Why Cold
Why Cold
Cold exposure is an extremely potent tool that can cause that healthy stress response. By changing our attitude to the cold, and preparing ourselves for the cold through the breath, we influence our bodily reactions. We prime our body to cope better with this stressor. Consequently, this leads to more stress resilience in the long run, as we are increasing our stress threshold. The benefits extend past the immediate context of cold exposure and help with other stressful situations in everyday life. This is called cross-adaptation of stress responses. We learn to lean into life better (Innerfire 2022).
Why Heat
Why Heat
Sauna use, sometimes referred to as "sauna bathing," is characterized by short-term passive exposure to high temperatures, typically ranging from 45 °C to 100 °C (113 °F to 212 °F), depending on modality. This exposure elicits mild hyperthermia, inducing a thermoregulatory response involving neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and cytoprotective mechanisms that work in a synergistic fashion in an attempt to maintain homeostasis. Repeated sauna use acclimates the body to heat and optimizes the body's response to future exposures, likely due to the biological phenomenon known as hormesis. In recent decades, sauna bathing has emerged as a probable means to extend healthspan, based on compelling data from observational, interventional, and mechanistic studies. Of particular interest are the findings from large, prospective, population-based cohort studies of health outcomes among sauna users that identified strong dose-dependent links between sauna use and reduced morbidity and mortality.