1 of 2
2 of 2
Take one step inside Urban Sweat’s crisp white space in Silo Studios in The Nations and the tension in your muscles is sure to disappear—if not from the calm and serene environment, then surely from sweating it out or submerging yourself in a cold tub of water.
And that’s just how owner Kristen Nicholson wants it. Nicholson, who spent 20 years in the corporate healthcare industry, has long been passionate about helping others live their best lives and now she’s doing it at Urban Sweat with luxury services including infrared saunas, cold plunges, and red light therapy. Clients can choose to do those services in any order, but Nicholson suggests starting with red light therapy or a sauna session, followed by a dip in the cold plunge.
“If you are looking to decompress, debloat, and reset, I would always recommend starting hot with the sauna,” Nicholson says. “Plus, there’s something really refreshing about going from hot to cold and letting your body naturally warm up at the end.”
All three services offered at Urban Sweat ultimately reduce inflammation, but they also target unique benefits, too. We asked Nicholson to break down the benefits of each.
INFRARED SAUNA
Enjoy a 30-minute session in your own private suite while sound therapy—a binaural beat that relaxes you and regulates your heart rate—plays. Lie back and control the temperature of the space which reaches 150 degrees at its hottest.
“The infrared sauna is a great way for someone to get in a relaxed state and it’s a good way to decompress,” Nicholson says. “The act of sweating itself builds collagen which ultimately helps the tone of your skin. The most immediate thing you feel when you are done with the session is a drop of water weight because you put in a deep sweat. It makes you feel lighter and more refreshed.”
RED LIGHT THERAPY
This 20-minute treatment utilizes a medical grade device that emits light wavelengths through the skin to stimulate the body’s natural healing and regeneration process to reduce inflammation, promote cellular health, and improve skin health, circulation, and brain health.
“You will lay on your back for ten minutes and then on your front for ten minutes to help with all over body inflammation,” Nicholson says. “If you have blemishes or want to remove scars and stretch marks, it’s great for that too.”
COLD PLUNGE
Boost your energy levels with a 15-minute plunge into ice cold water (typically between 39 and 41 degrees). The treatment is also great to reduce inflammation, increase metabolism, and stimulate your Vagus Nerve (the fight or flight response).
“If there are parts of your body that ache, you will feel even more of an ache in the cold water,” says Nicholson. “But when you come out, you will feel all the blood rush to those areas to begin healing. It’s instantaneous.” (1610 54th Ave. N, #116, 629-256-3850; urbansweat.com)