Scandinavian Practice to Reduce Inflammation, Improve Circulation, and Increase Your Body’s ‘Good’ Fat

The Nordic way of life has long been known for its focus on the simple, yet ultra-effective health and wellness practices of its people. But one of their most traditional methods to stay well might surprise you–the art of cold bathing followed by sauna use. Both of these practices are incredibly accessible, yet boast many health benefits, including reduced inflammation, better circulation, increased metabolism, and even a healthier immune system.

Are these crazy exposures to hot and cold temperatures actually healthy? Why is everyone talking about cold showers lately? Have Scandinavians cracked found a fountain of youth and weight loss with cold plunging? In this blog post, we will answer all of your questions about the health benefits of saunas and cold baths!

Health benefits of getting cold (and warming up)

Cold plunges and sauna bathing both rely on your body’s response to significant changes in temperature–known as thermal exercise–to improve your health.

When the body is exposed to changes in temperature different from what it is used to, it has to adapt in order to maintain its core temperature. It uses more energy, and recruits fat cells to optimize metabolic rate. It’s this process of adaptation–called hormesis–that is thought to be one of the primary mechanisms by which exposure to cold and heat improves your health, aids in weight loss, and other benefits (1).

Basically, this is your body’s way of leveling-up it’s function when faced with something physically challenging. Similar mechanisms occur as a result of exercise.

Cold therapy or using a sauna may also help to (2,3,4):

Improve immune system function
Reduce inflammation
Increase longevity
Improve cognitive function
Boost mitochondria
Increase the body’s ‘good’ fat

It seems that the Nordic way of life not only embraces but reaps tons of benefits from exposure to extreme temperatures in saunas and cold baths. Are you ready to try a plunge into cold water or hop in an infrared sauna?

Cold exposure increases ‘good’ fat

Cold therapy might make you raise your eyebrows at first, but its clinical effects are quite promising. Exposure to cold temperatures has been shown to impact a beneficial type of body fat–known as brown fat. Brown fat typically decreases with age, and that decrease contributes to the signs of accelerated aging.

Researchers in Japan published a study highlighting how brown fat can help increase fat burning in the morning and raise your metabolic rate. This is very beneficial for weight loss, and can be a game changer if you’re struggling to lose weight. Boosting brown fat also has a myriad of other metabolic benefits (5).

Brown fat is basically a special type of body fat that is turned on (activated) when you get cold. It also produces heat to help maintain your body temperature in cold conditions.

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Brown fat boosts mitochondria

Brown fat contains many more mitochondria than does other types of body fat (6). These mitochondria are the powerhouses that burn calories from food to produce energy. So cold water immersion essentially activates these energy powerhouses that produce extra energy that gets sent all over the body. Exercise, sleep, and other healthy behaviors can also boost mitochondria.

The more mitochondria you have, and the better they function play a major role in:

Immune health
Combatting fatigue
Hormone balance
Cardiovascular health
Cognitive function and focus

These benefits also likely regulate sleep quality (circadian rhythm) and protect against neurodegenerative disease (7).

Traditional Chinese medicine has also long used cold baths to promote health and the flow of energy, or Qi. According to TCM, the circulatory changes as a result of cold bathing makes the body’s surface firmer and more resistant to external pathogens, in addition to enhancing respiratory and neural function.

Cold showers may help depression

A cold shower may help relieve depression symptoms. Exposure to cold is known to activate the sympathetic nervous system and increase chemical messengers in the body responsible for alertness, arousal, and wakefulness.

Researchers think this happens because of the high density of cold receptors in the skin. A cold shower sends a rush of signals from nerve endings in your skin toward the brain, which they think accounts for this anti-depressive effect (8).

This sudden rush of cold isn’t without risks though–people with heart conditions or heart-rhythm irregularities should take caution because a sudden shock of cold water can be dangerous for those with heart conditions. In the study above, participants had a 2-3 minute cold shower which was preceded by a 5-minute adjustment period to make the procedure “less shocking”.

AM cold exposure is key

This special type of body fat is more active in the morning, suggesting that the optimal time for cold water immersion is also in the morning.

