Whether people are competitive athletes, avid exercisers, dealing with chronic pain, autoimmune diseases, or mental health issues, various forms of recovery help alleviate the body’s stress and inflammation.
“We’re all walking around with inflammation,” says Deena Taylor, owner of Zivel Performance and Recovery in Highlands Ranch. “All of our services, one of them, if not all, are going to help with your sleep quality, reduce stress and anxiety, help with aches and pains, and inflammation.”
Deena and her husband, Tom, opened their Zivel franchise in May 2024 to bring recovery, health, and wellness to their community. Their passion for helping others recover is highlighted in four primary modalities: cryotherapy, infrared sauna, dry float, and compression.
“We have some members that will come in the morning and do a compression and sauna, and then later in the afternoon pop back by and do their cryo,” Deena explains. Pairing compression with either cyro or sauna is encouraged while pairing cyro and sauna is discouraged due to the drastic temperature difference. It’s best to let your body temperature regulate to its norm to reap the benefits of each therapy.
Deena mentions how people strapped for time love coming to Zivel for cryo because it’s quick and easy. “You could run in and cryo and be in and out of here in 10 to 15 minutes.”
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy involves stepping inside a cryotherapy chamber at temperatures as low as -220 F for 2-3 minutes. Masks, socks, slippers, and gloves are provided to protect extremities. Cryotherapy reduces inflammation, increases circulation, and provides faster recovery from workouts; studies have also shown that people have better cognitive function and a reduction in depression after cryotherapy sessions.
Infrared Sauna
The opposite of cryo is the infrared sauna, which offers a room heated up to 150 F. As the body heats, the heart pumps faster, resulting in better circulation and calorie burn. Sweat also releases toxins and reduces muscle tension. Sessions last about fifteen to twenty minutes, and hydration afterward is imperative.
Dry Float
Another popular recovery technique is dry float. It involves lying on a soft, water-filled membrane with a weighted blanket, eye cover, and noise-canceling headphones. The technique provides the feeling of weightlessness and relaxation without getting wet. Typical float sessions last anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.
Acoustic wave sounds complement the dry float to further relaxation. Deena explains, “The acoustic wave therapies are for concentration, stress, relaxation, or improved sleep quality…everyone’s walking around with one of those issues.” Zivel’s staff guides members to the right wave therapy based on their needs.
Compression
The last recovery method is compression. Using Normatec leg compression sleeves promotes faster muscle recovery. Squeezing the legs increases circulation, supports oxygen-rich blood to muscles, and helps reduce swelling. Compression pairs well with other therapy techniques too.