Winter-Proof Your Body: How Contrast Therapy, Float Tanks & Compression Can Supercharge Your Immune System
As the temperature drops and cold and flu season kicks into gear, most people reach for vitamin C tablets and hope for the best. But what if you could actively train your immune system to fight harder, using the same recovery tools trusted by elite athletes, biohackers, and wellness pioneers?
At Excelsius Wellness, we offer three powerful therapies that don’t just help you feel better; they work at a physiological level to build resilience, reduce inflammation, and strengthen your body’s natural defences heading into winter. Here’s exactly how they work, and why now is the best time to start.
This Winter Save $37 When you book our Recovery Trio Protocol.
The Full Immunity Stack (our most popular combination):
- Start with a compression therapy session to warm up circulation and prime your lymphatic system
- Move into contrast therapy: sauna to heat the body, cold plunge to activate immune response, repeat 3–4 rounds
- Finish with a float session to lock in recovery and drive deep cortisol reduction
Why Winter Is the Worst Season for Your Immune System
Before we get into the solutions, it’s worth understanding why so many of us get sick between May and August here in southeast Queensland and beyond.
Cold air dries out the mucous membranes in your nose and throat, your first line of defence against pathogens. We spend more time indoors in close contact with others. Reduced sunlight suppresses melatonin and disrupts sleep, which is when the bulk of immune repair happens. And the stress of post-summer comedown, busier work schedules, and shorter days elevates cortisol, a hormone that, in chronic doses, actively suppresses immune function.
The good news? Each of the therapies we offer directly counteracts one or more of these winter vulnerabilities.
Cold Plunge & Traditional Sauna Contrast Therapy: The Immune System's Ultimate Training Ground
What it is: Contrast therapy involves alternating between our ice-cold plunge pool (typically 8–12°C) and our traditional Finnish sauna (80–100°C). The rapid shift between hot and cold creates a powerful physiological response throughout the entire body.
How it boosts your immune system:
The cold plunge triggers a controlled stress response, causing your body to release norepinephrine, a hormone with potent anti-inflammatory properties. Research published in peer-reviewed journals has found that regular cold water immersion can increase the circulation of white blood cells, including lymphocytes, the soldiers your immune system deploys against viruses and bacteria. A PLOS One meta-analysis confirmed a significant increase in leukocyte and lymphocyte concentrations following cold water immersion protocols,¹ with evidence suggesting this reflects the rapid mobilisation of existing immune cells into circulation, priming them for deployment. Research at Radboud University also found that volunteers who practised regular cold exposure increased their levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines and demonstrated improved management of immune responses.²
The sauna phase is equally powerful. The heat exposure induces a mild artificial fever state, stimulating the production of heat shock proteins. Research indicates these proteins may help activate natural killer (NK) cells, a critical part of the innate immune response against viral infections, through stimulation of toll-like receptors in the immune system.³ While the heat shock protein mechanism is well established, direct measurement of NK cell changes in human sauna studies is an active and evolving area of research, and current evidence is promising rather than conclusive. What is robustly documented is that a single Finnish sauna session is enough to increase circulating white blood cell counts, and that repeated sessions elevate baseline levels of key immune markers including immunoglobulins IgA, IgG, and IgM, your body’s frontline antibodies.⁴ A landmark 2026 study published in the journal Temperature by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland confirmed that a 30-minute sauna session induces measurable immune cell mobilisation into the bloodstream, independent of other physiological factors.⁵
Together, the alternating temperatures act like a pump for your lymphatic system. Unlike your cardiovascular system, which has the heart to push blood through vessels, the lymphatic system (responsible for carrying immune cells and removing toxins) relies almost entirely on movement and temperature changes to circulate. Contrast therapy is one of the most effective ways to flush and activate it.
Additional winter benefits:
- Dramatically improves circulation and cardiovascular resilience
- Elevates mood through endorphin and dopamine release, combating winter blues
- Improves sleep quality, which is foundational to immune health
- Reduces muscle soreness and inflammation after exercise
How often? We recommend 2–3 sessions per week heading into winter for maximum immune-building benefits. Even one session per week delivers measurable improvements in mood, energy, and recovery.
Magnesium Float Tanks: Reducing the Stress That Makes You Sick
What it is: Our float tanks (also known as sensory deprivation or REST tanks, short for Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy) are filled with water saturated with over 400 kg of pharmaceutical-grade Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate), allowing you to float effortlessly in complete silence and darkness.
How it boosts your immune system:
Here’s a fact that changes the conversation: magnesium deficiency is one of the most widespread nutritional deficiencies in the modern world, and it directly impairs immune function. A landmark 2022 study published in the journal Cell by researchers at the University of Basel found that T cells (the immune system’s targeted defence against pathogens) require sufficient magnesium to function efficiently. The research showed that magnesium is directly sensed by the co-stimulatory molecule LFA-1 on the surface of CD8+ T cells, triggering the signalling cascade required for T cell activation against infection.⁶ The same research team found that defence against flu viruses was impaired under low-magnesium conditions.
Whether floating in Epsom salt water raises the body’s magnesium levels through skin absorption is a question that researchers are still working to answer definitively. Some proponents suggest that transdermal uptake may contribute to magnesium repletion during a float session, and early anecdotal reports are encouraging; however, peer-reviewed clinical evidence specifically for this mechanism remains limited, and further research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. What we can say with confidence is that the float environment creates powerful conditions for deep physiological restoration through other well-evidenced pathways.
