You plan your training. The miles, the lifts, the practices, the long rides. Recovery deserves the same attention, because the days between hard sessions are when the work settles in and you get ready to go again.
If you run, lift, play, or train around Bloomington, Indiana, this guide is for you, whether you are an Indiana University student fitting workouts around classes, on a club or rec team, or training before or after work. Here are four ways to make a sports recovery day count at Serenus Float & Wellness, and what each one is like.
Give your recovery day a plan
Most rest days disappear into errands and screens. An hour set aside on purpose is different. You get off your feet, your phone stays in a locker, and nobody needs anything from you.
That is what we offer active people: real downtime, in a calm place built for it. Pair it with good sleep, good food, and plenty of water, and your rest day starts to feel like part of your training.
Floating: completely off your feet
In a float, warm, salt-rich water holds your whole body at the surface. Nothing presses on your joints, and there is nothing to hold up. After a heavy week, that weightless feeling is hard to find anywhere else.
It is also deeply quiet. In one study, people reported less muscle tension and felt more relaxed after a single one-hour float.1 A float fits well the day after your hardest session, or the night before a big one.
A float session with us is 60 minutes. Learn more about float therapy at Serenus.
Infrared sauna: warmth after hard work
Few things feel better on tired legs than warmth. Our infrared sauna warms your body directly, at a lower air temperature than a traditional sauna, so you can settle in and stay comfortable. Sessions are 30 or 60 minutes, and there is room for two if you want to bring a training partner.
Athletes have been part of the research here. In a 2023 study, basketball players who spent 20 minutes in an infrared sauna after a tough resistance workout reported less muscle soreness and felt more recovered than when they simply rested.2
Bring a water bottle and enjoy the heat. Explore infrared sauna sessions.
Red light therapy: ten minutes that fit anywhere
Red light therapy is light without heat. You stand in an open booth for 10 or 20 minutes, which makes it the easiest stop to fit around a workout, a class, or a shift. Add the optional vibration plate if you like a little movement under your feet.
Researchers are still working out what whole-body red light can do for athletes. In a 2025 review, two studies reported better sleep, and sleep is where a great deal of recovery happens.3
It is a calm, quick addition to a recovery day. See red light therapy at Serenus.
The hyperbaric chamber: an hour to recline
Active people are often curious about our Hyperpod. You recline inside the hyperbaric chamber for 60 minutes while the air pressure is raised to 1.5 atmospheres, about one and a half times normal. A clear upper panel lets you see out, and most people simply rest, breathe, and let the hour go by.
Researchers are actively studying hyperbaric sessions and exercise recovery, and larger trials are being called for.4 Our sessions are a wellness experience, not medical care. What we can tell you is that an uninterrupted hour of stillness is rare, and worth making room for.
Read more about hyperbaric oxygen sessions, including who should check with a doctor first.
What the research can and can’t tell us
Recovery research is still young, and studies use different equipment and schedules, so your experience is the best guide to what belongs in your routine. These sessions sit alongside the basics of sleep, food, and smart training. If you are dealing with an injury, your doctor or physical therapist is the right first call.
Putting your recovery day together in Bloomington
Start with one. A float after your longest run of the week. A sauna session after leg day. Ten minutes of red light between class and practice. Then notice how you feel the next morning.
You can combine services in a single visit, and we are glad to help you plan it. If you are new to Serenus, our first-visit guide will show you what to expect. You will find us at 410 South Landmark Avenue. Get in touch, or book your first session and make your next rest day the one you look forward to.
Sources
- Feinstein JS, Khalsa SS, Yeh H-W, et al. (2018). Examining the short-term anxiolytic and antidepressant effect of Floatation-REST. PLOS ONE, 13(2), e0190292. ↩
- Post-exercise infrared sauna, neuromuscular recovery, and muscle soreness. (2023). Biology of Sport. DOI: 10.5114/biolsport.2023.119289. ↩
- Álvarez-Martínez M, Borden G. (2025). A systematic review on whole-body photobiomodulation for exercise performance and recovery. Lasers in Medical Science, 40, 55. ↩
- Weinrich L, Tischer T, Schlesiger L. (2026). Effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on human musculoskeletal pathologies in clinical studies: a systematic review. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 27, 661. ↩