In the Heights lies one of Houston’s only facilities dedicated to sauna and cold plunge lounges—Löyly Sauna Lounge, a contrast therapy center inspired by the ancient Finnish sauna tradition of alternating between cold and hot plunges.

For co-founders and Houston husband-and-wife duo Dion and Cindy Ruzicka, Löyly is a place where people can heal and find a place of community.

“When you’re in there together, you’re cheering each other on,” Cindy said. “All ages of people, all walks of life, massive diversity, all doing this really hard thing together.”

The backstory

Beyond wanting to provide a sense of connection and healing, there is a story of how contrast therapy helped Dion’s battle with leukemia after he was diagnosed in 2022.

After believing he wouldn’t live for long, Dion said he left his job and went on vacation with Cindy. On Christmas morning, Dion said he had a dream about taking an ice bath and how it could heal him. Thinking about that dream months later, Dion said he decided to take that step, despite initial anxieties.

“I kept doing it, I kept getting strong and better,” Dion said. “The more I did it, the stronger I would get.”

However, Dion found himself having to drive long distances to places like Spring Branch just to do his contrast therapy. Eventually, he said he decided to buy his own ice baths to do at home. After regularly doing these cold plunges, and even convincing his wife to start doing it, Dion decided to open a Löyly in 2023 when he became cancer-free.“We didn’t have a plan, we just knew that he had gotten so much better that if it worked for us, it’ll work for anyone,” Cindy said. “He had gotten a lot better physically because we were doing this every day.”

What they offer

Customers can book a 45-minute session, cycling between 38-degree cold water immersion to a 104-degree hot tub soak, with the experience ending in a 170-degree sauna. Dion recommends customers spend three minutes in the cold plunge, spend five minutes in the hot tub, then 10 minutes in the sauna, repeat and finally end it off with a cold plunge.

“This is a reset for your body, for your mind,” Cindy said. “There’s something about water that is just so rejuvenating.”

Dion said those who are anxious about cold plunges should consider the idea that the cold water is “an invitation.” They believe that doing these sessions will heal the body and mind, allowing for detoxification, relieving stress, enhancing recovery and improving breathing.“You’re trying to heal your mind and your body,” Dion said. “Your mind and body are going to tell you to get out... your soul has to do it. We want everybody to have a great experience and not be afraid of the cold water, because the cold water saves your life.”

Cindy said Löyly also hosts different events such as breathing classes, singles mixers events and workshops teaching people the benefits of saunas and even infrared therapies.

“Bringing people together, that’s what we’re really about,” Dion said. “People are just discovering this. When the world finds out about Löyly and what we’ve done, it’s going to be huge.”

• 1210 W. Clay St., Ste. 18, Houston
• www.loylysaunalounge.com