Wet and dry sauna: what are the differences, what are the benefits and which is better

Different countries have their own bath traditions, which from time immemorial have been supported by the inhabitants of a certain area. In particular, the Finnish sauna and Russian bath are especially popular all over the world.

The Finnish sauna is a story about dry heat. Its peculiarity is that the temperature inside can reach up to 100 degrees, while the humidity level is relatively low - only 20%. In a Russian bathhouse, wet steam reigns - the temperature here remains at 60-70 degrees, and the humidity can reach 60-100% (the ideal ratio is 60 degrees and 60% humidity).

What are the benefits of a wet sauna?

In a wet bath, the body warms up gradually. You can enter the steam room several times, staying for 5-20 minutes. For people who are just starting to get involved in the bathing business, or have not taken a steam bath for a long time, it is better to come more often, but for a short time. The steam room device allows you to choose the most comfortable temperature for yourself. It is cooler on the lower shelves, and much hotter on the upper ones. Warming up of the body and sweating occur smoothly, without stress.

In a wet bath you can move quite intensely. This increases sweating, but increases the load on the cardiovascular system. You can additionally warm up your body during the legendary beating with an oak or birch broom. Just not to the point of bruising - improved blood circulation and a light massage effect can be achieved with gentle pats.

A wet sauna is useful for:

Diseases of the respiratory system. Hot steam-saturated air acts as inhalation. This is especially useful for colds that can become chronic. The beneficial substances released from medicinal plant brooms enhance the effect.
Metabolic disorders. Gradual warming forces all body systems to work more intensely, as a result of which their work becomes more harmonious. With regular visits to the bathhouse, this effect is maintained and enhanced. Excess adipose tissue disappears, stagnation is eliminated, and the removal of decay products is improved.
Skin problems. Warming up in humid air helps the skin pores to open well and cleanse themselves of impurities and blockages. Under these conditions, the effect of scrubs and peels is enhanced. However, they must be used with extreme caution, since steamed skin is easily injured.
The need to relax the muscles. A wet sauna helps prevent sore throat, eliminate muscle spasms, and relax all muscle groups.

Features of a dry air bath

Dry air steam rooms are recommended for athletes, as well as people whose professional activities involve active physical activity. A visit to such an establishment will not be superfluous after physical labor or active training. In the “dry air” the muscles relax well, there is no feeling of “taking your breath away”, while the products of metabolic processes come out of the blood. That is why after such procedures, the soreness and sensation of aching in the muscles and joints disappear.

A dry air bath is also recommended for restoring emotional balance. Regulars of steam rooms say: if you visit a sauna with dry steam at least once a week, you can forget about the seasonal blues, depression and constant anxiety syndrome. Science has proven that when visiting a sauna, processes occur in the cerebral cortex of the brain that suppress the state of excitement.

What are the benefits of a dry sauna?

In a dry sauna, the body warms up faster than in a wet sauna. To get a good sweat, just go into the steam room 2-3 times for 5-15 minutes. The length of stay in the steam room depends on the fitness of the body. The air temperature in a dry sauna is constant, so you can only regulate the duration of your stay in the steam room.

A visit to a dry sauna gives excellent results for:

Treatment of skin diseases. In this case, the disease should not be in the active phase. It is better to coordinate each visit to the sauna with your doctor.
Treatment and prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Fighting excess weight. Hot dry air increases sweating and speeds up metabolism.
Cleansing the body. Intense sweating helps remove accumulated decay products and eliminate congestion.

The third option is a Finnish sauna

Among other options, the Finnish sauna stands out. But it’s hard to immediately say what type of sauna it belongs to. After all, the regimes of dry and wet steam alternate there. First, you are in a room with low air humidity and breathe dry steam, after that you pour water on the heater and breathe in wet steam. Then the moisture evaporates, and at the end you need to breathe dry steam again. This option of alternating air is offered by many saunas in Moscow.

You will need to repeat similar procedures in a Finnish sauna 3 to 4 times. And in such a sauna, brooms are an indispensable attribute. Since the temperature there can reach 140-150 degrees, beginners are not recommended to visit Finnish saunas the first time.

Thus, it is difficult to immediately say which sauna option is better. Indeed, in this case you need to be guided purely by your personal feelings.

