But what about alternating between extreme temperatures?
But is this practice really worth all the hype?
And whats it like to subject your body to such extreme temperatures back-to-back?
The health benefits of contrast bathing
There are different benefits for hot therapy and cold therapy treatments.
For starters, heat exposureboosts heart rateand causes blood vessels to dilate.
Dr. Lipman recommends using an infrared sauna specifically.
functional medicine doctor and chief medical officer at The Well
Youll still sweat like a prize fighter but with less heat-related discomfort than youd experience in a traditional sauna.
Infrared saunas run approximately 120-140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Relatedresearchalso found that frequent sauna bathing was also associated with a reduced risk of mortality related to heart disease.
In fact, ameta analysis published in 2017found that contrast bathing helped athletes recover from fatigue after events.
At the very least, however, contrast bathing could offer a mental boost.
Can contrast bathing actually slow down the aging process?
Its Amazing How Its All Connected.
ATP molecules are especially abundant in the cells of your heart, brain, and muscles.
This is why mitochondrial function is so important for overall health and longevity.
functional medicine doctor and chief medical officer at The Well
Contrast bathing may alsoboost autophagy, which is how the body repairs damaged cells.
As soon as I got in the cold plunge, the freezing water stung my bare legs.
A couple weeks later, I wanted to see if I could make it to a full minute.
Once the cold plunge was available, I got in.
I submerged up to just below my boobs, but kept my arms outside the tub.
Let me reiterate that it wasreally fing cold, but I managed to make it a full minute!
So I ended with another few minutes in the dry sauna, which made the whole experience more tolerable.
Overall, I did feel invigorated.
But theres no denying the immediate mental boost I experienced after getting out of the cold tub.
Is contrast bathing worth it?
The fact of even lasting a full minute is enough to instill confidence in myself.
But if it can help my muscles after my strength workouts, thats an added bonus.
And the potential anti-aging benefits that Dr. Lipman outlined are enough to keep me coming back for more.
She repeats the circuit two to three times.
The hot water should be between 95 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and cold between 55 and 60 degrees.
Start out by ending your hot shower with 30 seconds of cold water.
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