Contrast Therapy & Functional Breathing
In addition to being a functional breathing coach, I'm also a cold water therapy practitioner and have completed a sauna Master training. I bring this knowledge together to run Garden Spa Evenings and 1-2-1 sessions for anyone wanting to learn ways to reduce stress, improve their long term health, boost recovery from physical exercise, and have a fun experience! A Garden Spa voucher makes a great gift for someone.
Garden Spa Experience
Heat Therapy
Most people look forward to the heat rather than the cold, however some find it overpowering, but there are ways to deal with this. For example, cooling the body with a cold shower or cold dip before allows you to stay more comfortable in the sauna for longer. You will also learn research-based protocols to follow for safe sauna use regarding how long to stay in the heat.
Cold Water Therapy
We tend to start and finish the contrast therapy session with a cold dip, as this boosts your metabolism by making your body work hard to warm up. We take it very gently if you are new to cold water immersion as it requires a process of gradual acclimatisation. When used in conjunction with the sauna, the contrasting health benefits are maximised and it is easier to submerge in cold water after coming out of the sauna. There is also a cold shower to try!
Functional Breathing
Before entering the cold water, you will learn how to use your breath to calm your nervous system and deal with the cold sensation as you enter. You will also learn how to breathe to lower your heart rate and blood pressure when sitting in the sauna or the cold pool, as both are a stressor on the body, but a good stressor if we are healthy. However, fast, upper chest, hyperventilation through the mouth will intensify the stress, so we need to learn how to breathe to trigger our relaxation response during these activities.
Annie O
Marianne, it was a great evening and lovely that everyone fully engaged with it all - a lovely bunch of like-minded women.
I found the breath work really helpful and interesting. I have been going through a stressful time at the moment and I've noticed my breathing has been shallow and not very effective.
Your knowledge and understanding of the body and the ease with which you part this information is a real asset to the experience.
The hot/cold experience was well managed and it was interesting to talk about practical ways that we could bring it into our everyday lives to see all the health benefits.
Claire M
The Garden Spa Evening with breathing techniques, hot sauna/cold water therapy, supportive and informative information and encouragement from Marianne's a literal tonic.
It was just the right length of time, the price was affordable and the facilities were excellent.
Jane S
Thank you Marianne Johnson: buzzing from an amazing evening...such as beautiful night for it!! Loved the cold and heat combo and would thoroughly recommend it.
Samme A
A big thank you to Marianne Johnson and a shout out for the session we went to with her last night. I honestly cannot remember sleeping so well, ever! Really looking forward to another Garden Spa.
Karen A
I'm one of the cold water newbies and with expert guidance from Marianne and the team spirit and encouragement of the other dippers, I was delighted by my bravery in the cold water!
Thanks to all and looking forward to 28th November for more....already booked!