Brrr! Cold dip in the Atlantic inspires creation of cold-plunge wellness spa on Long Island
BAYPORT, New York -- During a camping trip on a cold day last winter, a friend talked Isar Castaneda into taking a dip in the frigid Atlantic Ocean off Montauk.
"I did it, and it was absolutely amazing," said Castaneda.
Castaneda not only faced his fear of cold water, he crushed it. He kept taking cold plunges every day, at his home as well as at his friend's aboveground pool, even though it was the dead of winter.
Castaneda had discovered the power of what a chilly dip can do for the body and mind. The only thing missing, Castaneda surmised, was a sauna where he could warm up afterward.
That's when the idea of Relax N Revive came to Castaneda.
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Castaneda wanted to share his newfound love of cold plunging along with other wellness techniques with the Long Island community.
"It ranges from the cold plunge to saunas, to full-body LED lights, to massage, and meditation," said Castaneda, who is a licensed massage therapist, about his new spa in Bayport.
"We want to offer tools and different knowledge to help people on their wellness journey," said Castaneda.
The two cold-plunge tubs are placed next to each other, in case you want to bring a friend.
The water in one of the tubs, named after Lake George, is between 52 and 54 degrees.
The other tub, which still needs a name, is slightly chillier, kept below 50 degrees.
"I recommend everybody should do it," said Alexis Damico, a client who attends the CrossFit gym next door.
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"It's good for like the whole mind, body, and soul kind of situation. It teaches you how to breathe properly throughout your whole body, target injuries, and it just feels good," said Damico.
If a cold plunge isn't your thing, Castaneda also has specialty sauna rooms, full-body rouge LED light treatments, a Somadome meditation experience, and traditional professional massage therapy.
However, Castaneda always recommends trying the cold plunge even if you only dip in one finger. That counts as progress on your wellness journey.
"A lot of people don't give themselves time to recover," said Castaneda. "We're at it 24/7, seven days a week, and sometimes we just get to a breaking point. Our space tries to provide you a safe environment where you just relax."
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Contact Community Journalist Alex Ciccarone
