Melanie Lampro

Purger of coughs, colds and general respiratory soother; steam power can be your superpower!

It’s not just about putting your head under a towel while leaning over a bowl of hot water at the kitchen table. Here are some other ways to invite the healing properties of steam into your life (and your airways).

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When I have a cold or hay fever, I find steam therapy to be most helpful. My preference right now is a home ‘steam room’ shower (more on that later) but if I could, I’d have the real thing. And a sauna – but let’s not digress.

Steam in general offers numerous advantages and can help to:

• Diminish stress levels.
• Enhance sleep by aiding in better breathing, stress reduction, and mood enhancement. It also boosts circulation by expanding blood vessels. This expansion may elevate the heart rate and reduce blood pressure.
• Calm nerve endings and alleviate muscle soreness.
• Improve joint mobility and lessen joint discomfort. 
• Support skin repair and health.

Home facial steamers are very popular and some can double up as inhalers. They are small enough to keep on a dressing table or vanity unit. You can also tuck them away on a shelf or in a cupboard.

Specifically, inhaling steam can offer many benefits, including:

• Combating respiratory infections and supporting respiratory wellness by eliminating pathogens in the nasal passages.
• Offering relief from sinus and lung congestion.
• Beneficial effects during allergy seasons.
• Better sleep when used before bed to help you unwind and prepare for a restful night.
• Re-hydrating and enhancing the function of irritated vocal cords.

Even Mother Nature knows that steam can be beneficial. For instance, Japanese macaques, also known as Snow Monkeys, have been observed enjoying hot springs in Jigokudani, Japan, to combat winter chill and reduce stress, much like humans.

There’s a reason macaques look so serene in their photos. Submerged up to their cheeks in steamy water with snow drifting onto their furry heads—they look almost meditative. Sarah Gibbens for National Geographic

While I dream of having my own private Japanese Snow Monkey Spa steam room, I am guessing that you might not have one either, so read on. But if you do, let’s be pals! 

Since we aren’t all able to head out to the spa for a steam bath (frankly, if you aren’t feeling 100%, it’s not the best public place to be, either) but want to recreate the experience at home, there are a few ways to do so.

For those who desire the most spa-like experience, you could consider a portable home steam room. These are often referred to as saunas, but note that steam rooms and saunas are entirely different things.

Saunas (which I also adore) provide dry heat, whereas steam rooms offer humid warmth. This variation in heat sources leads to different levels of humidity. Saunas feature low moisture content. Steam rooms maintain high moisture content.

Top tip: Always read the description thoroughly when shopping online to ensure your purchase suits your needs and expectations. Also, reviews are GOLD. Read them and leave them, too. So helpful.

I have been tempted lately, mainly by the Runitude Portable Sauna Steam Tent. You can add essential oils to it. This is an absolute bonus for me!

According to the official details about this model, NHS Doctor Michael Gough explored the advantages of sauna and heat therapy for patients. He discovered a significant issue. Most portable saunas available on the market were constructed from materials that emitted noxious fumes. These fumes potentially caused more harm than good.

Determined to tackle this, he embarked on a two-year journey. He aimed to create the UK’s first medical-grade sauna made from safe, non-toxic materials. He developed a unit that offers all the therapeutic benefits of heat therapy. This unit eliminates the risk of exposure to plastic toxins. It also removes volatile organic compounds commonly found in other sauna tents available in the UK.

Do you have any experience using a pop-up steam room? I’d love to hear from you; leave me a note on your experience in the comments.

Meanwhile, I have a few suggestions for ways to embrace steam therapy without such a significant outlay.

Bowl and Towel Inhalation

Pour boiling water into a heatproof bowl. Lean over it and cover your head with a towel. This setup traps the steam. Close your eyes and allow the steam to enter your nose and mouth as you breathe normally. Maintain this routine for 10 to 15 minutes (maximum).

If you wish, you can add 2 or 3 drops of essential oil to the water. You can also add fresh herbs, such as eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, thyme, and lavender. I quite often use TEMPLESPA’s BREATH OF LIFE Aromatherapy Inhalation Essence as an alternative, too.

A variation on this method is to pour boiling water into a mug. Then, bring it near your face and breathe in the vapour.

Bathroom Steam Inhalation Methods

You can use your shower to turn your bathroom into a steam room. Run it on the hottest setting. Stand or sit in the bathroom for 10 minutes. Do not actually get into the shower, or you could be scalded.

