Mastering Heat and Cold: How Sauna and Ice Baths Transform Your Performance and Resilience

Thrive Insights

Helping you create structure, clarity, and performance in every area of life

read time: 5 minutes

Welcome to Thrive Insights, your weekly guide to optimizing health, performance, and purpose. Each week, I share actionable insights, strategies, and personal practices that have helped me and my clients elevate our lives. Here’s to creating your best day, every day.

Today’s Focus

• Protocols: Sauna and ice bath practices for recovery and resilience
• Quote: Tony Robbins on consistency
• Lesson: Pairing hot and cold therapy with breathing techniques
• Optimization: Tips to overcome fear and stay calm in the ice

Today’s Protocol

Contrast Therapy: Sauna + Ice Bath

Sauna and ice bath protocols are two of the most powerful tools I’ve incorporated into my routine for recovery, resilience, and mental clarity. Here’s how I use them, paired with intentional breathing, to maximize the benefits.

Sauna Protocol

1. Duration: 15-20 minutes at 170–190°F. If you're new to sauna use, start with shorter sessions (10 minutes) and build up.
2. Breathing: Practice down-regulation breathing while in the sauna (e.g., 1-1-2-1 cadence: inhale for 1 second, hold for 1 second, exhale for 2 seconds, hold for 1 second). This helps keep your heart rate steady and prevents overheating.
3. Hydration: Always hydrate before and after your session to replace fluids lost through sweat. Use Redmond’s Re-Lyte Electrolyte Mix for effective hydration and mineral replenishment.
   Use my code SHEA for 15% off at Redmond’s Re-Lyte.
4. Rest Between Hot and Cold: After your sauna session, allow your body 5-10 minutes to cool naturally before entering the ice bath. This rest period supports your body’s return to homeostasis and prevents sudden shock from transitioning too quickly.

Ice Bath Protocol

1. Duration: 2-3 minutes at 35–50°F. Beginners can start at 1 minute and increase over time.
2. Breathing: Use the 3-1-6-0 breathing cadence to stay calm and focused: inhale through your nose for 3 seconds, hold for 1 second, exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds, and pause for 0 seconds before repeating. This cadence keeps your nervous system calm and prevents hyperventilation.
3. Recovery Breathing After the Ice Bath: Transition into up-regulation breathing (fast, intentional nasal inhales and passive exhales) immediately after the ice bath to warm your body up and avoid prolonged shivering.

Tips for Ice Bath Success

Ice baths are where most people feel fear—but with the right mindset and techniques, you can conquer them. Here are some tips to make your experience more manageable and beneficial:

1. Release the Fear

   • Accept that the water will be cold. It’s not about avoiding discomfort; it’s about learning that you’re strong enough to endure it. You can do 2-3 minutes!

2. Exhale as You Enter

   • As soon as you step into the ice bath, exhale deeply to release tension. This helps you immediately focus on nasal breathing, allowing your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) to activate quicker.

3. Place Hands on Your Thighs

   • Rest your hands gently on your thighs. This creates a calm, grounded posture and prevents unnecessary movement, which can break your focus.

4. Stay Calm and Breathe Slowly

   • Focus on slow, steady nasal breathing to keep your nervous system relaxed. The 3-1-6-0 cadence works wonders here.

5. Be Still

   • Try not to move too much in the water. Movement disrupts the thermal barrier your body creates around you, making the cold feel sharper. Stillness is your ally.

Today’s Quote

"It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently."
— Tony Robbins

Consistency is the secret ingredient to creating resilience. Whether it’s contrast therapy, movement, or mindfulness, the small, repeated actions you take build your foundation for peak performance.

Today’s Lesson: The Science of Heat and Cold Therapy

Contrast therapy isn’t just a buzzword; it’s backed by science. Here’s how heat and cold exposure benefit your body and mind:

The Benefits of Sauna Use

• Improved Cardiovascular Health: Regular sauna use improves blood circulation, reduces blood pressure, and supports heart health by mimicking the effects of moderate cardio exercise.
  Read the study.
• Detoxification: Sweating helps eliminate toxins, leaving your body refreshed and energized.
• Enhanced Recovery: Sauna use can reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery by increasing blood flow to tissues.
• Longevity: Frequent sauna use is linked to lower risks of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.
  Read the study.

The Benefits of Ice Baths

• Increased Resilience: Ice baths stimulate the vagus nerve, helping your body adapt to stress and enhancing mental toughness.
• Fat Adaptation: Cold exposure promotes brown fat activation, which increases energy expenditure and improves metabolic health.
  Read the study.
• Reduced Inflammation: Ice baths can decrease inflammation and swelling, making them a go-to recovery tool for athletes and high performers alike.
• Mental Clarity: The intense focus required to stay calm in the cold builds mental discipline and strengthens your ability to manage discomfort.
  Read the study.

Today’s Optimization

Here’s how I maximize my sauna and ice bath sessions for the best results:

1. Hydration and Electrolytes: Always hydrate before and after sessions. Use Redmond’s Re-Lyte to replenish minerals lost through sweat. Save 15% with my code SHEA at Redmond’s Re-Lyte.
2. Breathing Techniques: Pair contrast therapy with down-regulation breathing in the sauna and ice bath (3-1-6-0 cadence), and up-regulation breathing afterward to support recovery.
3. Consistency: Aim for 2-3 sessions per week to build resilience and support recovery.

Today’s Journal Prompt

“What role does discomfort play in my personal growth? How can I use tools like heat and cold to build mental and physical resilience?”

Reflecting on how you approach discomfort can help you reframe these practices as opportunities to grow stronger, both mentally and physically.

Today’s Course

Want to expand your breathing skills to enhance your sauna and ice bath practice?
Check out my Intro to Breathing Mechanics course. This course is designed to help you master breathing techniques that build resilience, improve recovery, and optimize performance.

Today’s Reading

Check out The Wedge: Evolution, Consciousness, Stress, and the Key to Human Resilience by Scott Carney. This fascinating book explores how intentional exposure to stress, like cold immersion, can help us build resilience and transform how we handle challenges.

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