Cryotherapy at Restore Hyper Wellness
Cryotherapy sounds like something of the future... but it is actually a simple way to help with the body's overall wellness! I went to Restore Hyper Wellness for a 'Freeze and Squeeze' which is a combination of Cryotherapy and a localized Compression Treatment.
Restore offers "cutting edge wellness services" based on nine elements of hyper wellness.
"We believe in nurturing the body and leveraging strategic, controlled stressors inspired by nature. Our methodology helps empower your body to do what it was designed to do with as little intervention as possible."
Cryotherapy focuses on the 'cold' element and Compression Treatments are for 'movement'.
Whole Body Cryotherapy
What is whole body cryotherapy?
You change into thermal socks, gloves, a beanie, wool shoes and a small towel then step into sub-zero temperatures in a chamber (pictured) that can fit about 4 people. The chamber was -158 degrees Fahrenheit and the session lasts just under 3 minutes. The Restore team plays a song of your choosing so you can distract yourself for what feels like the longest three minutes of your life. Ice, Ice, Baby felt fitting as there was snow on my gloves by the end of the session.
What are the benefits?
According to the Restore Website, Cryotherapy may help the body to:
Relieve pain, swelling and stress
Promote healing and athletic recovery
Boost mood, energy and sleep
When you're in freeing temperatures your body moves your blood toward your core to protect your organs, and increases the level of oxygen in your blood. Once you return to a normal temperature your blood circulates normally, but with a higher oxygen count.
If standing in the freezing cold isn't for you, but you still want the benefits of a higher-oxygen count here are some tips from the Cleveland Clinic:
Focus on breathing exercises
Go outdoors for fresh air
Staying active
Quit smoking
Compression Treatments
What are Compression Treatments?
There were a few options to choose from for compression depending on what area you want to focus on. I chose the legs and as pictured, was put into what look like two full leg casts. They slide on easily with zippers all the way down, and once zipped, they connect the tubes to the compression machine and the overall effect is very similar to having your legs in a giant blood pressure cuff. The session lasts about 30 minutes, all the while you sit back on a lounge chair and enjoy some peaceful music.
What are the benefits?
The top three benefits of Compression Treatments listed on the Restore website:
Improve lymphatic function and circulation
Reduce muscle aches and pain
Improve flexibility and mobility
Overall impression
Restore Hyper Wellness is a great one stop shop for your overall body wellness, offering other services like facials, red light saunas, and more. If you are a serious athlete these programs can definitely make an impact on your recovery time and help keep you in top shape. The next time I am training for a race, or pushing my body and need some expertise on the recovery, I will be back here for a few sessions at Restore!