The benefits of contrast therapy:
Alternating between our hot and cold pools expands and contracts your blood vessels – this helps increase blood circulation and reduce inflammation. The rapid blood flow carries extra oxygen and nutrients to your muscles to repair damaged tissue and decrease pain. The extreme temperature change increases your heart rate and activates a pump mechanism that flushes out lactic acid and toxins. Due to these benefits, elite sporting groups all use contrast therapy to recover from the rigorous demands of their sport.
Pain Relief – Our Sauna and Hot pool can help relieve muscle and joint pain by increasing blood flow to the affected areas. The heat from the sauna helps to relax the muscles, which can help to alleviate pain and soreness.
Improved Cardiovascular Health – Our Sauna can help improve cardiovascular health by increasing heart rate and dilation of blood vessels, essentially mimicking moderate physical activity. This increase in blood flow helps to improve the oxygenation of the body’s tissues.
Improved Immune Function – Cold exposure enhances immune function by increasing the production of white blood cells and activating the body’s natural defence mechanisms.
When considering mental health, there is growing evidence to suggest hot and cold exposure can have very positive effects:
Improved Mood: Exposure to hot temperatures can release endorphins and serotonin, which can improve mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Cold exposure has also been shown to improve mood by activating the sympathetic nervous system increasing norepinephrine levels.
Stress Reduction: Both hot and cold exposure can help reduce stress levels. Heat exposure can lead to a relaxation response, while cold exposure can activate the body’s natural stress response and help the body better cope with stressors.
Improved Sleep: Heat exposure can enhance sleep quality by promoting relaxation and reducing muscle tension. Cold exposure has also improved sleep by decreasing the time it takes to fall asleep and increasing deep sleep.
How can you use the contrast therapy at Healthy Mates?
Anyone can use the contrast pools and sauna at Healthy Mates without a referral or seeing one of our clinicians. If it is your first time, you will be asked to fill out a consent form, and one of our friendly staff will show you around our facilities. From there, our staff will turn on the timer set for 3-minute cycles – 3 minutes in the cold, 3 minutes in the spa and 3 minutes in the sauna. Repeat this cycle 3-4 times, and you will be sure to feel its unique effect on your body physically and mentally.