We Tried It: Couples Contrast Therapy at Hana

“It’s so cold. Who needs to be that cold?” These are the words that blurted out of my mouth the first time I dipped my toe into Hana ’s beautiful tiled ice bath. Said toe was swiftly withdrawn.

I’ll be blunt: I’m a wimp when it comes to cold water. It’s part of the reason I love living in Auckland; in summer, the ocean is actually a bearable temperature – unlike in Wellington (where I grew up), where it’s usually more of a bracing bite that’s good for a “refreshing” duck under, but not for a blissful float.

Curiosity won over my aversion when I was offered the chance to try chic Grey Lynn studio Hana’s contrast therapy services. Designed by architecture and interiors firm Pennant & Triumph, Hana’s reception area is all peaceful sandy tones, pale wood and archways. The private sauna rooms include sleek tiled showers with Sans Ceuticals products, glowing bronze fixtures and organic cotton Baina towels. It’s a soothing environment to sit with your thoughts for the duration of a session – or obliterate them altogether as you focus on your breathing while submerged in 6-degree water.

“When we first opened Hana [in 2020], we only offered infrared saunas and PBM [photobiomodulation] light therapy,” founder Sara Higgins tells Broadsheet. “We hadn’t considered ice baths but had a spare room that we had intended to turn into a fourth sauna room once our business had grown.”

A new client asked Higgins whether she’d offer ice baths and, after researching the benefits, she opened Hana’s first ice bath and sauna room about six months later. It proved so popular, another larger room with a bigger two-person ice bath was added late last year.

Contrast therapy revolves around applying hot and cold extremes to the body – traditionally through bathing but nowadays often via switching between a sauna and an ice bath or cryotherapy.

It's believed to potentially promote a host of health benefits, including increased blood flow, muscle recovery and pain reduction following injury. Maybe, if you’re a novice like me, you’ve read about the Wim Hof method or heard people talking about blasting their showers on cold for 30 seconds every morning.

On a Sunday morning, my partner and I pulled up to Hana. According to the receptionist who led us into the new room, most people new to the practice start with 15 minutes in the sauna and between 10 seconds and three minutes in the ice bath – whatever you can manage – before alternating again.

I like saunas, but usually feel pretty drowsy afterwards and struggle to stay in them for a long time, so the idea of something to snap me out of my stupor was appealing. After 15 minutes of side-by-side sweating, we both stepped out of the sauna and rinsed off in the shower before giving the ice bath a go. It’s got jets that keep the temperature constant and is big enough for two people, but we decided to go in one at a time while the other person counted the seconds out loud for moral support.

My first go, I only lasted five seconds before jumping out. I immersed myself again after catching my breath, getting to 10 seconds this time. There’s a nice sense of camaraderie doing something like this with someone else, encouraging one another through every wince and puffing breath.

Back into the sauna, where the 68-degree heat was far more appreciated than before. I felt more apprehensive the second time around, knowing what I was in for. “You go first, you were such an inspiration last time,” my partner said, definitely not trying to delay the inevitable.

But it was actually easier to stay in for round two. I managed 30 seconds and then a full minute, focusing on slowing my breathing and calming my mind. Although submerged to my neck, I kept my hands out of the water, which made it slightly more bearable. The sensation kept changing – first it felt icy cold, then almost burning, then numb. Beyond 30 seconds, I felt prickly tingles all over my body. It wasn’t unpleasant, exactly, just quite intense.

In the end, the lasting feeling was invigoration and a sense of achievement. I felt sharp but relaxed, and ready to tackle the day. I can see why people say ice baths make them feel good not only physically but mentally – and even I would brave one again to beat my personal record.

“Hopping into a tub filled with 6-degree Celsius water is no mean feat, and having a friend by your side helps both of you to stay motivated,” says Higgins. “Having that support is so beneficial, and being able to regulate your breathing together is going to keep you in that cold water for longer.”

Contrast therapy in Hana’s new large sauna and ice bath room starts at $115 for 60 minutes for one person.

The writer was gifted this service.

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