Sauna Before or After Cold Plunge? Expert Tips for Optimal Benefits
For maximum health benefits, get expert tips on whether to use a sauna before or after a cold plunge. Consider overall health condition.
Cold water therapy offers a long list of health benefits. These include improved circulation, better recovery, and reduced muscle soreness. Likewise, saunas also provide robust support for recovery and performance, helping you recover faster and maximize your performance. Benefits of sauna use include enhanced circulation, reduced muscle soreness, and improved recovery of muscle function after intense exercise. Understanding how to use sauna effectively can enhance these benefits, especially when combined with cold water therapy. Combining sauna use and cold water therapy can amplify these benefits and improve your overall health. But should you use the sauna before or after the cold plunge? Research suggests that combining both can yield enhanced performance and recovery results. Still, the timing of sauna use and cold water therapy may depend on your individual goals.
In this article, we'll explore the benefits of sauna use and cold water therapy, and how a sauna app can help you effectively combine sauna sessions with cold plunges for enhanced results.
What Is a Sauna and the Science Behind It
A sauna is a hot room that you enter to experience dry or humid heat for relaxation and wellness. Traditional forms of sauna include Finnish-style saunas, Turkish-style Hammam, and Russian Banya, which can be distinguished by their:
- Construction
- Heating source
- Humidity levels
Finnish-style saunas are the most studied to date. They generally involve short exposures at temperatures of 80°C–100°C with dry air (relative humidity of 10% to 20%) interspersed with periods of increased humidity created by throwing water over heated rocks.
A Modern Twist on Traditional Sauna Bathing
In the past decade, infrared sauna cabins have become increasingly popular. These saunas use infrared emitters at different wavelengths without water or additional humidity and generally run at lower temperatures (45–60°C) than Finnish saunas with similar exposure times. Traditional Finnish and infrared sauna bathing can involve rituals of cooling-off periods and rehydration with oral fluids before, during, and after sauna bathing.
What Happens Inside Your Body When You Use a Sauna?
Sauna bathing induces profound physiological effects. Intense short-term heat exposure elevates skin and core body temperature and activates thermoregulatory pathways via the hypothalamus and central nervous system, which in turn activates the autonomic nervous system.
The resultant sweat evaporates from the skin surface, producing cooling that facilitates temperature homeostasis. In essence, sauna therapy capitalizes on the thermoregulatory trait of homeothermy, the physiological capability of mammals and birds to maintain a relatively constant core body temperature with minimal deviation from a set point.
On a cellular level, acute whole-body thermotherapy induces discrete metabolic changes that include:
- Production of heat shock proteins
- Reduction of reactive oxygenated species
- Reduced oxidative stress and inflammation pathway activities
- Increased nitric oxide bioavailability
- Increased insulin sensitivity
- Alterations in various endothelial-dependent vasodilatation metabolic pathways
What Are the Benefits of Regular Sauna Use?
Sauna bathing is inexpensive and widely accessible. Finnish-style saunas are often used in family, group, and public settings, and infrared saunas are more commonly built and marketed for individual use. The use of private saunas, especially involving infrared saunas, is also increasing and saunas are used for physical therapy in:
- Massage clinics
- Health spas
- Beauty salons
- Domestic homes
Regular sauna use has been linked to several health benefits, including:
- Improved cardiovascular function
- Reduced stress
There is considerable evidence to suggest that sauna bathing can induce profound physiological effects.
The Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing
In a 2015 study, researchers found that regular sauna use was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Participants who used a sauna 4-7 times per week had a 50% lower risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who used a sauna just once a week. Another study from 2017 found that sauna use improved vascular function in individuals with hypertension.
What is a Cold Plunge & How It Works
A cold plunge means fully submerging the body in cold water. This could be in a bathtub, tank, pool or a natural body of water, like a lake or ocean. It’s also called cold-water immersion or cold-water swimming.
The Popularity of Cold Plunges
Ice baths are an extreme type of cold-water immersion on the lower end of the temperature spectrum. Although cold plunges have surged in popularity in recent years, the practice has been around as long as humans have been near water.
