Does a sauna help to shorten the duration of a cold?
A sauna session is said to have a beneficial effect on ending a cold. The warm sauna air causes an increase in the body core temperature, which is similar to a fever. The body’s defence system works more effectively at these slightly increased temperatures, whereas the viral pathogens are more inhibited in their function by the high temperatures.
It is not advisable to take a sauna for people who already have a fever. This would put the body under too much stress, which has the opposite effect – the duration of the cold would be prolonged.
