Have you taken the plunge?

I'm a hot bath girl.

The water temperature needs to be just below scalding and the mirror steamed up. It's how I usually end my day. 

But when I woke up Monday morning to my 7 a.m. alarm, every muscle in my body hurt after a weekend filled with the usual nonsense, plus I had taken a couple of OrangeTheory group fitness classes in my pursuit to get back into a workout routine.

So when I read about the growing number of Long Island businesses offering wellness services like cold plunges and red-light therapy, I said to myself, "why not?"

I found one nearby called Kontra Baths that had openings. For $39, I could rent a private room for 60 minutes with an infrared sauna for red light therapy, a shower and a cold plunge tank chilled to around 42 degrees.

I'll try almost anything once but I went in thinking I'm really going to hate that cold bath.

And I did — but only for the first few seconds. 

"Don't hold your breath. Keep breathing," was the guidance the staffer had given me beforehand and that served me well. 

I also had a flashback to one of those weekend fitness classes, where the trainer kept yelling, "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable," because, he explained, it's in those moments that our body adapts and makes strides.

I was surprised at how quickly mine adjusted to the cold water, and learned to not only tolerate it, but strangely enjoy it — staying in there for up to 3 minutes at a time. I walked out feeling pretty refreshed and less sore.

Beyond looking at the different types of services local businesses are selling, Newsday also had experts review some of their health claims.

One doctor advised: "If something makes someone feel better, that’s great. Just make sure you’re an appropriate candidate for this."

As working moms, it's important for us to take some time to do things that make us feel better.

Testing ticks at home

When my daughter was almost 2 years old, my husband quickly noticed she had not one, but two ticks on her head, while he was pushing her on the swing in our backyard.

This was 2022 and in Nassau County. Back then, I knew ticks were rampant in Suffolk and we're always on high alert for them when we travel to the Poconos or go on a hike in a densely wooded park, but I was surprised to find them just hanging out in my yard.

We were able to pluck off both ticks with tweezers before they fully attached to my daughter. I put them in a Ziploc bag and uploaded a photo to a Facebook group I found that is devoted to IDing them.

But as ticks have only become a bigger problem since then, there is now an at-home test kit you can buy to see if the tick you pulled off yourself — or someone you care about — is carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

A new place to play

If all this talk of ticks has you wanting a break from outdoorsy stuff, there's a new place to escape to with your kids.

Catch Air, an indoor, air-conditioned, multistoried play center geared for ages 1 to 10, opened in East Meadow in late July and a second spot will be coming to Massapequa later this month.

Unlike other indoor playgrounds, Catch Air doesn’t sell timed blocks, so once you pay, you have access all day. 

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I'd love to hear from you, too. Email me your questions and feedback at workingmoms@newsday.com.