“Going back to Hippocrates and even Thomas Jefferson, Darwin and Florence Nightingale were all doing cold-water immersion,” says Mike Tipton, a professor of human and applied physiology at the University of Portsmouth.
Wim Hof and the Wim Hof Method
More recently, cold plunges have been associated with Wim Hof, a Dutch extreme athlete and founder of the "Wim Hof Method," which combines cold-water therapy and breathing exercises to boost mental and physical health.
How to Cold Plunge Like a Pro
A cold plunge involves immersing the body in cold water, either quickly in and out or for up to 10 minutes. The water is typically between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 20 degrees Celsius).
Duration and Safety Considerations for Cold Plunges
In general, cold plunges typically last between five and ten minutes. The length of a cold plunge will vary depending on the water temperature and a person's comfort level. The experts note that the colder the water, the shorter the immersion should be, and the water should be no colder than about 53 degrees Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius).
Optimal Water Temperature for Cold-Water Swimming
At this point, the risk of damage to the skin and tissues or other adverse health events increases. The ideal temperature for cold-water swimming is a bit warmer, or between about 65 to 75 degrees. Many cold-water swimmers wear wetsuits to preserve their core body temperature.
How Long Should You Cold Plunge?
A quick dip in and out of the water counts as a cold plunge, but how long does it take for the cold water to work? It takes three to five minutes for the cold to penetrate beyond the skin. At this point, it starts to have a neuromuscular effect. Most cold plunges typically last between five and ten minutes. Staying in the water for longer than ten minutes increases the chances of being harmed by the cold.
The Controversial Benefits and Risks of Cold-Water Immersion
Depending on the water temperature and their experience level, people may be able to tolerate cold-water swimming for longer periods. People have long touted the benefits of cold water but also warned of the risks. Throughout history, it has been deemed both a cure-all and a health hazard. So, what do we know now about how cold-water immersion affects the body?
Why Cold Plunge? The Benefits Explained
From a physiological standpoint, the most significant benefit from cold-water immersion seems to be improvement in recovery, the perception of pain and delayed muscle soreness. A systematic review published in Sports Medicine in February 2022 suggested that cold-water immersion was an effective recovery tool after high-intensity exercises, specifically HIIT exercises.
Cold plunges may also reduce inflammation in the body. When the body enters cold water, this causes the blood vessels to constrict, especially in the extremities, to conserve heat at the core of the body near the heart. "It slows down and inhibits blood flow to the legs and the arms and pushes (the blood) more towards the central aspect of the body," says Dr. Kristi Colbenson, a sports medicine and emergency physician at the Mayo Clinic. "In doing so, you decrease the natural inflammatory response that occurs after exercise."
Who Can Benefit From Cold Plunges?
“When you look at the literature, it does help with recovery and inflammation, especially if you’re a competing or training athlete,” Colbenson adds. Nevertheless, the anti-inflammatory effects of a cold plunge are likely temporary. A cold plunge can also induce a heightened state of stress, or send the body and brain into "fight or flight" mode.
In response to low temperatures, the body releases a surge of norepinephrine and cortisol, the stress hormone. Gasping, hyperventilating, and increased heart rate after jumping into frigid water are also known as a "cold shock response."
This response can be dangerous, but it may also be the basis of some of the physical benefits of cold plunges, says Tipton. “The belief is that if you consistently expose yourself to stress in a meaningful and structured way, your body will actually respond by improving its ability to respond to everyday stress,” says Colbenson.
Using Cold Plunges For Muscle Recovery and Mood Boosting Effects
The evidence that cold-water immersion improves the body's immune function is lacking. "From an immunologic standpoint, or your ability to fight infection, I give caution to that. There hasn’t been a good study that says there is a decreased propensity of getting infection if you use cold-water immersion," Colbenson adds.
The Need for More Research on Cold-Water Immersion
The lack of robust scientific evidence is a running theme. “Whilst we know a lot about the science of the hazards, we know much less about the science of the benefits,” says Tipton, adding that more studies like randomized controlled trials (the gold standard in research) are needed to understand the physical health benefits.
