These are the rules I have to follow when visiting a sauna with a cold
In the case of an acute cold, the body must be protected and those affected should therefore avoid visiting the sauna. However, for mild symptoms or when the cold has subsided, the sauna can help the body and strengthen the immune system. In order to avoid too much stress, the following sauna rules should be observed in the case of a cold: The most important thing is to listen to your body.
If you no longer feel well, you should definitely stop taking a sauna. If you have a fever and an elevated temperature, you should not take a sauna under any circumstances, as this can lead to circulatory failure and fainting. Since the warm air in the sauna cabin rises, the upper benches are the hottest.
In order to protect the body, people with a slight cold should better take a seat in the lower rows, as the temperature is more bearable there. In general, a session should not last longer than 10 to a maximum of 15 minutes. The subsequent cooling phase should also not be approached too abruptly in the case of colds, as the body is additionally stressed by strong temperature fluctuations.
It is best to avoid the cold shower afterwards and let the body cool down slowly on its own. Since the body loses a lot of fluid due to heavy sweating during sauna visits, it is very important to drink enough water afterwards and reabsorb the lost electrolytes in the form of salty food. Regular visits to the sauna are highly recommended to harden the body against colds.
The immune system is strengthened in a natural way and is better equipped against temperature fluctuations and pathogens. If the first symptoms of a cold appear, such as a scratchy throat or a dry nose, it is still possible to take a sauna. However, if you suffer from a cold, sore throat, cough or fever, you should refrain from taking a sauna until the body has recovered.
Otherwise, there is a risk of overloading the body with the additional heat and causing a significant deterioration in the state of health. If the symptoms improve significantly, you can slowly start taking a sauna again. However, special attention must be paid to the resting phases so that the body can slowly get used to the sauna again.
