Many of us will look for ways to relieve the symptoms of a cold or flu, although medicine may not work as fast as some people would want.
This has led to many people asking does a sauna help a cold, especially when it comes to getting rid of it quickly.
The answer to this question is somewhat complicated, as it’s both a yes and no.
While a sauna shouldn’t get rid of the virus itself, it can relieve many of the symptoms that you’ll experience.
This is especially true when it comes to muscle soreness and fatigue.
You should also be able to breathe much easier than you did before using the sauna.
This means that, when we answer the question of does a sauna help a cold go away, then it’s a no.
However, it will help you feel better while the medication that you’re taking begins working.
Tips for Using a Sauna
If you haven’t used a sauna before, then you might want to take advantage of several tips and tricks before you start.
- The first of these is to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water before and after you use it. This is because the heat will cause you to sweat significantly.
- This also means that you’ll need to avoid alcohol while you’re doing so. The primary reason behind this is it can also dehydrate you, which will be compounded when you’re in the sauna. Should you become too dehydrated, then there can be several short-term side effects that many people will want to avoid.
- It’s also recommended that you avoid eating before you use it, especially if you’re looking to lose weight. This is because the heat in the sauna may disagree with a full stomach. However, it does mean that your appetite will be reduced once you’re done. Should you be hungry before using it, try having some fruit or a light snack to tide you over.
- Lastly, you shouldn’t stay in the sauna for too long, primarily if you haven’t used it much before. While many people will be able to withstand the heat for long periods, it can often take a while to develop this tolerance.
Benefits of Using a Sauna
Better Looking Skin
The stress that heat puts on your skin while you’re in a sauna can provide a variety of benefits that many people may not have thought of.
The most notable of these is an increased production of collagen, which plays a large role in skin health.
There are several ways that this will be seen, especially if you use a sauna long-term.
This can be seen in the skin repair process, which helps protect it from future stresses, such as sun damage.
You should also have less oily skin and improved hydration over time.
Weight Loss
While a sauna may not result in weight loss by itself, studies have shown that it can improve the effects of exercise and enhance the amount of weight you’ll lose as a result of it.
One study, for example, compared a test group that exercised for 15 minutes with those who exercised and then visited a sauna.
After 30 minutes of sitting in a sauna, participants were able almost to double their weight loss results.
Alongside this, they were able to lose up to 4.6 times more body fat.
This may be because a sauna can reduce a person’s appetite after it’s used, which naturally limits calorie intake and burns much of the fat that has already been consumed.
Detoxification
Many people will come across a variety of toxins during their daily life, with this being found in small doses in food and a range of other things.
While these may not be harmful in limited doses, they can build up in your body over a certain period.
Many of us will want to avoid this and get rid of these toxins, which is one of the core benefits of a sauna.
This is because you will sweat out the majority of them, so you’ll be able to remove them while sitting.
As exposure to these toxicants can be unavoidable, removing them can be vital, which is why a sauna can be recommended.
Decreased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Everybody needs to look after their heart health and cardiovascular system.
Several long-term studies have shown that saunas can help with these.
While few have found an explanation for why this is the case, there have been several surprising heart benefits that it will have.
This is especially true when it comes to cardiac events, which can be reduced by visiting a sauna regularly.
How much this is reduced depends on how often you use a sauna, with doing so more often showing the largest results.
For example, people who use one between four and seven times a week can reduce their risk of a fatal cardiac event by half.
Increased Energy Levels
Saunas have been shown to stimulate the production of red blood cells, as well as a variety of other chemicals and hormones in your body.
There are several benefits to this, with one of the largest being increased energy levels.
This can have a domino effect on the rest of your life, especially if you exercise regularly.
This is primarily because you’ll be able to exercise more, and for longer, which will then create several benefits of its own.
Much of this is driven by an improvement in blood flow, which will then improve nutrient delivery and boosts your overall energy.
Improved Post-Workout Recovery
Working out can result in lactic acid being created in your body, which can provide a few adverse effects, with the most notable being a long recovery time and sore muscles post-workout.
One of the core ways to avoid this is through using a sauna.
This is driven by an increased amount of blood flow and nutrient creation.
By using a sauna for 15 to 30 minutes after exercising, you should see a reduction in muscle stiffness and the damage that a long workout may do.