The Perfect Combination: Infrared Sauna and Ice Bath for Biohackers

Can fire and ice mix? In the traditional sense they can’t, but savvy biohackers know just how to mix them in order to help optimise the performance of their bodies.

And no, we don’t conjure phoenixes or ice dragons; we rely on hot and cold therapy.

By combining infrared sauna sessions with ice baths, we’re able to fine-tune the performance of our bodies and improve our overall well-being.

The power lies in the hot and cold aspects of the two therapy types. Infrared saunas dilate your blood vessels and induce sweating while ice baths constrict your blood vessels.

The two extremes work in tandem to spark a fascinating cascade of physiological responses in the body—for your benefit.

Your heart rate increases (as the temperature changes mimic mild exercise). This leads to the release of endorphins—the feel-good hormones that leave you in a state of blissful relaxation.

Not only that, but your body gets rid of toxins, you enjoy better sleep, reduced inflammation and a boosted immune system.

So although fire and ice don’t technically mix, the ingenious pairing of infrared sauna and ice baths is an example of how two opposite extreme temperatures can unlock your body’s potential.

As we explore how this combo works, we’ll dive into the following topics:

• The amazing benefits an infrared sauna offers your body
• How the much-feared “chilly” ice bath works to your advantage
• The benefits biohackers reap from an infrared sauna and ice bath combo
• A step-by-step guide on how to do an infrared sauna and ice bath session

Benefits of an Infrared Sauna

Saunas have been used for centuries as a means of cleansing, relaxation and overall well-being.

You may wonder, “If they’ve been around that long, why is there so much hype around infrared saunas nowadays?” It’s because they operate on a completely different principle.

Unlike traditional saunas that rely on a stove, electricity, or heated stones to warm the air around you, infrared saunas use infrared wavelengths to directly heat your body instead of heating the air around you.

This principle helps raise your core temperature faster and encourages more sweating, helping rid your body of toxins without the excess heat and humidity of traditional saunas.

We’ve all experienced days when our muscles feel tense and cranky. The therapeutic heat of an infrared sauna coaxes your stubborn muscles into submission mode, providing relief from aches.

And it doesn’t end there. This cool technology offers biohackers:

• Improved circulation: Heat stimulates blood flow, promoting better circulation of nutrients and removal of waste products.
• Stress reduction: The gentle heat is calming to the body and mind, which helps you feel relaxed.
• Weight management: Though not a substitute for exercise and a proper diet, to an extent the elevated heart rate and sweating help burn some calories.
• Cardiovascular benefits: Infrared saunas have a positive effect on your heart. The heat causes blood vessels to dilate, improving blood flow and lowering the risk of high blood pressure.

Furthermore, the benefits extend to your largest organ—the skin. That’s right, your skin will thank you for the increased collagen production. And as we know, collagen is the holy grail of youthful skin.

Not only that, you’ll notice your skin getting radiant by the day. As you sweat, your pores open up, and dead skin cells are shed, which contributes to a radiant complexion.

With all of these benefits packed into infrared saunas, it's no wonder that many people are incorporating them into their daily routines for optimal health and wellness.

As you embark on your journey to detoxification, mental clarity, muscle relaxation and skin rejuvenation, get yourself an infrared sauna and join us—your fellow biohackers—to reach your physical and mental potential.

“.. regular sauna use can have a profound and powerful impact on your health, your well-being and your life span.… I decided to get an infrared sauna, my favourite is Health Mate…”—Tony Robbins

Benefits of an Ice Bath

Just the mention of “ice bath” is enough to evoke visions of shivering. Though they have a chilly reputation, ice baths also have therapeutic benefits which have made them popular.

Definition: An ice bath is a cold exposure therapy that involves immersing your body in ice-cold water (10–15°C) for no more than 15 minutes.

