RADAR

Plunging into Wellness

More and more Canadians are flocking to clubs that offer saunas, cold plunges, meditation and community. Here’s why.

By Julia Tremblay

Cold-water immersion can help the body recover after a workout. | VIDEO: ADME/ENVATO

Winter is coming, and we all know what that means. Imagine if you could spend the chilly season loosening up in a sauna, taking a refreshing dip in a cold plunge and unwinding in a hot tub. Then maybe taking in a meditation class before meeting a friend for a smoothie or settling in with a good book.

Clubs with wellness offerings that focus on holistic health, mental clarity and longevity are replacing the typical hangouts people tend to flock to when it’s cold and snowy — places like libraries and coffee shops. These clubs — which can include services such as IV vitamin drips, mindfulness and meditation classes, saunas, ice baths and more — are booming across North America. Folks who crave social connection while doing something good for their bodies and minds are embracing these places, and in doing so, prioritizing a healthier lifestyle, meeting new people and doing something that promotes rejuvenation.

On deck at Burning Springs Spa & Thermal Pools. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF BURNING SPRINGS SPA & THERMAL POOLS

“Cold exposure teaches your body resilience through a scientifically validated principle called hormesis: a small, controlled stress, followed by recovery, leads to adaptation and improved stress resilience. The same principle applies to exercise, fasting and heat therapy.”

Taking a cold plunge can be a communal experience. | VIDEO: GIN MAJKA/UNSPLASH+

“It sounds counterintuitive, but cold water actually trains your body to handle stress better. The discomfort is the point,” says Dr. Greg Wells, a senior scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. He is renowned for taking complicated science and making it understandable and actionable to help people get healthier. Numerous studies, he says, have verified that cold-water immersion helps the body recover physically after a workout.

But Dr. Wells says that there is actually more to cold water immersion than exercise recovery and immune responses. “Cold exposure teaches your body resilience through a scientifically validated principle called hormesis: a small, controlled stress, followed by recovery, leads to adaptation and improved stress resilience. The same principle applies to exercise, fasting and heat therapy.”

The social wellness circuit might just be the answer to beating the winter blues. Maybe this is the year to mix things up with an evening or two a week focusing on your health, lowering your stress and meeting like-minded people in your community. CAA

Where to Go

Burning Springs Spa & Thermal Pools

Niagara Falls Marriott Fallsview, Ont.

Features an outdoor hydrotherapy circuit complete with year-round thermal pools, a cold plunge and a Finnish-inspired sauna cabin.

Learn more

Healing Salt Cave

Niagara Falls, Ont.

This facility has a man-made recreation of a traditional Polish underground salt mine; it’s designed to provide therapeutic halotherapy alongside infrared saunas and mineral baths.

Learn more