If you wonder why anyone would spend two to three minutes nearly naked in a chamber cooled with nitrogen to -249 degrees (and lower), ask John Hoekman, founder of the new Quick Cryo, wedged between Tracy Anderson and Sweaty Betty. “Cryotherapy makes you feel better so you can train harder,” he says. “And it just makes you feel good. People are using it as a cure for depression because it spikes endorphins, dopamine, and adrenaline.” If that doesn’t sound appealing enough, get this: “The number-one reported benefit is better sleep.”

There are two ways to experience cryotherapy: in a specific area, or on your entire body. Local cryo is often used to treat planar fasciitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and joint pain. “Dancers love it on their feet and ankles, and boxers love it on their hands and wrists,” says Hoekman. And then there’s the cryo facial, which Hoekman calls Frotox and compares to snow-skiing on a very cold day. The two rooms for whole-body cryo are outfitted with “the Rolls-Royce of cryo machines, with BMW-grade leather interior,” says Hoekman. They can get as cold as -321 degrees.

Quick Cryo also offers compression treatments, said to aid lymphatic drainage and detoxification. For half an hour to an hour, you sit in a reclining chair while wearing a partial suit—on your arms/chest, leg, or torso—that blows up with air, as with a sphygmomanometer. “It feels like a four-hand massage, but all at once. It’s so relaxing that a lot of people fall asleep.” The room also has an oxygen concentrator and wireless headphones for guided meditation, if you choose.

Speaking of oxygen, Quick Cryo’s front desk doubles as an oxygen bar, where you can inhale oxygen infused with essential oils. “We’re all about biohacking, and biohack number one is oxygen,” says Hoekman. “Whether it’s because of a workout or a big night on the town, a lot of people have depleted oxygen.” You can also buy Magic Mix juices—Quick Cryo is the FiDi juice bar’s first wholesale client—Rise nitro coffee, and alkaline water.

“We’re called Quick Cryo because you can be in and out in 10 minutes,” says Hoekman. “But when you leave, we want you to feel like a superhero.”

New customers get a free session with their first booking.

Quick Cryo is at 271 Church (at Franklin), 212-392-4910, quickcryo.com. (Thanks to Gregg Bello for the photo at top.)

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