What is the essence of an ice bath?
Ice baths may reduce inflammation, boost mood, or relieve pain after a workout. But there’s a need for more research on the benefits of ice baths. There’s no official recommendation for how to take an ice bath. But people usually spend 5 to 10 minutes in water that’s 50°F to 59°F. He said ice baths and other forms of cold-water immersion after regular or intense exercise can ease some muscle soreness. Doing it consistently after exercise is what we have the best evidence for, in that it helps with delayed onset muscle soreness,” said Dr. Veigel.Research indicates that icy water may have a positive effect on recovery after exercise by reducing inflammation and soreness. It also may help build resiliency, restore balance to the nervous system and improve cognitive function and mood.This one is pretty simple: After a hard workout, ice baths feel good. The cold water constricts your blood vessels, which slows blood flow and relieves some of that swelling and soreness you feel in your muscles after a long run or a hard-fought game.Dipping yourself in an ice bath for 30 days triggers considerable physiological adaptations such as reduced muscle soreness, improved circulation, and potentially heightened immune function. You may also notice an unexpected boost in mental resilience and mood regulation.
How do ice baths help you mentally?
Cold exposure increases the production of a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine (focus, attention, vigilance, mood). As a result, cold therapy can produce a feeling of calm, happiness, and well-being, which can support the mitigation of mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety. Mood boost through endorphins: The shock of cold can trigger “feel-good” chemicals in your body, which might explain the lift some people feel afterward. Stress regulation and the vagus nerve: Cold exposure may stimulate your vagus nerve, which helps calm your body after the initial jolt.Our findings showed that participants felt more active, alert, attentive, proud, and inspired and less distressed and nervous after having a cold-water bath. The changes in positive emotions were associated with the coupling between brain areas involved in attention control, emotion, and self-regulation.Regular cold water immersion can help develop mental fortitude and resilience. When you subject yourself to the discomfort of an ice bath, you are training your mind to push through challenging situations.Scientists also suspect that cryotherapy, like cold plunging and regular ice baths, can trigger a stress response that activates your nervous system, which may improve your mood and help you adapt to stress over time.