Sauna for Respiratory Health: Expert Tips for Asthma Relief

It’s a wonderful surprise to the average sauna user that, yes indeed, spending time in the sauna is incredibly good for your lung health and overall respiratory resilience. There are several great reasons already to spend time in the sauna. So take pride in knowing that there is one more meaningful reason to add to that list: making your lungs stronger and more prepared to hold off disease in the future. With little to no preparation, you could be doing your lungs some great service. Let’s get into the main ways you can benefit from using a sauna for respiratory health.

How You Can Benefit From Using a Sauna for Respiratory Health

There are luckily several distinct ways that habitual sauna use can make your lungs stronger and more prepared for the needs of your daily life.

How Saunas Improve Lung Capacity and Oxygenation

It’s true. Simply by spending time in the sauna, you are likely improving your overall lung capacity without even realising it. The reason for this has to do with how the body responds to the heat of the sauna. As soon as you enter the sauna, your body recognises the high heat and starts to carry out a protocol held deep inside you for each and every time you run the risk of getting too hot.

First, the nervous system comprehends that your outer skin is interacting with heat that is above the temperature you usually spend time around. The average traditional wood-burning sauna can be as hot as 95 degrees Celsius. So that’s more than enough to make your body react!

There are several key bodily reactions that kick off right when your body starts to recognise the heat. Today we’re mainly concerned with what happens to your lungs and respiratory system. A good amount of the work that happens when we breathe is actually involuntary. This means that our body does most of the work in our respiratory system without us having to think about it. Think about how tiresome life would be if every breath was as deliberate as pulling an accordion.

As soon as your body recognises that the air temperature is higher than normal, your involuntary breaths start to get slower and deeper. This is primarily to stop too much hot air from getting into your bodily systems before you’re fully prepared to take it on. If you started breathing too fast in the sauna, notice this and be mindful of your breathing pace. There is a good chance you would outpace your body’s ability to maintain its internal temperature. Your body takes it upon itself to slow down your rate of breathing.

A Note on Saunas for Breathing Efficiency

So yes, saunas can strongly improve your respiratory health and increase your lung capacity. But with all of this in mind, the only way to bring about a real and noticeable change in your lung capacity is by making a sauna session a regular habit. Think about any other kind of change you’d want to make in your resilience. If you wanted to run further or lift more weight, you wouldn’t work out once and expect to be at the top of your game at a minute’s notice. The more often you get your lungs working in the sauna, the more equipped they will be to handle deeper breaths in the future.

At the same time, your body also instructs you to start taking deeper breaths! By taking these deeper breaths over a longer period of time, you are actually improving the overall capacity of your lungs, making it easier to take in deeper breaths in the future.

Saunas and Detoxification for Respiratory Relief

More than simply making your lungs stronger, spending time in the sauna or even a steam sauna can help you hold off some diseases. You may not even be aware of the internal diseases your body may be carrying. Specifically, saunas for respiratory health have been found to make a meaningful difference for those suffering from bacterial infections. One of the most common respiratory system infection is a respiratory tract infection. The logic is actually quite simple: the heat helps the body fight off diseases! Yup, that’s it.

Whenever you get a fever, for example, your body naturally increases its internal temperature. The purpose of this reaction is to flush out bacteria or other germs causing trouble in your body’s systems. This is why saunas or steam saunas are helpful for respiratory tract infections. Your respiratory tract has the most contact with the heat that comes from the sauna because of your breathing. Each warm breath you take in the sauna is slightly increasing the temperature of your respiratory tract. But you need not worry about that part of your body getting too hot.

Remember, your body is also ensuring that your breaths are longer and deeper at the same time. So this means that you are giving your respiratory tract the best chance to heat up properly. Even if you aren’t dealing with an infection like this, bringing a healthy amount of heat into your body can reduce overall bacteria levels. This can also lower your chances of contracting an infection in the future.

How Saunas Help Prevent Respiratory Infections

A growing body of research shows that saunas and sauna therapy can offer significant relief for those suffering from chronic respiratory health conditions such as COPD or asthma. Let’s explore some of the findings related to COPD.

