Red Light Therapy Before or After Sauna and Cold Plunge? A Physical Therapist's Guide
- Ilya Gluskin
- Jun 1
- 4 min read
Red Light Therapy Before or After Contrast Therapy: What's Best?
If you've ever combined sauna, cold plunge, and red light therapy, you've probably asked yourself:
Should I do red light therapy before or after contrast therapy?
The short answer is that for most people, I recommend performing contrast therapy first and red light therapy afterward.
However, after more than 12 years working as a physical therapist, personal trainer, and now owner of Plunge Boston, I've learned that the better question isn't simply "before or after?" It's:
What does your body need today?
The answer depends on your goals, stress levels, recovery needs, and overall health.
What Is Contrast Therapy?
Contrast therapy involves alternating between heat exposure and cold exposure.
At Plunge Boston, this typically means moving between:
Traditional sauna (180-200°F, set at 194°F)
Cold plunge tubs (37-59°F)
Some individuals prefer longer single exposures, while others alternate between the sauna and cold plunge for 2-3 rounds.
The goal is to create a controlled physiological stressor that challenges the body and encourages adaptation.
People use contrast therapy for:
Athletic recovery
Stress management
Improved circulation
Mental resilience
Pain management
General wellness
What Is Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared (NIR) light that may support cellular function and recovery.
Many people use red light therapy to support:
Recovery from exercise
Muscle soreness
Joint discomfort
Skin health
Sleep quality
Overall wellness
At Plunge Boston, our red light therapy rooms also provide a calm environment for stretching, yoga, breathwork, meditation, or simply disconnecting from the stress of daily life.
Why I Recommend Contrast Therapy Before Red Light Therapy
For most people, I recommend:
Sauna → Cold Plunge → Red Light Therapy
Here's why.
Contrast therapy creates a significant circulatory response. Moving between heat and cold challenges the cardiovascular system and encourages blood flow changes throughout the body.
In theory, completing contrast therapy first may help prepare the body for red light therapy. Increased circulation and warmer tissues may create an environment where tissues are more receptive to the red and near-infrared wavelengths produced by the panels.
While more research is needed to fully understand the optimal sequencing of these modalities, this order has become my preferred recommendation based on both physiology and real-world experience working with clients.
Just as importantly, red light therapy often serves as a lower-stress recovery modality that allows people to finish their session in a more relaxed state.
When Red Light Therapy May Be Better Than Contrast Therapy
This is where many recovery articles miss the mark.
The assumption is often that more recovery modalities equal better results.
In reality, your body's ability to recover depends heavily on your total stress load.
Stress doesn't only come from exercise.
It also comes from:
Work demands
Family responsibilities
Poor sleep
Travel
Emotional stress
Illness
Life circumstances
If someone is already carrying a high level of physical or mental stress, adding additional stress through aggressive heat and cold exposure may not always be the best choice.
In those situations, I may recommend skipping contrast therapy altogether and focusing on:
Red light therapy
Normatec compression
Mobility work
Stretching
Yoga
Breathwork
Meditation
Sometimes the best recovery session is the one that helps regulate your nervous system rather than challenge it further.
Recovery Is Not Just for Athletes
One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that recovery is only necessary if you're training hard or competing in sports.
That couldn't be further from the truth.
Some of the people who benefit most from recovery services aren't athletes at all.
At Plunge Boston, we regularly work with:
Tradespeople
Many have spent years performing physically demanding work and are looking for ways to better manage chronic aches, stiffness, and discomfort.
Endurance Athletes
Runners, cyclists, and triathletes often use recovery modalities to improve recovery between training sessions and support long-term consistency.
Busy Professionals
Many members are simply trying to better manage the stress of balancing work, family, and everyday life while improving energy levels and sleep quality.
Recovery isn't just about athletic performance.
It's about improving overall health, resilience, and quality of life.
My Ideal Recovery Protocol
If time allows, a typical recovery session may include:
Sauna
15-20 minutes
180-200°F
Cold Plunge
2-5 minutes
37-59°F
Rounds
1-3 rounds depending on experience and tolerance
Red Light Therapy
10-15 minutes
Optional Recovery Add-On
15 minutes of Normatec compression
Remember that more isn't always better. Your experience level, health history, and goals should guide your approach.
Short on Time? Here's My 20-Minute Recovery Protocol
If you're busy and only have about 20 minutes available:
12-minute sauna
2-minute cold plunge
6-minute red light therapy
This simple protocol still provides meaningful exposure to heat, cold, and light while fitting into a busy schedule.
The Recovery Mistake Most People Make
The wellness industry often promotes the idea that more is always better.
Colder plunges.
Hotter saunas.
Longer sessions.
More supplements.
More gadgets.
My experience has taught me the opposite.
Consistency beats intensity.
The most effective recovery routine is not necessarily the most extreme one.
It's the one you can perform consistently and recover from consistently.
Small, sustainable habits performed week after week will almost always outperform occasional extreme recovery sessions.
Final Thoughts: Red Light Therapy Before or After Contrast Therapy?
If you're looking for a simple answer, most people will benefit from performing contrast therapy first and red light therapy afterward.
However, the best recovery protocol isn't always the same from day to day.
Your stress levels, sleep quality, training demands, and overall health all matter.
After more than 12 years working with people of all ages, fitness levels, and goals, I've learned that successful recovery isn't about doing the most. It's about doing what your body needs.
The best recovery protocol isn't the most extreme one, it's the one that helps your body adapt and the one you can do consistently.
Whether your goal is athletic recovery, pain management, stress reduction, better sleep, or simply feeling your best, recovery should be viewed as an investment in your overall health, not just your athletic performance.
Excited to experience Plunge Boston? It's simple to visit Plunge Boston. You can drop by anytime during business hours, or you can buy a day pass in advance through our website or on the Vagaro platform. No appointment is necessary.