5 Steps to Prepare for Contrast Therapy
- Patrick Frank
- Dec 28, 2025
- 7 min read
Contrast therapy alternates between heat (infrared sauna) and cold (cold plunge) to boost recovery. It improves circulation, reduces inflammation, and boosts immunity. To maximize benefits, follow these five steps:
Stay Hydrated: Drink 16–32 ounces of water 1–2 hours before your session. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Check Your Health: Follow safety tips and consult a doctor if you have heart conditions, high blood pressure, or are pregnant.
Plan Meals: Eat light, anti-inflammatory foods like fruits and nuts beforehand. Avoid heavy meals and alcohol.
Wear Comfortable Clothing: Opt for quick-drying swimwear and bring flip-flops. Remove makeup for better detoxification.
Mentally Prepare: Practice deep breathing to handle temperature changes. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to relax and set up.
These steps ensure a safe and effective session, whether you're recovering from intense activity or seeking stress relief. Conscious Body Recovery offers private suites starting at $29.50 with code 50OFF. Book your session for a personalized experience.
Contrast Therapy Explained (Why You Need to do It)
Step 1: Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated is crucial when practicing contrast therapy, much like preparing for an infrared sauna session. Proper fluid intake helps your body handle intense sweating and rapid temperature changes, reducing the risk of fatigue, nausea, or poor circulation.
Aim to drink 16–32 ounces of water 1–2 hours before your session, and gradually increase your water intake over the 24 hours leading up to it. An easy way to check your hydration level is by looking at the color of your urine - light yellow is ideal, while darker shades suggest dehydration.
"Drinking plenty of water ensures that blood remains sufficiently fluid to flow easily, even when subjected to the stress of changing water temperatures." - Renu Therapy
If you've been active before your session, consider drinking an electrolyte-enhanced beverage. This can help replace the fluids and minerals lost - about one pint - during a sauna session . Replenishing electrolytes is essential for supporting the vascular pumping effect, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues as your body adapts to temperature shifts.
Stay away from caffeine and alcohol, as they act as diuretics and can dehydrate you. Instead, sip water or an electrolyte drink between cycles to maintain hydration .
Step 2: Review Your Health Status
Before diving into contrast therapy, take a moment to evaluate your health. Along with staying properly hydrated, this step is crucial for ensuring a safe and effective experience. Understanding the benefits of contrast therapy can help you appreciate why these precautions are necessary. Since contrast therapy involves sudden shifts in temperature, it can put stress on your cardiovascular system. If you have heart conditions or high blood pressure, it's essential to consult your doctor first.
This health check helps identify any concerns that might require medical guidance.
"Always consult your physician if you have cardiovascular conditions or are pregnant." - Chalarosi
Certain health conditions call for extra caution - or may even mean skipping contrast therapy altogether. For instance, if you're pregnant, have a bleeding disorder, a fever, or a sensitivity to heat, it's better to avoid these sessions. Additionally, if you're on prescription medications, talk to your doctor to ensure there won’t be any adverse effects. And steer clear of therapy if you're intoxicated or recovering from heavy drinking, as alcohol can interfere with your body’s ability to regulate temperature safely.
At Conscious Body Recovery, the private, self-serve setup lets you control the pace and temperature adjustments, tailoring the session to your comfort level.
If you plan to use FSA or HSA funds, make sure to get a Letter of Medical Necessity from your doctor. You might also want to discuss recovery supplements during your consultation.
Step 3: Plan Your Meals
What you eat before a contrast therapy session matters just as much as staying hydrated. Both the optimal contrast therapy timing and type of food you consume can impact how effective and comfortable your session will be.
Eating a heavy meal beforehand might leave you feeling nauseous or dizzy, while skipping food entirely could make you feel weak. The key is to strike a balance - plan meals that support your hydration efforts and provide the energy you’ll need for the session.
Go for light, anti-inflammatory options like fruits (think blueberries or oranges for their antioxidants), nuts (such as almonds and walnuts for omega-3s), and yogurt to support gut health.
"Research indicates that certain foods have anti-inflammatory benefits." - Dr. Frank Hu, Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health
On the other hand, steer clear of alcohol before your session. Alcohol can mess with your body’s ability to regulate temperature and leaves you more prone to dehydration. Stick with water, and if you want an extra boost, consider adding electrolytes to help your body handle the upcoming shifts between heat and cold.
Step 4: Choose Comfortable Clothing
When preparing for your session, opt for lightweight, moisture-wicking swimwear. Fabrics like polyester or nylon are excellent choices because they dry quickly and won’t stick to your skin. Avoid cotton, as it tends to hold onto moisture, becoming heavy and uncomfortable when wet.
