As of late, you don’t have to look far to find somebody talking about cold exposure or the sauna. Some of the most popular names in the podcasting space like Joe Rogan, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and Dr. Rhonda Patrick, seem to promote the two activities to no end. There’s a lot of data to sort through, reliable studies that show unparalleled benefits to mental, physical, and metabolic health, opinion pieces that play down the effects, and commentary from anonymous people online who are too scared to try either that just “don’t feel like they do anything.” For now, the evidence from studies around both cold exposure and heat stress from the sauna is clear: there are considerable benefits to your well-being by doing one or the other, or both. The best thing you can do is try it for yourself and see how you feel.

The Research

The research into these two activities is extensive, and like most scientific studies, the outcomes can change, sometimes they’re unreliable, or they’re overshadowed by claims of bias (think the cereal lobby paying off researchers). You can choose to take a few different routes here: either dive into the research yourself or find voices you trust to summarize the dense science behind the evidence and allow them to steer you in the right direction.

In this case, I relied pretty heavily on information coming from Dr. Andrew Huberman in deciding these two things were worth trying. If you’re familiar with Dr. Huberman, or you trust the ReWild America team enough to let us point you to where you need to look, you can check out his material on the benefits of sauna here: The Science & Health Benefits of Deliberate Heat Exposure - Huberman Lab; and cold exposure here: The Science & Use of Cold Exposure for Health & Performance - Huberman Lab.

If you’re interested in looking for yourself, studies about sauna use done by the University of Eastern Finland are among the most cited and well-known. Dr. Susanna Soeberg is also a well-known name in the space, and she’s someone Dr. Huberman places a lot of faith in when it comes to studies about cold exposure.

For the science enthusiast:

Sauna:  

• Study: Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence

• Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events | Cardiology | JAMA Internal Medicine | JAMA Network

Cold Exposure: 

• Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water – a continuing subject of debate

• Susanna SØBERG | Phd | PhD-student | Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen | rigshospitalet | Center Of Inlammation and Metabolism And Physical Activity Research | Research profile

How I Got Started

After hearing about the benefits of sauna through podcasts and looking at the research myself, I started making it a part of my gym routine in mid-2021; 20 minutes at a time, a minimum of 3-4 times a week. Before then, I had been in a sauna, but I had no idea of the benefits, nor what protocols were best to derive those benefits. I warmed myself up, but as soon as the sauna got challenging, I left. Same with cold exposure. I had done the post work-out ice bath with friends, but I was clueless about how to make this thing work for me. And much like the sauna, when it got too cold, I jumped out. Not to mention the hassle of pre-planning an ice run was not conducive to staying consistent.

Fast forward to 2022 - my wife got me a 90-minute float session at a local place called OmFloat (OmFLOAT Experience) and they happened to have a Cold Plunge and Clearlight Infrared Sauna together in what they called their “Fire and Ice” room. I had heard about contrast therapy (combining sauna and cold water immersion) through many of the same online sources mentioned above, but places that combine the two practices of sauna and cold exposure are not common. I went in after a float and did 20 minutes of sauna, 1.5 minutes in their plunge, another 10 minutes of sauna, and then another 1.5 minutes in the plunge. I left feeling invigorated, energized, and oddly enough, feeling emotionally positive. 

I never went back to that float place; I decided right after that I needed to have access to these tools right in my house. I was fortunate enough to have the space, so I rearranged my gym, taped an outline for where they’d go on the floor, and made the purchases.

Here’s What I Got:

Cold Plunge (Cold Plunge Tub)

I ended up with the standard model of the Cold Plunge which retails for $4,990. It’s steep for a fiberglass tub that just holds cold water, but it’s a well-designed, quality product that makes cold water immersion accessible. Unless you have a commercial ice machine, you won’t cold plunge consistently because of the effort it takes to set-up for what is generally a three minute ordeal. The Cold Plunge takes the hassle out of the equation.

Pros

• Pump with a filter that allows you to keep the water without draining for up to 6 months

• Easy-to-follow maintenance protocol

• Easy to fill and drain with a standard garden house

• Comes with insulated cover to help maintain your set temperature

• Lowest temps is 39 degrees

Cons

• High cost

• Maintenance boxes last 6 months and are an added regular cost of $190 per box

Infrared Sauna (Clearlight Sanctuary 2)

The difference between a dry and infrared sauna is a whole separate topic, and for me, it came down to how quickly the sauna could heat up. In my research, the Clearlight Sanctuary 2 looked like it would heat up to at least 150 degrees fahrenheit (out of a max temp of 175 fahrenheit) in about 45 minutes.

My wife and I both work full time and we split the load caring for two kids, so we wanted something we could pre-program to heat up in the morning and take the least amount of time to get up to temp. In my own sauna experience up to this point, I would’ve preferred the higher temps of the dry sauna, but after having the infrared sauna for several months now, I’ve noticed that I still feel challenged in the last 5 minutes of the sauna the same way I had always been in the dry sauna. That, as well as the amount of sweating and persistent heat I’ve felt in my skin long after I get out of the sauna signals to me that the effects (and potential benefit) are very similar.

I’d encourage anybody choosing to make such a significant, costly purchase to try both out at a local gym or wellness facility and to also look closely at the available reviews of both products. Nearly ALL sauna research is based on the dry saunas customarily used in Finland, but with infrared saunas increasing in popularity and market share, it’s likely future research will start to look at data from infrared sauna use. 

Pros

• Programmable to heat up prior to use.

• Two built-in Bluetooth speakers.

• Lights inside and out.

• Two-person assembly in about one hour; all pieces are prefabricated.

