The five-phase protocol
01 · Warm-up
5–10 minutes of light movement — walk, stretch, or gentle mobility. The goal is to raise your core temperature a degree or two before any heat, so the sauna works with your body instead of against it.
02 · Heat
10–15 minutes at 70–100 °C dry heat. Sit low at first, move higher as you adapt. Hydrate before and after; never go in with a heavy meal in the last 90 minutes.
03 · Cool
1–3 minutes of cold: option A is cool air, option B is a 30-second cool shower, option C is a plunge under 15 °C. Start with the gentlest option you'd actually repeat.
04 · Repeat
Optional. Work toward 2–3 heat–cold cycles per session. Stop if your heart rate stays above 120 BPM after cooling down.
05 · Rest
10 minutes supine or seated. Let your breathing settle and your core return toward baseline before you move on with your day.
Beginner schedule (first two weeks)
Session 1: 5 minutes of heat, 30-second cool shower, 10 minutes rest. Session 2: repeat two days later. Session 3: extend heat to 8 minutes. Add one minute of heat per session, and only introduce a plunge once a cool shower feels routine.
A note on cold plunging
Cold water immersion is the most intense phase of the protocol. Water under 15 °C triggers a strong physiological response — start with 30 seconds, keep your breathing slow, and never plunge alone if you're new to it. Exit if you feel dizzy or numb beyond the surface.