Sauna
Traditional dry-heat sauna, 150–185°F.
- Cardiovascular conditioning
- Stress relief & deeper sleep
- Post-workout muscle recovery
- Improved circulation
Equilibrium Wellness and Spa
A moment of stillness awaits.
Sauna | Cold Plunge Red Light | Relaxation
Opening the first week of October at City Gardens
Additional City Properties locations to follow
Membership available to residents of City Gardens, Slate House & City Sunrise.
Wellness Notes
The benefits, briefly.
A few well-studied effects you can expect from each part of the Equilibrium experience.
Cold Plunge
Cold-water immersion, 35–45°F.
- Reduced inflammation & soreness
- Heightened alertness & focus
- Mood-boosting norepinephrine response
- The cold half of a hot–cold contrast cycle
Red Light Therapy
LED panel, 660 nm red and 850 nm near-infrared light.
- A popular addition to skin-care routines
- Part of many post-workout recovery routines
- Short 5–15 minute sessions
- A warm, quiet pause in your day
Tap the orb · breathe with us
Relaxation Area
A quiet, low-light lounge between sessions — with a moment of guided breath, anytime.
- Cool-down between hot and cold
- Mindful transition between rounds
- Calm space to rehydrate
- Ambient lighting & soft seating
Learn more
A closer look at each space
Regular sauna use — several sessions a week — is associated in long-running Finnish cohort studies with lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Heat exposure temporarily raises heart rate to a level similar to moderate exercise, without load on joints or muscles.
The Equilibrium sauna runs at 150–185°F. Keep your first sessions to 10–15 minutes; experienced users can go up to 20 minutes, with at least a 5-minute cool-down between rounds. Hydration matters — plan an extra 16–32 oz of water on sauna days.
Best for: post-workout recovery, stress reduction, cardiovascular conditioning, deeper sleep.
Physician clearance is required
before your first session. Talk with your doctor about how to use the sauna safely if you have heart disease, high or low blood pressure, circulatory problems, or diabetes, or are recovering from surgery. Pregnant individuals are advised not to use the sauna.
Sources: long-running Finnish (KIHD) cohort studies on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality associated with regular sauna use.
Cold-water immersion triggers a rapid release of norepinephrine, which is associated with sharper focus and elevated mood for hours afterward. Repeated short exposures are also associated with reduced exercise-induced inflammation and faster recovery.
The Equilibrium plunge is held at 35–45°F. First-time users should limit immersion to 30–60 seconds; experienced users should not exceed 3–5 minutes. Enter slowly — never jump or dive. The “afterdrop” — continued cooling for 5–10 minutes after you exit — is normal.
Best for: inflammation reduction, alertness, mood, post-exercise recovery.
Physician clearance is required
before your first plunge. Do not use the plunge if you take medications that cause drowsiness, such as tranquilizers, antihistamines, or anticoagulants. Pregnant individuals are advised not to use the plunge. Exit immediately if you feel chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe shivering, numbness, or confusion.
Sources: peer-reviewed trials on cold-water immersion and norepinephrine response, and on cold exposure and exercise recovery.
The Equilibrium panel emits two wavelengths: 660 nm visible red and 850 nm near-infrared, which you can’t see but is still present. Red and near-infrared light are being studied for skin health and muscle recovery; the research is still developing.
Surface sessions: about 5 minutes at 18 inches from the panel. Deeper-tissue sessions: 10–15 minutes at 6–12 inches. No more than twice a day, spaced apart, on clean, dry skin.
Wear proper eye protection — members bring their own — and avoid staring into the LEDs. Choose glasses or goggles made for red light therapy; regular sunglasses aren’t enough. Stop if your eyes feel uncomfortable.
Please don’t wipe or spray the panel. Staff clean it.
Check with your doctor first
if you take photosensitizing medications (such as tetracycline, digoxin, Retin-A, topical corticosteroids, or some antihistamines), are pregnant, have suspicious or cancerous skin lesions, or have had a steroid injection or used topical steroids in the past 30 days. Never use the panel with heat-producing rubs, salves, or balms on your skin.
