Cold at dawn. Heat after the hike.
By Dr. Iyer · Longevity lead
Both work. The order changes what they do. Cold in the morning wakes the nervous system. Heat in the afternoon recovers the body.
Cold plunge: 2 to 5 minutes at 10 to 12 degrees. The goal is not endurance. The goal is the post-plunge dopamine bump, which lasts six hours. Time it before the work you need to be sharp for.
Sauna: 15 to 20 minutes at 80 to 90 degrees. Best after a hike, a lift, or a long run. Heat shock proteins do their work in the four hours after you leave the room.
“Recovery is not what happens after the work. It is the work, on a different clock.”
Cold plunge before 09:00 on the day you need focus. Sauna after the long workout. Both, not one or the other.
Dr. Iyer · Longevity lead
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