For years, the ultimate garden upgrade was a very simple decision. For a perfect centrepiece of social gatherings, a place to unwind after work, or relax and recover after exercise, “let’s get a hot tub” was and still is a popular answer. In recent years, we have seen the growth in popularity of the swim spa, which offers the benefits of a swimming pool and hot tubs combined. However, more recently, as people become more tuned into the science of longevity, recovery and holistic wellness, investments like saunas and ice baths are increasingly in the conversation.
Welcome to the era of the home wellness suite. We’ve watched this trend explode. Homeowners are no longer just looking for a daily soak, but building complete thermal circuits in their back gardens. By combining the hydrotherapy of a Jacuzzi hot tub with the dry heat of a Hekla sauna and the bracing shock of a Chill Tubs ice bath, there are many wellness benefits to be unlocked without having to leave your home.
So why is this trend taking over gardens across the Midlands and around the UK?
For years, we have seen elite athletes, and wellness influencers embrace jumping from a warm hot tub or steaming sauna into an ice-cold plunges, and now you’re more likely than ever to see your neighbours doing the same. It’s not just for the adrenaline rush/ In fact, there is serious science behind this practice, known as contrast therapy.
When your body feels the high heat experienced in a hot tub or sauna, your blood vessels dilate, increasing blood flow to your skin and muscles. This mimics the effects of mild exercise, helping relax tension and flush out toxins.
In contrast, when you plunge your body into an ice bath or cold water, your blood vessels constrict, which forces blood to rush to your vital organs to keep them warm.
Alternating between these two states creates a pumping action in your circulatory system that has many benefits, including:
Both hot tubs and saunas use heat to trigger positive biological responses, so when these complementary therapies are combined, they contribute to maximised effects in improving vascular health, as well as detoxification and skin health.
Heat influences improved circulation, by encouraging the blood vessels to widen and the heart rate to increase, acting like cardiovascular exercise whilst sitting still. While a sauna uses dry or infrared heat to trigger deep sweating to cleanse the pores, the heat and massage therapy of a hot tub also helps reduce swelling and improves lymphatic drainage.
The heat from both hot tubs and saunas help trigger the body to release heat shock proteins, which are important for repairing damaged proteins in the body, contributing to muscle preservation, recovery and longevity.
A popular hot routine is to start with 15 to 20 minutes in the sauna to increase your body temperature and induce sweating, followed by a quick shower, and a soak in the hot tub for between 15 and 30 minutes, to relax the muscles.
Hekla saunas
We are proud to supply Hekla saunas, which are designed to perfectly encapsulate the authentic Scandinavian sauna experience. Built with premium, sustainably sourced timber and featuring advanced heating technology, there are spacious outdoor models designed to suit a personal wellness retreat, or a more compact indoor sauna.
Jacuzzi saunas
Jacuzzi Infrared saunas are designed with cutting-edge infrared heating technology and user-friendly controls to ensure a consistency. From compact one-person models to spacious multi-user designs for more social sessions, we supply a wide range of models to suit all lifestyles and spaces.
For those who have invested in a hot tub or a sauna for their home, what they may be missing from their garden wellness suite is the cold element. In the past, a cold shower, or bags of ice poured into a bathtub were the cold zone solution, but these practices can be messy, inconsistent, and often not cold enough to achieve the maximum effects of hot and cold therapy. Enter the innovative Chill Tubs.
Chill Tubs ice baths are an absolute game changer for home wellness. Unlike the DIY ice bath method, Chill Tubs feature a built-in chiller that can drop the water down to as low as 3°C and maintain this temperature.
By using Chill Tubs ice baths at a temperature between 3°C and 10°C immediately after a hot tub or sauna, this triggers a “cold shock” response, acting as a powerful anti-inflammatory for your joints and muscles. This rapid cooling effect also helps to constrict blood vessels, which effectively flushes out metabolic waste and reduces delayed onset muscle soreness after intense exercise.
To make full use of a hot and cold home wellness suite, here is a simple daily contrast therapy routine to follow:
Remember, you should always listen to your body, and ensure that you stay hydrated.
Investing in equipment like a hot tub, home sauna or Chill Tubs ice bath is an important investment in your health and wellness. If you would like to add a sauna to complement your hot tub, or want to add a cold plunge element to create a complete hot and cold wellness suite, our showrooms have everything you need.
Ready to take the plunge (whether it be hot, cold, or both)? Visit us at our Cannock or Shrewsbury showrooms to view our extensive range of hot tubs, saunas and Chill Tubs ice baths in person. Our team will be on hand to help you choose the right models for your home, and assist you in designing a garden wellness suite with the perfect layout to experience the ideal balance of hot and cold.
