When to Use Contrast Therapy: Timing for Performance, Recovery & Results.

At The Recovery Club, we specialise in contrast therapy through sauna and chill tub sessions -but knowing when to use these tools can be just as important as using them at all.

Whether you’re an endurance runner logging big miles, a strength athlete pushing through a heavy block, or someone training for overall health and resilience, the timing of contrast therapy can significantly impact your results.

This blog explores how to align your heat and cold exposure with your training goals — drawing from research by Dr. Susanna Søberg, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and peer-reviewed studies to help you get the best out of every session.

Matching Contrast Therapy with Training Goals

1. For Performance Gains: Use with Caution Post-Training

If your goal is building muscle, increasing strength, or improving performance metrics, timing is key.

Avoid cold exposure directly after high-intensity or strength training. Cold can blunt the cellular signals that promote adaptation, such as muscle protein synthesis and mitochondrial growth.

💬 Dr. Andrew Huberman suggests waiting at least 4–6 hours after strength or high-load training before jumping in the chill tub to avoid interfering with progress (Huberman Lab Newsletter).

Best approach:

• Use sauna alone post-session to aid muscle relaxation.

• Add cold later in the day or on rest/recovery days.

  
  

2. For Recovery & Inflammation Management

If your current phase is focused on deloading, managing soreness, or recovering from volume-heavy blocks, contrast therapy can be hugely effective.

Alternating between sauna and cold has been shown to:

• Reduce DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)

• Speed up circulation and lymphatic drainage

• Improve sleep and overall recovery

🧠 Dr. Susanna Søberg recommends “ending on cold” to promote a thermogenic response and metabolic recovery. This forces the body to warm itself up afterward, boosting energy expenditure and adaptive capacity (Cell Reports Medicine, 2021).

Best approach:

• Use contrast therapy 1–3 hours post-workout (not immediately after intense strength work).

• Alternate sauna (15–20 mins) and chill tub (2–3 mins), ideally ending with cold.

  
  

3. For Endurance Training & Adaptation

Endurance athletes benefit greatly from contrast therapy — especially in managing inflammation and improving sleep.

Cold exposure has been linked to faster autonomic nervous system recovery, lowering heart rate variability (HRV) back to baseline post-exertion.

However, the same caution applies if you're using interval or tempo sessions to build fitness: cold exposure too soon may reduce mitochondrial signalling.

Best approach:

• Use contrast therapy on easy/recovery days or after a delay following hard sessions.

• Focus on sauna post-long runs for muscle relaxation and cardiovascular benefits.

  
  

4. For Stress Relief, Sleep, and Hormonal Balance

If your priority is mental wellbeing, better sleep, or stress reduction, contrast therapy is incredibly effective — especially in the evening.

• Sauna increases parasympathetic activity (the “rest and digest” system).

• Cold exposure boosts norepinephrine and dopamine, which can improve mood and resilience if done earlier in the day.

Best approach:

• Evening: Sauna only or contrast ending with heat to support sleep.

• Morning: End with cold exposure to kickstart alertness and mood.

  
  

Closing Thoughts: Recovery That Matches Your Intentions

Contrast therapy is more than just a ritual — it’s a recovery tool that works with your physiology. But like any tool, it’s only as effective as the way you use it.

Whether you’re here to recover from high-volume training, reset after stress, or give your mind and body space to grow, the sauna and chill tub can serve a purpose — if you time them right.

Book your contrast therapy session at The Recovery Club now and unlock better performance, deeper recovery, and sharper focus.