One particularly revealing study tested the effectiveness of treatments between two groups of people with COPD. One group received traditional treatments only. The other group combined traditional medical treatments with habitual sauna sessions—essentially undergoing sauna therapy. Over a four-week period, researchers found that the group incorporating sauna therapy experienced more relief and were generally more satisfied with their condition by the study’s end. This is likely due to the fact that COPD causes unnatural buildup in the lungs and throat. While medications can help control this, one of the oldest and most consistent methods for reducing respiratory buildup is through heat therapy. Or more specifically, dry sauna therapy.

However, if you are currently suffering from a bacterial infection of the respiratory tract, it’s likely not sufficient to rely solely on sauna therapy and home remedies. If you are feeling symptoms of a respiratory tract infection, consult with a healthcare professional before using sauna therapy. Severe cases may be too sensitive to the heat of a sauna, so always seek advice from a professional first.

The heat of the sauna, whether a traditional or steam sauna, is not only effective at reducing bacteria in the respiratory system. It also helps dislodge phlegm and other respiratory blockages. Spending time in a portable steam sauna can help loosen mucus, making it easier to breathe. We’ll explore more about these benefits later in the article.

Saunas for Asthma Sufferers & How They Help with Allergies

Asthma is a chronic condition that can develop genetically or as a result of prolonged exposure to poor air quality. Fortunately, whether asthma is hereditary or environmental doesn’t affect the sauna’s ability to reduce symptoms and provide relief. Using a sauna for asthma relief has shown a positive correlation, as sauna therapy has been shown in studies to relieve asthma symptoms when practiced regularly. Roughly about three visits per week. The prevailing theory is that a sauna’s heat encourages deep breathing and strengthens lung capacity. This helps people with asthma manage their symptoms more effectively.

One of the most common home remedies for asthma is to take deep, restorative breaths. Using a sauna for asthma benefits are closely tied because saunas naturally promote deep breathing, allowing the respiratory system to work more efficiently. For those who suffer from asthma, using a dry sauna or steam sauna regularly can support lung function and ease breathing difficulties. In fact, many people ask, “Is dry sauna good for lungs?” The answer is yes. The dry heat improves lung capacity, clears congestion, and promotes deeper breathing, all of which help alleviate asthma symptoms. Using a sauna for asthma relief can also be found through the sauna’s ability to open up airways and reduce inflammation.

Sauna for Asthma & Sinus Relief

In fact, saunas may provide a form of sauna and sinus congestion relief for those dealing with respiratory issues linked to allergies. The heat and humidity from a steam sauna or dry sauna can help clear out excess mucus and ease congestion, which is particularly helpful for individuals with asthma.

However, it’s important to remember that sauna therapy is a complementary treatment, not a primary one. While research shows that sauna sessions significantly benefit those with chronic respiratory conditions, these individuals are also receiving traditional medical treatments. If you’re interested in using saunas to support your asthma management, it can certainly be a helpful tool. Be mindful that it’s not a replacement for your inhaler or prescribed medications.

How Saunas Help Relieve Chronic Cough and Wheezing

Even if you aren’t suffering from major respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD, or a significant infection, you can still find great relief in the heat of a dry sauna or portable steam sauna. Those dealing with minor illnesses, like a common cold or chronic cough, might experience faster relief with fewer sauna sessions required. If you’re dealing with respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, or nasal congestion, adding regular trips to the sauna could provide much-needed respite.

The reason why saunas are helpful for alleviating common cold symptoms primarily comes down to two factors: heat and humidity. As previously discussed, the heat of the sauna works wonders in reducing harmful bacteria building up in your respiratory system. Additionally, the symptoms often associated with colds—such as coughing—are caused when phlegm rests on the walls of your respiratory tract for too long. In the worst cases, this can even lead to serious respiratory infections. The heat and humidity of the sauna naturally loosen this phlegm, allowing it to pass through your respiratory system more easily.

However, there are important considerations before heading to the sauna while sick with a cold. When you’re battling a cold or experiencing flu-like symptoms, your body is already at an elevated risk of dehydration, as it works hard to fight off the infection. Some believe that they can “sweat out a cold” by visiting the sauna, but this is a misconception. While saunas can be beneficial for chronic conditions, using one for an acute illness like a cold can be counterproductive.

