When we think of sauna, relaxation and wellness come to mind first and foremost. But can a sauna session also make you healthy? Or even better prevent against annoying colds? And can you go to the sauna with a cold?
Every year it's the same game: You have time for an extended spa day with sauna, whirlpool and the girls. And then your nose drips, your eyes run and you have to sneeze constantly.
Off to the sweat lodge, suggests a friend. Taking a sauna will get you back in shape in no time!
But is it true?
Is going to the sauna a good idea when you have a cold? We took a close look.
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Especially in the winter months, cases of illness accumulate again. In addition to snow and Christmas, the cold season also brings flu and colds.
Our body is working at full speed and the immune system is fighting on all fronts. We all know it. On days like this, all we want to do is snuggle up in the warm and relax.
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So it's no wonder that many people with colds are drawn to the sauna. It is always said that a warm bath and sweating support our body - and in the sauna we really get sweating.
On the other hand, it is often not recommended to go to the sauna with a cold. So can you go to the sauna with a cold, or will saunas make the cold much worse?
During the sauna session, the surface of the skin warms up and the body temperature rises. Our body reacts to this by activating our defense cells.
The immune system is thus strengthened and the heart and circulation are trained.
Sauna sounds like a good idea for a cold. But I rejoiced too soon!
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Sauna when you have a cold is not a good idea, because you can't sweat out viruses so easily.
By the way, for gentle warmth and as a prevention against colds of all kinds, an infrared cabin is ideally suited. It produces pleasant heat and does not stress the body as much as a sauna.
Taking a sauna when the cold announces itself
You probably notice the first signs of a cold early on. Your throat starts to scratch and a cold is on its way.
The tissues in the box are getting fewer, but they are piling up on your table. Now you can quickly do something against the upcoming cold!
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Going to the sauna with a cold can still have a positive effect on your health. However, opinions on this are divided.
For example, health websites only recommend saunas to skilled sauna-goers when a cold is just around the corner.
For headaches, aching limbs, shivering and a dry nose, sauna is quite recommended on many websites for colds in the starting blocks.
Especially low temperatures (45-60 degrees) and a steam bath have a positive effect on the respiratory tract and the immune system. The common cold is literally nipped in the bud.
In Finland, sauna-goers swear by taking a sauna when they catch a cold. The sweating has the same effect as a fever.
If it gets too warm in the body, viruses are driven away by the heat, as they feel most comfortable at normal body temperature. Even for experienced sauna users, the following applies: As soon as you feel unwell, you should leave the sauna!
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High-temperature saunas should generally be avoided by anyone with a mild cold. Germs can multiply more quickly there and the infection in the body can become even worse.
If you are unsure and already have a scratchy throat or sneeze, inhaling is a better idea. It only affects the respiratory tract and is not so strenuous for the already ailing body.
You have two options: Either hold your head over a pot of hot water, or take a one-time Inhaler with built-in nasal irrigation*. The inhaler is a good idea because you can not only treat blocked noses, but also do something for your body when sneezing and coughing. The inhaler cleanses the airways, decongests the mucous membranes and helps the cold to heal.
You are much more flexible with it than with a sauna session and safer than with a pot full of hot water. The device is also suitable for children and has different attachments. It's best to read the more than 850 reviews for the Inhaler with built-in nasal irrigation* on Amazon. They are all very positive. Incidentally, the device is currently on offer!
So the dry and very hot air is an additional burden for our weakened body.
For this reason, people often advise against taking a sauna with a cold. The cold shower afterwards should also be omitted. Take a warm shower and wrap yourself in a thick sauna towel or bathrobe.
Among sauna fans, sauna is not recommended for colds. According to experience reports, the cold has worsened. The increased circulation was an accelerator.
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Abstract: Professionals can venture into less warm saunas. As a beginner, sauna with a cold is not a good idea.
If you are a complete beginner, you should only really fit into the sauna. And study a little bit about the subject beforehand.
Taking a sauna when you have a cold
Cough, cold, sore throat - that's what our body has to fight with when we have a cold. Fever and headache make the misery perfect in most cases.
Especially in winter, when temperatures are around zero degrees, many wonder if the sauna could help with colds. After all, saunas are generally considered to be beneficial to health.
In contrast to the previous section, everyone here agrees: sauna with a cold is a clear no-go.
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If you have a flu-like infection, you should definitely not take a sauna. Sweating is considered healthy when you have a cold. But the change between hot and cold can be too stressful for your cardiovascular system at that moment.
The body is further weakened and recovery is hindered. Therefore, sauna can even be dangerous for you when you have a cold.
