Contrast therapy [1] (i.e. moving your body between extreme hot and cold temperatures) usually looks like hopping between a sauna [2] and a cold plunge [3], often within the confines of a wellness studio or gym — at least that's what it had always looked like for me. So what happens when you take the buzzy concept of contrast therapy and try it the way Mother Nature intended (aka outdoors and in the natural elements)?
This is the exact experience I had recently on a trip to Pagosa Springs, Colo., where I tried contrast therapy at The Springs Resort [4], a hot springs resort located between the stunning San Juan National Forest and the San Juan Mountains, centered around the Mother Spring [5], aka the deepest geothermal hot spring in the world. TBH, now that I've tried contrast therapy in nature, the artificial setup indoors will never be the same. Here's how the whole experience went down.
What It Was Like Doing Contrast Therapy at a Hot Springs Resort
When I first arrived at The Springs Resort, we didn't immediately dive into contrast therapy. On the first night, I was guided through a peaceful sound bath [6] in one of the resort's mineral pools. The resort boasts over 25 pools, all with mineral-rich hot water that flows from the Mother Spring, ranging in temperature from comfortably warm to very, very hot. The Mother Spring main pool is actually too hot for anyone to soak in — which is why all of the other pools throughout the property range in different, lower and safer temperatures. But they all use the Mother Spring as their source.
My first pool was warm, but not too hot — even for a summer evening in June. The sound bath also relaxed me immediately, which was much needed after a long travel day. In fact, every single time I got in the hot pools, my body felt at ease. That was thanks to the temperature, yes, but also because of the minerals found in the waters — like magnesium, which is thought to help relax the body and muscles [7].
The next day I was guided through an hours-long contrast bathing session (aka the main event), alternating between soaking in the steamy hot mineral pools around the resort and plunging into the freezing cold San Juan River on the property.
As I alternated through the different hot pools, I eventually ended up in the steamiest one I could handle, and still I found it calming. Every hot pool felt so relaxing, as if my body was taking a deep exhale with each dip. After soaking in the hot springs, I transitioned to the San Juan river that runs along the property and lowered myself into the shallow water. On a first dip, I immediately panicked when I fully submerged in the cold river, so much that I had to hold hands with the resort's VP of wellness, Sharon Holtz, who helped coach me through my breathing and calm down, allowing me to stay in the water. The temperature was a shock, but something about being in a river where I wasn't sure of the depth was even scarier. I didn't last very long in the first plunge, and quickly headed back to the hot pool.
Finally, after several minutes of thawing out in the hot spring, I returned to the river. Getting back in the cold water was hard the second time, but I didn't panic. This time I knew where my feet could touch the bottom in a shallower area. But still, I only made it a few seconds longer. After my second time in the river, I went back to the hot spring pools and thawed out again for about 30 minutes before transitioning to a cooler pool (not the river again!).
But weirdly, this time my body could not handle the cold temps. I didn't realize my hands were shaking until the resort's medical director, Marcus Coplin, ND, pointed it out and suggested that I had reached my max with the cold exposure, and it was time to ease off and head to a warmer pool. After that, I spent some time in the sauna inside the property and then headed to one of the warmer pools for another soak before getting one of the most relaxing massages of my life. By the end of the day, I felt weirdly exhausted — like I'd done a tough workout. But I leaned into the exhaustion, allowing my body to calm itself right into a post-massage nap, which was pure bliss.
Final Thoughts
I've done plenty of cold plunges, but nothing compares to jumping into a freezing cold river and hot pools sourced from the Mother Spring. Will I ever go back to contrast therapy indoors? Probably, since I can't go to the Mother Spring every day. That said, doing this ritual outside in an incredible natural setting was unlike anything I've ever experienced. Soaking in the hot mineral springs over the course of the day helped me achieve an unparalleled, deep, full-body relaxation. That, paired with the rush I got from dipping into the cold river, left my entire body soothed yet invigorated. If you ever get the chance to try contrast therapy at a place like The Springs Resort, my advice is, do it. Just dive in. But if the Mother Spring isn't at your fingertips, that's OK too. I can still see how a long-term contrast therapy practice could be beneficial for recovery and health — even if it is indoors. Happy dipping.
Mercey Livingston [8] is a writer and editor with eight-plus years of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition for media outlets and brands including Well+Good, Shape, and Women's Health. She was the fitness editor at Peloton and held editorial roles at Equinox, Shape, and Well+Good. Mercey is a NASM-certified personal trainer and women's fitness specialist. She's also a certified holistic health coach through the Institute For Integrative Nutrition, with an additional certification in hormone health.