Sauna with a cold: Is that really healthy?

sauna-with-a-cold-is-that-really-healthy

Can I go to the sauna for a cold? Can the pathogens be sweated out? What is good and what you should avoid, you will find out here. 

Sauna with a cold: Yes or no?

The throat is scratching, the nose is running and you are feeling tired and exhausted? Now quickly sweat in the sauna and the common cold … right? Unfortunately this is a fallacy, because viruses can not be sweated out unfortunately. In addition, your cardiovascular system is burdened by the change between cold and heat – but your immune system is already damaged and with the sauna it will be charged even more . Your body needs all its energy to fight the common cold virus – which is why having a cold is a bad idea! And if you have a fever, the sauna is taboo (so you can really measure fever )! So: Lieber to bed and cure instead of going to sweat in the sauna.

And sauna at first cold symptoms?

So if the cold or the flu infection has already struck, you should better not go into the sauna. But what about the first symptoms? Some have the experience that at the first sign a sauna visit will cure the cold. But you should be careful! This can also have the opposite effect, so  the cold can be worse. In case of doubt prefer to do without the sauna. Even with a declining cold, you should wait until the cold, cough and co. Are completely gone before you become a saunagänger again. Wait a few more days after the symptoms resolveand start with a bio sauna or a soft sauna. Temperatures are between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius, while in the classic Finnish sauna they are between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius. This initially protects your circulation, until you are really fit again.

The sauna for colds rather leave – but at least I can prevent it?

Who goes into the sauna, does something good for his health. A sauna visit is a good cardiovascular training, strengthens the body’s defenses and relaxes the muscles. In addition, sauna sessions improve the appearance of the skin, as the skin is better supplied with blood and supplied with oxygen . Some studies in Finland have shown that respiratory illnesses or colds with regular sauna sessions can be prevented . To gain the health benefits, you must regularly go to the sauna: the sauna effects will lessen after about eight to ten days and need a refresher. But so that colds and Co. have no chance, a single visit is not enough: The benefits occur only if you regularly saunierst over a longer period, You should go to the sauna about once a week for at least three months.

Sauna: How it works!

You do not know how to proceed on your sauna visit? We’ll show you how it works.

  • In the beginning you should take a shower to rinse the body fat from the skin, which can hinder the sweating. If you should be made-up, remove the make-up before. Dry yourself off well . Now you can tackle your first sauna session. This should be between eight and 15 minutes – while: Pay attention to your body feeling! If it gets too much for you, go out earlier. Either you are sitting all the time or you are lying down and sitting down for the last two minutes to get used to your circulation to the upright posture.
  • The first way after the sauna session leads to the fresh air , which is important for the cooling of the respiratory tract. After a few steps outside, the second cooling is done with cold water . If you like, then go into the cold water immersion tank.
  • This is followed by a warm footbath – which is especially important after the last sauna session, in order to avoid heavy sweating.
  • After a little rest, you can do the next sauna session. Three sessions of sauna are usually sufficient to achieve health benefits.

Note: If you have heart problems, you should first talk to your doctor about whether and how you can sauna.

Sauna with cold – what actually happens when sauna?

The body reacts to the heat in the sauna: The skin temperature rises by about 10 °. In the body, the blood vessels of the skin expand , the skin circulation intensifies and the heat reaches the body. The body temperature is about 37 ° and is now increased to 1 to 2 ° . However, the body tries to keep the normal value, the sweat production begins: Evaporated sweat on the skin, heat is removed from the body. In the subsequent cooling measures, the skin temperature drops again, the arteries of the skin narrow and the blood flows into the body to maintain the heat there. So the body tries to counteract the heat loss. With a following Fußwärmbad the blood vessels are widened again.