Contrast therapy — alternating between heat (infrared sauna) and cold (cold plunge) — works by rapidly changing your body’s temperature, which creates a “pump” effect in your circulatory system. The heat expands your blood vessels, increasing circulation and relaxing muscles, while the cold constricts them, reducing inflammation and flushing out waste products. Moving back and forth between the two helps boost recovery, reduce soreness, improve energy, and even support mental resilience. It’s an efficient way to get the best of both worlds: the relaxing benefits of heat and the energizing, restorative effects of cold.