Your Starter's Guide to Hot Cold Therapy: Everything you need to know about the health and wellness benefits of this ancient tradition.
By Simon Trevelyan, Owner of Arbutus View Thermal Spa, Salt Spring Island, BC Canada
The Physical and Pyschological Benefits
Alternating between hot saunas or hot soaks and icy cold water, is a custom that’s been practiced in Nordic cultures for hundreds of years. The Nordic Cycle Therapy is still part of everyday living for many people in Nordic countries. The Cycle is often cited as one of the reasons why people from Nordic countries are so health!
There are now many health studies that attest to benefits of this ancient tradition.
Going from the heat of the Cedar Barrel Sauna at Arbutus View Thermal Spa to the 5ºC of the Cold Plunge may not be easy for first-timers, but with regular practice, the body aclimatizes to the extremes of hot and cold.
The euphoric feeling you experience after getting out of the Cold Plunge is not purely psychological, it's physical as well.
As you move from hot to cold, your blood vessels move through a cycle of their own: expanding in the hot conditions, contracting in the cold water and then expanding again after leaving the cold water and resting. The greater the temperature variation, the greater the circulation in your blood vessels. Increased movement of blood enables Red Blood Cells, Oxygen, Antibodies and Nutrients to move more freely. Optimal blood flow is extremely good for the body.
Regular practice brings many benefits:
You feel more alive
Brusing and scar tissues are healed more quickly
Swelling is reduced
Blood sugar management may be enhanced (especially important if you have diabetes)
It reduces the risk of Alzheimer's and Dementia
It helps reduce pain
The impact of chronic inflammation is reduced
Recovery from muscle soreness is quicker
Your skin looks healthier
Your immune system gets a boost
How to Practise Nordic Cycle Therapy
At the Arbutus View Thermal Spa, we recommend starting the Nordic Cycle with a 15-minute sauna session, followed by a 60-second cold water immersion and 15-minutes of relaxation in the forest Rest Area. This Cycle is repeated twice. The sauna can be repalced with hot water immersion in the Hot Tub.
Whatever facility you use, don't go to extremes. Be gentle. Listen to your body, progress as your experience dictates.
If you have a condition, consult your health professional before beginning. Always make sure you are hydrated before and have eaten before your session. Have electrolytes with you if you feel queasy during or after the Cycle and have a nutrious snack on hand.
Reconnecting to Yourself and to Nature: Mindfulness & Forest Bathing
There is nothing quite like a Nordic Cycle, especially in the serenely beautiful and calming forest of Trincomali Heights at Arbutus View Thermal Spa.
When you practice the Cycle, you're not only helping your body to heal, you're also helping calm your mind and reconnect to nature. As a Forest Bathing and Mindfulness Practitioner and Teacher, I've found myself more connected and re-energized after doing the Cycle in the natural setting of the Spa. I feel as if I am breathing with the trees and becoming part of the forest.
The Cycle is not only a healing journey, it's a sacred journey that gives meaning to life. The Ancient Nordic Nations understood this and kept the tradition alive becasue of it.
Make a Commitment to Your Health and Wellness
Every journey, no matter how far, begins with a single step. In our modern word, the equivlaent of "a first step" is probably a click on the keypad. So go ahead, after reading this, use your search engine. Look for a Nordic Spa near you. In North America, more of them are opening up all the time.
If you're on Salt Spring Island, Michaela and I would love to welcome you to our Spa.
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