Expert Tips for Using a Sauna for Respiratory Health & Improved Breathing

Now that we’ve explored all of the great ways that saunas can make your respiratory system and overall health stronger and more prepared for the next threat that comes its way. Let’s talk about some of the most common questions that come up when talking about the sauna and respiratory health.

How Long Should You Stay in a Sauna for Respiratory Benefits

The good news is that there is generally no time limit, or we ought to say a lower time limit. That justifies when someone starts to take advantage of the benefits of using saunas for respiratory health. You should always spend exactly as long in the sauna as you feel comfortable spending and no more than that. A good indicator as to whether or not your trip to the sauna meaningfully engaged your respiratory system is if you started sweating.

Sweating is the most visible indicator that your body’s systems are fully engaged and keeping you healthy. For some, sweat can come about as early as five minutes into a sauna trip. Others may take as much as 15.

But the most important rule to keep in mind when dealing with the question of how long to spend in the sauna is the upper time limit. No one should spend more than 20 minutes in the sauna per session without taking a break for water. After 20 minutes, no matter your tolerance, your body will have given off a significant amount of water. Before you can hop back in the sauna, make sure to refill your system. If you’re using a steam sauna or dry sauna, always monitor your body’s signals. Taking a break and staying hydrated will ensure that your body continues to enjoy the sauna health benefits for respiratory health without overloading it.

Dry Saunas vs Steam Saunas: Which is Better for Respiratory Health

There is not a straightforward answer as to which type of sauna is best for respiratory health. Each style of sauna offers its own benefits and drawbacks. First, let’s discuss the dry sauna. Using a traditional dry sauna will produce stronger reactions in all of the health benefits that correspond to heat. This is because the dry sauna generally burns hotter than other types of saunas. So, for example, if you are looking to improve the overall capacity of your lungs, you may find better results in a dry sauna. This type of sauna is especially beneficial for people using a sauna for asthma and those seeking to improve lung capacity.

Now, let’s talk about steam saunas. For reasons lightly explained above, steam saunas are very effective at clearing the respiratory system of phlegm and other blockages. So, if you’re battling a common cold that’s causing respiratory distress, a steam sauna is a great place to find some relief. The warm humidity of the steam sauna can help loosen mucus and clear nasal passages, which may provide instant comfort for those struggling with congestion. This is particularly helpful for people looking for sauna for sinus congestion relief or those seeking to manage inflammation.

Infrared Sauna for Respiratory Health

It’s also a good idea to briefly mention infrared saunas here. Infrared saunas are similar to traditional dry saunas but unfortunately are not as beneficial for respiratory health. This mostly has to do with how infrared saunas heat the body. While old-school saunas are enclosed rooms packed with hot air, the air around an infrared sauna doesn’t get nearly as hot because the sauna’s heat is generated by concentrated radiation. While benefits related to your body actually getting hot, such as reducing bacteria, will remain, the ones that depend on breathing hot air may not manifest as fully.

For safe sauna practices, only use the sauna when your symptoms are mild or when you’ve passed the worst of the illness. Additionally, saunas can be particularly helpful in providing sauna and sinus congestion relief. As the heat and moisture help open airways, making it easier to breathe.

Conclusions on Saunas for Respiratory Health

Spending time in a sauna is one of the most natural and relaxing ways to work out your lungs and prepare for potential bacterial infections. This is especially beneficial for individuals with respiratory conditions like COPD or asthma. Using saunas for respiratory health can provide relief like no other treatment. Whether you’re using a dry sauna or steam sauna, both offer unique benefits to enhance lung function and overall respiratory well-being.

Like any kind of health treatment, the best results from saunas for respiratory health come only after an extended period of time. Your goal should be to make sauna use a maintainable and easy habit in your life. Many studies on saunas and respiratory health suggest that the best outcomes are seen when individuals make about three trips to the sauna each week. By committing to regular sauna sessions, you’ll give your lungs the best chance at thriving, reducing inflammation, and staying clear of respiratory distress.

So, if you’re looking to improve your lung health, manage asthma symptoms, or even find relief from sinus congestion, saunas can be a great ally in your wellness routine. Remember to listen to your body, and always consult a professional if you have concerns about your respiratory health.