Feeling Stressed? Here’s How to Reset Your Mind & Body
April is Stress Awareness Month, and there’s no better time to talk about something we all experience—stress—and more importantly, how we can manage it in a way that supports long-term health and vitality.
Stress is more than just an emotional response—it deeply affects our physical and mental well-being. From muscle tension to weakened immunity, chronic stress can take a toll on your overall health. Fortunately, contrast therapy, the combination of heat and cold exposure, is a powerful tool to help reset your body and mind.
At Löyly Sauna Lounge, our approach to wellness goes beyond relaxation and recovery. We focus on nervous system regulation, which plays a critical role in how we respond to stress, recover from it, and maintain balance—mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Why Nervous System Regulation Matters
Your nervous system is the command center for how your body reacts to the world. When it’s dysregulated, everything feels harder—sleep, focus, digestion, even social connection. Most people are unknowingly spending the majority of their days in a state of chronic fight or flight.
The Two Modes of the Nervous System
🧠 Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight or Flight)
This mode kicks in when your brain perceives a threat—anything from a tight deadline to traffic. Your heart races, breath shortens, and stress hormones like cortisol flood your system.
🧘♀️ Parasympathetic Nervous System (Rest and Digest)
This is your recovery state. Your body slows down, digests food, repairs cells, and regulates hormones. It’s the state where true healing and restoration happen.
How Stress Affects Your Body
When stress becomes chronic, it can lead to:
Increased Cortisol Levels – When elevated for prolonged periods, cortisol can contribute to anxiety, weight gain, and sleep disturbances.
Inflammation & Weakened Immunity – Chronic stress can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to illness.
Tension & Muscle Pain – Stress often leads to muscle stiffness and tension, especially in the shoulders, neck, and back.
Poor Sleep Quality – An overactive mind and high cortisol levels can disrupt your sleep, leaving you fatigued and irritable.
Digestive Issues – Stress impacts gut health, leading to bloating, discomfort, and irregular digestion.
Rather than allowing stress to take over, we can take active steps to reset our nervous system and bring balance back to our bodies.
The Stats Speak for Themselves
Up to 80% of primary care visits are related to stress-induced conditions.
Chronic stress is linked to six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis, and suicide.
When regularly activated, the parasympathetic nervous system can lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and improve immune function.
But here’s the key: most of us are stuck in high alert. And that dysregulation can feel like:
Trouble sleeping, even when you’re exhausted
Frequent tension headaches or jaw clenching
Mood swings or emotional numbness
Constant fatigue, despite caffeine or rest
Feeling disconnected, anxious, or “on edge”
How Contrast Therapy Helps Combat Stress
Contrast therapy—alternating between heat of the sauna and cold plunge—helps train your nervous system to better manage stress. Here’s how it works:
🔥 Sauna Therapy: Deep Relaxation & Detoxification
Sauna sessions activate the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling your body to relax and shift away from the fight-or-flight state.
Heat therapy improves circulation, helping to release muscle tension and promote relaxation.
Sweating helps eliminate toxins and promotes a sense of renewal.
❄️ Cold Plunging: Stress Resilience & Mood Boosting
Exposure to cold water triggers a dopamine release, enhancing mood and mental clarity.
Cold immersion helps lower inflammation, alleviating stress-related aches and pains.
Training your body to tolerate cold improves stress resilience, making everyday stressors easier to manage.
🔄 The Power of the Contrast Effect
Alternating between heat and cold teaches your body to quickly switch between stress and relaxation, strengthening your nervous system’s adaptability.
This process conditions your body to handle stress more effectively, improving overall well-being and mental clarity.
Quick Ways to Reset at Home
If you can’t make it to the lounge today, here are a few science-backed techniques to try:
Box Breathing
Inhale 4 sec → Hold 4 sec → Exhale 4 sec → Hold 4 sec.
Do this for 1–2 minutes to lower your heart rate and activate calm.
Stretching or Movement
Even 5–10 minutes of gentle movement helps discharge nervous tension and increases circulation.
Cold Exposure
Try a cold shower or splash your face with cold water for a quick stress reset.
Experience Stress Relief at Löyly Sauna Lounge
Your nervous system is the gateway to better health, deeper sleep, stronger immunity, and a more present life.
At Lӧyly Sauna Lounge, we provide a space for you to unwind, recover, and train your body to manage stress more efficiently. Whether you’re looking to ease tension, sleep better, or simply give yourself a well-deserved break, our sauna and cold plunge experience is the perfect way to reset.