Between rounds, your body benefits from a true cool-down — transitioning at a measured pace, not just sitting somewhere. The Equilibrium relaxation area is built for this: low light, ambient sound, soft seating, and a temperature held between the sauna and cold extremes.
A “Scandinavian cycle” alternates 10–15 min sauna → 30 sec to 3 min cold → 10–15 min rest, repeated 2–3 times as you build tolerance. The rest period is where parasympathetic activity (the body’s recovery mode) takes over.
Use the room to rehydrate, try the 4-7-8 breathing pattern from the orb above, or just sit quietly.
Pro tip:
silence your phone, or better, leave it outside. The full benefit comes from letting the nervous system disengage.
FAQ
Good to know
No. Equilibrium Spa is a separate, registration-based wellness facility operated by City Properties Real Estate Group LLC. Membership requires its own registration, liability waiver, and safety orientation, independent of your lease. Because the spa isn’t part of your lease, no rent reduction or credit applies when equipment is closed for maintenance.
Current residents of City Gardens, Slate House, and City Sunrise who are 18 or older and in good standing (current on rent and not in violation of their lease). Every adult on the lease registers individually. A membership lasts for your current lease term (never longer than one year) and ends if you move out. When you renew your lease, you can ask to renew your membership.
No one under 18 may enter the spa, under any circumstances.
Not currently. Membership is available to residents of City Gardens, Slate House, and City Sunrise at no additional charge. City Properties aims to keep it at no or low cost, but that depends on operating and repair costs, so fees may be adjusted when memberships renew.
Complete the online registration and liability waiver, then email residentservices@fullcirclevt.com to schedule your 30-minute Spa Safety Orientation. At orientation you’ll sign a Training Acknowledgment and pick up your personal key fob.
Weekdays: 5:00–9:00 AM and 3:00–10:00 PM. Weekends: 5:00 AM–10:00 PM. Hours are posted at the spa entrance and may change with 7 days’ notice.
No. Equilibrium Spa is members-only, and guests are not permitted under any circumstances. Key fobs are personal and can’t be shared, lent, or transferred.
There are no advance reservations; everything is first-come, first-served. If you’re the first to arrive and the sauna is empty, you can switch on the Private Session indicator at the door for up to 15 minutes. After that, or when another member arrives, share or exit courteously. The cold plunge can’t be reserved.
Yes. Before your first sauna, cold plunge, or red light session, consult a licensed physician and get medical clearance. It’s each member’s responsibility to confirm the spa is right for their health; Equilibrium Spa does not provide medical advice.
- Swimwear — required. No nudity, and no underwear, cotton, or street clothes in the plunge.
- Towels — bring your own; none are provided. You’ll need one to sit on in the sauna and relaxation area, plus two for the cold plunge (one on the floor to step onto, one to dry off).
- A sealed, non-glass water bottle — kept just outside the sauna door.
- Eye protection — required for red light therapy; members bring their own. Choose a pair made for red light therapy, not regular sunglasses.
Shower before using the sauna or plunge, and skip lotions, oils, and makeup.
Any part of the spa may be taken out of service for maintenance, repairs, or upgrades, sometimes without advance notice. Never use equipment marked closed, whatever it looks like. No compensation, rent reduction, or credit is owed during downtime.
Report maintenance issues, safety hazards, or cleanliness concerns right away to cityproperties@fullcirclevt.com or (802) 864-5200.
Call 911 immediately. The first aid kit is in the bathroom. Don’t move an injured or unconscious person unless they’re in immediate danger, and clear the area so responders can reach them. Then notify management at (802) 864-5200.
A first minor violation brings a written warning; a second, a 30-day suspension; a third minor or first major violation, a 90-day suspension or permanent revocation. Egregious or criminal conduct, such as bringing a minor into the spa, results in immediate permanent revocation and may lead to lease termination and/or a law enforcement referral.
