam shower before bed is a great way to soothe away the mental and physical stresses of the day. People who use steam showers report that not only does the steam itself help to relax them, but afterward, they tend to sleep more soundly — something that isn’t always an easy feat in today’s high-paced world.
Reducing Allergies and Nasal Congestion
Steam is well known to help clear stuffy nasal passages, making a steam shower the perfect way to clear congested sinuses — a major plus for chronic allergy sufferers. Enhance your steam experience by adding soothing essential oils to your steam shower – inhaling mint steam can help relax airways, while lavender, eucalyptus, rose or peppermint essential oils can help to alleviate hay fever.
Improved Circulation
The moist heat of a steam shower spa widens your blood vessels, bringing down your blood pressure naturally. Your blood flow increases as a result, improving your overall circulation. This improved circulation in turn provides more oxygen to your calls and helps keep your arteries healthy. Your muscles typically function better when you make a steam shower part of your regular routine, and your heart benefits as well because of the increased blood flow.
