I don’t have to tell you what it’s like to have a hangover. If you’ve clicked on a link about hangovers, then you’ve had (or are in the midst of having) a hangover.
You want to know what, if anything, will make your hangover go away. And in the context of this website, I’m going to tell you whether the sauna or steam room will help your hangover. Or if it will make it worse.
To sum it up quickly:
There is no scientific evidence that using the sauna or steam room will cure a hangover. While sweating may eliminate some toxins in the body, it is likely to lead to both dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. When hungover you should avoid the sauna and instead concentrate on replenishing fluids.
Hangover Basics
You already know this, but after a period of heavy drinking, you are likely to experience a period of sickness and general discomfort popularly known as a hangover. This hangover will last from several hours to several days.
What are the Symptoms of a Hangover?
Common Symptoms of a Hangover include:
- Headache
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Loss of Appetite
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Irritability
What Causes a Hangover?
Doctors and Scientists don’t really know exactly why drinking alcohol causes a hangover. Most likely, hangovers are caused by a number of factors resulting from drinking alcohol.
Things like dehydration, toxins like formaldehyde, and a whole host of effects on your body chemistry, (which are beyond the scope of this article)–all may play a role in causing your hangover.
Additionally, you are more likely to experience a hangover and the severity of the hangover tends to be greater if you haven’t consumed food recently, if you are experiencing a lack of sleep, are dehydrated, or are in poor physical health generally. (Source)
Does Sweating Out a Hangover in the Sauna or Steam Room Work?
There is a popular misconception that you can cure a hangover in the sauna, steam room or hot tub or by exercise. The thinking is that you have to “sweat it out”–whatever that means.
The thinking behind it is that you will sweat out the harmful toxins in the body. While it is true that some alcohol in the body is eliminated through sweat. Hangover symptoms do not typically occur until after most, if not all, of the alcohol in the body has been metabolized.
The reality is that there is no scientific evidence that the sauna, steam room or hot tub will cure, or otherwise improve a hangover.
To the contrary, using the sauna while hungover brings numerous risks.
Alcohol and the Sauna Do Not Go Together
You should not use the sauna when under the influence of alcohol or while experiencing a hangover.
In Finland, alcohol consumption is considered a contributing factor to an estimated 20 to 25 sauna related deaths per year. (Source)
A study of sauna deaths in South Korea showed that of 103 reported deaths, 81 of involved alcohol consumption. In 76 cases, the deceased had a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. (Source)
Moreover, using the sauna while hungover is more likely to lead you to faint, your body is likely to maintain blood pressure, and can cause an increased likelihood of cardiac arrhythmias. (Source)
What about Dehydration?
If you are hungover you are probably dehydrated. Indeed, one of the main factors theorized to contribute to a hangover is dehydration that is caused by over consuming alcoholic beverages.
Entering the sauna to sweat out a hangover when you are already dehydrated will only exacerbate the situation. As I’ve written about before, you should not use the sauna when dehydrated.
It is not just the lack of fluids that causes problems, it is the loss of electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals in the body which help maintain ph balance, fluid balance, and move nutrients into your cells. Excessive consumption of alcohol is known to cause electrolyte imbalances. (Source)
While using the sauna will cause you to sweat out toxic minerals, it will also cause you to sweat out beneficial minerals like electrolytes.
For this reason, if you have a hangover it is probably better to focus on replenishing fluids and electrolytes, not eliminating them.
What If You Did Feel Better After Using the Sauna?
If you are suffering from a hangover and the sauna did cause you to feel better, then that is most likely a result of either a placebo effect or the fact that the sauna and steam room are known to cause your body to release endorphins and other feel good hormones. (You can read more about this in my article on sauna and depression.)
If the sauna did work for you, then more power to you. But I would still advise caution as the potential for severe dehydration and other health risks far more dangerous than a mere hangover.
What Can You Do For A Hangover?
It’s not just the Sauna, the reality is that there is little scientific evidence that any of the popularly claimed remedies are effective at curing a hangover. For the most part, sufficient time is the only cure for a hangover.
That said, it is probably safe to say that getting more fluids and rest will probably help. Even if they don’t cure the hangover, fluids will certainly help to alleviate symptoms related to dehydration.
Ibuprofen or Aspirin will likely help with headache symptoms and other pain symptoms. There are, however, some concerns that the use of aspirin with alcohol could cause stomach bleeding and liver damage. (Source)
