Six months into my regular sauna routine, I didn’t think any other therapy could rival its satisfaction. It made my shoulder tension melt away in seconds. That was until one of my netball teammates introduced me to contrast therapy. As you may have guessed, contrast therapy involves subjecting your body to two extreme alternating temperatures — scalding hot and icy cold. You make your way from the sauna into an ice bath. It got me thinking (as I sit here with period cramps) — could this sauna and ice bath situation help relieve symptoms of PMS? Could this therapy gracefully ease me through my luteal and menstrual phases? I hope so. Yours sincerely, I’m dying over here.
How contrast therapy works for our hormones
My body has never quite felt the way it did when I came out of my first ice bath. I’d just finished 15 minutes in the sauna, and 3 minutes in the bath. And although my body was covered in goosebumps and tingles, I did not feel cold at all. It was like all my muscles had discovered ASMR, and they were obsessed. So, what was happening to me? Our body’s initial response after exposure to cold water is an acute stress response (stress that lasts a short time) and a release of endorphins. Both heat and cold are physiological stressors for the body — the same as exercise. It causes both our heart rate and blood pressure to increase momentarily, but results in lower baseline levels afterwards.
Two to three hours post-therapy, cortisol levels (our stress hormone) begin to decrease significantly. Not only that, but after four weeks of regular cold dips, our body adapts — with baseline cortisol dropping even more over time post-exposure. A study at University College London reported their findings on 1,114 women aged between 16 and 80, who regularly swim in cold water. They found that 38% of women saw improvements in mood swings and 50% experienced significantly lower levels of anxiety. Let’s take a look at our menstrual cycle and how we can incorporate a sauna and ice bath session in each phase to keep our hormones happy and reduce those PMS symptoms.
Menstrual phase
When we menstruate, we’re more sensitive to changes in temperature. Because of this, it may be less than comfortable submerging ourselves in an ice bath. But this stage of our cycle is actually an ideal time. Contrast therapy will help to reduce cramping, bloating, and inflammation. But remember, always listen to your body. Start with a short time in both the sauna and ice bath and see how it feels.
Follicular phase
In the follicular phase, our energy starts to rise — perfect time to get in lots of contrast therapy. Estrogen increases, as does our ability to stimulate growth and recover. Our core temperature is also lower, which makes extreme heat and cold more tolerable. This is the time when you want to push the limits of the therapy and aim for higher thresholds.
Ovulatory phase
Energy levels peak during ovulation — we experience higher concentrations of estrogen and a surge of luteinising hormone. At this stage of our cycle, some women tolerate cold and heat well, while others are more sensitive to it. Try it for yourself and pay attention to how your body reacts.
Luteal phase
In the luteal phase, our core body temperature starts to rise due to the increase in progesterone. Cold plunging at this time of the cycle may not be ideal — our body requires more warmth for proper blood flow. Because of this rise in body temperature, cold may also feel less tolerable. So while cold plunges may be out of the question, visiting the sauna is actually beneficial for PMS. Heat causes vasodilation that enhances blood flow, allowing more oxygen and nutrient delivery to the uterine muscles and lowering the pain response.
So next time you’re riding the hormonal PMS rollercoaster, consider hopping in a sauna, then plunging into an ice bath. It might just become your new favourite form of self-care. Your hormones will be high-fiving you and so will I.
Yours,
Kait x
Cover photo by Armin Rimoldi