Sauna Benefits After Cold Plunge Therapy While cold plunge therapy is great for your body, sauna use is just as effective. When used together, they create a powerful contrast therapy that can supercharge your health and wellness routine.
It is recommended to first sauna then ice bath and not the other way around, as sauna sessions increase the blood flow and heart rate and make our muscles relax, which cold plunges slows down the heart rate and makes our blood vessels contract.
After a cold plunge, dry off and warm up by getting dressed in dry clothes. You can sip a warm beverage and move to a heated area. But don't head straight for a sauna or hot tub, because the extreme heat could cause too much stress on your body.
Should I take a warm bath after an ice bath? It's not ideal to jump straight into a warm bath or hot shower after an Ice Bath -- it kind of defeats the purpose. Unless you're deliberately doing hot and cold contrast therapy to recover, stick with just an ice bath.
After your sauna session, head directly to the cold plunge for 1-3 minutes of cold immersion. The sudden cold exposure will: Cause your blood vessels to constrict, directing blood to your core to protect vital organs. Reduce muscle inflammation and soreness.
Couple the cold plunge with a hot and steaming sauna and you have the perfect combination for your well-being and rejuvenation. Alternating between the two temperatures causes vasodilation and vasoconstriction. The switch between expanding and constricting blood vessels gives your circulatory system a good workout!
Protocol for Growth Hormone Release:
Heat sauna to 80-100°C (176-212°F) Use sauna infrequently (once per week or less) Use multiple sessions of 30 minutes each with cool down periods in between.
Yes, a cold plunge after sauna bathing can be highly beneficial to both your physical and mental health. So, it's a good idea to add a cold plunge to your regular sauna routine. But it goes without saying that a cold shock might not be good for some age and health groups.
Slowly Begin the Warm-up Process: Drying Off and Covering Up
To prevent this, take your time to dry off thoroughly and wear warm, comfortable clothing immediately after the ice bath. Wrapping yourself in a cozy towel or robe and wearing dry socks can help retain body heat and initiate a gentle warming process.
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.
Essentially, when you expose yourself to colder temperatures, your body will naturally constrict your blood vessels in order to keep your internal organs warm. This is why you may find your fingers and toes get numb after longer cold plunges.
A good strategy: Reserve cold plunges for cardio or rest days—and if you want to plunge on the same day as a resistance training session, experts like Andrew Huberman, PhD, recommend doing it beforehand or waiting at least four hours post-exercise so you don't blunt your gains.
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 recommended length of time to spend in a sauna is 15-20 minutes. First-timers should start with five to 10 minutes. People with certain health conditions should not use a sauna. If you're not sure if that's you after reading this article, consult with a healthcare provider.
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.
The quick answer is yes, you can sauna after a cold swim/dip, and no you shouldn't have a hot shower.
Sauna Benefits After Cold Plunge Therapy
When used together, they create a powerful contrast therapy that can supercharge your health and wellness routine. Whether you have a traditional, infrared, custom-cut, or InfraSauna® from Finnleo, you can reap many benefits from using a sauna after cold plunge therapy.
Your body needs time to adjust to the change in temperature after an ice bath. Rushing into a hot shower or sauna can cause your blood vessels to dilate too quickly, leading to dizziness and even fainting. Instead, start with a gentle warm-up, such as walking around or doing some light stretching.
While cold plunging is highly beneficial, staying in for too long can be dangerous. Your body will send clear signals when it's had enough, so make sure to pay attention. In general, plunging beyond 15 minutes ventures into questionable territory for most people, especially if the water is below 45°F.
Detoxification: Use the sauna to induce sweating and support detoxification, followed by an ice bath to enhance circulation. Mental Resilience: If building mental toughness and stress resilience is your goal, the contrasting sensations of heat and cold can be beneficial.
One of the most common questions we get asked is, "Can I sauna every day?" The short answer is yes, it can be safe for most people to sauna daily. However, it's important to keep a few things in mind, like how long you stay in and any health conditions you might have.
The sauna causes blood vessels to dilate, and the cold plunge causes them to constrict rapidly. This sudden redistribution of blood flow in your body can potentially make you feel dizzy.
Enter the infrared sauna for 20 minutes and immediately dip into the cold water for 2-3 minutes. Repeat this cycle if desired but always end with a cold-water plunge. If you're unsure about contrast therapy, consider doing your first few sessions with the help of a physical therapist or athletic trainer.
Joe Rogan enjoys his sauna routine for about 15 to 20 minutes, four times a week.
The simplest version of a Russian banya consists of only 2 rooms: a steam room (combined with a washing room), and a dressing room. In the dressing room, people undress and relax during the breaks, and in the steam room they take a bath and enjoy steam.