Ice Bath Benefits
Justin McCarthy-Contreras
Published May 18, 2023
The workout finished and it’s finally time to shower and eat some food to recover. Some people have objectives to look like professional athletes. They watch viral videos from TikTok or TV shows with sports professionals in an ice bath. What are ice bath benefits?
They certainly aren’t in freezing water to cool off. Ice baths studies are still in demand to prove their recovery benefits with popularity. Learn some positives along with cautions before submerging oneself in cold water!
Cold baths aren’t a pleasure for anyone until they comprehend the possible outcomes the temperature has on the internal body. The ice baths are thought to help muscle recovery by reducing pain (cold therapy) and boosting blood circulation. Recovery occupies most hours of the day and is required to progress forward after a workout.
What is an ice bath?
The term “ice bath” comes from cryotherapy as a method to reduce muscle pain and inflammation by using low temperatures. The water temperature is placed between 50 – 59 degrees Fahrenheit. The bather sits in water up to their chest for 10 to 15 minutes. After this period they can warm up away from the water feeling refreshed.
Speedy Recovery
Muscle fatigue and possibly soreness are common during the recovery process. Blood circulation fuels the muscles to move every limb against resistance while exercising, but it is just as important to repair.
All of these pro athletes seen in videos use ice baths preparing for another sporting event. Any exerciser’s body has generated metabolic waste from energizing muscles during a workout.
The blood vessel constriction from cold water helps to remove the waste buildup post-workout. Muscles aren’t the only parts soothed. Any joint pain is also relieved from this cold immersion process (https://www.renutherapy.com/blogs/blog/icy-instant-pain-relief-what-is-a-cold-plunge-good-for.)
Cool Down
An intense workout leaves us dripping in sweat. Depending on the environment, some can’t wait for a cooler temperature and are ready to jump into a pool.
When this pool is at 50 – 59 degrees Fahrenheit the core cools down. A lower core temperature is suitable for more than comfortability. Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are averted by reducing the body’s warmth.
Stress and Sleep
The short-term stress grows as someone attempts to dip their body into cold temperatures, but this is recuperated after an ice bath. The mental strength to place the body in a nonpleasurable temperature proves the central nervous system’s (CNS) power.
Prior to a cold bath, stress accumulates before the plunge. When the CNS activates from the immersion, part of the CNS, sympathetic, sends fewer stress signals to the vagus nerve of the brain. The effect raises mood by easing pain while controlling the mind.
A calm mood relaxes the brain allowing the body to enter further stages of recovery in sleep. A low temperature is one of the tips for better sleep which can be read at 7 Tips to Sleep Better.
Risks
Ice baths like any activity also include risks with their effects. Beware of sinking into ice cold water until speaking with a doctor (Read the DISCLAIMER).
Caution must be taken by everyone and especially by people with diabetes and heart conditions. Diabetes risks the body not adapting well to extreme temperature changes and cold water slows the heart rate.
“I don’t have diabetes or a heart condition so I’m ready!”
This is what Mente Soul thought about cryotherapy until considering the leg damage from a Traumatic Brain Injury (Read Traumatic Accident). Freezing temperatures would cause pain from the metal rod and screws surgically implanted. Thus, certain methods aren’t helpful for every user.
Speak to a medical professional who understands your body before jumping into any technique. Ice bath doesn’t feel good initially, but nobody wants pain for the long term afterward. Don’t get lost in the benefits before realizing if your body can handle the temperature.
Sources:
Zhang Y, Davis JK, Casa DJ, Bishop PA. Optimizing Cold Water Immersion for Exercise-Induced Hyperthermia: A Meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015 Nov;47(11):2464-72. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000693. PMID: 25910052.
Kurniasari MD, Monsen KA, Weng SF, Yang CY, Tsai HT. Cold Water Immersion Directly and Mediated by Alleviated Pain to Promote Quality of Life in Indonesian with Gout Arthritis: A Community-based Randomized Controlled Trial. Biol Res Nurs. 2022 Apr;24(2):245-258. doi: 10.1177/10998004211063547. Epub 2022 Jan 12. PMID: 35021915.
Basile, Lisa. “The 6 Proven Health Benefits of Ice Baths”. GoodRx, 11 Mar. 2019, https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/alternative-treatments/6-ice-bath-benefits
Belleford, Colleen. “The Benefits of Ice Bath After Hard Workouts”. Men’s Health, 11 Mar. 2019, https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a26788252/ice-bath-benefits/
Wilson Ph.D., Debra. “Ice Bath Benefits: What the Research Says”. Healthline, 09 April 2019, https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/ice-bath-benefits