GoPolar: Your Cold Plunge and Sauna Companion
Our cold plunge app is the go-to resource and tracking app for people who like to do cold plunge and sauna. With GoPolar's cold plunge app, you can track your cold plunge or cold shower, and your sauna sessions with your Apple watch. After your plunge or sauna session, you can review your heart rate during a session, see trends in the app with Apple Health data, and track your scores in our leaderboard/community. With our app, you can also find best spots to cold plunge in your area!
Download our cold plunge app for free today to level up your cold plunge and sauna sessions with our tracking features and the GoPolar community leaderboard.
Related Reading
- Steam Room vs Sauna
- Sauna Before or After Workout
- Benefits of Sauna After Workout
- How Long Should You Sit in a Sauna
- Dry Sauna Benefits
Is it Good to Go From Sauna to Cold Plunge?
Alternating between hot and cold temperatures can boost circulation, and contrast therapy delivers that circulation boost by improving blood flow. When you expose yourself to heat, your blood vessels dilate, increasing blood flow to the muscles and helping to ease soreness and aid recovery. Then, when you switch to the cold, your body abruptly responds by:
- Constricting blood vessels
- Reducing inflammation
- Flushing out toxins
After a few moments, your body returns to normal temperature, and the blood vessels dilate again, sending a fresh supply of blood—now enriched with oxygen and nutrients—to the muscles. This process may help with recovery after intense exercise and aid in treating injuries.
The Immune System Boosting Benefits of Contrast Therapy
Both sauna use and cold therapy bolster the immune system independently, and when combined, their effects may be greater. The hot temperatures in a sauna may help kill off unwanted pathogens while producing an effect similar to moderate exercise on the body, boosting immune function.
Cold therapy reduces inflammation and may help the immune system function more efficiently. Together, they may help the body ward off illness and quickly recover from infections.
The Neuroscience Behind Sauna Use and Cold Therapy
Beyond adrenaline, Timmerman said the hot sauna, cold plunge practice can improve pain and inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis, a disease often worsened by sauna visits that aren't followed by some cold.
As your skin temperature increases, sauna-goers experience a "fight or flight" response, resulting in:
- Heightened sense of alertness
- Reduced pain perception
- Elevated mood
Timmerman explained this response in an article for The North American Sauna Society. He explained that when you follow up a sauna with a plunge in cold water or snow, your adrenaline rises as well.
Health Risks of Hot Sauna, Cold Plunge
While the toasty sauna followed by cold plunge or hut tub followed by snow grotto is rejuvenating and safe for most, it's not for everyone (Viking makes this clear to guests). Those with heart conditions should stick to milder spa experiences.
Cold receptors in the face and scalp respond to the quick drop in temperature. This stimulates the "diving reflex," a complex cardio-respiratory reaction. It can cause:
- Shortness of breath
- Decreased cardiac output
- Rapid decrease in pulse
The Unique Benefit of Cold Plunge Therapy
It may seem much more desirable for many individuals to use saunas and skip cold therapies altogether. While sauna therapies offer as many health benefits as cold therapy, and probably more, cold plunge therapy offers one particular and important health benefit that is not easily attained in any other modality.
What the cold plunge can do that the sauna cannot is its ability to convert white fat to brown fat. You are probably wondering why this matters for humans, as white versus brown meat seems more suitable for a thanksgiving meal.
Brown Fat and Human Health: What's the Big Deal?
Dr. Susanna Soeberg of Denmark is an expert in contrast therapy. She comments, “Brown fat is a type of healthy fat stored around the spine that acts as our body’s temperature regulator, boosts metabolism, and can even aid blood-sugar response and weight control. The more we expose ourselves to the cold, the more brown fat cells we have. So it’s a case of use it or lose it.”
The Role of Norepinephrine in Cold Exposure
Norepinephrine, a hormone and neurotransmitter, is released in the adrenal glands and central nervous system in response to cold. It is responsible for converting white fat into brown fat. This is important because the conversion process that activates brown fat is linked to mitochondrial biogenesis.
