After a metabolism boost or need to de-stress?
20 min
10 min
20 min
Level 1
The perfect combination of hot and cold therapies working together to leave you feeling your best
After a metabolism boost or need to de-stress?
The ideal mix of equipment for quick and efficient recovery.
Elevate recovery with a revitalising blend of hot and cold therapies for peak well-being.
Boost circulation and mobility with a unique mix of hot and cold therapies.
Enhance circulation and mobility with a unique hot and cold therapy blend.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We use the most up to date research to match protocols with health outcomes.
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Enjoy a complimentary compression boots add-on on your next visit.