Ice bath (Cold Water Therapy) benefits your body - Asya Grafy Bio Institute

Ice bath (Cold Water Therapy) benefits your body

Ice bath (Cold Water Therapy) benefits your body

One of nature’s most powerful tools that we often overlook in our quest for optimal performance and general well-being is cold treatment. An ice bath is one type of cold water therapy, which is a subtype of cryotherapy (cold therapy). Ice baths used to be used only by professional athletes, but today its benefits are more popularly enjoyed by ordinary people. The benefits go beyond conventional wisdom, challenging our perceptions of comfort and discomfort. The initial shock of cold water on the skin can seem very intimidating, but beneath the surface lies a world of untapped potential waiting to be discovered. We’ll explore the healing realm of ice baths and learn how this ancient ritual can transform our approach to exercise and maintaining a healthy and vital body and mind.

Post-Workout Muscle Recovery

Ice baths lower body temperature, which includes core, muscle and skin temperature. This causes blood vessels to constrict, which slows or stops blood flow and can reduce swelling and acute inflammatory muscle injury. Acute improvements in neuromuscular function have been demonstrated with ice baths; these benefits also extend to improved recovery, reduced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and reduced levels of creatine kinase (CK) – a stress marker that indicates muscle damage.

Strengthening immunity and anti-inflammatory power with cold water therapy

The evidence suggests that cold water therapy can stimulate our body’s immune system, which could improve our ability to fight illness. Embracing the cold embrace of an ice bath is going beyond conventional wisdom to become an evidence-based approach to treating the ubiquitous problem of chronic inflammation. This type of treatment strengthens the immune system and acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. The invigorating shock of cold water triggers the release of endorphins and enhances neurotransmitter activity, leading to an uplifting mood. Adrenaline and dopamine levels rise as a result of the activation of brown adipose tissue and the energetic response to shivering, having a beneficial effect on metabolism. These changes in physiology reduce the pain and swelling associated with inflammation, and make the body better able to fight infection. The reduction in inflammation occurs most often as a result of the cold-induced vasoconstriction process, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of ice baths.

Improved Circulation and Cardiovascular system

Ice baths can improve blood circulation by alternately constricting and dilating blood vessels. As a defensive response to maintain body heat, blood arteries initially constrict when exposed to cold, reducing blood flow to peripheral tissues. When they get out of the cold, these vessels dilate improving blood flow. In addition to improving blood circulation, this regular dilation and contraction of blood vessels keeps the heart healthy by supplying the organs with enough oxygen and nutrients. In addition, this dynamic change in arterial diameter can improve vascular flexibility, which is essential for maintaining ideal blood pressure.5

Reduced Stress and Anxiety

Stress is one of the strongest negative influences on the human body. when you feel stressed or anxious, various things can happen to your body and brain: muscle tension, respiratory challenges, increased heart rate, dilation of blood vessels to the heart. Whole-body cryotherapy or ice bath is a useful method to improve standard pharmacological treatment. Intervention reduces mental health deterioration, especially in mood disorders, such as depression, and can be beneficial for well-being and quality of life.6 Those suffering from depression and anxiety who regularly took cold baths had a significant improvement in symptoms compared to those who did not take cold baths. The mental benefits of ice baths for anxiety and depression are great and the improvements are felt even after the treatment.

Contribution to Faster Metabolism

Ice bath treatment accelerates metabolism through a fascinating process that includes the stimulation of production and activation of brown fat. The core of this metabolic benefit lies in the body’s response to exposure to cold, which not only triggers an immediate physiological reaction to maintain the core body temperature but also activates long-term metabolic processes that enhance fat burning, thereby contributing to weight management. When you immerse yourself in cold water or expose yourself to a cold environment, your body undergoes several immediate reactions, including the constriction of blood vessels and the redirection of blood from the skin’s surface to the core to protect vital organs.

Optimal Temperature and Body Time Exposure

The ice bath technique involves submerging the body from the neck down in water for a duration of 5-15 minutes. The best temperature for an ice bath is not known. People who have more experience with ice baths can go lower. The famous Dutch athlete Wim Hof – “The Iceman”, uses ice bath temperatures between 32 and 43 degrees Fahrenheit. However, beginners should use somewhat higher temperatures. It is considered that ideal temperatures range from 50 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the temperature at which cold water is considered therapeutic and begins to offer mental and physical benefits.

Risk Factors and Best Practices

Ice baths are safe, but there are drawbacks as well. The deadly dip in body temperature known as hypothermia can happen in water that isn’t heated to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Immersion in water that is colder than 59 degrees Fahrenheit might result in immersion hypothermia. Underwater, hypothermia sets in more quickly because water loses heat from the body 25 times faster than air does. Before attempting an ice bath, people with specific medical issues should exercise caution. Diabetes, for instance, may make it more difficult for you to detect tissue damage, which can occur in very cold water or by spending an extended amount of time underwater. If you are a beginner and encountering ice baths for the first time, getting used to the cold water and staying in the tub can be challenging. Expect an initial shock from the coldness and be very aware and cautious. First, it’s necessary to acclimate gradually with cold showers until you feel comfortable. Then, transition to a tub with very cold water into which ice is gradually added to lower the water temperature to the desired level. Also, initially, it is advisable to submerge only part of the body and with each subsequent treatment increasingly enlarge the submerged body area – for example, up to the waist, chest, and below the neck.

References

1.         Bleakley, C. et al. Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2012, CD008262 (2012).

2.         Fitzpatrick, P. & Warrngton, G. THE EFFECTS OF RECOVERY MODALITIES INCLUDING ICE BATH IMMERSION ON RECOVERY FROM EXERCISE AND SUBSEQUENT PERFORMANCE. ISBS – Conf. Proc. Arch. (2009).

3.         Mooventhan, A. & Nivethitha, L. Scientific Evidence-Based Effects of Hydrotherapy on Various Systems of the Body. North Am. J. Med. Sci. 6, 199–209 (2014).

4.         Allan, R. et al. Cold for centuries: a brief history of cryotherapies to improve health, injury and post-exercise recovery. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 122, 1153–1162 (2022).

5.         Bleakley, C. M. & Davison, G. W. What is the biochemical and physiological rationale for using cold-water immersion in sports recovery? A systematic review. Br. J. Sports Med. 44, 179–187 (2010).

6.         Rymaszewska, J. et al. Efficacy of the Whole-Body Cryotherapy as Add-on Therapy to Pharmacological Treatment of Depression-A Randomized Controlled Trial. Front. Psychiatry 11, 522 (2020).

7.         Shevchuk, N. A. Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression. Med. Hypotheses 70, 995–1001 (2008).

8.         Greenwood, A. & Gillette, C. Effect of Cold Water Immersion on Metabolic Rate in Humans. Int. J. Kinesiol. Sports Sci. 5, 1–6 (2017).

9.         Versey, N. G., Halson, S. L. & Dawson, B. T. Water Immersion Recovery for Athletes: Effect on Exercise Performance and Practical Recommendations. Sports Med. 43, 1101–1130 (2013).

10.        Espeland, D., de Weerd, L. & Mercer, J. B. Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water – a continuing subject of debate. Int. J. Circumpolar Health 81, 2111789.

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