I NEVER stay in the steam room when my heart rate is past 150 bpm. I always use this meter to make sure my oxygen stays high also. I have about 50 of these if anyone wants to do a review one one.
Session times - Under 30 minutes or over 30 Minutes
So many people complain that that their steam session takes too long. Session times are not only from a steam generator that produces too wet of a steam that creates steam traps at the ceiling or heats the walls up and wicks up the 30 to 50% of the steam (that is if you have ceramic or natural stone).
Those who are using steam generators at low psi (15psi or lower) or who have 1/2 inch pipes that have more water hammer and condensate in the steam will be setting themselves up for failure from the start. I urge people to get the right steam generator that will work with their room and especially the ceiling height (if over 7 foot is when there are more precautions than need to be taken) to avoid steam traps and bring down the latent heat trapped up there down to the feet.
The benefit for many is vasodilation. When the body core temperature is heated up 3 degrees is when many people find most benefit. (heat shock proteins). There is a fatigue curve that many people have in about 25 to 30 minutes in a steam room. Most people reach this fatigue curve with just their upper torso in hyperthermia and their lower body (waist and legs and feet) never reaching optimal hyperthermia that many people find beneficial.
Most people love sitting in steam rooms (sitting with their feet on the floor or even at bench seat level laying down). This feels good but deceptively feels good. Those who know about cardiac drift usually want full body steam therapy where the lower body and upper body are getting the same vasodilation. Getting half body steam therapy is something most people never go back to once they experience full body steam therapy.
I find it is more therapeutic to have a lower steam room temperature and have the whole body immersed in the steam than just the upper body and head getting steam therapy. The best steam sessions I have found is when the heart rate goes up at a slower pace but more sustainable in a 30 minute session. I like to keep my body core temperature up 3 degrees for a sustained period and not have the feeling I have to get out once it gets to that point.
Having a waterproof fan that blows all the super hot steam trapped at the ceiling down to the floor is the best way I have found to get whole body steam therapy. There are some people that have PVC pipe closed loop systems where it sucks the steam from the ceiling out and brings it out of the steam room and the outside the steam room fan pumps it to the floor. Having a fan is what many people do and it changes the entire steam bathing experience.
It is the most amazing feeling when your feet and legs are getting the hot steam rather than just feeling the condensate as it falls to the floor.
If someone wants to have a 30 minute steam session or shorter, I know how to change up the latent heat and raise the heat co-efficient of the room to make someone's session shorter or longer. There are some people that want to use their steam room for 45 minutes to an hour. There are things that need to be tweaked to give the optimal session time.
Take my steam quiz and I will choose a steam generator based on your answers. Also take my steam sizing questionnaire if you know your room dimensions.
Know before buying a steam generator
Know before buying a steam generator
Know before buying a steam generator
DiscountSteamGenerators.com
We're open now
1-800-336-9285
Ask for Sharon
We're open now
1-800-336-9285
Ask for Alex
DiscountSteamGenerators.com
We're open now
1-800-336-9285
Ask for Sharon
We're open now
1-800-336-9285
Ask for Alex
Note: How long do you want to stay in the steam room for? 20 to 30 minutes? Over 30 minutes? Well, this is a huge problem and when people understand it they realize they don't want to relax in a steam room for 45 minutes to an hour. When you understand thermoclines, know how to keep the body in the 110 114 degree sweet spot zone, and understand the effects of condensate, most people will aim for a 20 to 25 minute session and stay in the 110 114 window for that amount of time. That is ONLY if the body is in full body vasodilation. If only getting half body steam therapy, that is not the same as staying in the 110 114 window and usually takes longer than 25 minutes.
I urge everyone to get a hygrometer on the wall of the steam room. Just having the sweet spot zone at 110 114 degrees is not the same as being in that zone at 100% humidity. Please see my hygrometer page here. You will be happy you installed it once you use your steam room.
