What is Fire & Ice?

Your inbox gives you stress without a finish line.

The sauna and plunge offer something different: a challenge you choose, in a dose you can stop, followed by time to recover.

No cold-water heroics required. Nobody checks your stopwatch for moral character.

The point is to meet a little intensity, stay present, and learn what coming back to calm feels like.

What is Fire & Ice?

At True North, Fire & Ice is a cedar sauna up to 190°F and a 45–50°F cold plunge in one private suite, with showers and a changing area. You have 45 minutes to move through your own rounds.

1. Fire. Warm up in the sauna.
2. Rinse. Shower off sweat before entering the plunge.
3. Ice. Step into cold water at your own pace.
4. Rest. Step out, breathe calmly and let yourself recover before deciding whether to go again.

The broader practice is called contrast therapy. You alternate heat and cold rather than staying in one temperature the whole time.

Why choose discomfort?

Modern stress is often constant, vague and unfinished. Heat and cold are immediate. You can feel them, choose your dose, and step out.

The useful idea is hormesis: some stressors, in manageable amounts, can support adaptation. That is not permission to ignore warning signs. More intense does not automatically mean more beneficial.

Think of Fire & Ice as practice meeting a challenge without turning it into a fight with yourself.

What people notice

Many guests describe looser muscles, a brighter mood, a quieter head and an alert, clear feeling after the plunge. Some enjoy it after training; others want a screen-free hour with a partner.

Experiences vary. The research below comes from different heat, cold-water and contrast-water protocols—not a guarantee about one visit to our studio.

Your first visit: start slow, stay curious

Arrive early enough for an orientation and a calm start. Bring or wear swimwear if you prefer it; the suite is private. Towels and shower products are provided.

Drink water before and after. If you’re already lightheaded, dehydrated or unwell, this is not the day to test your limits.

Try a short first round. Beginners often start with 10–15 minutes in the sauna and 60–90 seconds in the plunge. Shorter is fine. You do not need to reach those times to have a worthwhile visit.

With experience, many guests use 10–20 minutes of heat and 1–3 minutes of cold. Fit your rounds and rest inside the 45-minute visit. Leave time to shower and change.

The True North protocol

Use this as a flexible sequence, not a dare.

1. Bring a friend. A partner can add company and help you stay attentive to how you’re feeling. Book Partner Fire & Ice if you want to share the room.
2. Breathe before. Take a few slow, calm breaths. Skip rapid or forced breathing before cold water or heat, which can make you lightheaded.
3. Sauna first. Let the heat build gradually. Around 15 minutes is one common round, not a requirement. If comfortable, box breathing can help you settle; keep it gentle and return to normal breathing if you feel strained or lightheaded.
4. Rinse and plunge. Shower off sweat. Enter only when you feel steady. Start briefly, then build toward 2–3 minutes if that feels appropriate. Keep breathing slowly; don’t compete with the cold.
5. Warm back up. Step out and recover. If comfortable, horse stance is one option. Breathe slowly and calmly, not rapidly or forcefully.
6. Repeat, if you want. Take another sauna, rinse and plunge when you feel ready. Rest is part of the protocol. Two thoughtful rounds beat four rushed ones.
7. Make it a rhythm. Many guests come weekly. Notice how you respond and build a practice you can sustain, rather than chasing an impressive number.

Recovery, training and the internet’s favorite numbers

You may have heard targets of roughly 11 minutes of cold and 57 minutes of heat per week, popularized by Susanna Søberg and Andrew Huberman. Those are not requirements for this visit, and they are not a reason to stay in when your body says stop.

If your main goal is strength or muscle growth, consider the timing of cold exposure with your coach. Recovery, training adaptation and simply feeling refreshed are not all the same goal. You do not have to plunge immediately after every workout.

For more educational context, explore the Huberman Lab Podcast, its cold-exposure discussion and its heat-exposure discussion. These are learning resources, not individualized medical guidance.

Fire & Ice, then float

The contrast is the whole idea: first you meet the elements, then you step into stillness.

Many guests enjoy following Fire & Ice with a float. The tank replaces the heat and cold with warm, buoyant quiet. If you’re bringing someone, The Couples Reset combines Partner Fire & Ice with a shared float.

You don’t need to become a superhero. A little more present, a little less wound up, and proud that you showed up is a good place to begin.

Explore Fire & Ice for the room, current pairings and booking.

What the research reports

Heat and cold have been studied for heart health, recovery, mood, and resilience. This is wellness, not medical advice, but here is what published studies report:

• In a long-term study of more than 2,300 Finnish men, frequent sauna use was associated with lower risk of fatal cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. It was observational, so it shows association, not proof. (Laukkanen et al., JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015)
• In a randomized trial of over 3,000 adults, ending a daily shower with 30 to 90 seconds of cold water was linked to 29% fewer sick days taken from work, though illness days did not change. (Buijze et al., PLOS ONE, 2016)
• A meta-analysis found contrast water therapy (alternating hot and cold water) eased muscle soreness after hard exercise more than passive rest, and worked about as well as other common recovery methods. (Bieuzen et al., PLOS ONE, 2013)
• In a small study, five minutes of cold-water immersion left participants feeling more active, alert, attentive, proud, and inspired, and less distressed and nervous. (Yankouskaya et al., Biology, 2023)

Heat and cold are not right for everyone. If you have heart, blood pressure, circulation, or fainting concerns, or you're pregnant, check with your healthcare provider first. Exit any time you feel dizzy or unsafe.

Safety is part of the practice

Check with a healthcare provider before booking if you have heart, blood pressure, circulation, fainting, pregnancy or other medical concerns. Do not use heat or cold while intoxicated or impaired. Exit whenever you feel dizzy, faint, unsafe or overwhelmed.

Your Health, Your Priority: consult a healthcare professional if you have a pre-existing condition. You never need to push through a warning sign to finish a round.

Disclaimer: While we believe in the benefits of our Fire & Ice, your safety is ultimately in your own hands. True North Float is not liable for any injuries that result from cold plunging or sauna use. Please consult a healthcare professional if you have concerns about engaging in contrast therapy.