| It’s long been thought that you can sweat out a cold. So some people head to a sauna when stuffy nose and coughing symptoms start. But this may not do any good, and might make things worse for you — and others. First, studies have shown that inhaling dry heat in a sauna doesn’t help cold symptoms. Second, overheating in a sauna can be risky for some people, leading to cardiovascular strain, according to Andrea Love, founder of health education firm Immunologic and biomedical scientist at Revvity.
Extreme heat can impede the ability of your immune system to do “what it needs to do,” Love said. “Overheating can also increase your risk of dehydration, and hydration is also important when you're trying to fight off an illness.” And there’s a third thing to consider if you’re headed to a sauna with a cold: exposing others. “Saunas are typically closed rooms with poor ventilation, which could contribute the spread of respiratory viruses,” Chantal Gomez, a spokesperson at the New York City Health Department said in an emailed statement. To avoid spreading the virus, the department recommends wearing a mask, practicing hand hygiene, avoiding crowded spaces and staying home. Heat isn’t all bad. Love supports using steamy showers as a decongestant agent. But the tried-and-true treatment for a cold is rest. “It might seem appealing to try to find quick fixes,” Love adds, “but a lot of what your immune system needs is time.” — Carrington York | 
