{Updated December 2022} – There are a lot of common practices and home remedies that claim to be the cure for the common cold. Many people believe that sitting in a sauna and raising your core body temperature will help to flush out toxins and fight viruses. While it’s always best to see a doctor for severe symptoms, there are reasons to believe that relaxing in a sauna can not only help fight colds, but may even help prevent them. Read more to find out: Is a sauna good for a cold?

Using a Sauna Can Benefit Overall Health

A study on sauna use as a lifestyle practice to extend healthspan found that using a sauna can cause the body to trigger many of the same physiological and protective responses that are triggered by exercise, which means you can get many of the various overall health benefits offered by a good workout by simply using a sauna.   

Those benefits may include protection against neurodegenerative disease and cardiovascular disease, preservation of muscle mass, and even reduction of all-cause mortality. So yes, regular sauna sessions can improve your overall health.

Sauna Improves Cardio and Neurovascular Health

One of the ways using a sauna can provide so many benefits is by improving the cardio and neurovascular systems. A recent study has shown that passive heat therapy has a huge positive impact on arterial stiffness and the circulatory system as a whole. Our blood is one of the core life-giving systems. Any improvement at all is certain to have lasting and prominent effects. This is especially true when you have a cold. Getting oxygenated blood throughout your body efficiently is vital to fighting off any type of illness

Sauna May Reduce Risk of Contracting a Cold

Getting sick with a cold is never fun, but there is a way to enjoy some relaxation and fight the virus at the same time. Saunas are designed to increase body temperature and relieve pain and stress in the following ways:

  • Heat and increased sweating can have a detoxifying effect on your body.
  • Saunas can help open airways and make it easier to breathe, which is particularly helpful for congestion symptoms.
  • Heat increases blood flow and oxygenation, which carries immunity boosters throughout your body.
  • Elevated levels of oxygen in your brain (from increased blood flow) help to alleviate fatigue and muscle soreness.

A research study was conducted using twenty-five volunteers, divided into two groups. Half of the participants used a sauna regularly for six months while the other half did not. The frequency, duration, and severity of common colds were recorded for all participants during the six month period. So, is a sauna good for a cold? The study found that the group using the sauna regularly had significantly fewer occurrences of the common cold, and therefore the regular use of saunas may reduce the chances of contracting a cold.

Pro Tip: Another important part of fighting a cold is staying hydrated. Your body needs a lot of extra fluids to combat cold and flu viruses. If you spend time sweating in a steamy sauna, it’s even more important to drink plenty of water to replenish your body’s fluids.

A Cold Can Be Fought By Using a Sauna

According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, “Inducing mild heat-stress through the use of hot springs (balneotherapy), hot baths, saunas, steam-rooms and application of hot mud (pelotherapy), can be used to mimic fever and activate immune defenses.” This means that heating your body externally mimics your body’s natural fever response and helps your body fight off a cold and other illnesses.

Is a Sauna Good for a Cold?

Given all of the compelling research, it would be hard to say no. Using a sauna or a hot tub for heat therapy has a ton of health benefits and we seem to just be scratching the surface of what those are. From immune health to physical health, to even mental health, sauna use is proving to be nothing but a benefit. So we say yes, a sauna is good for a cold.

Great Bay Spa & Sauna

Great Bay Spa & Sauna provides the best service and products in the New England area. We are committed to finding you the perfect hot tub or sauna and offer free test soaks so you can try out a spa or sauna before you buy.

Our infrared saunas are the perfect way to detoxify and relax, especially when fighting a cold or flu virus. Infrared heat penetrates deeper into the skin and muscle tissue while operating at a lower temperature and using less electricity than most household appliances.

To learn more about Great Bay Spa & Sauna, click here. For more information about choosing and installing your own spa or sauna, contact us today!