Is a sauna good for coughing?

Struggling with nasal congestion? It’s frustrating and affects your daily life. Discover how saunas can offer relief and help you breathe easier.

 

What is coughing?

Coughing is an important reflex that helps clear the throat and airways. According to medical experts, coughing can be a sudden expulsion of air from the lungs at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, a mechanism designed to dislodge and expel irritants from the respiratory tract. There are different types of coughs, including:

• Acute coughs, which start quickly and often result from a cold, flu, or sinus infection, typically lasting up to three weeks.
• Subacute coughs that last between three to eight weeks.
• Chronic coughs persisting longer than eight weeks.

 

Issues like persistent coughing can severely impact the quality of life by causing discomfort, fatigue, and disruption of daily activities, making it difficult to talk or sleep.

Fortunately, there is a cure for coughing; several methods can help manage these symptoms. One effective approach, as outlined by the American Academy of Family Physicians, is to take over-the-counter (OTC) cough suppressants.

Common options include dextromethorphan (Triaminic Cold and Cough, Robitussin Cough, Vicks 44) and guaifenesin (Mucinex, Robitussin Chest Congestion).

If you’re worried about the negative effects of long-term medication use, a sauna session might help manage your coughing symptoms.

 

Is a sauna good for coughing?

According to a 2017 study in SpringerPlus, sauna bathing may reduce the risk of respiratory diseases like COPD, asthma, and pneumonia.

In a study of 1935 middle-aged Caucasian men over 25.6 years, those who sauna bathed 2-3 times weekly had a 27% lower risk, while those bathing ≥4 times had a 41% lower risk, compared to ≤1 session weekly.

Pneumonia risk also decreased: 28% for 2-3 sessions, 37% for ≥4 sessions. Sauna baths may help prevent respiratory conditions in this demographic.

 

Is a sauna good for the lungs?

 

As noted by a 2022 study in the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention sauna bathing may reduce pneumonia risk in middle-aged to older men.

The research, involving 2,264 participants aged 42-61, found that frequent sauna sessions (2-7 times per week) were associated with a 21% lower risk of pneumonia compared to less frequent sauna use (once a week or less).

Elevated levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), an inflammation marker, were linked to a 30% higher pneumonia risk. However, frequent sauna bathing appeared to mitigate this risk, suggesting potential lung health benefits beyond reducing inflammation.

 

Is a sauna good for asthma?

A 2001 study in The American Journal of Medicine suggests that sauna bathing may benefit asthma patients by temporarily improving pulmonary function, including vital capacity and ventilation.

Patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis have reported enhanced breathing after sauna sessions, although results vary across studies. While sauna bathing shows potential for respiratory relief, its effectiveness can vary among individuals with asthma.