CONTRAST THERAPY MELBOURNE

Contrast therapy alternates between hot and cold temperatures, traditional sauna and ice bath to boost circulation, reduce muscle soreness, and improve recovery. Requires medical consultation if you have heart issues, high blood pressure, are pregnant or have open wounds. Beginners should start slow with moderate temperatures, generally beginning and ending with heat for muscle relaxation, avoiding it too soon after intense workouts if building muscle is the goal, and allowing 1-2 hours post-meal.

Circulation: Alternating temperatures cause blood vessels to rapidly expand (heat) and constrict (cold), flushing out metabolic waste and bringing fresh oxygenated blood to tissues. Muscle Recovery: Reduces inflammation and soreness, aiding post-exercise recovery. Mental Clarity: The invigorating nature can provide alertness and mental focus.

This is a whole of body therapy.

Sequence: Start with heat, then cold, then back to heat (ending on heat is often recommended for muscle relaxation). Timing: 30 secs – 3 minutes in cold, longer in heat, repeating 2-3 rounds. Temperature: Moderate heat and brief cold are effective; extreme temperatures aren’t always necessary. Post-Workout: Wait 4-5 hours after resistance training to avoid blunting muscle growth, or use it for recovery on rest days.

Yes! Contrast Therapy is generally safe for most healthy adults when done correctly. That said, it’s powerful by design, so how you do it matters. For individuals who do not have a medical condition. We recommend consulting your physician before beginning any new diet, exercise, or wellness program to ensure it’s right for you. Contrast therapy (alternating hot and cold exposure) has been used for decades in sports recovery, rehabilitation, and wellness settings. When applied appropriately, it supports circulation, nervous system regulation, and recovery without placing long-term strain on the body. The exposures are short, intentional, and followed by recovery.

You’ll feel something after the first session. Just with all therapies real change starts to lock in after a few, and compounds fast if you’re consistent. After 1 session: Most people notice immediate effects including a calmer nervous system, clearer head, a sense of “reset” in the body, and improved mood and energy. After 3–5 sessions: Stress responses soften, sleep improves, inflammation and soreness reduce, you recover faster physically and emotionally. After 6–10 sessions: Stronger stress resilience, more consistent energy, sharper focus and emotional control, increased self-trust in challenging moments. Ongoing (weekly or fortnightly): Long-term nervous system regulation, reduced burnout risk, better immune resilience, a deep embodied sense of confidence. Recommended Schedule: First-timers, start with 1 session to feel the shift. Change-makers, 1–2 sessions per week for 3–4 weeks. Maintenance, weekly or fortnightly.

Yes there can be weight limits, related to equipment safety and comfort, not exclusion or judgement. Most contrast therapy spaces set weight limits based on the structural limits of the plunge pools and benches, not the therapy itself. Your body weight does not make contrast therapy unsafe, the infrastructure determines the limit. Gravity’s cold plunge bath is 250 kg. At Gravity, the focus is always on structural safety, ease of entry and exit, and your ability to relax, not brace or strain. People in larger bodies often experience profound nervous system benefits, because they’re used to pushing through discomfort rather than being supported in it. Nervous system work only works when the body feels safe and supported, not worried about logistics.

Each session takes around 45 minutes, making it easy to fit into your wellness routine or even your lunch break.

Results vary from person to person and depend largely on an individual’s commitment to their goals. When done intentionally, the benefits last far longer than the session itself. Immediate effects (same day): reduced muscle tension and soreness, a calmer more regulated nervous system, clearer thinking and improved mood, noticeable shift out of “fight or flight”. These effects often last hours to a full day, sometimes longer if you rest well afterward. Short term (days): within 1–3 sessions, better sleep, less baseline tension, improved emotional steadiness, faster recovery. Benefits typically last 2–5 days. Medium term (weeks): with regular sessions (1–3 times per week for 3–6 weeks) the body starts to regulate stress responses more efficiently, recover faster, hold less chronic inflammation, and return to calm more quickly. These results can last weeks. Long-term (months and beyond): when contrast therapy becomes part of a wider rhythm of care, the effects become cumulative including greater stress resilience, stronger immune response, improved circulation, and increased trust in your body’s capacity to cope.

Aftercare is a signal to your nervous system: “I’m not just pushing you. I’m listening.” That’s how trust is rebuilt and resilience becomes sustainable. 1. Don’t rush straight back into noise, give yourself 15–30 minutes of low input. 2. Hydrate with intention, water first, electrolytes if you’ve sweated heavily, avoid alcohol or stimulants straight after. 3. Warm the body gently, don’t shock it again. The goal is integration, not stimulation. 4. Eat grounding and nourishing food. Support it with protein, healthy fats, warm simple meals. Avoid ultra-processed or sugary food immediately after. 5. Sleep is where the magic compounds. Keep the evening low-key, avoid screens close to bedtime, let sleep do the consolidation work. 6. Notice what shifts. How your body feels, how you respond to stress later that day, how quickly you return to calm. 7. Pair it with float or stillness when possible. Contrast therapy activates. Float therapy and stillness integrate.

Yes! At Gravity, we use the Styku 3D Body Scanner to accurately track your progress. Styku provides detailed measurements, posture analysis, and body composition insights so you can see your results over time, not just feel them. Styku scans are included in our 10-16 session package options and can also be purchased separately with our shorter packages for those who want an extra layer of tracking and motivation.

Before: We recommend drinking plenty of water, around 2 litres throughout the day, before your session to help your body flush out released fat more efficiently. Try to have a light, balanced meal at least two hours before your appointment, avoid eating too close to your session. Arriving well-hydrated and comfortably fuelled will help your body respond optimally. After: Continue to drink at least 2 litres of water, move your body with light activity (like a walk), and follow any guidance from your therapist to support lymphatic drainage.

None at all. You can return to your normal activities immediately after your session.

Contrast therapy is for people who want to support recovery, resilience, and nervous system regulation. It’s especially helpful for: people under ongoing stress or feeling stuck in “fight or flight”, those experiencing muscle soreness, stiffness, or low-grade inflammation, active bodies needing faster physical recovery, desk-based or sedentary bodies holding chronic tension, high performers, leaders, and decision-makers managing pressure, anyone seeking improved mental clarity, focus, and emotional steadiness, and people wanting to rebuild trust and confidence in their body through safe challenge. Contrast therapy may not be suitable for everyone. People with certain cardiovascular conditions, uncontrolled blood pressure, or temperature sensitivities should be screened first. A quality centre will always prioritise safety, choice, and comfort.

Contrast therapy may not be suitable for everyone. For safety reasons, it is generally not recommended for people who: have uncontrolled high or low blood pressure, have serious cardiovascular or heart conditions, are pregnant (unless cleared by a healthcare provider), experience fainting, dizziness, or temperature regulation issues, have Raynaud’s phenomenon or severe cold sensitivity, have open wounds, infections, or acute injuries, are feeling unwell, overtired, or already in a state of extreme depletion. If you’re unsure, this doesn’t automatically mean contrast therapy isn’t for you, it may simply mean a modified approach or a different starting point is more appropriate. A responsible wellness centre will always screen first and guide you toward the safest option for your body.