Sauna and cold plunge therapy have become popular wellness practices, offering a range of benefits for the body and mind. Whether you’re looking to enhance recovery, boost circulation, or simply improve your overall health, the combination of heat and cold therapy can be a game-changer. If you’re new to this practice, it may seem intimidating initially, but with the proper guidance, anyone can reap the rewards. In this blog, we’ll explore 4 key benefits of sauna and cold plunge therapy and share helpful tips to get you started on your wellness journey.
What is the Sauna & Cold Plunge Combo?
If you’re seeking an exhilarating experience that benefits your physical and emotional health, it’s time to try out the sauna and cold plunge combo. As the name suggests, a sauna and ice bath include a dual shock of hot and frigid temperature exposure. Nicknamed the “Nordic Cycle,” you’ll combine a regular sauna session with a plunge into icy waters, whether by a cold plunge tub, frigid shower, lake, or more.
This practice, dating back hundreds of years, produces various benefits, from improved circulation to enhanced mood. While this practice isn’t for the faint of heart, it’s well worth it for those willing to risk it. Once your body adjusts and your mind quiets, the health benefits and mental high you’ll receive from the activity quickly become an experience you’ll want to repeat.
4 Benefits of the Sauna & Cold Plunge Combo
While saunas and cold plunges have various benefits on their own, the combination of both can reap massive rewards for your mind, body, and spirit. Here are 4 benefits you’ll enjoy from a sauna and cold plunge session:
1. Boosted Immune System
Both saunas and cold plunges have immense power to boost your immune system and fight off illness. A single sauna session can increase the production of white blood cells responsible for preventing infections. The shock of heat also enhances protein production, helping to protect your cells from stress and improving the performance of your immune system. Cold plunges also increase white blood cells and metabolic rate, helping reduce muscle damage and inflammation. After a sauna and cold plunge combo, you’ll walk away feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on anything.
2. Burns Fat for Weight Loss
According to a study by the University of Copenhagen, the sauna and cold plunge combo may affect your brown fat. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a specific type of body fat responsible for generating heat by burning energy and fat, helping to regulate body temperature and keep you warm. Experts think that the alternation between extremely hot and cold temperatures affects how your brown fat burns energy and increases body temperature, enhancing your ability to lose weight.
3. Reduces Stress & Enhances Mental Clarity
Do you want to build resilience and improve your mental health? The sauna cold plunge combo is the ideal place to start—and it’s scientifically backed. Stepping into a sauna and ice bath back to back encourages “hormesis,” a biological phenomenon that proves exposure to low or moderate stressors can actually trigger a positive response in an individual, increasing resilience and health over time. The frigid temperatures of an ice bath activate numerous physiological responses, initially placing your body in a state of stress and triggering the nervous system’s “fight or flight” mode. As a result, your heart rate may increase, and stress hormones like cortisol or adrenaline are released. However, alternating with the sauna, which heats the body, helps your system adapt more effectively to these stressors, improving your resilience to future stress through the process of hormesis.
4. Increases Circulation
Alternating between the heat of a sauna and the icy waters of a cold plunge can help improve circulation, resulting in better organ function, improved mental clarity, reduced inflammation, and more. Saunas’ high temperatures cause blood vessels to expand, boosting blood flow, while cold plunges cause them to constrict, enhancing overall cardiovascular function. If you’d like a healthy heart, it’s time to take the leap and try out the cold plunge and sauna combo.
Sauna Cold Plunge Routine: A Step-By-Step Guide
After seeing the massive payoff, the sauna cold plunge routine will quickly become a staple in your week. Whether using an infrared or traditional sauna and opting for an icy shower or a cold plunge tub, we recommend setting your sauna temperature between 140–200℉ and your cold plunge as low as 37℉.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to having a successful sauna and cold plunge experience:
- Hydrate beforehand and keep a bottle of water nearby. Your body will be sweating excessively, so staying hydrated during your sauna and cold plunge sessions is essential. Drink water before entering the sauna and keep it close by during your cycles.
- Enter the sauna for 10–15 minutes. Wear loose, comfortable clothing, a swimsuit, or go nude and enter the sauna for a sweat session. Take deep breaths while you’re inside, always making sure to listen to your body if it is too much.
- Exit the sauna and quickly submerge yourself into the icy waters. You can rinse off before entering the cold plunge tub, but we recommend jumping in straight after your sweat session. Once again, take deep breaths and try calming your heartbeat in the freezing waters. Stay in the icy tub for 1–4 minutes, depending on your comfort level and experience.
- Alternate between the sauna and cold plunge for 2–3 cycles, depending on what you can handle. If your body is too depleted, relax on a bench for 5–10 minutes to help it return to its natural temperature. However many cycles you do, always end with cold therapy. If you end your time with a sauna session, it could worsen inflammation.
Sauna and cold plunge therapy can be done 2–3 times a week. During the sessions, ensure there are towels and comfortable clothes nearby. It’s also a good idea to have a snack close by for refueling in between sessions.
3 FAQs About the Sauna Cold Plunge Combo
Here are a few common questions about the sauna cold plunge combination:
1. Should you sauna or cold plunge first?
It depends on your preferences and health goals. You can alternate between cold and hot cycles according to what you’d like to try. If you’re a beginner, we recommend that you finish with a cold plunge or ice bath to reduce swelling and inflammation.
2. Why do I feel dizzy after the sauna and cold plunge?
The sudden temperature change may cause dizziness or lightheadedness. Your blood vessels dilate from the sauna and constrict quickly from the cold plunge, so the redistribution of blood flow may cause potential dizziness. Keep water close by to help your body adjust, and if it feels like too much, exit the sauna or plunge cold to recover.
3. Is it good to go from the sauna to the cold plunge?
Yes, combining the sauna with a cold plunge session produces massive health benefits such as boosted cardiovascular health, increased weight loss, improved immune system, and reduced stress. If you’re on the lookout for a health practice that works, try combining a sauna session with a plunge into icy waters.
Try Hot & Cold Therapy From the Comfort of Your Home With Tubzz
Are you ready to benefit from sauna and cold plunge therapy? Add this powerful combination to your routine with the help of Tubzz, a sauna and tub dealer in Northern Utah. We specialize in customized saunas, cold plunge tanks, and luxury tubs and can even create a personalized wellness room for your home. We can also turn any ordinary bathtub into a life-altering cold plunge tub with our ColdFlow system. Don’t wait to experience the holistically healthy life you crave. Schedule an appointment at our showroom and invest in a sauna and cold plunge tank to create the healthy life you deserve.
