It was a rather scorching day in the Maldives. I’d just emerged from a cocoon of bliss—as part of the Four Seasons’ ‘Healing Tent experience’—where my therapist took me through an hour of sound bath. But what waited for me outside the tent was another kind of bath entirely. A wooden standing tub filled with water tempered at sub-zero to be exact. I was well-aware at that point of time that as far as first experiences went, popping my cold plunge cherry on an island that people deemed paradise on earth would probably be one for the books.
Still, there was resistance from my body, as my kind therapist gently prodded me to step in the icy water. With two feet in, lowering my body was undoubtedly the hardest to execute. The pain was numbing and the sensations were utterly unbearable. Repeated instructions of “breathe” and “focus on your breathing”, alongside more urging from my patient aide, and I slowly got myself to submerge down to my shoulders.
Nearing two minutes and I felt marginally better—in the sense that the panic and initial shock had worn off—as I desperately clung on to my deep breaths. The battering pain dulled to a numbing sensation, the internal screams eased into a calming void. As I hit the three-minute mark, I didn’t feel inclined to escape so I extended the session to five.
Post-dunk and my entire body was tingling, as if electric currents were rapidly coursing through in a very satisfying way. A full-body reset with my senses never feeling more alive.
The cold plunge practice certainly isn’t new, not with Wim Hof’s method being one of the most famous (albeit controversial) wellness breakthroughs, but on our shores, there has been an emerging cognoscenti devoting their spaces to frigid baths. Or more specifically, contrast therapy. Where you alternate between hot and cold environs to reap a suite of health benefits—from pain relief, enhanced circulation, performance enhancement to better mental wellbeing.
You’ll find this reprieve at Arctic Fitness, Rekoop and Sphere—who have made contrast therapy part of their facilities’ offerings. Each experience varies with size of room and privacy preference, but they each boast an infrared sauna and an ice bath or cold plunge. Diana Kraemer, co-founder and wellness director at Rekoop advises: “The recommended time and frequency for contrast therapy can vary based on personal health conditions and individual tolerances. A common approach is around 2-5 minutes in the ice bath, and 15-30 minutes in the infrared sauna, and repeating the cycle for two to three rounds, if required. It’s important to listen to our body, adjust based on your comfort level, and consult with a healthcare professional if we have any underlying health concerns.”
In Sphere’s spacious contrast therapy suite, a Bluetooth feature projected my favourite playlist as I sat in the infrared sauna for 20 minutes before heading in for a three-minute cold plunge. And while many journals have extensively covered the physical benefits of the hot-cold approach like “the cold decreasing inflammatory markers and reducing tissue damage, while the heat helps in relaxing muscles and promoting recovery”. Yet more so than ever, I found myself returning back for the extreme fix, simply for the mental stimulations that the therapy offers. Straight out from the frigid waters, my body undergoes something akin to a cathartic high.
“Contrast therapy has been shown to enhance mood, reduce symptoms of depression, and improve cognitive function. Cold exposure significantly increases norepinephrine and dopamine levels, which are associated with improved mood, focus, and cognitive performance,” offers Bowen You, co-founder of Sphere. Perhaps, that fact alone is enough to treat this exercise as a endorphin spike. Its accompanying health benefits come as a good bonus.
Sphere’s guide for a one-hour contrast therapy session
To optimise the benefits of contrast therapy within a 1-hour session, the following regimen can be adopted:
- Initial Warm-Up:
- Hot Exposure: Start with 15 minutes in a sauna. This initiates vasodilation, improving blood flow and relaxing muscles.
- First Cold Exposure:
- Cold Exposure: Follow with three minutes in a cold plunge. This causes vasoconstriction, reducing inflammation and enhancing metabolic activity.
- Second Warm Cycle:
- Hot Exposure: Return to the hot environment for another 15 minutes. This aids in further detoxification and muscle relaxation.
- Second Cold Exposure:
- Cold Exposure: Another three minutes in the cold plunge. This reinforces the anti-inflammatory and mood-boosting effects.
- Final Cycle:
- Hot Exposure: Spend the final 10 minutes back in the sauna, allowing for a gradual return to a relaxed state and promoting overall cardiovascular benefits.
and/or
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- Cold Exposure: Another one to two minutes in the cold plunge to enhance mood and mental clarity by boosting norepinephrine and dopamine levels.
Note:
- Ending with hot exposure provides cardiovascular benefits and helps the body relax and recover.
- Alternatively, ending with a brief cold exposure (one to two minutes) can enhance mood and mental clarity by boosting norepinephrine and dopamine levels.
