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A thermal treatment that alternates between heat and extreme cold — known as contrast therapy — is emerging as a major wellness trend overseas in 2026. Global fashion magazines such as Elle and Vogue and international wellness outlets have recently said that contrast therapy is rapidly gaining popularity this year as part of “biohacking.”
Biohacking refers to treating the body as a system and using science and data to find personalized health optimization methods. Contrast therapy is being cited alongside intermittent fasting, cold showers and timing caffeine intake as a popular biohacking practice.
According to foreign media reports, recovery clinics equipped with infrared saunas alongside ice baths and cryotherapy devices that expose the body to extreme cold are expanding in major cities such as London. A global market research firm estimates the infrared sauna market at about $1.89 billion (2.76 trillion won) in 2025 and projects growth to about $3.58 billion by 2032.
Despite the sense of novelty, contrast therapy itself is not new. It closely resembles alternating hot-and-cold bathing long practiced in Korea and Japan, where bathhouse visitors move between hot and cold pools. In Scandinavia as well, people have long treated plunging into cold seawater after sauna sessions as a ritual.
The version trending overseas varies slightly: infrared saunas may replace hot baths, while cryotherapy chambers may substitute for cold pools. But the core principle — alternating between high and low temperatures — remains the same. Wellness centers in Korea have also begun offering recovery programs combining infrared sauna and cryotherapy cycles.
How contrast therapy may help recovery
The global wellness industry is promoting contrast therapy under the broader theme of “recovery,” a key wellness trend this year. Advocates say it helps relieve chronic fatigue, insomnia and stress, reduces pain and improves mood. They also say the body’s effort to regulate temperature temporarily boosts metabolism, aiding circulation and detoxification.
Scientific studies suggest some physiological basis. Exposure to cold causes blood vessels to constrict, reducing blood flow and tissue metabolism and potentially easing inflammation and swelling. Heat from saunas dilates vessels, increasing circulation and oxygen delivery. Alternating cold and heat creates a strong pumping effect in blood flow, which may help remove metabolic waste and supply muscles with oxygen, speeding recovery. Athletes sometimes use contrast bathing in rehabilitation for this reason.
Claims that the therapy improves mood are more closely linked to cold exposure itself. Studies show that cold showers or immersion activate the sympathetic nervous system and increase dopamine levels — a neurotransmitter related to pleasure, reward and motivation. Experiencing extreme temperature shifts may also help people temporarily forget stress, contributing to perceived mood benefits.
Source: Korea Times News
