Whether going to the sauna makes sense when you have a cold varies from case to case. We’ll tell you what’s important instead and how you can prevent colds with regular sauna sessions.
It is well known that a sauna session has health benefits. However, opinions differ on the question of whether the sauna is also recommended when you have a cold. On the one hand, you should be able to “sweat out” the cold in the heat of the sauna, so to speak. On the other hand, high temperatures are also quite stressful for the body. So is it better to avoid the sauna at the first sign of a cold?
We’ve gotten to the bottom of these questions and explained to you in which cases you can go to the sauna even if you have a cold – and when you should avoid it.
Sauna for a cold: yes or no?
Some people swear by sweating out the cold in the sauna. Others advise against visiting the sauna if you have a cold. There are definitely good reasons for the latter:
- If you go to the sauna with a cold, you can very quickly infect other people there.
- When you have a cold, your immune system is already compromised. The sauna is then not necessarily the right place: the immune system is put under additional strain by the hot-cold cycle and cannot recover.
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Germs cannot tolerate the heat: they die quickly at a temperature of 90 degrees. However, such heat also puts a strain on your circulation and at temperatures around 50 or 60 degrees the germs live longer and your mucous membranes dry out. This in turn makes it easier for germs to nest.
But:
- According to a pharmacy, if you have a mild cold and temperatures are not that high, a visit to the sauna is comparable to inhalation. If you have a cold, it can be good for your mucous membranes.
According to the IKK’s recommendation, you can in principle still go to the sauna if you have a mild cold – for example if you only feel a scratchy throat. If you go to the sauna with a cold, you should avoid cooling down between sauna sessions.
According to the Techniker health insurance company, you have no business in the sauna if you have acute cold symptoms. People who don’t take a sauna regularly run the risk of making their symptoms worse. Instead of a sauna, your body needs a lot of rest and sleep.
If you are experienced in saunas, you can take a quick sauna session if you have mild cold symptoms if you feel appropriate. Listen to your body: If you feel even slightly unwell, you should leave the sauna immediately. You should also keep enough distance from other visitors when you go to the sauna so as not to infect anyone.
When to go to the sauna again after a cold?
If the cold symptoms subside, you can theoretically go to the sauna again. Because at this point you are no longer contagious and the germs in the body no longer multiply. But if you don’t take a sauna regularly, you should definitely get completely healthy first and take it slowly after the cold. This is what the pharmacy mentioned above recommends, for example.
Note: Going to the sauna when you have a cold has not been proven to speed up the healing process. If you don’t feel fit again yet, it’s better to wait a few days.
Sauna as a prevention against colds
In autumn and winter, the sauna is well suited to strengthening the immune system. The quick change between hot sauna and cold water strengthens the immune system:
- The heat ensures that the blood vessels expand and the body can relax.
- In addition, the blood can flow faster.
- The ice-cold shower causes the blood vessels to suddenly contract again – it’s similar to exercise.
However, the preventive effect only occurs two to three months later and only with regular use (about once or twice a week).
By the way: If you add two to three drops of eucalyptus oil to your sauna infusion, you can also prevent colds.
Edited by Jennifer Watzek
Read more on Techzle\.com:
- Sauna properly: You should pay attention to this in the sauna
- Prevent colds: How to stay healthy
- Sage tea: The effect of the natural cold remedy
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