Fighting a Cold with Far Infrared Therapy: How a ‘False Fever’ Boosts Immunity

February has arrived — and so has a nasty cold. While most people reach for tea and tissues, I head for something even more powerful: my Far Infrared sauna.

Infrared therapy simulates a fever — safely:

Raising your core temperature through infrared heat mimics the body’s natural fever response, helping you fight infection faster.

I’ll be honest — part of me just wants to stay in bed. But I’ve learned that infrared therapy is one of the most effective ways to support recovery from colds, flu, and even more stubborn infections.

Fever is one of the body’s original immune defenses:

A rise in temperature helps activate immune cells, block pathogen replication, and create an environment where viruses and bacteria struggle to survive.

Far Infrared saunas help replicate that immune response:

Without pushing the body into actual fever, the sauna raises your core temperature just enough to trigger powerful immune activity — safely and naturally.

Infections and Poor Circulation: A Vicious Cycle

Many infections linger — especially in parts of the body with poor blood flow, like joints, sinuses, and ears.

Chronic infections often hide where circulation is weakest:

Far Infrared heat penetrates deeper than traditional warmth, improving blood flow and oxygenation in areas most vulnerable to infection.

Toxins weaken your immune defenses:

Heavy metals, chemical exposure, and poor detoxification make it harder for your body to fight off microbial invaders — giving infections an advantage.

Infrared therapy helps on both fronts: it enhances circulation and supports detoxification, helping your body regain control.

What Science Says About Heat and Immunity

The connection between heat and immune function isn’t new — but it’s often overlooked in conventional care.

Even a slight fever dramatically boosts immune activity:

Studies show that when the body’s temperature rises by just 3.6°F, T-cells and antibodies can increase by over 2,000%.

Far Infrared saunas safely mimic fever-like conditions:

This stimulates antibody production, activates white blood cells, and speeds up inflammation at the site of infection — just like a real fever would.

Interleukin-1 is your fever’s secret weapon:

This hormone-like messenger signals the brain to raise body temperature, while also calling immune cells into action. It’s part of what makes fever so effective at stopping infections in their tracks.

As explained in Solved: The Riddle of Illness by Stephen E. Langer and James F. Scheer, fever not only enhances immune cell production — it also helps localize inflammation to keep infections from spreading.

The Moment You Feel Sick — Sauna Up

The moment you feel run down, step into your infrared sauna. That gentle increase in temperature could mean the difference between a lingering cold and a swift recovery.

Use your sauna at the first sign of illness:

Infrared therapy gives your immune system the jumpstart it needs — easing aches, boosting circulation, and cutting your cold short before it takes hold.

Personally, my colds used to linger for a week or more. Now, I start infrared sauna therapy at the first sneeze — and I already feel better.