During an ice bath, the blood vessels constrict, which reduces blood flow to the muscles and therefore prevents inflammation and swelling. Athletes, particularly, use it to help their muscle injuries recover after training sessions or even to energize the body before a workout.

But you don’t need to be an athlete to enjoy the benefits of hot-cold therapy—anyone can use it.

The next time you engage in some intense physical activities, take the icy plunge. It will help relieve pain caused by muscle tension and soreness.

The numbing effect of ice-cold water is also effective in alleviating pain caused by acute strains and sprains, as well as arthritis and muscle spasms.

Furthermore, an ice bath can improve your mood. Plunging into ice-cold water reduces stress hormones like cortisol, while increasing endorphins, such as dopamine. The result is mental clarity and increased energy levels.

So, get ready for those chilly dips. An ice bath at home is a excellent way to improve your physical health while boosting your energy levels and mood.

Hot and Cold Therapy: The Infrared and Ice Bath Combo

We understand that our bodies need care if we want to stay healthy and energised. And as biohackers, we’re forward thinkers and early adopters.

That’s why we combine infrared sauna sessions with ice baths to take our physical health and overall well-being a notch higher. We call it hot and cold therapy, or contrast therapy.

Here’s how the combination constitutes a hot and cold therapy:

• Infrared sauna (hot therapy): Your body is exposed to gentle heat, which induces the dilation of blood vessels (vasodilation).
• Cold bath (cold therapy): Your body is exposed to cold water, which constricts the blood vessels (vasoconstriction).

Combining the two enhances the benefits of both because by alternating between the dilation and constriction of blood vessels, you’ll promote blood circulation and lymphatic flow that removes waste from the body.

Let’s look at the benefits you’ll reap from a hot and cold combo:

1 - Stress Reduction

A combination of an infrared sauna and ice bath is the perfect choice to take biohacking to a higher level. Not only does this method boost relaxation, but it also helps us achieve intense focus, mental clarity, emotional balance, improved energy and increased productivity.

When it comes to managing stress effectively, infrared sessions are ideal for increasing relaxation. This type of heat therapy helps release endorphins in the brain that induce a sense of calmness.

By contrast, ice baths also reduce inflammation in the body and improve blood flow, which leads to better performance during physical activity.

Together, these two methods provide our bodies with an all-encompassing form of relaxation that has both mental and physical benefits.

2 - Improved Sleep

You can rest easy knowing that combining hot and cold therapy can help improve your sleep.

The combination of an infrared sauna and ice bath gives you an extra kick of energy before bedtime. When you do it consistently, it will balance your body so that you’re able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

When we clear our minds of stressors before bedtime, our brain is much more likely to drift off into dreamland quickly.

Plus, with all the toxins flushed out from the heat therapy session, our immune system function becomes stronger, which further aids in getting good quality restorative sleep each night.

Why not give this perfect combination a try? Join the biohacking community as we explore hot-cold therapy. You'll be rewarded with peaceful slumber every night.

3 - Improved Circulation

By alternating between extreme temperatures, you’ll experience cellular regeneration, muscle relaxation, improved oxygenation, mental clarity and pain relief.

The heat from an infrared sauna dilates blood vessels, which increases circulation throughout the body. As a result of increased blood flow, oxygen is delivered to cells more quickly, while toxins are removed from them at a faster rate.

With regular use of this combination, you'll notice not only increased energy, but physical well-being due to the improved oxygenation that comes with increased circulation.

4 - Reduced Inflammation

Inflammation is the body’s natural immune response to injury or infection and is evident through swelling, redness, heat and pain. However, chronic inflammation can suppress your immune system and make it less effective.

Alternating between hot and cold temperatures helps to reduce inflammation and support the proper function of immune cells, allowing them to eliminate bacteria, viruses and other disease-causing organisms.

The hot and cold temperatures also prevent tissue destruction, which occurs when the body undergoes acute inflammation after injury or while fighting infection.

5 - Detoxification

Toxins can enter your body through food, personal care products, medication and the environment. They can disrupt your body's normal functioning and cause you harm.

