Ice baths are one of those wellness trends that seem so genuinely uncomfortable that you probably want to know in advance if it's effective or not before taking the plunge. Ice baths involve submerging the body in a bath of icy cold water for a short period of time. During the icy bath, one gets constriction of their blood vessels in the blood flow to the area wherever they have ice or cold applied, so when it's the entire body, one is going to get constriction of those blood vessels throughout the body, focusing on legs and arms away from the core where most of the heat is held. When blood vessels are constricted, blood doesn't flow as quickly to those areas. In general, less blood flow means reduced inflammation at least temporarily.
The toe-numbing practice is a favorite among athletes to relieve muscle soreness and has been praised for its various health benefits. Going into the cold helps to stimulate the chemicals in our brain that dictate the way we feel, our focus, and our attention. That’s why Cold Water Immersion is such an important component to naturally and effectively create balance and increase the levels of neurotransmitters like feel-good serotonin. Let's know more health benefits of ice baths in detail below.
While taking an ice bath you are exposed to cold water and your blood vessels constrict and get smaller. And when you get out of the water, the change in temperature causes them to rapidly re-open, which helps to flush the muscles's metabolic waste products. This rapid dilation of the blood vessels also delivers much-needed oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, which further helps them to recover after a hard workout.
Ice baths offer potential mental health benefits as well. Though the ice bath experience must not be pleasant at first, it improves with relaxing, focusing on your breathing, and even some distraction. With time it helps build up a tolerance for the cold and becomes an important part of the recovery process. This resilience and adaptation have obvious applications elsewhere in exercise, sport, and life.
One of the most obvious benefits of an ice bath is it helps your body cool down fast. Taking ice baths also helps relieve exertional hyperthermia. Simultaneously, full immersion therapy proves more effective in reducing high body temperature. Ice baths also work as an immunity booster.
Ice baths help improve your sleep. Cold water has a positive effect on the central nervous system, which helps you sleep and feel better after spending ten to fifteen minutes in it. It is believed that by taking an ice bath you are setting up for future success by allowing your body to recover and hence you allow to be better prepared for the next workout, which can be of higher quality.
Immersion in an ice bath after intense exercise helps reduce the onset of delayed muscle soreness compared to basic rest. This occurs by decreasing inflammation. People take ice baths almost as post-workout meditation, to help them focus on recovery and slow their heart rate.
Ice baths support a healthy immune system. According to research, people who combined cold water immersion, deep breathing, and meditation had fewer bacterial infection symptoms than those who did not.
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