In late 2019, Kevin McDonald noticed that his 16-year-old twins Ellie and Lexi seemed sad and uninterested in school activities. He decided to buy an infrared sauna for the whole family after reading research on the potential mental health benefits. For the MacDonald family, the purchase paid off. “It was hugely therapeutic for the kids,” he says.
As more adults turn on saunas, cold dives and other hot and cold treatments in their wellness routines, they are increasingly encouraging their children to do the same.
New research shows that these treatments provide physical and psychological benefits for adults. But experts warn that children’s systems for regulating core temperature are still developing: “So any risks that might arise in adults would be increased by an order of magnitude,” says Francois Aman, a biology professor who explores thermal physiology at the University of Ottawa.
“We must remember that adolescents have special needs and challenges that need to be addressed both physically and emotionally,” says the pediatrician. Dr. Elizabeth Henry.
Here, Haman, Henry and other experts share their views on the potential benefits of hot and cold therapy for children, and how parents can help them stay safe.
What are the benefits of hot and cold therapy?
Bathing in the sauna Maybe increase levels of feel-good hormones in the brain, such as dopamine and serotonin, and may also lead to improvements V heart health and chronic pain. Taking a sauna can improve circulation, helping to lower blood pressure and speed up recovery from physical activity. However, until now, studies have only examined the effects of sauna use on adults. Caroline Smith, director of Appalachian State University Laboratory of Thermophysiology and Physiology believes these benefits may also apply to children, although more research is needed.
As with heat, exposure to cold and immersion in water can provide a psychological boost, Aman said. “You actually feel good once you get out of the cold,” he says. Luck. But he says he hasn’t seen conclusive evidence of other benefits touted by health influencers, such as detoxification and the production of healthy brown fat.
Henry, a pediatrician, sees potential for both heat and cold. “Teens want to take advantage of how these methods can contribute to their well-being,” she says.
During the pandemic, McDonald accompanied his daughters to the sauna every morning and saw their self-esteem and discipline grow as they regularly faced and braved the heat. They became more active in school, despite the challenges of distance learning. He attributes this improvement, at least in part, to their sauna regimen. “Honestly, my kids were doing better in school than they were before the pandemic,” McDonald says.
Is hot and cold therapy beneficial for children?
Any benefits for children must be weighed against the risks, as their developing bodies make them more vulnerable to extreme conditions. “Children under eight years old have difficulty regulating their temperature,” Henry says.
In very warm conditions Body temperature rises faster in younger children because they sweat less and have smaller body sizes, among other important differences from adults, Smith says. These factors increase the likelihood of life-threatening heatstroke. Moreover, because fat heats up faster than muscle, children who are heavier and have lower fitness levels may be at increased risk, Smith says.
Another consequence of babies’ smaller size: They cool down faster in cold temperatures, especially in water temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. “The risks are much higher than in adults, who have two or three times the weight,” says Haman. Dangers include hypothermia, trench legcardiac arrest, frostbite and drowning.
As teenagers grow and mature, they have less age-related physical vulnerability to both cold and heat. However, Henry notes, their brains continue to mature. “Older teens look like adults, but their brains are still developing,” which can lead to impulsive decisions. Combine that factor with peer pressure, and “they may stay out in the cold longer than they should,” she says.
Risk managementWith
Parents should be aware of the dangers and supervise their child’s hot and cold therapy. With the right knowledge, parents can help their children find a balance between addressing health concerns and managing risks.
McDonald, who runs the spa at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley, California, understands the risks and stresses the safety of his daughters, like gradual warming and avoidance of extreme temperatures. Although MacDonald prefers traditional Finnish saunas, he chose an infrared sauna for the whole family because it is less hot. He was concerned that children might be tempted to try the Finnish version in extreme temperatures.
With his infrared radiation, he began sessions for his daughters lasting only a few minutes, eventually limiting their duration to 25 minutes and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. His approach follows Smith’s advice for teens to start sauna sessions at short intervals and cooler temperatures, gradually increasing intensity as they become accustomed to the heat over several sessions, and always keeping sessions shorter and less hot than the maximum duration and temperature. recommended for adults.
McDonald tries to make sure the twins get enough fluids before and after using the sauna. In the heat, Smith says, dehydration forces you to control your core temperature. Even harderincreasing the likelihood of heat illness.
Haman says children should avoid cold diving in temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit unless under the guidance of a trustworthy professional, someone who has been trained at an academic research institute and pays due attention to child safety measures.No Wim Hof instructors. While cold showers are acceptable, “children should never be exposed to cold for more than two minutes,” he says. If so, it is important that they wear 5mm neoprene. gloves And socks to protect hands and feet from the cold.
“Parents need to talk honestly with their teens about risks and safety precautions,” Henry says. When adolescents use these therapies to promote their health and well-being, they should always be supervised by adults, but supervision should not necessarily be the goal. “Parents can use this as an opportunity to make it a family affair,” Henry recommends. “That would be a great way to phrase it.”
Families can bond and learn to overcome health challenges together, McDonald said. He won’t let Ellie and Lexi post sauna selfies on social media because, he says, “that’s not what we do it for.” The real lesson from saunas is that “what they define as discomfort is actually not that big of a deal,” McDonald says. “Doing difficult things makes them feel capable.”