Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC), which uses two to three minutes of super-cold temperatures to trigger natural healing processes, is now available to Westchester-area residents. Marie O’Connor, a registered nurse in New York and Connecticut, has opened Nordic Cryotherapy at 31 Mill Road in Eastchester, offering whole-body as well as localized treatments.

Cryotherapy has been used worldwide for more than 30 years, often to ease rheumatologic and orthopedic symptoms, joint pain and inflammation and to promote athletic recovery. During a session, liquid nitrogen vapors lower the skin’s surface temperature through a process called thermogenesis, during which the skin reacts to the cold and sends messages to the brain, stimulating the body’s regulatory functions. Cryotherapy delivers anti-inflammatory molecules throughout the body as well as endorphins, leaving the individual feeling more energetic—an effect that lasts up to eight hours, O’Connor says. After the therapy, many people report having better sleep and less overall pain. Another benefit is the burning of calories—between 500 and 800 in a three-minute session, she says.

“When I researched the benefits of cryotherapy, I knew I wanted to be able to offer the services to people in this area, particularly because there isn’t any other facility nearby,” she says. “I have seen and experienced the benefits firsthand, and know how great people feel after the short but effective treatment.”

Nordic Cryotherapy is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 914.775.9596 or visit NordicCryotherapy.com.