Which sauna is better, dry or wet?

Which bath is better, dry or wet, depends on:

Features of the body. For people who suffer from diseases of the respiratory system, the doctor may only allow a wet bath. The dry sauna air will make it difficult for them to breathe normally. If you have problems with the cardiovascular system, a dry sauna is also strictly contraindicated.
Preferences. The dry air of a sauna is suitable for people who do not like clouds of steam. But those who like to steam with a broom, on the contrary, prefer a wet bath.
Purposes of the visit. A visit to the bathhouse can help say goodbye to a specific disease. When choosing a wet or dry sauna, you need to look at the benefits of each of them.
Companies. It is customary to go to a bathhouse or sauna in a group. This is much more interesting, and in a Russian bath it is also more economical - you don’t have to order the services of a steamer. Therefore, when planning a group vacation, you need to take into account the interests of each of your friends. Women often prefer a wet bath because they can use more products to care for their face, body and hair. Men love a wet bath for the opportunity to steam with a broom. At the same time, visiting the sauna does not require any preparation - you can go there “on the fly”, purchasing towels and hats on the spot or along the way.

The difference between a steam sauna and a dry sauna is best learned from your own experience. Take a break and compare for your health!

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is worth noting that wet and dry baths have their own characteristics that make them unique and healing in their own way. To get the maximum benefit for your health, you need to follow all the recommendations of specialists and also monitor your condition.

If you feel uneasy, then it is better to avoid the steam room and spend time in the dressing room. In any case, before visiting a steam room if you have chronic diseases, it is better to consult a doctor.

Rules for visiting the steam room

To ensure that the temperature in the steam room does not harm the skin, you must follow a number of visiting rules:

Do not visit the steam room on an empty stomach. It is enough to eat something 1.5-2 hours before going to the bathhouse.
First remove all metal jewelry. The heat can burn the metal.
It is best to enter the steam room dry.
Be sure to wear a special headdress that protects your ears.
Hair should not be wet.
On the first visit, they don’t immediately go to the top shelf.
To improve sweating, beads of sweat should be wiped away. Therefore, a towel or sheet is needed in the steam room.
In order for the body to warm up well, periodically change the position of the body.
You shouldn't get up suddenly. Otherwise, you may feel dizzy and there is a risk of falling.
It is better to use massage with brooms on the second pass.
Contrast water procedures are taken between visits to the steam room.
It is better not to drink cold drinks during the break.
There is no smoking or drinking alcohol in the steam room.
You can't pour beer on rocks.
The steam room of a public bath is not used as a wash room.

You cannot stand in the bathhouse. Sitting or reclining improves lymphatic drainage. The recommended body position is lying with your legs elevated. This makes it easier to reduce the load on the heart. Immediately after bathing procedures, people do not go outside. It is necessary to allow the body to cool down.

Compliance with the rules of a public steam room is the key to a comfortable visit to it Source kazan.spravka.ru

Soft sauna according to an individual project

Let's say none of the solutions listed above suits you. In this case, we can create a soft sauna kit tailored to your wishes.

Choosing a stove

When choosing a model, pay attention to power. Systems with a steam generator are made with furnaces of at least 15 kW. Tylarium kits have 8 and 10 kW ovens, but these are rather the exception to the rule.

We recommend starting your choice of brand with Finnish electric heaters IKI. These are powerful, reliable heaters with a large volume of stones. They themselves produce a lot of steam, and a steam generator will only emphasize their advantages. The wide range of models of the Pillar heater series allows them to be used for commercial and private use.

IKI Monolith heaters go perfectly with a hi-tech interior. For commercial use, pay attention to the IKI Pro, made in the same style.

Lang ovens are designed for commercial use. This is exactly what you need when you need the oven to work constantly. For a standard steam room installation, choose between the classic SAUNA-therm models or the updated SaunaTherm Superior model.

For hidden installation, Lang produces models UE 35 and R 33. This stove is installed behind the bench. Direct contact with the body is not possible. This ensures maximum safety for visitors. This is especially important for public saunas with a large flow of clients, as well as places that children can visit.

Choosing a steam generator

The HygroMatik StandartLine has proven itself to be an excellent steam generator. Its characteristics do not allow it to be used to create a hammam climate, but it is ideal for a soft sauna.

