THE WORLD OF HYDROTHERAPY

Relax your muscles and soothe stress with the healing power of water at these six locations

- CAREN OSTEN GERSZBERG

Eons before wellness became a buzzword, the world was turning to water for healing. The customs may look different: Japan has onsens, Finland has saunas and Mexico has the dome-shaped sweat lodges known as temazcales. But they all invite restoration, connection and ritual through a universal element.

Enter hydrotherapy, a trendy, modern wellness practice that builds on these ancient ideas, harnessing the therapeutic power of water to promote physical and emotional well-being. Studies show that soaking in water — warm or cold — can calm the nervous system, relieve joint pain and reduce inflammation as well as improve circulation, lower blood pressure and stimulate lymphatic flow. It can also relax muscles, ease stress and enhance mood and sleep.

While there are a variety of ways to experience hydrotherapy, including sauna, steam and cold plunges, one of the most popular involves alternating between the extremes, a practice known as contrast therapy.

“Changing the temperature environment, from hot to cold or vice versa, prompts your metabolism to help the body adapt and become more resilient,” said Susanna Soberg, a metabolic scientist who has studied exposure to heat and cold.

Whether you prefer hot, cold or both, communal sauna and plunge spaces may offer meaningful connection.

“Ice baths and saunas are one of the few places where I can find peace and a reset,” said Lauren Hendel, 28, an event manager for the tech industry. Once, in a near-freezing cold plunge with four people, she recalled, it was the sense of community that motivated her to stay in the icy water.

“You're breathing together and feeding off of each other's energy,” she said. “Once you get through that initial shock, you feel a sense of inner power that you can really get through anything.”

Here are six wellness centres and resorts that offer hydrotherapy treatments and contrast circuits.