Sauna and Cold Water Therapy: Amazing Benefits You Need to Know

Emily in the Outdoors standing outside a wild sauna in Castle Semple Loch in Lochwinnoch near Glasgow

If you've been sleeping under a rock the past few years you may not have heard of sauna and cold water therapy. It's a Scandinavian practice which is surging in popularity even more so with the addition of wild saunas. In Glasgow we have quite a few now, some which have permanent homes along the shores of Loch Lomond and Lunderston Bay, and others which travel around.

Whether you're a seasoned wellness addict or curious about trying it for the first time, let’s explore the history, the powerful benefits of sauna and cold water therapy and my experience recently at Wee Wild Sauna in Lochwinnoch.

A Brief History of Sauna and Cold Water Therapy

A photograph showing a wild sauna on the edges of a Loch in Scotland

So where did this idea come from? Well like many things, it started a long time ago and for good reason. In Nordic countries such as Finland, their harsh winters required the people to be innovative to stay warm. The sauna was created to stimulate their circulation and boost the immune system, and then soon became a sacred space for relaxation and purification.

The tradition remains to this day and as a way of life for the Scandinavian people, not just as a super popular trend seen on socials.

Wee Wild Sauna - Lochwinnoch

A photograph of a woman wearing a bobble hat with a view of a wild sauna in Glasgow behind her.

I was very kindly invited to Wee Wild Sauna, a new wild sauna on the banks of Castle Semple Loch - easily accessible with lots of parking in the visitor car park and only 12 minutes walk from Lochwinnoch train station.

So what happens?

I met the lovely owner Alison who gave me a brief introduction to the 50 minute section, explaining that the time was mine to do as much or as little as I wanted to. I was sharing my session with four others at this time and as always with wellbeing therapies, you start chatting and getting to know why we all love a bit of these contrast therapies.

A girl throwing a bucket of cold water over herself at a wild sauna in Glasgow experiencing hot and cold water therapy

The loch was completely frozen over so I opted for chucking these ICE COLD water buckets over myself (Alison the owner also assisted!) and then took myself into the sauna. I wish I could convey how delightful this was in words but I feel nothing will describe how deeply relaxing this was, looking out towards the Loch in solitude feeling warm.

It's up to you how many times you do this, and the group who were there at the same time did alternate every 10 minutes. I opted for buckets twice and a bit longer in the sauna - mainly because I'd ran that morning and my body was still a little cold so the sauna gave me the benefit of warming me and getting that body temp back up.

A view from the inside of a wild sauna on the banks of Castle Semple Loch in Lochwinnoch just outside of Glasgow

For me, my top benefit of the contrast therapy was the sleep I had that night. I fell asleep quickly and had a top score on my garmin watch in the morning. I also had no soreness from my run that Sunday morning and genereally felt well rested and relaxed.

So, what are the benefits of Sauna and Cold Water Therapy?

I've told you what mine are, but here are some of the ones I found when researching myself beforehand:

1. Enhanced Circulation

The hot/cold sensation stimulates blood flow, improving circulation and delivering the good nutrients more efficiently to your muscles.

2. Reduced Muscle Soreness

This was a definite plus for me, mainly because the heat relaxes tense muscles, while cold water reduces inflammation, making it an ideal recovery tool for runners.

3. Stress Relief and Mental Clarity

Simply put, heat encourages relaxation (hello summer holiday), and cold water sharpens your focus and moosts that mental alertness. With both working together you've got an incredible balance happening in the body.

4. Improved Immune Function

I did a cold water dip back in 2021 for over 100 days in winter and during that time I didn't catch one cold. That's because cold water exposure triggers a release of white blood cells, improving the body to fight off illness.

5. Enhanced Resilience

Lets face it, if you can stomach going into cold Loch's more than once, then you can pretty much achieve anything.

Up for it?

A dual photograph depicting a wild sauna in Glasgow with a view of the outside and inside of sauna.

If you're local to Glasgow and surrounding areas, then i'd highly recommend Wee Wild Sauna at Lochwinnoch (Castle Semple visitor centre). For £15, you get 50 minutes to experience this incredible hot & cold therapy and they're open Thursday-Sunday so you'll be able to find a space that works for you.

Bring your friends, have a great day out and find how the benefits of cold water and sauna therapy can work for you.