Cold Water Therapy

Types of cold-water therapy:

1. Ice bath - in the world of cold-water therapy, this is the gold standard. This form of cold exposure involves sitting in an IC water container for a short period. The typical temperature range from ice bath is between 2°C and 16°C.

2. Cold plunge pools - these are typically a bit warmer than ice baths (roughly 10°C).

3. Cold showers - these are the quickest and simplest ways to experience cold water therapy especially at home.

How does cold immersion work?
By willingly exposing our bodies to the stress of the cold, we can regulate our nervous system and learn how to better manage stress.
The human body’s response to the cold is similar to how we respond to other stressors and life stop this includes reactions such as an elevated heart rate, feelings of panic, body contractions and shallow breathing, intentionally subjecting ourselves to distress also is to cope with stress better and that’s precisely what makes cold immersion so impactful.

Cold exposure leads to a range of health benefits for the body’s immune, digestive and circulatory systems. It taps into the body’s natural healing power activating the nervous system and hormones which can significantly improve our health.

If you have never practised cold water immersion before, you must start low and slow.

​

Benefits of cold-water immersion:

1. Improves blood circulation.

2. This is one of the top benefits of cold plunges. Blood circulation is among the most important indicators of the person’s health and wellness. Proper blood flow leads to a healthy heart, a strong immune system, solid mental health, and high levels of energy. Conversely poor blood circulation in the cardiovascular system – including the heart – causes critical body systems to not work properly. This can lead to issues like headaches, fatigue, muscle cramping and high blood pressure. Similar to exercise, cold immersion can help improve cardiovascular function.

3. Reduces inflammation.

4. In the same way that putting an ice pack on an injured muscle reduces swelling and inflammation, submerging in cold water has a similar effect on the entire body stop cold water therapy is popular among athletes who are looking to recover after intense workouts. While cold water therapy is very helpful for athletes, it can also alleviate pain in people with other underlying conditions. It has been shown that cold immersion can help with pain associated with fibromyalgia and rheumatism. Cold immersion therapy helps treat inflammation and pain or preventing the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs and pain killers.

5. Leads to weight loss.

6. For many people who practice cold water therapy, this is one of the more surprising benefits. According to a study performed by Dr Paul Lee at the National Institute of health, taking a cold plunge can activate brown fat in your body. This in turn causes of hormones Irisin and FGH to be released, burning fat tissues and leading to weight loss. Additional studies have found that short period cold water immersion up to 5 minutes increases the rate of metabolism.

7. Relieves muscle aches.

8. In the same way cold immersion reduces inflammation, it also relieves aches and pains in the muscles. This occurs because cold water causes the blood vessels to construct, thus leading to less swelling.

9. Reduces stress and researchers have found it may help improve depression.

10. Recommend temperatures range from 6°C -15°C depending on how you can tolerate the cold.