Chief among these is cortisol reduction. A meta-analysis of 27 studies including 449 participants found that floating consistently produced lower cortisol levels and reduced blood pressure, with positive effects on wellbeing and performance.⁷ A controlled study by Turner et al. found that a course of eight float sessions produced a significant decrease in plasma cortisol levels and mean arterial pressure.⁸ Given that chronically elevated cortisol is one of the primary drivers of immunosuppression, this alone makes floating one of the most powerful immune-support tools available heading into winter.
The deep parasympathetic nervous system activation during a float also promotes the “rest and digest” state, the opposite of the fight-or-flight response, which is when your body conducts its deepest cellular repair, immune surveillance, and recovery.
Additional winter benefits:
- Profound relief from anxiety, stress, and overwhelm
- Dramatically improved sleep depth and quality
- Relief from joint pain, muscle tension, and chronic pain conditions
- Mental clarity and emotional reset
How often? Monthly floats maintain baseline benefits. Weekly floats during winter provide cumulative stress reduction and sleep improvement that compound over the season.
Compression Therapy: Clearing the Pathways Your Immune System Travels
What it is: Our pneumatic compression therapy uses specialised sleeves that inflate and deflate in sequence, mimicking and enhancing the body’s natural circulation, working systematically from the extremities toward the core.
How it boosts your immune system:
Your lymphatic system is your immune system’s highway. Lymph nodes filter pathogens, lymphocytes patrol for invaders, and the entire network depends on fluid moving freely through your body. When lymphatic flow becomes sluggish (due to sedentary behaviour, prolonged sitting, stress, or winter inactivity) immune surveillance slows with it.
Compression therapy mechanically stimulates lymphatic drainage, accelerating the movement of lymph fluid through the system. This not only removes metabolic waste and inflammatory byproducts from tissues but actively circulates the immune cells responsible for identifying and neutralising threats.
For those who train less during the colder months, compression therapy also prevents the immune-suppressing effects of poor recovery. Accumulated inflammation from exercise or even daily physical stress can inhibit immune function; compression clears this backlog efficiently and comfortably.
Additional winter benefits:
- Rapid reduction in muscle soreness and fatigue
- Reduced swelling and oedema in the legs and feet
- Improved venous blood flow and reduced heaviness
- Excellent complement to contrast therapy on the same visit
How often? Compression sessions are gentle and can be done daily if desired. For winter immune maintenance, 1–2 sessions per week is ideal, particularly for those with physically demanding jobs or training loads.
The Winter Wellness Stack: Combining All Three for Maximum Impact
While each therapy delivers significant benefits on its own, the real power lies in combining them strategically. Here’s how we recommend approaching your winter wellness routine:
The Full Immunity Stack (our most popular combination):
- Start with a compression therapy session to warm up circulation and prime your lymphatic system
- Move into contrast therapy: sauna to heat the body, cold plunge to activate immune response, repeat 3–4 rounds
- Finish with a float session to lock in recovery and drive deep cortisol reduction
This sequence takes approximately 2.5 hours and delivers compounding benefits: your lymphatic system is primed, your immune cells are activated and circulating, inflammation is cleared, and your nervous system finishes in deep recovery mode. Many clients describe it as “rebooting” their entire system.
What the Research Says
The science behind cold and heat therapy for immunity has expanded significantly in recent years:
- A randomised controlled trial of 3,018 participants (PLOS One, 2016) found that people who ended their daily shower with cold water had 29% fewer sick-day absences from work over a three-month period compared to the control group⁹
- A long-term Finnish prospective cohort study (European Journal of Epidemiology, 2017) found that sauna use 4 or more times per week was associated with a 41% lower risk of respiratory disease compared to once a week or less¹⁰
- A 2022 study in Cell (University of Basel) established that magnesium is directly required for T cell activation against infection and pathogens⁶
- A meta-analysis of 27 float therapy studies found consistent reductions in cortisol and blood pressure, supporting its role as a tool for stress-driven immune suppression⁷
- Lymphatic drainage techniques, including mechanical compression, have a well-established role in supporting immune function in clinical settings
We’re not making wellness promises. We’re applying well-researched physiological principles to help your body do what it’s already designed to do: fight back.
- Ahokas et al. cited in: Effects of cold-water immersion on health and wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS One. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317615
- Kox M et al. Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune response in humans. PNAS. 2014;111(20):7379–7384. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1322174111
- Multhoff G et al. Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and NK cell activation. Referenced via Foundmyfitness.com/episodes/sauna-covid-19 (citing primary HSP70/toll-like receptor literature).
- Pilch W et al. Effect of a Single Finnish Sauna Session on White Blood Cell Profile and Cortisol Levels in Athletes and Non-Athletes. Journal of Human Kinetics. 2013;39:127–135. PMC3916915. Also: Pilch W et al. International Journal of Hyperthermia. 2023.
- Heinonen IHA et al. Acute Finnish sauna heat exposure induces stronger immune cell than cytokine responses. Temperature. Published online 31 March 2026. https://doi.org/10.1080/23328940.2026.2645467
- Lötscher J et al. Magnesium sensing via LFA-1 regulates CD8+ T cell effector function. Cell. 2022;185(4):585–601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.039
- Van Dierendonck D & Nijenhuis J. Flotation restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST) as a stress-management tool: A meta-analysis. Psychology & Health. 2005;20(3):405–412.
- Turner JW Jr & Fine TH. Restricted environmental stimulation influences levels of plasma cortisol, renin, and aldosterone. Biofeedback Self Regulation. 1983.
- Buijze GA et al. The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(9):e0161749. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0161749
- Kunutsor SK, Laukkanen T, Laukkanen JA. Sauna bathing reduces the risk of respiratory diseases: a long-term prospective cohort study. European Journal of Epidemiology. 2017;32(12):1107–1111. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-017-0311-6