The Importance of Brown Fat and Mitochondrial Biogenesis
Mitochondria are the energy plants of each individual cell. Scientists now understand that brown fat has at least five times as many mitochondria as white fat. The only way to activate brown fat and, therefore, mitochondrial biogenesis is through the release of norepinephrine, which is a direct causation of cold exposure.
Given that norepinephrine is released only through cold exposure, even if sauna use is part of your regular daily routine, it is worth considering adding a cold plunge or even just a cold shower.
Related Reading
- Dry Sauna vs Wet Sauna
- Andrew Huberman Sauna
- Sauna or Steam Room First
- How Long to Sit in the Sauna After a Workout
- Best Time to Sauna
- Sauna Skin Benefits
- Can You Sauna Everyday
- Does Sauna Reduce Inflammation
Should You Sauna Before or After the Ice Bath?
When you enter a sauna, your body temperature rises. After you exit the sauna, your body cools down and returns to its normal temperature. So, if you start your session with a sauna, your body will be warmer when you enter the cold plunge. You can thermoregulate and start sweating quicker once you’re back in the heat. As you sweat, your:
- Heart rate increases
- Blood vessels dilate
- You begin to use energy to attempt to cool yourself down
Ice Bath First, Sauna Next? Here’s What You Should Know
Starting with an ice bath will also give your body a head start on recovery. When you hop into an ice bath, your body undergoes a process called vasoconstriction. This is where blood vessels constrict or tighten to preserve heat and keep your vital organs warm. After you exit the cold plunge, your body goes through a rewarming phase, which involves rapidly returning blood to the muscles and joints. This process helps reduce inflammation and metabolic waste products from muscles and joints.
How Long Should You Use the Sauna and Ice Bath for Recovery?
Research suggests that you should spend about 11 minutes in an ice bath and 57 minutes in a sauna weekly for recovery and wellness. This equates to roughly 2.5 minutes in an ice bath four times a week and about 15 minutes in a sauna four times a week.
Who Should Use the Sauna and Ice Bath?
The sauna and ice bath recovery protocol may benefit anyone looking to improve their fitness and recovery routine. You should always consult a doctor before trying new recovery methods, especially if you have existing health conditions.
How Many Times Should You Sauna and Cold Plunge?
The overwhelming consensus among experts is that it is best to end with cold therapy after your sauna. To fully benefit from cold exposure, it is essential that after the cold plunge you allow thermoregulation to happen naturally within the body to release norepinephrine, and therefore benefit from the increase in mitochondrial biogenesis.
If possible, avoid towel drying and genuinely allow for thermogenesis to occur! While it is possible to engage in cold therapy before your sauna, you will benefit more from the effects of the cold plunge after the sauna is used. Another significant factor that may dictate how one uses contrast therapy is time of day dependent as well as the total amount of time spent in cold exposure.
How Much Time Is Needed in a Cold Plunge Per Week Versus Time Spent in the Sauna?
Experts’ opinions vary on how much time is needed in a sauna to truly benefit from the heat exposure, but a minimum of 3-4 times per week for 20 minutes is required to optimize the benefits of sauna use. Conversely, much less time is needed in a cold plunge to benefit from white-to-brown fat conversion, which may relieve cold-resistant people.
The Optimal Duration of Cold Therapy
After careful analysis of the data, Dr. Huberman has discovered that in order to benefit from norepinephrine release (and therefore more mitochondrial biogenesis), an individual only needs to be exposed to cold therapy for a total of 11 minutes a week. It is safe to spend more time than this in cold exposure, but for anyone who has a busy schedule, 11 minutes a week is all you need to benefit from cold therapy.
Mind Your Business: The Perfect Time Of Day For A Cold Plunge Sauna Routine
A million-dollar question for those following the cold plunge sauna routine is the perfect day to follow this regimen. You see, saunas are associated with deep relaxation, where you let your body and mind loosen up and decompress. And as per wellness experts, evening hours, most preferably before bed, are the best time to have a sauna bath.
They even suggest a sauna before bed can make you sleep like a baby. Nevertheless, be it morning or evening, you can avail yourself of the health benefits of a sauna at any time.
