Is a Sauna Good for Cold and Flu Viruses? No, a hot sauna is not good for colds or flu because the risk of dehydration and added heat stress has a higher chance of causing further symptoms.
Saunas can reduce your chances of contracting a cold, provided you regularly take those baths when you're healthy. But if you're already infected, then a sauna won't help. In fact, using a sauna after you've caught a cold could worsen your symptoms.
If you're sick or have a fever, it's best to stay away from a sauna as much as possible. A sauna can help treat common cold symptoms. Symptoms include a stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, and a sore throat. Some people may also have a slight fever, and the sauna can alleviate it.
If you've got a sore throat then don't go overboard with your sauna sessions. Eat well, sleep well, and only see infrared saunas as a tool to recover quicker. Don't go overboard and have many sessions because you're just stressing your body out if you have a sore throat!
Steam showers have a much lower average temperature (between 115° to 120° F) than a sauna (between 158° to 212° F). However, the presence of water vapor is the big differentiator. When it comes to which is better for a cold, consider that steam can reduce inflammation in the lining of the sinuses, nose, and throat.
Preliminary research shows a sauna for sinus congestion is an excellent tool. If you combine saunas with salt therapy and with red light therapy, your results will improve even further. But, if you ask, “is a sauna good for sinus congestion”, the answer is a resounding “yes”.
There's no way to cure a cold—or sweat it out. Breathing in warm, moist air can help alleviate cold symptoms, like congestion. Light exercise can increase blood flow, which also might help with congestion. However, there's no quick fix.
Therefore, under usual conditions, sauna air will hydrate respiratory tract mucus, which can account for the beneficial effects.
Most electronics do not do well in high heat for long periods of time. Yes, you can get away with bringing your phone into your sauna for a few minutes before getting a notification on your phone that it is 'overheating'. At that time you will want to place your phone outside the sauna and remove it from the high heat.
Don't be tempted to overheat the room because you have a cold. Keep the temperature at a comfortable level (69F – 72F) and bundle up with blankets that can be shoved off if you begin to overheat. The humidity in the room is important too. Dry air can worsen your cold symptoms and parch your nose and throat.
Over time, sauna bathing can deplete the body's store of water, causing dehydration and associated symptoms like a dry throat, headaches, and so on. It may even lead to skin issues — overly dry skin, for instance, can become cracked, irritated, and more prone to acne.
Cold air holds less moisture than warm air. Dry nostrils are more prone to viruses, and if you're already sick, dry air can worsen a sore throat. Try using a humidifier. If you don't have one, leave a shallow bowl of water out, particularly near a heat source.
Most colds go away on their own within seven to 10 days and don't turn into anything more serious. Common cold treatment includes over-the-counter (OTC) medications to help reduce your symptoms and keep you comfortable until you recover.
Fevers. Often when you're sick, your brain raises your body's thermostat a few degrees. You'll feel cold and have chills as your body tries to make a less welcoming place for germs. After your fever breaks and your thermostat resets itself to normal, you'll feel hot and start to sweat.
Best: Walking
“If your sinuses are plugged up, walking will stimulate you to take deep breaths and can help open up those passages,” says Besser. (Of course, if you discover that walking – or any type of physical exertion – makes you feel worse, rather than better, stop and focus on getting rest, instead.)
Cold and flu symptoms such as a blocked nose or cough usually subside after 7-10 days and the absence of these things is quite an obvious indication that you are on the mend.
If your nose is stuffy, steam won't kill the virus causing the cold but the moist heat will help loosen the congestion. The high level of heat also relaxes tension in muscles throughout the body so you feel more limber and less achy. Czincilla says that in moderation, steam can be very beneficial and relaxing.
The stages of a cold include the incubation period, appearance of symptoms, remission, and recovery. The common cold is a mild upper respiratory infection caused by viruses.
The common cold often follows a timeline and can last up to 3 weeks. Symptoms can take 1 to 3 days to develop, peak at 1 to 3 days, and last up to 10 days. Colds usually go away on their own, so you don't need to see a healthcare provider.
There is no way to get rid of a cold fast. A cold will usually go away on its own without treatment. However, a person may experience uncomfortable symptoms while they recover. People can take steps to aid recovery, such as getting plenty of rest.
"Steam has the edge over both dry and infrared saunas in the stuffy nose department," says Tobiason. "One of the major benefits of steam rooms is alleviating upper respiratory congestion.
Traditional saunas can have both positive and negative effects on your lungs. The dry heat in saunas may temporarily improve respiratory symptoms by opening up airways and promoting mucus clearance. However, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to dehydration and potential lung irritation.
Opens up sinuses
The heat from a steam room opens up the mucous membranes around the body, allowing deeper, easier breathing. The steam from a steam room can break up the congestion in the sinuses and lungs and, therefore, might help treat colds, unblock sinuses, and aid breathing.