Selecting the remote control

The ideal brain of your soft sauna will be the remote control from the German company Fasel. This is reliable equipment with flexible settings. For private use, remote controls from the familyline, touchline, and smartline series are suitable.

For commercial use, profiline is better suited. This remote control has many settings and the ability to program a schedule.

Please note that you will need the x200 or x400 models with humidity control.

Accessories

Aromatherapy goes perfectly with a soft sauna. You will need an aroma pump without its own controls. For example, TechHolland FlavourLux EC or Aromawolke DSD 01 V2. As a composition for aromatization, we recommend hamam fragrances from the French company Camylle. They are made entirely on a natural basis, are economical in consumption and are excellent for public saunas.

Example kit:

oven IKI Pro 21;
steam generator StandartLine SLE10;
control panel FASEL profiline 4200;
TechHolland FlavourLux EC dosing pump;
stock of aroma for the Camylle hamam.

Installation

The oven is installed in accordance with the requirements specified in the instructions. The steam generator requires a separate technical room. An aroma pump is installed next to the steam generator, the hose from which is connected to the steam line. The steam line is routed under the steam room shelves or onto the stove stones.

The oven, steam generator and aroma pump are connected to the control panel. In addition, a combined temperature and humidity sensor is connected to the remote control. After setting, the remote control will ensure that the temperature and humidity values do not go beyond the extreme values.

Soft sauna for private use

To create such a climate in private households, Tylo has designed a series of Combi stoves. Combi ovens are equipped with a built-in steam generator, which is powered by a separate heating element. The steam generator compensates for the dry heat of the electric heater, making the climate in the steam room softer. The latest models from this series: Sense Combi Pure and Sense Combi Elite, as well as a compact model - Sense Sport Combi 4. Tylo Combi stoves are a universal solution in the electric heater market. They are ideal for family use. Flexible temperature and humidity settings allow you to adjust these ovens to suit any preferences. In addition, the presence of a steam generator allows you to more effectively use the capabilities of aromatherapy.

Among the stoves equipped with a built-in steam generator, we also note the German Lang WK 45.

A simpler and more economical solution was proposed by Helo. They called it Helo-WT (Helo Water Tech). This is a metal tank that is installed in the stone compartment. The water in it evaporates from the heat of the heating elements of the furnace. You cannot control the humidity level, but this solution is very economical. The Helo-WT steam generator is included in the Helo stove set: Roxx, Himalaya, Piccolo, Ringo Black, Fonda, Havanna.

Gradual increase in air temperature and humidity

It is important not to overheat the oven. For the firebox, 3 types of firewood are taken:

pine;
aspen;
birch

Pine firewood is rich in resins. They allow the stove to heat up, but leave a lot of soot inside the chimneys. Aspen ones will provide little heat and will burn out quickly, but they will clean the chimney perfectly. Birch gives off a lot of heat to the stove and burns longer than pine and aspen.

A fresh or dry broom is soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes before use. Source rys-les.ru

The highest temperature for heating stones is 250-300 degrees Celsius. And then this is only while the bath is warming up. Primary steaming shows low humidity in the bath - about 20-25%. After a few minutes, when the heat subsides from the very hot stones, you can maintain the oven temperature until the stones are heated to 150-200 degrees. Then the humidity will level out to the optimal level - 30-40%.

The rate at which stones heat up depends on their type. There are those that have excellent thermal conductivity, but do not retain temperature well. Others need to be heated longer, but they maintain a high temperature for a long time. Experienced bath attendants use 2 types of stones - winter and summer. For the summer, stones with rapid heating and cooling properties are laid. For winter - stones with slow heating and cooling.

Often used - diabase, jadeite, add a special stone evaporator Source saunainter.com

Recommendations for beginners

For beginners, the optimal temperature in the steam room should not exceed 70-90 degrees Celsius, humidity - 30-40%. The duration of one visit is no more than 5-8 minutes. The duration of the next few runs should be increased by a couple of minutes. Frequency - after a 20 or 15 minute break, you can make 2-3 passes in total. Essential oil must be used with great care. This is especially true for public steam rooms. The best option is to dilute the ether with water and simply leave it on the bench, allowing natural evaporation.

