A head with a heating element and control regime therefor is disclosed. In embodiments described, the control regime or controller energizes the heater or heating element to provide intermittent heating between read or write operations to optimize transducer temperature and operating characteristics or parameters of a data storage device. In particular, in one embodiment described, the controller provides a low amplitude signal or current to provide low grade thermal heating. In another embodiment, the controller provides a high amplitude signal or current to preheat the transducer portion for write operations.