• Adaptable to take third 300W heater for faster heat-up times and higher temps.

Cons

• Max temperature of 175 Fahrenheit; typically gets up to 150 in 45 minutes.

• High cost at $6,700.

Protocols

When it comes to sauna and cold exposure, there’s an overwhelming amount of advice out on the internet regarding protocols for using one or the other, or both together. I’ve taken a lot of my cues from Dr. Huberman as well as Dr. Peter Attia (Home - Dr. Peter Attia) on this topic, but there are some ad-hoc applications for both, particularly for cold exposure, to consider as well.

Protocols for Sauna

For longevity and reducing all-cause mortality, studies point to working off of the following guidelines if possible. This is why most people sauna - the reduction in inflammation and positive benefits from heat shock proteins all feed into longevity and staving off chronic illness and disease.

• Minimum 175 degree Fahrenheit

• 20 minutes

• 4 - 5 times per week

Other Sauna Considerations

• Sauna near bedtime has noticeable benefits for sleep - I’m much more relaxed in the evening after sauna and sleep deeper on the days I decide to squeeze it in near bedtime.

• Sauna raises my heart rate 25-30+ BPMs after a workout. There are studies out there looking at how this can mimic aerobic exercise and provide similar cardiovascular benefits, but sauna should not be a substitute for the real thing; DO BOTH. 

Protocols for Cold Exposure

Cold exposure produces a much more noticeable effect on the mind and body than sauna. It’s far more challenging; for me personally, despite having submerged myself in my Cold Plunge numerous times, planning to go in still generates mild anxiety and doubt. This is normal and nobody should feel discouraged by this completely human reaction to doing something that sucks.

In spite of this, cold exposure activates a surge of dopamine that is immediately noticeable and worth chasing over and over again. Research on when to do cold exposure with relation to workouts is evolving, and while some people acquainted with the world of athletics will recall taking ice baths after workouts, there are some nuances to how to maximize the benefit of cold exposure that are currently being fleshed out.

• Guidelines for Optimal Benefit

  • 50 degrees fahrenheit is the temperature generally cited in studies

  • 12 minutes per week total (3 minute sessions at 4 times per week) is ideal

  • Dunking your head activates your body’s “cold response” - this actually makes the remaining 2 minutes and 58 seconds much easier to tolerate

  • If you don’t dunk your head, submerge at least up to your neck

  • Put on music and tell yourself it’s only 3 minutes of your day

• Using Cold Exposure for Mood

  • I’ve come home after exhausting days at work to check-in with the plunge for three minutes and completely turn what could’ve been a spiral out of control into smooth and steady flight.

  • Cold exposure activates a rush of dopamine production, and the effects leave you walking away shivering, but truly happy. You’ll have to try it for yourself to see what I mean. 

• Pre-workout: A new body of evidence is emerging on the benefits of using cold exposure for before working out.

  • The potential benefits include a rise in testosterone levels in men.

  • Surge of energy makes you feel you are at an optimal performance level.

• Post-workout

  • May reduce inflammation but may also interrupt hypertrophy.

A Quick Note on Contrast Therapy

Contrast therapy is the practice of combining both cold and heat exposure. Taking the protocols above and combining them, if you are able to, will make you feel incredible. That said, the combination isn’t necessary, and the jury is still out on whether the benefits from pairing the two practices in one sitting are amplified, reduced, or essentially the same compared to each practice on its own.

For those with access to both cold water exposure and sauna, the growing body of testimonies from experimenting with both recommend the following basic protocols/considerations:

• At most two rounds of sauna and cold plunge

  • ROUND 1: 20 minutes in the sauna @ 180 Fahrenheit or above // 3 minutes in the cold plunge at 50 Fahrenheit or below

  • ROUND 2: 15 minutes in the sauna // 2 minutes in the cold plunge

• End on a cold plunge for a boost of energy

• End in the sauna for deep, relaxing sleep

Recommendations

Despite an uptick recently in attention to both sauna and cold water immersion, the practices are believed to have been around for over a thousand years, and both are intrinsic to Nordic culture, particularly in Finland. Seeking these practices now are costly as a result of this increase in public attention around their incredible mental and physical health benefits. If you’re not in a position to purchase a cold plunge or a sauna, I get it. If you’re still hell bent on getting the benefits, here’s some alternatives to consider:

• Jump in a lake during the winter; you have to find ways to challenge your body physically and mentally because like it or not, the end result of doing something challenging (depending on what you do) is typically a dopamine surge, a reduction in stress and anxiety, improved metabolic health, more resilience against potential injury, and a better baseline of energy throughout the day.

• It pains me to say it because I don’t enjoy them at all, but cold showers can be an effective alternative to getting that 250% increase in dopamine and surge of energy that goes along with it. It has to be as cold as your plumbing allows and about 3-4 minutes should do the trick.

• Find a local gym that has a sauna and/or cold plunge. A lot of national gym chains like Lifetime or LA Fitness have had saunas and steam rooms for decades now, although what amenities each location has will vary. If the locations near you weren’t smart enough to house one, be on the lookout for local wellness places that offer things like IV therapy (a whole separate convo on cost/benefit) or cryo, as they too may have saunas or cold plunges available.

I’ll leave you with a quick nod to Dr. Peter Attia again who has said, and I’m paraphrasing here, that there’s no prescription medicine on the planet that can reduce your all-cause mortality at the rate sauna can. When it comes to cold exposure, the body of research and studies looking at the long- and short-term benefits is growing, but I can tell you from personal experience that on numerous occasions, on days where I feel like a plane nosediving to earth, three minutes in my cold plunge has been 100% successful in turning things completely around.

Search for something challenging.

/LM