Hot & Cold Therapy: Do’s and Don’ts
- William
- Nov 20
- 4 min read
A visit to Sea Scrub Sauna in Whitstable
Nestled amongst the pebbles of Whitstable beach is a place of pure magic: the Sea Scrub Sauna. Tucked between sailing boats and a fishing fleet, it is a wonderland of hot and cold therapy - a place where time disappears and stress evaporates, leaving just the smell of the sea, the cry of seabirds and the glowing golden light of a wood fired sauna.
After a quick dip in the sea to get started, we jumped into the sauna to find three men sitting in calm silence, adorned with unusual wool hats that looked like tea cosies. But they are not for fashion at all. They protect your head from overheating, which stops that dizzy, foggy feeling you sometimes get in deep heat. With the hat on, you can stay in the warmth longer, breathe more easily and enjoy the sauna without your head feeling cooked.
After ten minutes in the sauna, two cold plunge pools sitting on the shore became irresistibly tantalising, daring you to step in. But first comes the ice bucket challenge: you pull a rope and a barrel tips freezing water over your head. Apparently my shrieks could be heard from inside the sauna.
And then, just beyond it all, the sea waits. On my visit, a bitter north wind whipped the water into whitewater chaos. Waves rolled hard across the bay, but sheltered by the harbour wall we could dip in relative calm. The contrast of heat and cold was powerful. Hot sauna. Sharp plunge. Back again. A rhythm that felt ancient and alive.
In a day of firsts, I was given a bowl of sea salt mixed with herbs and told to rub it onto my skin. People do this because the coarse salt exfoliates in a way that wakes the whole body up, while the herbs calm the senses and help the skin release tension from the cold. It is a simple ritual, but it has been used for centuries because it boosts circulation, removes dead skin and prepares the body for the deep heat of the sauna.
We stepped into the sauna to let it soak in, the warmth drawing the scrub deeper and filling the air with its earthy scent. The combination of heat and salt opens the pores, softens the muscles and makes the skin feel alive again. Then came the real test: washing it off in the eight degree sea. The shock of cold water after such deep warmth increases blood flow, clears the mind and leaves your skin tingling. It is an intense reset for the body, and the moment I stepped out, I felt clean, revitalised and bright from the inside out.
People love hot and cold therapy because it makes them feel awake, grounded and deeply connected to their bodies. But if you get it wrong, it can cause cold shock, dizziness, overcooling and unnecessary stress on the heart. The good news is that with simple guidance, you can enjoy all the benefits safely — and I had an expert at hand, Torsie.
Torsie is an ice swimming legend and cold water coach. Her energy is infectious, and she says that cold water is the only place where she can fully switch off. For most people, her idea of relaxation — getting battered by ice cold waves — is a form of torture. But it is people like her who push the limits of what is physically possible. Without swimmers like Torsie, the world would be a far duller place.
Learn about hot/cold immersion in the Sea Swim Manual
Stay Safe
3 Key Lessons from Torsie
While I squeezed into a wooden barrel full of frigid water, Torsie gave me a short masterclass that had the added bonus of taking my mind off the cold. Her authority comes from thousands of winter swims, and her advice was clear, simple and grounded in experience. These were the three lessons that changed how I think about hot and cold therapy — and they will keep you safe all winter.
1️⃣ Don’t shiver in the water
Shivering is your body’s way of saying it has reached its cold limit. It is normal to shiver after the swim, once you are safely out and rewarming, but you should never be shivering in the water itself. If you are, you have stayed in too long and your core temperature has started to drop. Leave the water before you reach that shaking point, and make sure to get out slowly and calmly. Moving too fast can trigger dizziness or an extra spike of cold shock.
2️⃣ Listen to your body
Cold water is not a competition. It does not care about minutes, milestones or personal bests. Your body gives you clear signals: fingers getting clumsy, breath tightening, a deep ache forming in the muscles. These signs matter far more than your watch. One person’s three minutes is another person’s thirty seconds. Learning to trust your own signals is one of the most important winter skills.
3️⃣ Three minutes is plenty
There is no extra benefit to staying in longer. You do not become stronger, fitter or more resilient. Past three minutes, you only become colder — and the risk of afterdrop increases. Cold water works through intensity, not duration. Keeping your dips short and controlled protects your core temperature and keeps the experience safe, powerful and enjoyable.
Book your session at the Sea Scrub Sauna at https://seascrubsauna.co.uk
Tide School Swim Club
If you enjoy learning about the sea and want simple guidance through the winter, you can join our new Tide School Swim Club! You will get daily sea tips, weekly lessons and support from a friendly community of swimmers, guided by me and our Tide School coaches. It is the easiest way to feel confident, calm and connected to the water all year round.
For more info visit: https://www.tidalcompass.com/swim-club
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