Living year-round in sun-drenched L.A. makes its residents eager for a bit of chill. Cryotherapy may be the best way to experience this thrill while culling health benefits. Cold therapy has a rich history, and has been used as far back as 2500 BCE by the Egyptians, and touted  by Hippocrates around 400 BCE as a swelling and pain reliever. Today, top athletes like Michael Phelps, LeBron, Patrick Kane, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Floyd Mayweather are all cryotherapy fans.

Literally meaning “cold therapy,” Cryotherapy is a technique where the body is exposed to extremely cold temperatures for a short period of time in order to reduce inflammation, ease muscle soreness, boost your immune system, speed up your metabolism, and promote mental well-being. Spend just 3-minutes in a chamber that covers you from the neck down and you’ll have done the equivalent of a 45-minute ice bath. All it takes is to trigger the body’s natural responses to begin healing itself and hit the reset button.

In a hectic world, we could all use a little more “me time” — time to zone out, breathe, and say “yes” to unique experiences. CryoZone, founded by early adopter, Dale Montross, may just be Santa Monica’s best kept secret, offering a relaxing, therapeutic, and result-driven treatments ranging from Cryotherapy to Compression Therapy, Facial Freezes, and Whole Body Therapy. Walk through the front door, and you’ll feel right at home thanks to the gregarious, nurturing staff helmed by Manager, Josh Leeson. And as a special treat, when you’re done, there’s also a superb selection of herbal teas to warm you back up again.

— Victor Riobo

 www.Cryozone.com 924 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (424) 231-8500