Examples of these toxins include pesticides, heavy metals and food additives, which disrupt cellular functioning, cause organ damage and weaken the immune system.

By relying on hot and cold therapy, heat from the infrared sauna causes your body to sweat and eliminate these toxins through the skin. The cold phase also stimulates the removal of toxins by activating the lymphatic system to eliminate waste.

Benefits: With your body free from toxins, you’ll enjoy renewed vitality, clear skin, an enhanced immune system and overall well-being.

How to Do a Hot and Cold Therapy Session

We’ve seen that the contrasting temperatures of infrared saunas and ice baths promote various positive physiological responses in the body.

Now, let’s get down to the live-action. A hot and cold therapy session involves several steps:

• Crank up your infrared sauna to 43–60°C. You can gradually increase the temperature to suit your comfort.
• Now, set the timer to 10–15 minutes if you’re a beginner. Once you become a hot-cold pro, you can extend the length of future sessions up to a maximum of 30 minutes.
• Stay hydrated, fellow biohacker. Keep your water bottle close before entering the sauna, during and after the session.
• Wear comfortable swimwear or undergarments, and lay down a towel to avoid direct contact with the bench. Remember, your body is releasing toxins through sweat, and it might stain the bench.
• After your session in the sauna, it’s ice bath time. Fill your ice bath tub or barrel with cold water, and then add ice cubes to reach a temperature of 10–15°C. Immerse your whole body, starting with the extremities and leaving only the head above water.
• Don't take a hot shower immediately after coming out of the ice bath. Instead, towel-dry yourself and let your body warm up on its own to reap the full benefits of the hot and cold therapy.

Savvy Suggestion: To increase the effectiveness of an ice bath, you need a system to maintain the cold temperature. An ice bath chiller from The Peak Athletics can help your water chill or heat quickly, improve filtration, and enhance the technology options to control your ice bath.

For instance, Avantopool Cooling and Heating Unit adjusts the water temperature between +4°C and +40°C, and you can attach a water filtration cartridge (sold separately). It’s also WiFi enabled and suitable for your outdoor use. Check out our other Ice Bath Chiller Units.

Here’s another cool part: You don’t have to endure the hassle of purchasing an ice bath tub and chiller separately. The Peak Athletics bundles them and brings you the ultimate Ice Bath Kits. With one of these, you’ll be able to control the water temperature at the touch of a button.

In a nutshell, the dynamic duo of infrared sauna and ice bath is the pain relief squad that’ll help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. As biohackers, we’re able to take care of others when we feel great about ourselves.

Both therapies are easy on the wallet compared to expensive massage sessions or other forms of physical therapy.

So, if you're looking for a way to optimise your health and performance without breaking the bank, try combining an infrared sauna with an ice bath.

Expert Tip: Before diving into the hot and cold wonder, it’s important to consult your doctor if you have any medical condition that may cause complications. These conditions include cardiovascular issues and hypersensitivity to heat or cold.

Embrace the Biohacker’s Symphony of Hot and Cold

We've seen the incredible benefits that infrared saunas and ice baths can bring. From improved sleep quality to faster recovery from physical activity, this hot-cold therapy combo has been proven to have health benefits.

Whether you're looking for a way to reduce stress or boost your immunity, this combination is a great place to start, and it's easy to incorporate into your daily routine.

The table below presents some essential tips and best practices for biohackers exploring the Infrared Sauna and Ice Bath method, helping you make the most of these powerful tools to enhance your performance, recovery and overall well-being.

The biohacking world is abuzz with confusing terminology and information, and as such, you may find it difficult to choose the right products.

At The Peak Athletics, we present you with carefully selected hot-cold therapy products, such as infrared saunas and ice baths.

We also offer red light devices, body composition analysers, blue light glasses and fitness equipment. With these products, our mission is to add value to your biohacking journey.