Q&A - What is hot and cold (contrast) therapy?

Hot and cold contrast therapy involves heating and cooling the body within the same session. This technique offers improved blood-circulation through the body through expanding and narrowing of blood vessels. This is called vasodilation and vasoconstriction.

What are the benefits of contrast therapy?

Contrast therapy can have various benefits including:

• Increased metabolism
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular events
• Increased mortality
• Reduced blood sugar
• Improved mood
• Reduced inflammation
• Improved joint mobility
• Reduced fatigue

This fantastic study by Dr Susanna Søberg and colleagues discovered that 57 minutes of sauna, coupled with 11 minutes of cold exposure over the course of a week were shown to increase metabolism and brown fat tissue. The results also demonstrated positive changes with reduced blood sugar and improved cardiovascular health.

Isolated sauna usage has been reported to significantly reduce chances of 'Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events' This study reported that subjects who participated in 4-7 sauna sessions per week were 63% less likely to die from a fatal cardiovascular event to participants using the sauna once per week. Sauna has also been shown to reduce cortisol similarly to supplements like Ashwagandha & Rhodiola Rosea.

Cold water emersion has a dramatic effect on the release of dopamine in the brain and body. Increased dopamine has a positive effect on mood and motivation. This study found that mild cold water emersion increased dopamine concentration by 250%, persisting for up to 2 hours.

Common contrast therapy techniques

The most common contrast therapy technique is alternating between sauna and cold water emersion. Cold water emersion could be in the form of taking an ice bath or wild swimming. This allows for full body emersion in both practises.

To achieve the 11 minutes of cold water emersion and 57 minutes in the sauna, Dr Susanna Søberg and Dr Andrew Huberman discuss how to break that down into smaller sessions throughout the week.

Our routine

This is a routine that takes less than 20 minutes per day and adheres to the Søberg principle which is to finish on cold exposure. Dr Susanna Søberg argues in her research that allowing the body to heat itself back-up has many biological benefits. Participating the sauna 4 times per week may also reduce the risk of fatal cardiovascular events.

Monday

• Cold-water: 1 minute
• Sauna: 15 minutes
• Cold-water: 1 minute

Wednesday

• Cold-water: 1 minute
• Sauna: 15 minutes
• Cold-water: 2 minutes

Friday

• Cold-water: 2 minutes
• Sauna: 15 minutes
• Cold-water: 2 minutes

Saturday

• Cold-water: 1 minute
• Sauna: 15 minutes
• Cold-water: 1 minute

Conclusion

Hot and cold therapy offer easy ways to claim various biological benefits including an increase in metabolism, increased mood and decreased risk of fatal death by cardiovascular events. Thermal expert Dr Susanna Søberg's research suggests getting a total of 11 minutes of cold water exposure and 57 minutes of heat exposure per week is the threshold in experiencing increased metabolism. Our 20 minute sessions over 4 days a week breaks Dr Susanna Søberg advice down into manageable sessions which focus on ending with cold water exposure.