Can saunas improve your breathing or sinus conditions?

Saunas can help people with respiratory or sinus problems to breathe easier. This may seem like a contradiction, especially since the steam associated with a traditional sauna can aggravate certain respiratory conditions, especially asthma. However, studies have shown that people with respiratory problems can find relief from a trip to the spa.

There are three main types of saunas in use today. Dry saunas use a wood stove to heat the air inside the sauna. This creates little to no steam, which means that those who cannot breathe hot air can breathe in a dry sauna. Because the heat in a dry sauna is not humid, it does not make the user feel like they are breathing “heavy” air. This can make it possible for asthmatics to use the sauna when they might not otherwise. The heat doesn’t feel as hot as it actually is, simply because it doesn’t contain much moisture.

Some people with respiratory difficulties find it difficult to breathe inside a traditional dry sauna. The hot, dry air chokes their breath. However, infrared saunas, the second type of sauna, work differently. Instead of heating the air, the infrared sauna warms the person. This means that the air inside the sauna is the same as the air outside the sauna. People with chronic breathing difficulties can benefit from the healing properties of using a sauna while avoiding the air problem in a traditional dry sauna by using an infrared sauna.

People with respiratory problems who can breathe steamy air often report more relief with a steam sauna than with a dry or infrared sauna. Doctors often recommend taking children with sinusitis or asthma into a steamy bath to help them breathe. Bath steam has the same effect on a child as sauna steam has on an adult with breathing difficulties. It helps to dissolve the mucus that is causing the problems. Therefore, those who can breathe in a steam sauna often report greater relief from their breathing difficulties with this type of sauna treatment than with dry or infrared treatments. The problem, however, is that the steam can aggravate breathing difficulties for some people, so care should be taken when these people use the sauna for the first time.

All three types of saunas help to rejuvenate the body in general. This serves to help respiratory problems as well as other skin conditions. When someone enters a sauna, the heat penetrates the body and opens the pores. As the body heats up, it begins to perspire. Along with perspiration, toxins that have accumulated in the body are eliminated. This increases circulation and improves the immune system. As a result, the body works better as a complete unit. Sinus problems and other breathing difficulties are reduced as a result of the reduction of toxins in the body.

Some breathing problems are aggravated by too much stress. A sauna, whether wet or dry, can help relieve stress and fatigue. This can help relieve stress-related breathing problems in certain people.

Personal saunas for use at home are available, but this purchase should not be made until the person suffering from breathing difficulties has first determined whether or not a sauna will help. People wondering whether or not a sauna will help their respiratory and sinus problems should try one, unless their doctors advise against it. Most day spas have saunas available. When visiting a spa, people with respiratory problems can try a sauna and see if their symptoms improve before investing the money in a personal sauna. If someone finds relief from their asthma or other chronic respiratory problems in a sauna, purchasing a personal sauna can be a wise investment.