You might have heard that one of the best treatments for the common cold is to ‘sweat it out’, but as it turns out, that might not be the best way to fight off a cold or flu. Whether a sauna will help your cold depends on when and how you use it. Saunas can reduce your chances of contracting a cold, provided you use one regularly when you’re healthy, but once you catch a cold, sauna use has no effect on how bad your cold will be and could even worsen your symptoms. 

Is Using a Sauna Good for Cold and Flu Viruses?

Using a hot sauna can adversely affect your health once you’re infected with a cold or flu. Sitting in a hot sauna puts you at risk of dehydration which is guaranteed to make you feel worse and will slow down your recovery. Staying hydrated is super important when you’re sick, and the intense sweating induced by a sauna causes you to lose fluids which isn’t helpful when you’re sick. Sauna use stresses your body, and when it’s already under attack from a cold or flu, it further hinders your immune system’s ability to fight the pathogens causing your sickness.

The common cold is a viral infection of your nose and throat, and the most common infectious sickness among humans. Since most people get a cold during the winter, it’s easy to conclude it’s the weather making them sick, but that’s not the case, viruses cause colds. The reason fall and winter is peak cold and flu season is because rhinoviruses replicate better and live longer in colder temperatures, exposure to cold air affects our immune function, and we’re indoors more often during the cold seasons, so it’s easier for viruses to pass from one person to another. 

Saunas are often associated with various health benefits, including relaxation, improved circulation, and potential immune system support. However, while saunas may offer some relief for certain symptoms associated with a cold or flu, they do not directly cure or treat the virus itself. The common cold and flu have no cure, but there are treatments that can help relieve your symptoms until it passes usually within 7-10 days. 

Can Using a Sauna Prevent a Cold? 

Saunas have a number of proven health benefits, but there’s no scientific evidence that a sauna can help your cold. Using a sauna can boost your immune system by promoting both heat-shock proteins and white blood cells. White blood cells are made up of innate immune cells which are always present in our bodies and respond quickly to invading viruses and bacteria. Heat shock proteins play a significant role in recovery from sickness and illness, help protect cells, reduce inflammation, and promote the natural healing process.

Contrary to popular claims, sauna induced sweating does not remove toxins from your body. Sweat doesn’t detoxify, its primary purpose is to help cool down your body when you get hot. Sauna exposure however can stimulate the release of beta-endorphins, our body’s natural internal pain reliever, and dopamine, our body’s feel-good chemical. Saunas are also known for their relaxation benefits which can be helpful when you’re feeling under the weather. 

Steam inhalation is one of the most widely used home remedies to clear stuffy noses and breathe more easily, so there’s no denying that if you use a sauna with hot rocks where you can create steam, inhaling that hot steam can help ease congestion (but only while you’re in the sauna). Contrary to popular belief, hot steam won’t cure the infection or kill the viruses, but it might give you some temporary relief. Saunas can also increase blood flow and circulation, which may help your body transport immune cells more efficiently to the areas where they are needed to combat infections.

Saunas can aid in improving your immunity against colds and flu, and while it might not be a miracle cure, studies have shown that regular use can boost your body’s natural defense system against viruses. If you’re ready to add a sauna to your home self-care routine, we can help you find the perfect one, give us a call at 970-879-4391 or contact us here.