Soothe aching muscles and get a mental boost
Cold water immersion has fantastic benefits, from happy hormones to potential improved weight loss and overall health and well being. A regular ice bath can improve blood flow, and even so much as cold showers can improve energy levels and decrease pain levels.
INCREASE: EnergyFocusResilience
DECREASE: LethargySorenessStress
The Benefits of Contrast Therapy
Boost your immune system
Cold water therapy can stimulate your body’s immune system, some evidence suggests. This means it could potentially improve your body's capability to fight pathogens.
Research has been done that tested whether people could improve the antibodies in their bodies by regularly practising cryotherapy, breath work, and meditation.
Subjects were infected with a bacterial infection, and the focus group that implemented these methods showed fewer symptoms. They produced more antibodies and fewer cytokines reacting to the bacteria.
In this study, it was felt that the breath work techniques were much more impactful than the ice bath at reducing cold and flu symptoms. They did, however, attribute cold water to developing resistance to stress over an extended period.
Detox
The lymphatic system is a network of tiny vessels that run throughout the whole body. It takes away unwanted toxins from cells; simply put, it is always processing toxins and cleansing your system.
The way it all works requires muscles to contract, which pumps fluid through the vessels since it doesn't have a dedicated pump like the cardiovascular system. If your lymphatic system is congested with toxins, it can become slow and ineffective, and toxins can build up.
When it comes to an ice bath, the cold temperatures cause your lymph vessels to contract, engaging the lymphatic system to flush the lymph fluids back into your system through the lymph nodes. This wakes up the white blood cell brigade, also known as your immune system, which then attacks any unwanted foreign bodies in the fluid.
Soothe sore and aching muscles
Cold water therapy is a form of recovery that has been shown to minimize inflammation, as well as ease what's known as DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) all by improving blood circulation and tightening your blood vessels.
Increase blood sugar regulation
Blood sugar levels can be lowered after half an hour of cold exposure. However, people with diabetes should seek advice before trying ice bath therapy.
Relieve stress
Cold water body immersion can have profound effects on stress levels. This is thanks to the stimulation of noradrenaline which, as mentioned earlier, plays a big role in mood regulation.
Decrease inflammation and swelling
Many doctors and physicians will agree that cold temperature helps to relieve swelling and inflammation.
Think of an ice pack on a sprained ankle; it does this by constricting blood vessels, reducing swelling and buffering the nervous system by minimizing pain. This makes cold water body immersion an obvious treatment when treating an injured athlete or aiding in recovery.
Helpful information
Safety:
Do NOT practice cold exposure if you have epilepsy, heart disease, high blood pressure, are pregnant or are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. You should consult a physician if you have any coronary or heart-related risk factors. Do NOT combine breath-holds with cold exposure to avoid accidental fainting and drowning.
What we offer:
We have a range of cold exposures available at TH7 BodyLabs. Our main large ice bath which can host 12 people comfortably will be set to 10-12 degrees. This is a great starting point to those that haven’t had an ice bath or any cold exposure before. One of our friendly staff will be with you to guide you through the whole process.
Our protocols are dictated by where you are in your recovery journey, so the time spent in the ice and hot bath will vary with this. Generally, we recommend at least 1 minute per degree the water is. It can be accumulated with changing between the ice bath and the hot pool.
For individuals that prefer it colder – like members of our 6 minute Polar Bear Club – we have two smaller ice baths that will be set to 6 degrees and 8 degrees. These settings can change from day-to-day and we hold regular challenges and courses that go even lower!
Increase mental clarity and focus
One of the strongest physiological responses to the cold is a huge increase in norepinephrine, which mediates mood, attention, and other cognitive capacities. Ice bath regulars report improved mental calmness and increased energy.
Pro-tip: If strength and size are your primary training goals, research suggests that you should refrain from using cold exposure to aid recovery by at least 4-6 hours after training.
What is an Ice Bath?
Cold thermogenesis, otherwise known as cold water therapy, is a treatment that involves people immersing their bodies in cold water for 2 – 15 minutes at a time.
An ice tub is a pretty commonplace aspect of recovery protocols for professional athletes and even fitness enthusiasts. Post-workout, after those intense training sessions, sitting in that cold water stimulates your body to flush out lactic acid reduce inflammation.
In a nutshell, the science behind the treatment is immersion in cold water releases noradrenaline into the brain. Noradrenaline is both a neurotransmitter and a hormone that is involved in cognitive functions like focus and mood. It also plays a role in inflammation and muscle recovery.
Book Your Ice Bath in our Brisbane clinic Today
If you are interested in trying out this exhilarating treatment, please do not hesitate to make a booking on our booking page.
FAQs
Do ice baths reduce cellulite?
Since ice baths stimulate circulation, it is believed this can also aid in losing some cellulite. Improved circulation results in higher levels of oxygen being sent to the skin, which will improve the texture of your skin.
How long should you be in an ice bath?
Our main large ice bath will be set to 10-12 degrees. This is a great starting point for those that haven’t had an ice bath or any cold exposure before. One of our friendly staff will be with you to guide you through the whole process. Our protocols are dictated by where you are in your recovery journey, the times spent in the ice and hot bath will change with this. Generally, we recommend at least 1 minute per degree the water is. It can be accumulated with changing between the ice and the hot.
Don’t be a hero - avoid afterdrop
Afterdrop is a mild state of hypothermia that occurs when you stay in cold water too long, often characterised by uncontrollable shivering and difficulty warming up. It can last for a few hours.
Not only is afterdrop dangerous, but it’s also incredibly uncomfortable and can set you back in your cold exposure training. That's why we suggest to keep to the 1 minute per degree rule.
How often should you take an ice bath?
The optimal time for cold exposure can be as little as 11 minutes per week. Like all things, regular exposure has longer benefits. Depending on where you are in your recovery journey, we recommend getting in the ice at least twice per week.
What should I do immediately after an ice bath?
When you have finished your session, the first thing you might want to do is to jump into a hot shower, don't do this! We recommend having a cold shower (this will feel warmer than our ice bath) to rinse off, then you can get dry and put on clothes. We want your body to naturally heat up over the next thirty to sixty minutes.
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