Sauna vs Hot Tub
Whether you're finishing up your daily workout or getting home from a stressful day at work, there's nothing quite like giving your body the heat it needs to relax. Of course, the main question you might have is,
Should I use a hot tub or a sauna?
While both of these units have plenty of unique health benefits, they differ in many ways. So today, we're going to take a close look to help you determine whether a hot tub or sauna is the right choice for your needs.
Price Differences
As with most things in life, the price of hot tubs and saunas varies based on several factors, including brand, size, materials, and features.
On average, you can find hot tubs that range from about $2,000 to $16,000+.
For saunas, the price range often sits between $3,000 and $10,000.
In many cases, these installation costs can be quite similar, though it's also worth noting that it requires less energy to run a sauna than a hot tub, as you only need to turn a sauna on when you decide to use it.
On the other hand, hot tubs generally stay on all the time to maintain a warm temperature.
If you want to save the most money (and who wouldn't?), then click the button below! By doing so, you'll get multiple quotes from a variety of manufacturers all at once, allowing you to find the lowest price on your desired hot tub or sauna!
Pros & Cons
Hot Tubs
Pros
Cons
Saunas
Pros
Cons
Health Benefits Of Each
Shared Benefits
Relaxation
Whether you're looking for a physical, mental, or emotional form of relaxation, saunas, and hot tubs can provide. Both of these units use heat to soothe muscles, increase circulation, and heal aching joints. With hot water or steam, they clear pores and help nourish your skin by inducing sweat. In turn, they can each create a relaxing experience.
Weight Loss
If you're looking to lose weight, then both hot tubs and saunas are a great choice. Even if you only sit in one of these units for 20 minutes, you can boost your metabolism, similar to if you went on a jog. Hot tubs and saunas increase your body temperature, opening your blood vessels to increase circulation.
With increased body activity, your body must respond to support the additional needs. To do so, it breaks down fat. During this calorie-burning experience, you can begin crafting a sleeker, slimmer, and healthier body.
Higher Quality of Sleep
A vast amount of research has concluded that sitting in either a sauna or a hot tub before bed can increase the quality of your sleep.
According to the American Sleep Association, sitting in a sauna or hot tub increases deep sleep, which is the most important part of your sleep for restoring memories and increasing brain functions.
If you struggle with insomnia, incorporating use a hot tub or sauna into your daily routine can help.
Aromatherapy
Both hot tubs and saunas provide aromatherapy features in some regard. Of course, you'd need to find the right models that allow for it. Using aromatherapy as part of your soaking or sweating experience can increase relaxation.
Well-Being
Both of these units provide the added benefit of well-being, which is equally important to living a healthy lifestyle. Quality time spent with yourself can promote a sense of peace and centeredness.
Hot Tub Benefits
Hydrotherapy Massage
Most hot tubs come with built-in massage water jets, which is an added bonus for those who want the benefits of massage therapy. You won't find jets in a sauna. Beyond using these jets to cure muscle tension and introduce muscle recovery, the soothing sounds of bubbles in a hot tub can create a uniquely serene sensory experience that you can't find elsewhere.
Gravity Break
Hot tub owners with arthritis or other chronic pains love the fact that they can sit and float with their bodies submerged in the water, as it gives them the chance to take a break from the harmful effects of gravity. If you have sore joints, soaking in a hot tub can be ultra beneficial.
Sauna Benefits
Skin Cleansing
While hot tubs certainly cleanse the skin minimally, many of them use chlorine and other chemicals that can be equally harmful to your skin compared to things your skin comes in contact with daily.
If you're really looking for skin purification, then we recommend going with a sauna. The beauty of a sauna is that your entire body gets exposed to heat. When your body temperature begins rising, you start sweating, which, in turn, flushes out unwanted toxins and leaves you with glowing skin.
Sauna Maintenance vs. Hot Tub Maintenance
Whether you choose to go with a hot tub or sauna, you'll need to perform regular maintenance to keep them in good shape.
For saunas, it's important to scrub them down after each use. Once in a while, it's a good idea to use fresh water from the hose to remove grime from wooden surfaces and sand them down to get rid of any small pieces of dirt.
If you have mold or mildew in your sauna, you will need bleach to get rid of them. For sauna stains, a relevant cleaning agent will do the trick.
PRO TIP: To lessen the cases of mold and mildew growth in your sauna, make sure that heat and moisture have a proper escape so they don't get trapped in the walls of your sauna room. If you choose to go with an indoor sauna, you'll want to get a high-end ventilation system.
Hot tubs require a different type of maintenance. For starters, you'll have to check the water chemistry at least once per week using a hot tub test kit. You must maintain a proper chemical balance in your hot tub for the healthiest possible soak.
Beyond regular test kits, you'll need to purchase hot tub sanitizing agents and chemicals. If your water starts getting cloudy after long periods of use, it's a good idea to have some spa defoamer on hand. Every few months, you'll want to dump the water out of your hot tub, clean the interior, and refill it with fresh water.
Understanding the Health Risks of Saunas and Hot Tubs
Whether you ultimately choose a hot tub or sauna, enjoying them safely means keeping an eye on maintaining the proper temperatures.
It's also important that you carefully monitor your hot tub's water to prevent bacteria and mold growth.
If you're ever using either a hot tub or sauna and you begin to feel light-headed or dizzy, exit immediately. While people with high blood pressure or heart disease should be able to safely use hot tubs or saunas, they mustn't hop back and forth from such high temperatures to colder temperatures, as this quick change can increase blood pressure.
Lastly, pregnant women should never use hot tubs or saunas, as excessive heat exposure can be harmful to an unborn child.
PRO TIP: Note that steam room saunas and infrared saunas are two different things. You can run infrared saunas at higher temperatures, as they have lower humidity.
Final Thoughts - Should I Get a Hot Tub or a Sauna?
So, as you can see, though each provides similar benefits, both saunas and hot tubs are luxurious amenities that offer a completely different experience.
Multiple factors that go into making an informed decision, including installation costs, maintenance needs, and lifestyle.
Most people who want to spend quality time with their families, have large social events, or are looking to soother tired muscles often go with hot tubs.
On the other hand, people who are more focused on weight loss, cleansing, and meditation, often opt for saunas.
Once you've made a choice, we can help!
We can offer you the personalized quotes you need based on whether you want a sauna or hot tub. Simply fill out the short form below to get started!