If you pour essential oil on stones, there will be soot, it is better to use a bowl with aromas Source vodniy.amazonia-fitnes.ru

The effect of sauna on the central nervous system

According to many studies, it has become clear that if you spend 10 minutes in a steam room, the benefits of a sauna are manifested in improved motor functions and coordination. But if the stay is increased to 20 minutes, these indicators become worse. The rate of normalization of various indicators is determined by the duration of stay in the steam room and the type of rest. The normalization process can be accelerated, for example, by adopting contrast procedures.

It is worth remembering the influence of the sauna on the psyche. The procedures themselves, their organization, the interior and other influences can affect the mood and general well-being.

Safe for the body and extreme temperatures in the bath

The highest temperature in the bath that the human body can withstand is 120℃. And extreme (dangerous threshold for the human body) is 150℃. These temperatures are not used in public baths for restricted visits. They are used in bath attendant competitions. Under normal conditions, it is extremely rare for anyone to steam at a temperature of 120 degrees Celsius. But this is enough for experienced bath attendants. Still, the optimal temperature in the bath is 90-100 degrees.

Bath-sauna under glass with access to the pool - the best solution for contrasting procedures Source weboptimize.ru

Advice for those who have their own sauna

It is better to make the thresholds high and the doors low in order to retain the heat inside the steam room as much as possible. The walls and floor are finished with special thermal insulation material. It is generally better to make flooring in several layers. Ventilation allows you to equalize air pressure and release excess steam. The stove is placed near the door so that the steam room can heat up evenly. After each use of the wet bath, wipe it dry, dry it and ventilate it.

A high threshold, a low door - typical of a Russian bathhouse and the entrance to its steam room Source birzhaplus.ru

The oven must be real stone or brick-lined. The finishing can be made of metal. But the top is left open to pour water on the stones. Getting on the upper stones, the water flows onto the hot internal cobblestones. As a result, you get normal healthy steam. A big mistake is to completely cover the furnace with metal and pour water on the hot iron. Then you will have to inhale harmful fumes or too dry hot air.

Dry steam: made in Suomi

If you believe the reference technical literature, then dry steam is a kind of steam-air substance heated to a temperature significantly higher than the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure. Superheated steam can be obtained in special devices - steam superheaters. It has very high kinetic energy and its use radically increases the efficiency of steam engines.

And reference literature modestly indicates that dry superheated steam perfectly cleans surfaces of dirt and kills all living things, even microorganisms. Yes, we don’t need such steam, so we put aside technical literature and go to the Land of a Thousand Lakes, to Finland. Someone, namely the Finns, understand real and living dry steam like no one else.

Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

The northern region, a country of forests and lakes, has long-standing bathhouse traditions. The Finns say that from time immemorial the first thing that appeared on a new site was a sauna. Babies were born there, the sick were nursed there, a family huddled within its walls while a residential building was being built.

The Finnish sauna tradition, like the vast majority of other peoples of the world, did not escape the so-called “smoky period”, a historical period when sauna stoves did not have a chimney and heated the steam room “in black”, directly with smoke and stove gases. Over time, smoke channels became an integral part of the sauna stove, which began to transfer its thermal energy to the stone backfill, which then heated the steam room, releasing accumulated heat into the space.

Everything seems to be the same as everywhere else. However, in Finland a characteristic distinctive feature has emerged - dry steam in the bathhouse. In order to understand its nature and features, it is necessary to consider the types of steam and the various properties of steam.

There is strength in diversity

As is well known, the essence of bath procedures is the effect of elevated temperature on the human body. From the school physics course, everyone remembers perfectly well that air, in its pure form, without foreign impurities, is a poor conductor of heat. It was this property that the Chinese used at one time when they invented the thermos.

The situation changes dramatically if water vapor is present in the air. Its thermal conductivity increases dramatically. It has been scientifically proven that the most gentle, comfortable and predictable transfer of heat from the environment to the human body occurs when the content is 40-60 grams of water per 1 kg. air. At lower absolute humidity, to warm up the body, the temperature must be very high, which is fraught with heat stroke, with a water content of 70 g. in a cubic meter of air and above, uncomfortable conditions are created, associated primarily with waterlogging of the air, condensation of excess moisture and abnormal transfer of thermal energy to the human body.

