Help centreCompare Track order

Glossary

Terms around light, heat and cold, explained briefly: with numbers, comparisons and the data of our devices.

C

Cold plunge vs. ice bathA cold plunge is a short dip in cold water of about 3 to 15 °C, usually in a tub with its own chiller that holds the temperature; an ice bath is the older version, cooled with bagged ice.
Contrast therapyContrast therapy is the deliberate switch between heat and cold, such as a sauna followed by an ice bath, repeated over several rounds.

I

N

Near-infraredNear-infrared (NIR, also IR-A) is the part of light with wavelengths of about 780 to 1,400 nanometres: right next to visible red, and invisible to the eye.

R

Red light vs. infraredRed light is visible light of about 620 to 780 nm and infrared is invisible radiation from 780 nm; the classic red “heat lamp” is really an infrared heater, while LED red light devices emit narrow bands of red and near-infrared.

W

Wavelength (nm)Wavelength is the distance between two crests of a light wave; for light it is given in nanometres (nm, millionths of a millimetre) and sets its colour, or its place in the spectrum.