Sauna and Cold Plunge: How to Combine Hot and Cold at Home
Sauna and cold plunge: a long warm round, then a short cold dip
The usual way to combine them is to sit in the sauna for 10 to 15 minutes,1 cool off, then dip in cold water for around a minute, in the studies at 8 to 15°C.2 Rest, and go round again if you like. At home, that takes a garden sauna and an ice bath a few steps apart.
What a sauna and cold plunge round looks like
People who use a sauna regularly cool off between rounds with a shower, a dip in a lake or, in a Finnish winter, a hole in the ice.1 A cold plunge at home does the same job in your garden: a tub of cold water a few steps from the sauna door.
- 10 to 15minutes in the sauna for each round1
- 1minute for most cold dips in the studies2
- 8 to 15°Cthe cold water used in those studies2
That is the shape of the picture above: tall, long blocks of heat, each followed by one short, cool dip.
What the research says about hot and cold together
After hard exercise
A review of 18 trials with 356 people compared contrast water therapy, which alternates warm and cold water, with resting after exercise. Muscle soreness was lower after contrast water therapy than after resting at every point it was measured, from within 6 hours to 96 hours afterwards.2 The authors describe their conclusions as tentative.
In regular winter swimmers
A Danish study published in 2021 looked at seven experienced winter swimmers and eight matched men who did not swim in cold water. The swimmers produced more body heat in response to cold, and nearly all of them also used a sauna two or three times a week. The researchers suggest the sauna habit may help explain how their bodies had adapted.3
A simple round to try at home
Come out slowly
Move gradually between hot and cold to reduce dizziness. Stand up in stages, and pause for a moment in the open air or under a shower before the plunge.5
Ease into the cold water
Water at 15°C or below can cause cold water shock, so step in gently and keep your face out of the water until your breathing settles.5
Warm up, drink and rest
Dry off, drink some water and let your body cool down before the next round. You can repeat the sauna for another 10 to 15 minutes.1
Staying safe when you go from hot to cold
Before and during
Setting up a sauna and cold plunge at home
You need a sauna, a cold tub and a short, firm, non-slip route between the two.
The sauna
The Outdoor Living Barrel Sauna is a round outdoor sauna in 38 mm spruce staves with facing benches for four, at £2,999. A sand timer and a thermometer come with it, so you can watch the time and the heat. See every model on our saunas for sale page.
The cold tub
The Outdoor Living IcePOD is an inflatable ice bath, 100 x 65 cm, at £199. It needs no power, comes with a locking lid and a hand pump, and packs away when you are done. For more room, the IceTUB is 150 x 80 cm at £299, and every type is on our ice baths for sale page.
Questions about sauna and cold plunge
Open a question to read the answer.
Should you do the sauna before or after a cold plunge?
Most people finish a sauna round with a cool-off, so the cold plunge comes after the sauna rather than before it. You can then rest and go back into the sauna for another round.
How long should a cold plunge after a sauna be?
Around a minute is a common length for a first dip, and it is the length most studies of hot and cold water used. Get out sooner if you feel uncomfortable, and keep your face out of the water until your breathing settles.
What temperature should the cold plunge be after a sauna?
The studies of alternating hot and cold water used cold water at 8 to 15°C. Water at 15°C or below can cause cold water shock, so ease in gradually.
Can I use an inflatable ice bath with a sauna?
Yes. An inflatable ice bath such as the Outdoor Living IcePOD needs no power, so it can sit on a firm, level spot a few steps from the sauna door.
Is it safe to go from a sauna into cold water?
Move gradually between hot and cold, never go alone, and keep your face out of the water until your breathing settles. If you are pregnant or have a heart or blood pressure condition, talk to your GP before you start.
Sources
- Visit Jyväskylä Region, Procedures and etiquette, last modified 15 July 2023.
- Bieuzen, Bleakley and Costello, PLoS ONE, Contrast water therapy and exercise induced muscle damage: a systematic review and meta-analysis, 2013.
- Søberg and colleagues, Cell Reports Medicine, Altered brown fat thermoregulation and enhanced cold-induced thermogenesis in young, healthy, winter-swimming men, 11 October 2021.
- Harvia, What is the correct sauna temperature?, updated 7 July 2026.
- British Sauna Society, Sauna and cold water safety, accessed October 2026.
Paul Margerison
Managing Director & Founder, Outdoor Living
Heat and cold go well together, and a short, gentle routine is easy to build into a garden evening. Take it slowly, and enjoy the contrast.