Equipment

Ice Baths Redlands – Cleveland

Embrace the chill for wellness

Ice baths, otherwise known as cold water immersion therapy, offer plenty of benefits to the body and mind. Exposing yourself to extremely cold temperatures triggers a ‘fight or flight’ response, essentially sending your body into a state of panic. During this time, it prioritises sending more blood to your organs to maintain your core temperature, improving blood circulation. Athletes, wellness enthusiasts, and professionals also use ice baths to enhance recovery, boost mental clarity, and improve overall well-being.

Benefits of Ice Baths Redlands – Cleveland

Deliberately exposing your body to cold water can activate hormesis, a biological reaction to mildly stressful situations that activates a range of adaptive bodily responses. These responses have been shown to reduce inflammation, improve immune function, enhance athletic performance, and speed up recovery.

Accelerate muscle recovery

Taking an ice bath after exercise can significantly reduce muscle soreness and inflammation. The cold temperature constricts blood vessels, reducing swelling and flushing out metabolic waste such as lactic acid. The removal of these waste products aids a faster recovery and can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

Boost mental wellbeing

Immersing yourself in cold water can trigger the release of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine. This is a natural response that can elevate your mood and increase mental sharpness, as well as manage stress and anxiety levels. Many professionals turn to ice water baths to sharpen their minds before big meetings or after taxing days.

Improve sleep quality

Regular cold water immersion has been proven to improve sleep quality and patterns by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. While it sounds unlikely, ice baths can promote relaxation post-immersion, leading to deeper and less fitful sleep.

Strengthens the immune system

Exposure to cold temperatures, especially those between 10°C and 15°C, can stimulate the production of white blood cells and enhance lymphatic circulation. This can strengthen the immune system by increasing resistance to common illnesses. Research suggests that regular exposure to cold therapy is most beneficial to your immune system, so multiple ice baths a week may be necessary to see this benefit over time.

Metabolic activation and weight management

Cold exposure activates brown adipose tissue (BAT), which can burn calories to generate heat. The colder you drop your core body temperature, the more BAT needs to be activated to warm you back up, which, in theory, should burn more calories. This process is known as cold thermogenesis, and it can aid weight loss management and improve metabolic health when paired with a healthy lifestyle.

Pro tip

Cold exposure immediately after exercise might stunt the necessary muscle adaptations needed for muscle growth and regeneration. If muscle growth is your goal, avoid any deliberate cold exposure for 4 to 6 hours after resistance training.

Try one of our Ice Bath protocols

We have combined Ice Bath with other equipment into specialized health protocols

Detox

1 hr 45 mins

$119

Infrared sauna: 45 min
Contrast therapy: 10 min
HBOT: 60 min
Cold exposure: 1

Raising internal body temperature through both near and far infrared light encourages the body to sweat and eliminate any built up toxins. Combined with the improved blood flow provided by contrast therapy and the increased uptake of oxygen provided by oxygen therapy, the detox protocol is the ideal set up for those wanting to feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

How does our ice bath in Redlands work?

Our bodies kick into survival mode when exposed to incredibly cold temperatures, whether accidental or purposeful (such as from an ice bath). The body responds to the shock of the cold water by constricting the blood vessels to keep your core body temperature as protected as possible, sending your blood to vital organs. The blood carries essential nutrients and proteins to these organs in a shorter amount of time, which can help reduce inflammation and swelling times.

As soon as you leave the cold water, your body will get to work returning your temperature to normal. This involves moving nutrient-rich and oxygenated blood around the body, which can reduce muscle fatigue and relax the mind. The stress response initiated by cold water can increase the neurochemicals responsible for boosting mood and improving your state of mind, including dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline.

Book your ice bath in Redlands today

Ready to take the plunge and experience all the benefits ice baths have to offer? Book an ice bath at our Redlands, Cleveland centre today!

Ice Bath FAQs

Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Get in touch with us today, and our team of experts will be happy to help.

Is cold water immersion safe for everyone?

While ice baths can offer numerous benefits, they might not be suitable for everyone. Certain health conditions, such as cardiovascular issues, can make you unsuitable for ice baths. We recommend consulting with a healthcare professional if you’re concerned about the safety of ice baths.

How often should I take ice baths?

For optimal results, two to three sessions a week are recommended. However, the frequency of your ice baths can depend on your individual goals and physical activity levels. For example, people using ice baths for muscle recovery might require more sessions in a week than those who want the de-stress benefits.

What should I wear during an ice bath?

It’s best to wear comfortable swimming clothes that aren’t too tight or restrictive. Some people also opt for neoprene booties or gloves to protect their extremities from the cold, but these aren’t essential.

Are there any side effects to ice baths?

The chance of side effects from ice baths greatly depends on you personally, as some may experience certain ailments while others don’t get any. The most common side effects include discomfort, shivering, and numbness. These sensations usually subside as the body acclimates, but always make sure your sessions are supervised and kept within the recommended limits to avoid adverse reactions.

Can a pregnant woman take ice baths?

It’s not generally recommended for pregnant women to take ice baths. We’d recommend checking with your doctor before taking an ice bath when pregnant, as it may also affect your baby.

How long should I take an ice bath?

Most people have different thresholds for how much stress their bodies can undergo from ice baths, so how long you stay in for will depend on your personal tolerance. The standard time for an ice bath is around one minute of cold water immersion per degree of the water temperature. For example, for an ice bath set at 10°C, the standard guideline would suggest staying in for around 10 minutes. However, the key is to listen to your body – if two to three minutes is all you can tolerate, you can work your way up over time.

View our evidence-based protocols

We use the most up to date research to match protocols with health outcomes.