Sauna When Sick: Helpful or Harmful?

A hot sauna can feel amazing when you’re sick, but can it actually help you recover? Some people swear by “sweating it out,” hoping the heat will ease symptoms or speed up healing.

But what does science say? Here’s what you need to know before stepping into the heat.

Is a Sauna Good When Sick?

It depends on the illness. While there’s no strong evidence that a sauna will cure a cold or flu, some people find temporary relief from mild symptoms.

However, saunas aren’t always safe when you’re sick, and in some cases, they can actually make things worse.

Let’s look at when a sauna might help and when to avoid it.

Potential Benefits

If you have mild cold symptoms without a fever, saunas may offer small benefits:

• Clears congestion: Steam might temporarily open up your airways.
• Relaxes sore muscles: Heat soothes tension and discomfort.
• Endorphins: Sauna use releases natural painkillers that can boost your mood.
• Immune support: Regular sauna use may strengthen your immune system over time. It is helpful for prevention, not treatment.
• Heat shock proteins: Sauna sessions trigger these proteins, which have antioxidant effects in the lungs and may offer antiviral action against viruses like influenza A (the flu). These proteins directly support your innate immune system (the body’s first line of defense against pathogens and foreign substances).
• Nasal filtration: The sauna’s moisture can improve how your nostril cells filter out particles and viruses.

When It Could Harm

For more serious illnesses or certain symptoms, sauna use can do more harm than good:

• Raises body temperature: This is dangerous if you already have a fever.
• Dehydration risk: Your body needs fluids most when you’re sick; saunas drain them faster.
• Energy drain: Adapting to heat stress takes valuable energy away from healing.
• Risk to others: You might spread your illness in a public sauna.
• Nausea & appetite loss: Heat exposure can worsen symptoms like nausea and suppress your appetite.
• False sense of relief: Much like a hot shower, a sauna might feel good temporarily but makes your body work harder to cool down afterward by stealing energy your body needs to fight the illness.

When to Avoid Saunas

Avoid saunas if you have a fever, bad cough, severe congestion, or are dehydrated. These conditions can become worse in extreme heat.

Your body is already working hard to fight off the illness. Adding heat stress could worsen your symptoms and slow your recovery.

Is Sauna Good for a Cold?

While saunas don’t cure colds or shorten how long they last, some people with mild cold symptoms find limited relief:

• Gentle heat (especially from infrared saunas) might help open nasal passages.
• The warm, humid environment may temporarily ease congestion.
• The relaxation might help you feel better briefly.

However, these short-term effects won’t help you recover any faster.

Better Ways to Recover

Instead of using a sauna when sick, there are several proven methods that can help you feel better.

Drinking plenty of fluids is essential to staying hydrated and thinning out mucus. Water helps loosen congestion and replace fluids lost through fever and sweating, so drink plenty of water or electrolyte-containing beverages.

Getting extra rest and sleep gives your body the energy to fight infection. Sleep boosts your immune system and strengthens your body’s defenses against viruses, making it one of the most important things you can do when sick.

You can also use a cool mist humidifier to ease congestion by adding moisture to the air. For cough relief, try honey (though never give honey to children under one-year-old). Throat lozenges can help with sore throat pain, and over-the-counter cold medications may provide temporary symptom relief when used as directed.

When to See a Doctor

If your symptoms don’t improve after a few days or if new symptoms develop, it’s time to see a healthcare provider. Your illness might be something more serious than a common cold.

Conclusion

While saunas have many health benefits when you’re well, using a sauna when sick isn’t recommended. For most illnesses, especially those with fever or severe symptoms, saunas can do more harm than good.

The best approach when sick is usually rest, fluids, and sleep. If you’re only mildly congested without a fever, a gentle infrared sauna or warm shower might provide temporary relief but won’t speed up your recovery.

Have you ever used a sauna when sick? Tell me about your experience in the comments below!

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