Timing Your Cold Plunge After a Sauna
Coming to the cold plunge after sauna bathing, we suggest you do it in the morning rather than in the evening. Why, you might wonder? While saunas are all about unwinding, a cold plunge is linked to wakefulness. This means that switching from a sauna to a cold plunge can wake you up and make you feel energized and alert.
So, a cold plunge after a sauna is best suited for morning hours, as it can invigorate you and help you have a productive day.
How Long Should You Cold Plunge After Sauna?
When it comes to the benefits of sauna and ice bathing, they're not linked to the maximum time you spend in hot and cold temperatures. In other words, your regular sauna session followed by a short plunge in cold water should be enough to reap the health benefits.
As such, we suggest you go for a 20-30 minute sauna session followed by a 2-5 minute cold plunge or ice bath. For instance, 20 minutes in the sauna and a 2-minute cold plunge should be apt if you're just starting with a cold plunge routine.
Also, as your endurance improves, you can gradually increase the time in the sauna and cold water. For instance, going forward, you can spend 30 minutes in the sauna and 5-6 in the cold water.
Note: Although spending more time in the sauna and cold shower doesn't hurt, we suggest you don't overdo it. While exceeding a sauna session can dehydrate you, overdoing a cold plunge can cause hypothermia.
Is It a Bad Idea To Have a Cold Plunge Before Sauna?
A sauna session after a cold plunge or ice bath does no harm. You can still avail some of the sauna and ice bath duo benefits. But the benefits of a cold plunge after sauna are unmatched by sauna bathing after a plunge.
Our cold plunge app is the go-to resource and tracking app for people who like to do cold plunges and saunas. With GoPolar's cold plunge app, you can track your cold plunges, cold showers, and sauna sessions with your Apple watch.
After your plunge or sauna session, you can review your heart rate during a session, see trends in the app with Apple Health data, and track your scores in our leaderboard/community. With our app, you can also find best spots to cold plunge in your area!
Download our cold plunge app for free today to level up your cold plunge and sauna sessions with our tracking features and the GoPolar community leaderboard.
Who Should Not Use a Sauna?
Some people should avoid using a sauna due to the high heat and low humidity. If your body is struggling to maintain a stable temperature, the extra heat a sauna exposes you to can increase health risks. If you fall into one of the following categories, don’t use a sauna without speaking to a doctor first. These people have increased risk factors that could have fatal consequences in some rare cases.
Unstable Heart Conditions
If you have unstable angina-related chest pain, have experienced a recent heart attack, and have severe aortic stenosis, which is the narrowing of the major artery of the heart, putting yourself through the experience of a sauna can be too much for your system to take.
Severe Orthostatic Hypotension
If you have severe orthostatic hypotension, this is when you have shallow blood pressure when standing, a sauna isn’t recommended. Because of the circulation issues, what a sauna does to increase circulation can put the body through unexpected intensity that it may struggle to handle.
Infectious Diseases and Fevers
If you have a severe infectious disease, with or without a fever, or if you have a fever for unrelated reasons, consult with a physician before using a sauna. You may still be able to enjoy a sauna, as infrared heat therapy does help with some infections. For some, there are risks, though, so it is best to touch base with a doctor and get their input.
Alcohol Consumption
If you have had alcohol, do not use a sauna. Alcohol increases the risk of:
- Low blood pressure
- Fainting
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Sudden death
Relating to hyperthermia deaths in Finland, alcohol was found in one study to be a factor of 84%.
Pregnancy and Attempting to Conceive
If you’re pregnant, a sauna isn’t recommended and here’s why. If your body’s already acclimated to a sauna's effects, you may get away with it. That said, if you’re not used to a sauna or if you have a high-risk pregnancy, it could lead to complications. No doctor is ever going to approve of a pregnant woman taking in a sauna. Best be on the safe side and avoid using a sauna while pregnant.
To this last point, it’s also recommended to avoid using a sauna if you’re trying to get pregnant, particularly if you’re a male. Why this is the case is because a sauna can temporarily lower sperm count due to the heat.
Who Should Not Do a Cold Plunge?