From the field of physiology

The structural features of the human body are such that the skin does not have distributed receptors that can separately decode the parameters of ambient temperature and humidity. Motor skills are built in such a way that the body perceives a coarse parameter: warm or cold. This is directly proportional to how much energy is absorbed by the skin over a certain period of time.

Attention! The humidity of steam at a temperature in the steam room of more than 100 degrees Celsius is not limited by the parameters of active condensation and theoretically, water vapor is capable of completely displacing air from the closed volume of the steam room. Naturally, provided there is no ventilation at all.

Types of steam

Steam masters distinguish several types of steam, depending on its properties, parameters and qualities:

Strong steam - classic wet steam with a water content per cubic meter of air in the region of 70-82 grams at a temperature of 82-90 degrees Celsius;
Relaxing steam has the following parameters: humidity 38-62 degrees. water per 1 cubic meter of air at an ambient temperature of 68-82 degrees;
Normal or fresh steam: humidity 40-62 grams per cubic meter at a temperature of 82-90 degrees;
Acrid or burning steam: 55-60 grams of water per cubic meter of air at an ambient temperature of 92-105 degrees Celsius.

Important! Seasoned bath experts and members of the valiant fire department strongly, and sometimes categorically, do not recommend raising the temperature in the bathhouse above 109 degrees Celsius.

A little about comfort

Taking into account the temperature distribution of zones in the steam room, or in bath language, “thermal stratification” can be recommended as the most comfortable zone, having an acceptable temperature and humidity in the head and upper body, the one that is located below the ceiling level of the steam room at approximately a distance of 105-125 cm.

Based on standard ceilings in baths, a height of 200-230 cm is approximately 1 meter from the floor level. In this case, it is quite easy to follow the golden rule of a steam room: equip the upper edge of the heater at the level of the feet of the person sitting on the shelf.

A word from Experienced! When talking about creating comfortable humidity in a steam room, we must not forget about air exchange. It should provide a flow of fresh, dry air into the steam room within the range of 360-380 liters per minute. At the same time, secondary air saturated with vapor is recycled. This rule, in addition to a comfortable stay in the steam room, will also ensure longer-term use of the steam room without major repairs. In general, don't forget about effective ventilation, friends.

When answering the question, what is dry steam, you can quote an old Finnish proverb: “it’s better to waste an extra armful of firewood than to spit out water,” which, translated into a generally understandable language, means that for a comfortable time in the steam room, it’s worth raising the temperature, but it’s unlikely you need to overuse the heater with water and create excess humidity.

As a clear example, here is a table of the dependence of natural air humidity on ambient temperature at normal atmospheric pressure:

Ambient temperature, degrees Celsius	Air saturation with water vapor, grams per cubic meter
4,85
5	6,80
10	9,41
15	12,84
20	17,32
25	23,07
30	29,98

Conclusion

Steam humidity is a very important component of the bath procedure, which determines its effectiveness and overall comfort. The properties of heated moist air are directly identified by the laws of physics and the characteristics of physiology. Steam with low humidity, the traditional prerogative of a lean Finnish sauna. It was predetermined by the traditions of the people, and to some extent, by the peculiarities of everyday life. The fact is that, according to statistics, there are 1 million saunas per 2 million Finnish families, and a large number of them are located in the basement floors of apartment buildings and basements. Low humidity of steam guarantees low water absorption and absence of dampness in the elements of structures and, as a result, many years of operation without repair. What to do, apparently the Finns are even much more pragmatic than the Germans.

Sources: https://gardenweb.ru/sukhoi-par-i-vlazhnaya-parnaya https://studopedia.ru/7_173792_dat-opredelenie-nasishchenniy-par-vlazhniy-par-suhoy-par-peregretiy-par.html https: //helpiks.org/6-87645.html https://businessbmw.pp.ua/sukhoy-i-vlazhnyy-par-polza-i-vred/ https://www.bugulma.ws/publ/katalog_statej/zdorove_i_medicina /kakoj_par_luchshe_sukhoj_ili_mokryj/37-1-0-708 https://obane.info/procedury/suhoj-par.html https://jar-par.com/blog/reyting-bannyh-kamney-kakie-kamni-dlya-bani -vybrat

What's better

Benefits come from what a person enjoys

It would be incorrect to say unequivocally that any type of steam is better. Much depends on tolerance, health status and personal preference. Some people like it dry and hot in the steam room, others prefer “wet” steam with the smell of bread kvass. Lovers, for example, of the Russian bath appreciate it because the degree of heat and humidity can be easily changed, and obese people believe that the sauna is better, since there you can not only wash yourself, but also lose weight.

