Why Your Gym's Steam Room Is Better For You Than The Sauna

A main difference between the two recovery areas stems from their difference in temperature. Women's Health reports that, while steam rooms are nearly 80-degrees cooler than their dry-heat counterparts, they actually boast 100 percent humidity, making it feel much warmer.

Nonetheless, many of the benefits are similar between the two. Any time that you have a few minutes alone to sweat and breathe, it offers a strongly stress-relieving effect, the outlet notes. Whether you hop in the steam room or the sauna, you will likely experience said effects if you go in without any electronics. Furthermore, your sweat sesh can also make your "skin more robust, meaning it sort of firms it up and makes it more elastic, which is good for aesthetic reasons, but also because the skin acts like a general health barrier," Denise Millstein, MD, told the outlet.

However, one specific benefit of steam rooms may be best for those suffering from asthma or allergies. "Medications for these kinds of respiratory problems might dry out your breathing passages. Steam will moisturize and open the lungs a little more and hydrate the respiratory tract," Dr. Chiti Parikh, co-director of the integrative health and wellbeing program at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, explained.

Between keeping your airways moisturized and your body relaxed, the steam room should definitely be your go-to winter wellness staple.