Cold therapy can be a great way to recover from exercise and reduce soreness. Nevertheless, some people should avoid cold plunges or consult a physician before getting in. If you have cardiovascular issues, Raynaud’s syndrome, or are sensitive to extreme cold, cold plunges could pose health risks.
Heart Problems and Cold Plunges
Cold plunges can pose dangers if you have heart disease or any history of a heart condition. The cold water stresses your heart, and rapid breathing from cold shock could cause irregular heartbeats or even a heart attack. This is especially dangerous if you already have heart issues.
Diabetes and Cold Plunges
Cold water therapy can reduce inflammation, which may help those with diabetes. But if you have diabetes, you should be careful with cold plunges, as you may have poor circulation and reduced sensitivity to cold.
High Blood Pressure and Cold Plunges
Cold exposure can cause blood vessels to constrict, raising blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about whether cold plunges are safe.
Poor Circulation and Cold Plunges
Cold therapy can help improve circulation, but if you have any condition that causes poor circulation, such as peripheral artery disease, you may be at risk for a cold-related injury. Again, consult with your doctor before trying cold plunges.
Raynaud’s Syndrome and Cold Plunges
If you have Raynaud’s syndrome, you should avoid cold plunges. This condition causes your fingers and toes to overreact to cold temperatures, leading to blood vessel constriction that can cause pain and numbness.
Peripheral Neuropathy and Cold Plunges
If you have peripheral neuropathy, you may not be able to feel the extreme cold of a cold plunge, putting you at risk for injuries such as frostbite.
Venous Stasis and Cold Plunges
If you have venous stasis, your blood flow is sluggish, and it can take longer for blood to return to your heart. Cold exposure can constrict blood vessels and slow blood flow even further, putting you at risk for complications.
Cold Agglutinin Disease and Cold Plunges
Cold agglutinin disease is a rare condition that causes red blood cells to clump together in cold temperatures. Avoid cold plunges and other extreme cold exposure if you have this disorder.
How To Use Sauna and Cold Plunge Together Safely
Understanding the correct protocol for alternating between a sauna and a cold plunge is crucial to reap the maximum benefits and avoid potential risks. The process involves exposing the body to high heat in a sauna, followed by a rapid cool down in a cold plunge. This cycle can be repeated multiple times during a single session.
The duration of each phase can vary depending on individual tolerance and experience. It's crucial to listen to your body and not push beyond your comfort limits. Here's a general guideline to get you started:
1. Begin in the Sauna
Start with a 15-20-minute session in the sauna. The temperature should be between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius. Remember, it's not a competition. Start with what you can comfortably handle and gradually increase your time and temperature as your tolerance improves.
2. Cold Plunge
After the sauna, immediately plunge into a cold pool for about 2-5 minutes. The water temperature should be between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. A cold shower can be a suitable alternative if a cold plunge is unavailable.
3. Rest
After the cold plunge, rest for 5-10 minutes before repeating the cycle. This rest period allows your body to return to its normal temperature.
Considerations and Precautions
While the benefits of contrast therapy are promising, it's essential to approach this practice with caution. Not everyone may respond the same way, and certain individuals, such as those with cardiovascular conditions, pregnant women, and the elderly, may need to avoid or modify this practice.
Safety Tips
Always stay hydrated, as both saunas and cold plunges can lead to fluid loss. It's also crucial to listen to your body and not push beyond your comfort limits. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or uncomfortable at any point, it's important to stop and seek medical attention if necessary.
Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any new health regimen, including contrast therapy. They can provide personalized advice based on your health history and current condition.
Level Up Your Cold Plunge and Sauna Sessions Today With GoPolar's Free Cold Plunge App
GoPolar is an app for cold plunging, sauna use, and recovery. With GoPolar, you can track your cold plunges and sauna sessions and analyze your performance trends over time. You can even connect the app to your Apple watch to collect heart rate data during your sessions and see how your cold plunge and sauna performance affects your overall health.
Recovery is a community effort, and GoPolar lets you connect with other cold plungers and sauna users to share tips and tricks. The app even features a leaderboard to help you find your rank among other users. GoPolar can help you find the best local spots to cold plunge.
Download GoPolar today to enhance your cold plunge and sauna experience.
