FITNESS AUTHOR
Dr. Jessica Tranchina, PT, DPT
CONTRAST THERAPY FOR BODY AND MIND n Read how contrast therapy is scientifically proven to help both your body and your mind recover.
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ontrast therapy has many benefits for recovery and the body in general. But did you know that it has been scientifically proven to boost your mood and decrease the symptoms of depression? I’m going to specifically cover in detail what is happening in your body while you are sitting in a sauna or while contrasting between cold and hot water (aka contrast hydrotherapy) as it is in these modalities that your body is releasing most of those “feel good hormones.” Dr. Charles Raison and his research team have discovered that
NOVEMBER 2021
short periods of elevating one’s body temperature (hyperthermia) can be an antidepressant. His research team conducted two studies in which they placed individuals with major depression in a high-tech infrared heating (IR) device to see if it would have any effects on their mood. They found that just one single session of hyperthermia produced an antidepressant effect that lasted for six weeks. Meanwhile, this effect was not observed at all in depressed patients who received the placebo. Even Dr. Rhonda Patrick is extremely intrigued by the benefits of IR sauna for mood. She is heard in an interview with
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Dr. Jari Laukannen speaking on the benefits of a sauna on one’s cardiorespiratory fitness. Poor cardiorespiratory fitness has also been linked to depression. Sauna bathing improves cardiorespiratory fitness and simultaneously elevates endorphins (those “feel good” hormones). Double whammy for a huge mood boost! A recent study even showed that using saunas five to 15 times per month improved mental well-being compared to those using saunas less frequently. What are the main mental health benefits from using IR saunas?