Before getting into a (normal temperature) shower, dab some essential oil on the wall tiles. The steam from the shower will diffuse them.

This also works with a bath. Adding two or three drops of essential oil directly to the bath water is more effective, but you may not want to do that, and the tiles method is the next best thing.

Use a shower bomb (AKA shower steamers). If you’re the crafty type, these are easy to make at home and would make a thoughtful gift, too.

Steam Inhalers

There are various kinds of steam inhalers on the market, from a simple, steam inhaler cup to electronic nebuliser machines.

As a singer, I need to take the best care of my vocal cords as possible, and steam therapy is a marvellous help. I also keep my TEMPLESPA SPA BREEZE diffuser in my bedroom, which I leave on overnight as part of my overall wellness routine.

One of the other things I use to keep my voice in shape are Vocalzone Throat Pastilles. If you’re a singer, voice performer or public speaker these are for you.

OK, I know these have nothing to do with steam (unless you consider their teas) but it brings me to why I’m mentioning my voice at all.

I’m very keen to try a Dr. Nelson’s Vocal Steamer. Like Vocalzone Throat Pastilles, the Dr. Nelson Inhaler has a long history.

Whilst the former was crafted for singers, specifically for the renowned tenor Enrico Caruso, the Dr. Nelson Inhaler was originally designed to help with respiratory infections and inhalation issues. Its success in these areas has maintained its popularity among singers and performers globally, who use it to hydrate their vocal cords and rapidly reduce throat irritation or inflammation.

If you’re reading this and use one of these steamers, I would really appreciate it if you could let me know in the comments how you get along with it.

Aromatherapy Diffusers and Humidifiers

Possibly, the simplest way to increase the humidity in your space is to hang diffusers on your radiators. These can be made from metal, plastic or ceramic materials (I prefer the latter). They are filled with water that condenses with the radiator heat. They are silent, affordable and significantly greener than the ‘plug-in’ variety.

You do need to check the water in these regularly as dust and debris can settle in some types, and if the radiators aren’t diffusing the water quickly enough, you will end up with your room smelling musty, and we don’t want that!

You can add essential oils and massage oils like TEMPLESPA’s DRIFT AWAY Relaxing Bathing & Massage Oil to the water in some models and if you are prone to a stuffy nose and head in the winter, a few drops of some eucalyptus and/or menthol oil in your radiator diffuser can be beneficial.

If you prefer an electric model, stand-alone humidifiers are efficient at boosting indoor moisture levels with minimal upkeep. I’d always ensure they feature an automatic shut-off or provide a notification when the water reservoir requires replenishing.

On the subject of humidity, cool mist aromatherapy diffusers have become increasingly popular, with various styles to choose from. I have several cool mist humidifiers and diffusers that I use for my own wellness and to benefit my extensive houseplant collection

Aromatherapy diffusers are completely safe for houseplants; they can help their growth and protect them from diseases and pests. In turn, houseplants are fantastic for home air quality, too. I have quite the jungle and often get positive comments about how fresh my home feels.

The benefits of steam are manifold (I couldn’t resist that one) and as something that even wildlife are drawn to, that’s an encouraging sign we’re on the right track with steam therapy!

To finish up here, I’d like to cover a few important points about steam safety:

• Before trying any new alternative remedy or therapy, it is crucial to seek advice from a healthcare professional. Not everyone can safely use aromatherapy or steam therapy, as they may cause negative reactions, particularly when combined with certain medications or existing health issues, such as epilepsy, heart conditions, or respiratory disorders.
• Breathing in essential oils can irritate the airways, leading to coughing, difficulty breathing, and other issues. Those with asthma or COPD are particularly at risk and should avoid this practice.
• Facial steaming can cause irritation for those who have sensitive skin or are prone to redness, like rosacea and eczema.
• I do not recommend the old-school ‘bowl of hot water and a towel’ technique for children. It is also not suitable for anyone with limited motor skills or a lack of awareness of danger. Boiling water and steam can scald, causing serious injury.
• If you are using a steam room or pop-up steam pod, be aware that you are at risk of dehydration. Make sure to keep your fluid intake levels up.
• Make sure your device is suitable for essential oils. Some are designed to work only with water and cannot accommodate additional substances.

Discover more about the TEMPLESPA products featured in this blog post. Visit my Personal TEMPLESPA Website or use the links below.

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FEATURED TEMPLESPA PRODUCTS

This list is provided for reference. Your ideal routine may include only a small selection of these products, depending on your skin, lifestyle, and tolerance.