Cedar City Fire & Ice
Experience our cold plunge and sauna for a holistic approach to promoting health and accelerating recovery, enhancing your body's natural healing processes.
Cold Plunge Benefits:
1. Soothe Sore Muscles
Just like throwing an ice pack on a sprained wrist, cold plunges can help to reduce soreness in your muscles and sometimes decrease swelling and inflammation. Professional athletes and fitness buffs have been on this trend for a while, but don’t be intimidated — cold-water therapy is truly for everyone.
2. Support Your Immune System
Your immune system is one of the most critical aspects of your body’s health, and cold water immersion may help improve it. So while it’s probably not a great idea to hop in a cold tub the next time you get the sniffles, a regular routine of cold plunging may be able to help you fight off future illnesses.
3. Builds Resilience
Voluntarily dipping your body into freezing water challenges you both physically and mentally, pushing your body past its comfort zone. It takes fortitude to withstand cold temperatures, even for a short time, which is why ice baths build up your resiliency.
4. Boosts Energy Levels
Sticking to a cold plunge routine can also boost your energy levels, thanks to a hormone and neurotransmitter called norepinephrine. Norepinephrine in the brain helps to regulate focus, attention, and mood, and when we come into contact with cold water, there is a significant release of norepinephrine into our bodies.
5. Boost Your Metabolism
The metabolic rate is the rate at which your body uses energy to burn calories. According to studies, cold exposure kicks this rate into high gear — anywhere from 8% to 80% higher — as your body works to keep itself warm.
6. Support Weight Loss
Your body gets the energy it needs to keep you warm in the cold from brown adipose tissue, or brown fat. Think of a wood-burning stove that’s used to warm up a room. The wood is the “brown fat,” and the fire is the “metabolism.” As your body shivers and burns brown fat, your body burns calories faster.
7. Improve Your Mood and Support Mental Health
If your mood needs a pick-me-up, an ice bath may do the trick. After that initial gasp from the shock of cold water, many people begin to feel invigorated and clear-headed. You can thank the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones, for that.
8. Strengthen Your Hair And Skin
Cold water therapy doesn’t only do you good on the inside, it does you good on the outside, too. More specifically, it can help strengthen your hair and skin. Your hair may benefit from ice baths because chilly water can flatten ruffled cuticles, leaving it shiny and help it retain moisture to prevent breakage.
9. Support Better Quality Sleep
There are several reasons why cold water immersion supports better sleep. As we mentioned above, ice bathing relieves stress and improves your mood, making your sleep more peaceful.
Sauna Benefits:
1. Relaxation and Stress Reduction
Saunas serve as an excellent sanctuary for relaxation, where the heat helps release endorphins, the body's natural mood elevators. This can lead to a significant reduction in stress levels, providing a tranquil escape from daily pressures.
2. Improved Circulation
The warmth of a sauna causes blood vessels to expand, significantly boosting blood flow. This increased circulation not only nourishes cells more effectively but also enhances the body's ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients throughout the system.
3. Detoxification
By inducing perspiration, saunas facilitate the expulsion of toxins through the skin. Although the extent of detoxification is a topic of debate among scientists, sweating is undeniably one way the body can eliminate certain waste products.
4. Muscle Recovery
After rigorous physical activity, the heat from a sauna can help in muscle relaxation and recovery. It reduces muscle tension and soreness, accelerates the healing of micro-tears in muscle fibers, and can prepare athletes for subsequent workouts by improving flexibility.
5. Cardiovascular Health
Long-term studies have shown a correlation between regular sauna use and decreased risks of cardiovascular issues. Sauna bathing has been associated with lower rates of heart-related diseases, potentially because it mimics some effects of moderate exercise on the heart.
6. Skin Health
The combination of heat and steam in saunas opens up skin pores, allowing for a deep cleanse that can enhance skin appearance. This can lead to clearer skin, reduced acne, and better skin elasticity, although hydration post-sauna is crucial to prevent dryness.
7. Respiratory Health
The warm, moist air in a sauna can help clear up nasal passages, easing congestion and potentially aiding those with mild respiratory conditions. However, caution is advised for those with severe respiratory issues, who should consult their doctor first.
8. Pain Relief
For individuals suffering from chronic pain conditions like arthritis, the heat from a sauna can provide relief by reducing inflammation and easing joint stiffness. This thermal therapy can act as a natural pain reliever, promoting better mobility and comfort.
9. Weight Management
While not a substitute for exercise or diet, saunas can assist in weight management by temporarily increasing metabolic rate and causing you to burn calories through heat.
10. Mental Well-being
The calm and quiet environment of a sauna can enhance mood, reduce anxiety, and improve overall mental health.
Combining sauna use with cold plunges, known as contrast therapy, can offer several unique benefits:
Contrast therapy, involving the alternation between sauna heat and cold plunge, offers several health benefits. It significantly improves circulation by causing blood vessels to alternately expand and contract, which can enhance the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscles. This therapy also aids in faster muscle recovery by reducing post-exercise soreness, helping athletes return to training more quickly. Moreover, it can alleviate pain and reduce inflammation, as the cold plunge helps to constrict blood vessels and decrease swelling, while the heat from the sauna soothes muscles and joints, providing relief from chronic conditions like arthritis.
When engaging in contrast therapy:
Start Gradually: Begin with shorter sessions in both the sauna and cold plunge, gradually increasing time as you get accustomed.
Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body reacts. If you feel dizzy, overly fatigued, or uncomfortable, stop.
Hydration: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after to replace fluids lost through sweating.
Medical Advice: Consult with a healthcare provider before starting, especially if you have any health concerns.
Medical Disclaimer: The information contained on this page is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. While cold water therapy and saunas have many benefits, individual responses can vary, and the therapy may not be suitable for everyone.
Fire & Ice Pricing
Cedar City Members - $40/month
Cedar City Couples - $60/month
Non-Members - $60/month
*includes unlimited access to both sauna and cold plunge
