Start by immersing yourself in the hot tub for 5 minutes and then switching to the cold tub for one to two minutes. You can repeat the cycle up to five times. A benefit to the contrast bath approach is the ability to dial in the temperature.
Hot tub first, then cold plunge immediately after. After the plunge stretch in the sun and then throw on some clothes and warm up gradually. Hot tub after will not only decrease benefits but hot water causes a drop in blood pressure and going from very cold to hot could make that drop dangerous.
Hot tub cold plunge combos are excellent for physical recovery. Alternating between hot and cold exposure reduces muscle soreness and inflammation. Cold therapy improves circulation and supports the immune system, accelerating recovery.
Contrast hydrotherapy should always start with a hot plunge session that lasts ten to twenty minutes, followed by a plunge in cold water for three to ten minutes.
IS IT SAFE TO GO FROM THE SAUNA TO AN ICE BATH? If you do not suffer from any cardiovascular diseases, jumping into ice-cold water after extreme heat exposure should not be a threat to your health. It is a bit of a shock to your system, but this is supposed to strengthen both, your body and mind and not be unsafe.
At-Home Contrast Therapy Treatment
Dip the affected area in the hot water basin for three to four minutes. Immediately switch to the cold water basin for one minute or as long as long as it can be tolerated. Repeat the process three or four more times for a total of 20 minutes.
Total Body Immersion for Alternating Hot and Cold Therapy
Also known as full body contrast therapy or a thermal workout, this involves soaking in a bath of ice or cold water and then switching to a tub of hot water, repeating the transition several times.
Cold Plunging Tip #2: Submerge to the Neck
You want to be in enough so that the upper part of your neck is fully in the water, which will more fully activate the vagus nerve to enable a more full hormonal response, maximizing benefits like anti-inflammatory response and mood boosting.
You alternate the hot and cold baths in sessions. This technique may help to improve blood circulation throughout your body. Contrast bath therapy treats edema, stiff joints, inflammation of soft tissues, muscle spasms, and painful limbs (upper and lower). This treatment method is common with athletes.
You can do cold plunging every day. However, if you're doing it after training, daily plunges could compromise the potential for long-term performance improvements.
While cold plunging has numerous benefits, staying submerged for too long can introduce potential risks. Prolonged exposure to colder temperatures may lead to hypothermia, where the body loses heat faster than it can produce, resulting in symptoms like shivering, confusion, and fatigue.
According to an overwhelming majority of health and fitness experts, you should first go for a sauna then cold plunge.
Avoid immediate hot showers after a cold plunge to prevent negating the benefits of the cold exposure. If you opt for a shower, gradually increase the temperature.
After filling your hot tub with water, you will want to adjust your pH level and complete alkalinity. You can purchase tester strips to help you balance the pH level and alkalinity. You simply add the pH increaser or pH decreaser as needed until the tester strip shows the pH level to be between 7.4 and 7.6.
Beginners should start with a short plunge of 30 seconds to a minute. Experts don't agree on the ideal length of a cold plunge, but you can safely work up to 5-10 minutes in cold water. For recovery after a workout, 2-3 minutes in an ice bath is enough time to get all the benefits.
Don't take a warm bath or shower soon after your cold session.
Wonder why submerging your head and/or face at the start of a cold plunge for 5-20 seconds makes the rest of it *easier*? Because it activates the mammalian dive response, the parasympathetic ('calming') aspect of the autonomic nervous system & thereby lowers heart rate.
Taking a cold plunge in an Ice Barrel can activate the brown adipose and muscles in your body. Once activated, irisin and FGF will be released (irisin and FGF are cold-induced endocrine activators of brown fat function in humans). These two hormones burn up the white fat tissues resulting in weight loss.
The key is to ice for 20 minutes, causing the vessels to narrow, and then heat for 15 minutes, causing the vessels to dilate. This acts as a pumping mechanism to the inflammation, pushing it away from the injured area. Most importantly, end the treatment cycle on ice (unless you're treating a chronic back spasm).
Start with a hot soak for 10 to 15 minutes to loosen up your muscles. Then, plunge into the cold for 1 to 3 minutes to boost circulation and energy. Repeat this process two to three times, finishing with a warm soak to wind down.
After 15-20 minutes of heat, switch to a cold pack or fill the ice pack bag. Apply it to the same area for 10-15 minutes. Cold therapy constricts blood vessels, reducing inflammation. It also provides a numbing effect that eases discomfort.
After a session in the sauna, moving on to the cold plunge can provide a shock to the system. This sudden change in temperature causes the blood vessels to constrict, slowing down the heart rate and reducing inflammation.
According to the American Heart Association, cold plunging can cause a sudden increase in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. This can be dangerous for people with heart conditions, hypertension or those at risk for stroke.