The video, titled “Feel Better,” captures the timeless benefits of steam; it demonstrates why steam has been used for generations for respiratory health.
Now grown and suffering from a cold, a man in a steam shower dreamily remembers how his mother soothed his congestion as a child with steam therapy and tender loving care.
She knew, as people have for centuries, that steam increases moisture in lungs, throat and nose, easing cold symptoms.
Among the many health and wellness benefits of steam, a steam shower may enhance and, in many cases, actually improve breathing, and can help clear allergens and mucus from the lungs. In fact, the higher moisture concentration available in a steam shower is more effective than vaporizers for soothing breathing passages.
Other respiratory benefits of steam include relief from symptoms of allergies and viruses. The hot mist soothes the throat and helps to promote sinus drainage and loosen bronchial secretions. It can temporarily ease asthma-type symptoms. And it acts as a natural expectorant as well.
As the opening quote by Dr. Andrew Weil states, "I have long recommended Steam Therapy for its health benefits... it soothes the nasal passages and respiratory tract, relieves congestion, and clears the sinuses." He is the author of 8 Weeks to Optimum Health.
It can be difficult to sleep with a respiratory ailment, but a 10- or 20-minute steam shower can promote deep restful sleep and increase the length of REM cycles.
Now if only Mom could read us a bedtime story!
How did your Mom take care of you and make you feel better when you were a child?