Those who began a daily cold therapy ritual reportedly experienced (9):

Reduced stress levels
Higher alertness
More robust immune response
Increased will power
Fat loss

Both evidence-based and anecdotal data tell us that cold water immersion or having a cold shower is likely good for your health–even if science is still working to understand the exact reasons why.

If your morning routine needs an upgrade, clearly a little cold water might be a new option worth exploring. Plus, beginning your day this way might also help you break up with your snooze button.

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Cold showers help you sleep better

Taking a cold shower in the morning may help you sleep better at night–if you’re consistent. Sound crazy? Here’s how it works.

A lot of sleep quality has to do with your inner biological clock, or circadian rhythm. It’s controlled mainly by exposure to light, but it also responds to other things–like temperature.

Basically, researchers have found that temperature helps train your biological clock in the same way that light does. And taking a cold shower is a way to increase your body temperature which essentially tells your body you’re awake and it’s time to start the day. This not only helps reduce fatigue in the daytime, but it may help keep your sleep-wake cycle on track (10).

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Health benefits of infrared saunas

After a cold shower, it’s important to warm up and get your blood flowing. Let’s explore the benefits of using a sauna for some intense heat to invigorate tired muscles.

Even though Scandinavian cultures have relied on sauna use for pleasure and relaxation for thousands of years, regular dry sauna bathing has been shown to reduce the risk of several diseases as well (4).

The heat from the sauna relaxes the body’s muscles, improves circulation, and stimulates the release of hormones that relax blood vessels and other tissues. This is the mechanism researchers believe promotes cardiovascular health as well as immune and neurological function.

Body temperature also rises from the heat of the sauna. This causes blood vessels to dilate, which then increases blood flow and circulation. This increased blood flow in turn speeds up the body’s natural healing process. Great after a tough workout to recover faster.

Using a sauna has also been shown to positively impact symptoms of arthritis, headache, and flu (4).

Are saunas good for losing weight?

Regular infrared sauna use doesn’t appear to have any significant direct weight loss benefits. However, sauna bathing may still be part of a healthy weight loss routine.

Spending time in a sauna both increases blood flow to muscles, aiding recovery that maximizes the effectiveness of any workouts you’re doing. And it can reduce stress, keeping sugar cravings to a minimum and helping you make healthier food choices.

Additionally, sauna use may improve sleep quality, which is something many women overlook when trying to lose weight. Getting adequate sleep balances hunger and fullness hormones, decreases cortisol, and regulates how your body burns fat (11).

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Try cold showers to experiment

There are 2 ways you can get started with cold bathing and saunas: You can begin gradually, or you can jump all in.

To begin with cold water immersion gradually:

Wash your face with cold water – For 5 to 7 minutes, rinse or dip your face into cold water. During this time, focus on your breathing, inhaling deeply and exhaling fully.
Soak your feet in cold water – Using ice cold water, soak your feet for 15 minutes. Again, focus on breathing exercises and calming your nervous system.
Ease into cold showers – Start with a warm shower, then gradually adjust the temperature colder over a period of about 5 minutes. Work up to a 30-second cold shower, then one minute, and so on.

To begin cold water immersion:

Begin with a cold shower. Start with 30 seconds, working your way up to 1 minute, and 5 minutes.

Set up an outdoor cold plunge tub. As your resilience increases, you may find a new sense of calm as you soak in cold water for up to 15 minutes at a time.

*If you have a history of irregular heart rhythm or other cardiovascular conditions, consult your doctor prior to beginning a cold therapy routine.

Using a sauna or cold plunge in your healthy routine

Saunas and cold plunges can offer a wealth of health benefits when used as part of an overall healthy routine, including better sleep, decreased cardiovascular risks, and increased blood flow and circulation. Cold plunges can also help relieve pain and inflammation, improve moods, increase cognitive function, and boost the immune system.

If you’re looking for ways to improve your vitality and longevity, various cultures have been using cold baths and forms of sauna for years. In addition to their health benefits, they can offer an unmatched sense of relaxation and well-being.

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