Steam room vs sauna

[Chronus24]

Not too terribly critical a question, but something I had pondered all the same: I'm staying at a college dorm that is fortunate enough to have both a dry sauna and a steam room available. I've found both to be nice and relaxing after a long day of ballet, however, I'm the type of person always wondering "if option A is better than option B?". So, of the sauna and the steam room, is one better than the other for obtaining any health benefits, or is it six of one half a dozen of the other? This question is also promtped by the fact that I can only spend a few minutes in each lest I become overwhelmed by the heat!

[Mel Johnson]

They both seem to do about the same job on the main body, but the steam is extra good if you need a little opening for your respiratory tract.

[MJ]

Like a hot compress, a steam room gets the heat into the muscles. Saunas dry out your lungs.Make sure to stay hydrated.

[dancersteven]

I always preferred a hot tub to either, but I would go steam over sauna. Of course, that is entirely unscientific, just what I think feels better ;-). Lucky boy to have such amenities!!

[Chronus24]

Ooo...good to hear the steam room getting the slight preference since it too is my favorite. They have a hot tub as well but for some reason it's drained and out of commission for now...yeah, I'm very impressed with the athletic amenities here, although the main draw back is that they have no wi-fi so computer/internet access is limited to the library's hours...it makes me feel Amish at night...

[Garyecht]

Steam or sauna, which is better? Of course, there is a question of what better means. I used to go to a Y that had both. More people used the steam than the sauna. I tended to prefer the steam because I liked to sweat. Sauna was good simply because it was less crowded. Both felt good, which I think is their real purpose. I don’t think there are any real health benefits to either. They are just enjoyable.