Understanding Steam Bathing

Steam bathing is actually a uniquely different way of bathing. With the help of a steam generator located right outside of the steam room itself, clouds of soothing steam is produced for bathing!

Current estimates show that 70 to 80 percent of all visits to the doctors are due to or linked to stress related disorders. As we all know, chronic stress symptoms has a direct effect on the immune system, and if it is not dealt with effectively, it can seriously impede your health. So, besides the much talked about ways of relieving stress like exercising, steam baths can alleviate those strains without having to move a muscle.

Health Aspects

The fact is that steam baths are relaxing and stress-relieving. Those with muscle aches or arthritis may find that the heat relaxes muscles and relieves pain and inflammation. Asthma patients find that the heat dilates air passageways of the lung and facilities breathing. Steam baths do not cure the common cold but they may help to alleviate it and speed recovery time.

Steam baths have also been enjoyed for the benefits of total relaxation of mind and body, such as easing stress, relieving muscle tension and stiff joints, sweating-out body toxins, stimulating circulation, increasing body metabolism, keeping the skin glowing & youthful, and many others. In many ways, they are good for your skin. As the blood flow to the skin increases and sweating occurs, toxins are pushed out of your body. A good sweat removes dirt and  grime from pores and gives the skin a healthy glow.

Currently, steam baths are being used for easing stress, relieving muscle tensions and stiff joints, boosting the immune system, stimulating circulation, increasing the body's metabolism, alleviating sinus congestion due to colds, asthma, or allergies, and keeping skin youthful.

What Can Steam Heat Do For You?

Steam heat increases the extensibility of tissues while decreasing the rigidity of the joints. It also reduces muscle spasm and muscular pain and improves blood circulation and irrigation. It enhances total lymph system cleansing and it has been recently used in therapies against cancer and infectious diseases.

Steam baths are highly effective in removing fat-stored toxins from  the body, effectively washing toxins from the surface of the skin as you sweat. Treatments using steam also improves vascular flow, enhancing oxygen, nutrient, and lymph exchange at the cellular level. Besides these, steam baths are superior to body wraps in the treatment of cellulite due to much shorter time required to raise tissue temperature.

Wet heat methods such steam baths have a therapeutic effect and have been time-tested and proven through the centuries in culture after culture. Perhaps the most interesting example of modern technology meeting ancient therapy is in the use of steam and essential oils together to create aromatherapy treatments for stress relief, increased energy, or respiratory decongestion.

A simple 15 to 20 minutes steam bath a day has been known to provide a powerful boost in blood circulation. As your body temperature increases towards hyperthermia (the level of heat necessary to cleanse, heal and purify), through three to five minutes in the steam bath, increased blood flow will bring four times the oxygen than when your body is at its natural state. The fresh oxygen serves to wash away stagnant toxic impurities along with stress and knotted muscles.

Converting Your Bathroom Into A Steam Room

Already wondering how to to go about converting your body bathroom into a place of relaxation while being engulfed by the benefits of steam? Perhaps you can get a little help from spa equipment supplier, Faneville Pte Ltd.

Faneville specialises in converting conventional HDB, condo and landed property bathrooms into personal steam rooms with their steam bath equipment comprising of three separate components, a steam diffuser, digital controller and, of course, a steam generator. There is also an optional tilt-up seat.

Here's a little step-by-step on how to get it done. Firstly, decide which bathroom you want to have converted into a steam room, whether it is an existing or new bathroom under renovation. Secondly, make sure that the area is enclosed, perhaps by a shower screen. Next, the ceiling should either be a waterproofed with waterproof paint or be overlaid with a piece of Perspex ceiling so as to withstand the moisture in the area. After that, you should decide on suitable tiles that are heat & water resistant to be used, good examples are ceramic, mosaic tiles or slate. Then based on the area size of the bathroom, a suitable generator size will be proposed.

What You Can Do In A Steam Bath

To bring the relaxation and the body-wellness properties up a notch, you may also try out new techniques by choosing to include a choice of essential oils to create an aromatherapy steam bath. You may also want to have a hair conditioning steam. While your body sweats out toxins & detoxify, you can give your hair a special pamper with your choice of hair mask or conditioner. For the face or body, intensify the steam bath with a face or body mud mask. To turn up the heat, share a hot and steamy bath together with your partner.

After A Steam Bath

To make sure that your whole steamy experience is peaked to the fullest, follow up with drinking some water, fruit or vegetable juice to replace your lost fluids. Sleep like a baby by taking a warm shower afterwards or freshen up instead with a cold shower. Moisturize your skin with a lotion rubdown to further enhance nutrients to your skin and set the mood by lighting scented candles or aromatherapy oils.

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