You need the energy you still have to fight off the colds. Because viruses can't just be sweated out.
On the contrary, viruses love heat and spread even faster. Going to the sauna with a cold makes it worse in the worst case! And you ensure that others are also infected with a virus.
Sauna during a flu-like infection is not a good idea. Rest, fresh vitamins and drinking plenty of fluids are still the best medicine.
This is how you strengthen your immune system in the long term!
The most important vitamins for the immune system are vitamin C, B12, D3, K2. Together they are not only a good booster against colds, but also against fatigue and when you feel groggy.
Sauna when the cold subsides
You're slowly but surely getting over it and the cold is subsiding. Sleep and enough vitamins and zinc can quickly make your body fit again.
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In any case, take it easy until you feel really healthy again. Otherwise, it can happen that you carry over the infection.
If you are well, you can visit the sauna even if you have a slight cold. But you should start gently. Your circulatory system may still be weakened. Start with a steam bath or a low-temperature sauna.
You can combat stubborn remnants of the common cold, such as a mild cough or cold, with a sauna session.
Why does sauna usually hurt when you have a cold?
Due to the great heat in the sauna, your body temperature is increased. The skin temperature also rises. The body experiences a kind of artificial fever.
It is weakened even though the defense system is already battered.
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Of course, this activates the immune cells, but this is also temporarily exhausting. So it's no wonder that your health condition tends to deteriorate after a visit to the sauna.
If the infection is very strong with fever, it can be really dangerous for you. The cardiovascular system can be overloaded!
Of course, you also expose your fellow human beings to an increased risk of infection.
Prevent the common cold with sauna
Taking a sauna is supposed to be the ideal precaution against colds and co. Sauna for colds strengthens our defenses.
However, this positive effect only occurs after about eight to twelve weeks. A single visit to the sauna is not enough to provide for the long term.
To really strengthen the immune system in the long term, you should sweat in the sauna at least once a week.
It is also important to follow a few rules. Otherwise you will only strain your body and not strengthen it.
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6 rules that help prevent the common cold
- Go to a high temperature sauna with dry air. A steam bath is not as effective for the immune system.
- A sauna session should last a maximum of 12 to 15 minutes. Usually you will find hourglasses with 15 minutes or a normal clock on the wall in the sauna.
- Two to three sauna sessions are quite enough
- After sauna you should cool down every time
- A quick shower or hosing down is better than prolonged bathing in cold water (you'll cool down too much)
- You should only sauna when you feel well and leave the sauna immediately if you feel unwell
If you follow these sauna rules, you can strengthen your immune system in a relaxed way while sweating.
Sauna benefits - What does a sauna session do?
When you go to the sauna, your body doesn't just sweat. Taking a sauna has many health benefits.
In a classic Finnish sauna, your skin temperature rises up to ten degrees, the internal temperature up to two degrees. Your body is now working at full speed to keep the temperature constant. It tries to give off heat. Your heart pumps faster, you sweat and your breathing rate increases. The sweating creates evaporative cooling.
The resulting cold stimulus produces an opposite reaction. Your blood vessels contract and the blood flows primarily to the inside of the body. This is where the heat should be retained.
This constant change between hot and cold trains your circulation and also the body's thermoregulatory system.
Your blood vessels and mucous membranes are stimulated. This targeted stimulation of the respiratory tract and the increased blood flow to the nose and throat also increases the buildup of defense cells here. This significantly reduces the risk of catching a cold.
Your body learns to adapt to different temperatures by taking a sauna. For example, to freeze less in cold weather. So viruses can be fended off better.
In the heat your muscles also relax, the skin pores open and are better supplied with oxygen and nutrients. Perhaps you have also noticed that your skin was totally soft after a sauna session?
According to the German Sauna Association, flu-like infections can be halved after just a quarter of a year through regular sauna sessions! An increased resistance to flu infections has been proven in both adults and children.
The fact that saunas have a detoxifying effect or help with weight loss is rather controversial.
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Our conclusion
By taking regular saunas, you can do something good for your body and your health. You strengthen your immune system and make your body more resistant to cold.
Sauna with a cold is definitely a no-go. You weaken your body, possibly infect the people around you and put a strain on your cardiovascular system.
If the cold is just starting or is already subsiding, feel free to go to low-temperature saunas or steam baths. Always listen to your body and leave the sauna if you feel unwell.
A visit to the sauna can not only be relaxing but actually good for your health. Sweating is twice as much fun. So grab your bathrobe, towel and let's go. :)
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