Getting Started with Contrast Therapy

Alternating heat and cold — our own beginner protocol for combining sauna and ice bath sessions.

The Basic Idea

Contrast therapy alternates between heat (sauna) and cold (ice bath) exposure. You don't need to do both every session when starting out — it's fine to begin with just one and add the other later.

Starting With The Sauna

Start shorter and cooler than you think you need: 15–20 minutes at 45–65°C, then build up gradually over later sessions. Exit if you feel dizzy, overheated, or unwell.

Starting With The Ice Bath

Start with a shorter time and milder temperature than the coldest setting: 1–3 minutes at 10–15°C. Controlled breathing helps. Decrease temperature and increase time gradually across sessions, not within one.

Combining Both

We generally suggest heat then cold — finishing on cold forces your body to warm itself back up. This is genuinely debated in the wellness world, and some people prefer the reverse, but heat-then-cold is our own recommendation at Chakra Wellness. Our suggested protocol: 3 rounds of 10–15 minutes in the sauna, followed by 1–3 minutes in the ice bath, finishing on the cold round.

How Often

Contrast therapy (doing both together) takes time, so there's no fixed frequency we recommend for combining them. For each individually, we suggest around 4–5 times a week — combining sauna and ice bath sessions can be a convenient way to fit both in.

A Note On Safety

This is general starting guidance, not a personalised program — tolerance varies a lot from person to person. If you have a health condition, check with your doctor before starting, and always exit either the sauna or the ice bath immediately if you feel unwell.

Ready To Start?

Explore Infrared Saunas or Explore Ice Baths. Buying both? Save 15% on the ice bath when purchased with any sauna.