Contrast Therapy
Combining a sauna with ice bath is a powerful tool for recovery and overall health and wellbeing. The heat from the sauna causes blood vessels to dilate which improves blood flow and lowers inflammation levels. The cold from the ice bath causes blood vessels to constrict reducing muscle soreness. This contrast can reduce your risk of injury as well as elevating your mood.
We have designed our treatment rooms so that the sauna and ice bath are adjoining. This means if you book a contrast therapy session you are able to easily move between the rooms with complete privacy. A shower is available in the sauna room and all towels are provided for your comfort.
We suggest starting in the hot and ending in the cold and then allowing the body to reheat naturally. You might like to order a hot drink from our café to collect when you finish to really warm you from the inside out!
Ice Bath
Cold water therapy has been around since the Roman times but it’s only during recent years that ice baths and cold plunging gained huge popularity due to the physical and mental health benefits. At Pura Vida we want to share this incredible practice with our community. Many people enjoy an ice bath after workouts but you don’t have to be an athlete or fitness enthusiast to reap the benefits. Whether you’re just starting your cold water journey, have been experimenting with cold showers at home or you’re a fully-fledged cold water swimmer we invite you to join us.
The Science
During exercise your muscles burn fuel and that creates a build-up of toxic waste products and lactic acids. Your body will naturally eliminate these waste products over a day or two, however ice baths can rapidly reduce this recovery time to hours.
Immersing yourself in cold water sets off a reaction in the limbic (ancient) area in the base of your brain that is programmed to respond to dramatic external events. This is called the 'fight-or-flight' response.
An automatic process begins to restore your body's core temperature to safe levels by increasing blood flow and withdrawing most of the blood from your skin and outer soft tissue and muscles into the core of your body. Fresh oxygenated blood then flushes the dangerous toxins and waste products quickly & effectively. This eliminates the soreness related to exercise and speeds up your muscle recovery process.
This response to ‘environmental stress’ conditions our brain to cope better with the stressors of everyday life and helps decrease inflammation in the brain which are linked to anxiety and depression. Most people report higher moods and better sleep after an ice bath.
The Benefits
Mind
After the initial “shock” of stepping into an ice cold tub of water, many people experience an elevated mood. This is likely due to the release of endorphins, hormones that act as natural painkillers which have been shown to improve mood and reduce stress.
While ice baths reduce stress, they can also make you more resilient to stress. This is because it regulates the release of stress hormones long-term.
Not only does exposing the body to cold water for periods of time create scientifically proven changes in the brain chemistry, but it also has the potential to help build mental resilience. The sheer act of doing something really hard and overcoming a fear will leave you feeling accomplished!
Body
Cold water immersion has a host of physical benefits including reducing inflammation and swelling, increasing energy levels and improving physical recovery time.
Cold water can regulate your hormones by:-
Reducing cortisol - the stress hormone
Increasing endorphins - a natural painkiller
Increasing norepinephrine - regulates emotions and boosts focus
Increasing testosterone - promotes energy, muscle development and bone growth