What is Contrast Therapy? How Does Cold Plunging Help Our Body Adapt to Stress in Healthy Ways?
What to Know About Cold Plunges
Contrast therapy, also known as contrast hydrotherapy, involves alternating between extreme temperatures of hot and cold. This practice induces rapid changes in the circulatory system, transitioning from the intense heat of a dry sauna or very warm water to the invigorating cold of an ice bath or cold plunge. Practised cross-culturally for centuries, the alternation between sauna and cold water immersion is an ancient ritual deeply rooted in humanity's relationship with the Earth's elements, reflecting the cycles of summer and winter, or the fire and water elements, and our bodies’ resilience to adapt. Beyond its physical cleansing effects, the practice of spending time in a hot sauna followed by immersing into a cold plunge revitalizes the spirit, where many have reported entering into meditative states as a result of released endorphins.
Modern scientific research supports these traditional practices. The concept of hormesis—where exposure to mild stressors strengthens the body's ability to withstand greater stress—explains how contrast therapy enhances circulation, promotes detoxification, and boosts immune function. Hormesis, a biological phenomenon, occurs when a low-dose exposure to a stressor, such as exposure to temperature extremes, induces adaptive benefits, leading to improved resilience and cellular health.
Much like other forms of hormetic stress, such as cardio exercise, intermittent fasting, or cold exposure, the temporary discomfort of hot and cold extremes prompts the body to improve cellular resilience and energy efficiency. This process involves mitochondria, the powerhouses of our cells, working harder to restore balance, ultimately leading to increased vitality, mental clarity, and an improved ability to manage daily stress. Whether in a cold plunge tub, a thermal spa, or through hydrotherapy, these practices offer tangible benefits for both physical and mental well-being.
What Are Some Benefits of Saunas?
Mist Thermal Sanctuary on Bowen Island approaches the practice of private sauna bathing as an extension of yoga. The sauna’s dry heat prompts perspiration, facilitating the release of toxins, akin to the cleansing breaths and poses of yoga that release what doesn’t serve the body and mind. Time spent in a sauna provides a relaxing environment that can reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance mental clarity.
Beyond relaxation, sauna bathing has been linked to profound health benefits. Mayo Clinic writes about the sauna bathing benefits,
“Beyond pleasure and relaxation, emerging evidence suggests that sauna bathing has several health benefits, which include reduction in the risk of vascular diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, and neurocognitive diseases; nonvascular conditions such as pulmonary diseases.”
How Saunas and Cold Plunges Align with Yoga
This aligns with the broader understanding of hormesis—by exposing the body to temporary, contrast therapy aligns with several of the yoga niyamas (embodied observances), including Saucha (purifying), Tapas (the inner fire of self-discipline), and even Svadhyaya (self-study that leads to a deepened understanding of one’s relationship to stress, discomfort, and adaptation).
Sauna Is a Traditional, Healing Practice
Across various sauna and bathing cultures such as Finnish saunas, Korean jjimjilbangs, Japanese onsens, and Turkish hammams, sauna rituals often have folk spiritual origins. These practices imbue sauna and bathing with spiritual significance, where immersion can symbolize death and emerging from water can represent birth or renewal. In Finnish sauna culture, for instance, sauna was integral to healers who utilized it as a sacred space for cleansing, healing, and even preparing bodies for burial. Each component of the sauna carries deep symbolic meaning beyond its physical function.
The combination of heat and cold exposure in contrast therapy aligns with these ancient traditions while also being validated by modern science. Whether through a ritualistic perspective or a physiological lens, engaging with these elemental forces—fire and water, warmth and cold—offers a path to resilience, renewal, and overall well-being. By embracing these cycles, we are not merely enduring stress but transforming through it, emerging stronger, clearer, and more attuned to the rhythms of life. From holistic spas on Bowen Island to hydrotherapy spas and thermal wellness retreats, the wisdom of contrast therapy continues to evolve, offering modern seekers an opportunity to experience the deep benefits of sauna and cold plunge therapy.
