The Therapeutic Chill

The Benefits of Cold Bath Therapy

Last week, I finally got to replace my old cold ‘bucket’ by a brand-new Polar Ice Bath. This one as a proper cover, which means my big dog cannot use it as a drinking vessel. I can now start my cold bath therapy again.

As usual when I am enthusiastic about something, I share with my friends and students. I have to say that only a couple of them are into cold baths therapy but those who are swear by it…

While the idea of immersing oneself in icy water may sound intimidating, there is evidence to suggest that ‘controlled exposure’ to cold may be beneficial not just for those of us living with inflammatory health conditions like MS but also for most people. As usual, you need to be cautious, especially if you are extremely sensitive to cold.

Benefits

Personally, I love a cold bath after running when I feel tired and my legs heavy. It’s like a quick fix. After a few minutes, my body and mind feel energised again. How does it work?

When you go into a cold bath, blood vessels constrict and then dilate when you warm up again. This is a great way to stimulate blood circulation. This, in turn, can improve oxygen and nutrient delivery to tissues, potentially aiding in the repair of damaged nerve cells. It also helps to reduce inflammation by limiting the release of inflammatory molecules and by promoting the flow of anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Because cold water has a numbing effect, it is also useful to reduce pain – like spasms. Another benefit of cold bath therapy is that it gives you an energy boost. You feel more energised and alert after a cold bath, but also happier! Indeed, it triggers a cocktail of neurotransmitters such as adrenaline, noradrenaline and endorphins…

It´s also a good training for the mind as you do need to face the stress of getting into the cold water. It is a challenge which involved controlling your reflexes. You need to resist the urge to get out, and by doing so you become mentally stronger. But as usual, we need to be careful.

How Deep & How Cold

Most of the studies are about cold immersion to the neck. But cold showers can work too! As for the ideal temperature, you should feel “This is really cold, and I want to get out, BUT I can safely stay in. Another key element to remember is that the colder the water, the shorter amount of time we should stay in.

According to Professor Huberman, you should aim for 11 minutes per week in total, not per session, but rather, 2-4 sessions lasting 1-5 mins each distributed across the week. The water temperature should be uncomfortably cold yet safe to stay in for a few minutes.

Cold Bath & Metabolism

When we go into cold water, the body has to burn calories to increase core body temperature. We don’t burn a lot of calories but what is more important is that we convert white fat into brown fat. So what’s the difference?

White fat is where we store extra calories (the fat we do not want). Brown fat is designed to generate heat and helps us regulate body temperature (the fat we want). White fat stores energy. Brown fat dissipates energy.

According to Dr Susanna Søeberg, you need to let your body shiver and heat up on its own to enhance the metabolic effects of cold. So no warm big towel after the cold dip! This one is tough….

Cold Baths & Breathing

Personally, I usually go into my ice bathtub straight after running, when my temperature is high. If I go without having run first, I either do a few rounds of Ujjayi breath (also called Ocean breath) or three rounds of Wim Hof breathing. This helps to ´heat up´ the body before immersing myself into the cold water.

What do you think? Are you interested in trying out cold baths? I have to confess that having a cold bath under a blue sky in the South of Portugal is probably easier… I’m happy to share my Polar Ice Bath to those who will come and stay with us!

Much love

Veronique