Your first hydrotherapy circuit, round by round

Most guests walk into the Creekside Bathhouse for the first time with one question: how long am I supposed to stay in each part? It is a fair question. Thermal bathing has a rhythm, and once you feel it, two hours pass in what seems like twenty minutes. Here is the way we teach it, station by station.

A quick note before we begin. If you are pregnant, managing blood pressure or heart conditions, or recovering from illness, talk to your doctor before using heat and cold, and let our hosts know when you arrive. We can build a gentler version around the warm pool and the lounge.

Start warm, not hot

Begin in the magnesium mineral pool, which we keep at about 98 degrees. The goal here is simply to slow down. Float, stretch your shoulders against the wall jets and let your breathing lengthen. Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty.

Starting warm gives your body a gentle signal that it is safe to relax, and it raises your core temperature gradually, so the sauna feels comforting rather than harsh.

Heat: sauna or steam

Next, choose between the cedar dry sauna at around 175 degrees or the eucalyptus steam room. Dry heat suits people who dislike humidity; steam is lovely for congested sinuses after a dusty trail day. Sit on the lower bench for your first round.

Stay for eight to twelve minutes, or until you feel pleasantly heated. Leave earlier if you feel light-headed. There is no prize for endurance, and the most experienced bathers we know keep their heat rounds short and consistent.

• Sit or lie down and keep your head at the same level as your body
• Bring a towel to sit on and a cup of water from the lounge
• Skip the heat entirely if you have had alcohol that day

The cold plunge, without the panic

The 55 degree plunge is where most guests hesitate. Here is the trick Eli shares at the edge: step in slowly, keep your hands out of the water for the first few seconds, and make your exhale longer than your inhale. The gasp reflex fades after about ten seconds.

Thirty seconds is a perfectly good first plunge. Work up to ninety seconds over later rounds if you enjoy it. If the plunge is not for you today, a cool shower does much of the same work and nobody will notice or mind.

Rest is part of the circuit

This is the step people skip, and it is the one that makes the whole thing work. Wrap up in your robe, lie on the heated stone benches in the lounge and do nothing for ten minutes. You will feel a warm, tingly calm spread from your hands and feet as circulation settles.

Drink water or iced tea during every rest. Heat and dry desert air combine quickly, and staying hydrated keeps you comfortable for the next round.

How many rounds?

Two to three full rounds fit comfortably in a two hour pass. Many guests like to end on a warm soak rather than cold so they leave relaxed rather than energized, especially before a massage. If you have a treatment booked, finish the circuit at least 15 minutes before your appointment so you can cool down and change.

The best time to visit? Weekday mornings are the quietest. Friday and Saturday sunset circuits are the most beautiful, when the shade sails glow and Thunder Mountain turns red above the pool. Either way, leave your phone in the locker. The circuit works best when nothing is asking for your attention.

Written by Eli Navarro for Solace Sands Spa & Wellness. Spa treatments support comfort and relaxation and are not medical advice. Please speak with your doctor about heat, cold or massage if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.