What are traditional saunas?
A traditional Finnish sauna or a wood-burning sauna is a small room or house designed for steam bathing. These types of saunas are also known as a steam sauna as they use steam to heat the air.
A traditional home sauna or steam room uses a wood-burning stove to heat up rocks that are placed inside the sauna. As the rocks heat up, they create steam, which in turn heats up the air in the sauna.
The temperature in a traditional sauna can range from 70 to 100 degrees Celsius (160 to 212 Fahrenheit), with the humidity levels typically ranging from 85% to 100%.
A Traditional sauna room comes with many health benefits such as:
Steam rooms are cheaper than infrared home saunas but they need more maintenance and time to heat up. Other than that, these saunas offer great value for money and offer a traditional sauna experience.
What are infrared saunas?
As you can tell by the name, infrared saunas use infrared light to heat the air inside the sauna. Infrared light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that’s invisible to the human eye but can be felt as heat.
An infrared home sauna works by heating up your body directly, rather than heating up the air around you like a traditional sauna. Infrared saunas use Far infrared waves, which are the safest and most effective type of infrared waves.
The temperature in an infrared sauna can range from 35 to 60 degrees Celsius (95 to 140 Fahrenheit), with the humidity levels typically ranging from 20% to 40%.
An infrared sauna is a dry sauna that comes with many health benefits, such as:
An infrared sauna is more expensive than a traditional sauna but they offer many health benefits and are very easy to maintain. These types of saunas are becoming increasingly popular because they are more effective and efficient than traditional saunas.
Difference between traditional Finnish saunas and infrared saunas
Let’s take a look at some of the key differences between these two types of saunas:
1. Temperature
The temperature in a traditional sauna is much higher than in an infrared sauna. A traditional sauna can range from 70 to 100 degrees Celsius (160 to 212 Fahrenheit), while an infrared sauna only needs to be 35 to 60 degrees Celsius (95 to 140 Fahrenheit).
2. Humidity
A traditional sauna is a steam sauna, which means that the air is very humid. The humidity levels in a traditional sauna can range from 85% to 100%. On the other hand, an infrared sauna is a dry sauna, so the air is not as humid. The humidity levels in an infrared sauna typically range from 20% to 40%.
3. Time to heat up
A traditional sauna takes longer to heat up than an infrared sauna. It can take 30 minutes or more for a traditional sauna to reach the desired temperature, while an
infrared sauna only needs 10-15 minutes to heat up. You can use sauna blankets inside a traditional sauna if you want to speed up the heating process.
4. Cost
Traditional saunas are cheaper than infrared saunas, but they need more maintenance and time to heat up. Infrared saunas are more expensive than traditional saunas, but they offer many health benefits and are very easy to maintain.
5. Health benefits
Both saunas have almost identical health benefits. They can both help you relax, improve circulation, and detoxify your body. The main difference is that infrared saunas are more effective at penetrating your skin and heating up your body directly.
Which one should you get?
These two sauna types offer different experiences, so it really depends on your personal preferences.
If you want a traditional sauna experience, then go for a Finnish sauna. However, if you’re looking for a more efficient and effective way to detoxify and relax, then an infrared sauna is the way to go.
You have also considered your budget as infrared saunas are more expensive than traditional saunas. But if you can afford it, then an infrared sauna is definitely worth the investment!
Conclusion
So there you have it! These are the key differences between traditional Finnish saunas and infrared saunas. Both saunas have their own benefits, so it really depends on your personal preferences. If you want a traditional sauna experience, go for a Finnish sauna. But if you’re looking for a more effective way to detoxify and relax, then an infrared sauna is the way to go.