What is contrast therapy?
Contrast therapy is defined by an alternation between heat (thermotherapy) and cold (cryotherapy). In practice, this means spending time sitting in a sauna and then immediately plunging into cold water, be that an ice bath, the sea, or a cold shower. In its most accessible form, it can be as simple as switching your shower from hot to cold and back again, repeating the process as many times as you can manage. It’s a technique that has long been harnessed by athletes to improve recovery time – and in the current age of longevity, it has found a following well beyond the world of professional sports.
The benefits of contrast therapy
Heat causes blood vessels to dilate and increases circulation; cold causes them to constrict. Rapidly alternating between the two triggers a vascular pumping effect that accelerates blood flow, flushes out stagnant waste and alleviates muscle soreness. Studies have also linked contrast therapy to reduced pain, improved mobility, better management of swelling and reduced inflammation. It also supports lymphatic drainage – and costs considerably less than a massage.
Beyond the physical benefits, there are positive mental side-effects, too – Bourdette-Donon and I are far from alone in noticing significant improvements in our stress levels. Contrast therapy is an effective way to deactivate the fight-or-flight sympathetic nervous system and activate the parasympathetic, shifting the body into rest and restore mode.
“The greatest benefits of contrast therapy are as much mental as they are physical,” agrees Christopher Selman, co-founder of Out of the Valley saunas, a celebrity fave. “The heat of the sauna draws you into the present moment – you become aware of your breath, your heart rate and the sensations in your body.” Introduce cold water into the mix, and that focus sharpens further: “It’s one of the few experiences where your mind can’t wander elsewhere – there’s something quite meditative about that.” Switching between the two leaves you feeling energised, alert and deeply connected to your body, he adds. It’s a natural high like no other.