When choosing one type of steam or another, it is important to remember that maximum pleasure and benefits are guaranteed only if you approach the procedure wisely, namely: follow the rules and take into account the state of your health.

Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

Soft sauna for public use

All these solutions work great for saunas up to 18 m3, but how to achieve a soft sauna climate in a large commercial steam room?

The answer to this was the Tylo Tylarium system. In the Tylarium system, the source of humidity is a separate steam generator. The Tylo Commercial oven is responsible for the temperature. The operation of the furnace and steam generator is coordinated using the Elite remote control.

The complete Tylarium kit consists of:

Tylo Commercial ovens;
steam generator Tylo Steam Home or Steam Commercial;
relay unit RB Commercial or its Lite version;
Elite remote control;
sensor and synchronization cable.

Optionally, a steam distributor can be added. It releases steam from a steam generator directly above the stove stones. We have prepared ready-made configurations on the Tylarium page. The most powerful is suitable for a room with a volume of up to 43 m3.

Lang offers VapoTherm series stoves as a solution for public soft saunas. The most powerful VG90 oven is suitable for a room with a volume of 56 m3. The oven has a 3 kW steam generator built into it. Optionally, the oven can be equipped with an automatic water filling system.

Helo commercial ovens: Laava and Magma can also be supplemented with a BWT equipment package. As with stoves for private use, the system is very simple. Water tanks are installed in the stone compartment. The tanks are fed using a float top-up system.

How does a sauna affect the skin?

As the ambient temperature increases, the skin temperature also increases. In addition, blood flow increases in it. During the first 2 minutes of being in the sauna, the temperature of the skin increases, but after this, due to the inclusion of mechanisms for regulating body temperature and sweat production, these indicators decrease.

When discussing the dangers and benefits of a sauna, it is worth considering that when you are in such places, the skin temperature can reach 41-42 °C or more. This causes the blood vessels in the skin to dilate, increasing blood flow and increasing skin permeability. The outer layer of the skin becomes softer, the skin becomes more sensitive, it breathes better, and its immune and biological qualities improve. Also, such procedures contribute to the normal flow of oxidative mechanisms in the skin.

We can conclude that all of the above effects on the skin only improve its functioning. In part, this has a positive effect on the functioning of many internal organs, helps to harden the body and minimizes the possibility of developing colds.

How does a sauna affect thermoregulation?

The body's thermoregulation system is considered one of the most important in the human body. It is responsible for stabilizing a person’s temperature depending on various factors. The heat exchange of a healthy person consists of constant processes of generating, receiving and releasing heat, thereby ensuring a constant temperature.

When the ambient temperature rises, the body launches mechanisms to remove excess heat through sweat, which is produced by skin cells. The amount of sweat produced is determined by a number of factors, in particular humidity and ambient temperature. Most people with a temperature of 37 can go to the bathhouse, but it is better to consult your doctor.

Dry air sauna and warnings for visiting it

Visiting a dry air steam room is not recommended for people with respiratory problems. Also, you should not stay in the steam room longer than your body can handle. There is no need to force yourself to fight with, even if not the highest, temperature. A visit to the dry air station should be a joy and without coercion. And then you will be able to appreciate all the benefits of such a vacation!

A long stay in a sauna with dry air can be accompanied by a general deterioration of the condition, dizziness, increased palpitations, lightheadedness and fainting. Adverse consequences can also be caused by frequent visits to such steam rooms. Let us remind you that the optimal regime for going to a dry air bath is 1–2 times a week.

A visit to any steam room is considered positive from a hygiene point of view. Regular visits to a dry air bath will help cleanse the body, fill it with vitality and energy. And, of course, the money spent on bath procedures will pay off in good health and excellent well-being!