What you wear also plays a role in maintaining hygiene and ensuring safety. A pair of flip-flops can be handy for moving between the sauna, shower, and cold plunge areas, keeping your feet clean. Before starting, take a moment to remove any makeup or skincare products. This allows your pores to breathe freely and enhances the detox process.
At Conscious Body Recovery, fresh towels and convenient showers are provided to make your experience seamless. Use the towels during the sauna to wipe away sweat and stay clean throughout your session. While the facility has you covered with essentials like towels and showers, packing your preferred swimwear and flip-flops ensures you’re fully prepared. The right attire and accessories can make a big difference in your comfort and help you get the most out of your session.
Step 5: Prepare Your Mind and Arrive Early
Contrast therapy isn’t just a physical experience - it’s a mental one too. Your body alternates between the cold-induced "fight or flight" response, triggered by the sympathetic nervous system, and the heat-induced "rest and digest" state, governed by the parasympathetic system. To handle these intense temperature changes, practice deep breathing or mindfulness techniques. These tools help you develop what’s often called the "resilience reflex", allowing your mind to stay steady during cold plunges at 45–50°F.
Once you’ve mentally prepared, shift your attention to your arrival routine. Plan to get there 10–15 minutes early. This gives you time to check in, change, and ease into the right headspace for recovery.
Take advantage of this time to set the stage for relaxation. Adjust the aromatherapy settings, connect your phone to the Bluetooth speakers, and tweak the light therapy to create a soothing atmosphere. These small, personalized adjustments signal to your body that it’s time to relax - even before you step into the sauna.
When your session ends, don’t rush out the door. Spend a few quiet moments in your private space to let the calm sink in. Whether you’ve booked 25, 55, or 85 minutes, building in this extra mental buffer at the beginning and end ensures you get the most out of your time at Conscious Body Recovery.
Conclusion
By following these five steps - staying hydrated, checking your health, planning meals, wearing comfortable clothing, and mentally preparing - including using visualization techniques - you can make contrast therapy a safe and effective tool for recovery. These practices help your body focus on detoxing, reducing inflammation, aiding muscle recovery, and boosting energy levels. The benefits are clear, as reflected in glowing feedback from clients.
Conscious Body Recovery has earned top ratings on both Google and Yelp, with over 500 recovery sessions completed successfully. Marcus T., a tech executive, says, "The infrared sauna is my weekly ritual. It's relaxing and helps reduce my stress - truly a luxury spa experience."[1]
Whether you're looking to recover after pushing your physical limits or simply need a stress-relief solution, Conscious Body Recovery offers a private and personalized experience. Sessions start at just $29.50 with the code 50OFF, and there are packages and memberships available. Visit Conscious Body Recovery to book your session and experience recovery that delivers results.
FAQs
Are there any health risks with contrast therapy?
When used correctly, contrast therapy is generally considered safe. However, it’s important to be aware of potential health risks. The sudden shifts in temperature can sometimes lead to skin injuries, like burns from overly hot water or nerve pain caused by extreme cold. People with conditions such as peripheral neuropathy or vascular disease may face a higher risk. Also, if you have open wounds, the rapid changes in temperature could increase bleeding.
Contrast therapy can also put stress on the cardiovascular system. This may result in spikes in blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, or even a "cold-shock" response. These effects are especially concerning for individuals with chronic heart or lung conditions, pregnant individuals, or those dealing with uncontrolled high blood pressure. If you have any underlying medical conditions, it’s always a good idea to consult a healthcare provider before trying this therapy.
During a session, it’s crucial to listen to your body. If you notice symptoms like dizziness, excessive shivering, or an irregular heartbeat, stop immediately. Seek medical attention if these symptoms persist or worsen.
What are the benefits of contrast therapy for reducing inflammation?
Contrast therapy works to ease inflammation by alternating between heat, like an infrared sauna, and cold, such as a cold plunge. Heat encourages vasodilation, which boosts blood flow, while cold causes vasoconstriction, helping to reduce swelling. This cycle of expanding and narrowing blood vessels improves circulation, clears out inflammatory substances, and aids in tissue repair.
This technique taps into your body’s natural recovery processes, making it effective for easing soreness and supporting overall well-being.
What foods should I avoid eating before a contrast therapy session?
Before diving into a contrast therapy session, it’s best to skip heavy meals, sugary snacks, or spicy dishes. These can leave you feeling weighed down or uneasy, which isn’t ideal. Instead, go for something light and easy on your stomach - think a piece of fruit, a small handful of nuts, or some yogurt. These options provide just enough energy without making you feel stuffed.
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