5 Benefits of Cold Water Immersion and How It Can Improve Your Health
There's a reason athletes often take ice baths after a game – the cold water has benefits that can help reduce inflammation and speed up the healing process. But what about the average person? Can cold water therapy offer relief from everyday soreness and other health benefits? It turns out it can! This blog post will explore five reasons to consider adding cold water plunges to your daily routine.
What Is Cold Water Immersion Therapy?
Cold water immersion, also known as cold plunge therapy, is a natural technique that involves exposing the body to cold water. You can do this by taking a cold shower or bath, swimming in cold water, or dipping into a cold plunge spa.
Wim Hof, also known as the Iceman, is a Dutch extreme athlete best known for his ability to withstand cold temperatures. He has set multiple world records, including one for the longest ice bath (nearly two hours). While most people would not want to spend that long in cold water, there are many benefits associated with cold water immersion. Let’s explore five of them.
Benefits of Cold Plunge Immersion Therapy
The following are some of the advantages associated with cold water therapy.
Improved Focus
When you expose yourself to freezing temperatures, it causes your body to release norepinephrine, which is a hormone that helps to improve focus and attention.[*] This can be beneficial if you’re working on a project that requires laser-like concentration.
Reduced Stress
We all experience stress at some point in our lives, but did you know that cold water immersion can help to reduce it? When you expose yourself to cold temperatures, your body releases endorphins, hormones that have mood-boosting and pain-relieving effects. A cold water plunge can help improve your mood and reduce stress. In addition, taking a cold plunge lowers cortisol, the stress hormone, in the body.[*]
The Wim Hof Method (WHM) includes cold water immersion, breathing techniques, and commitment to meditation practice. The University of California San Fransisco is currently studying how the WHM affects mental health and stress resilience.[*]
Increased Weight Loss
Nearly 1 in 3 US adults are overweight, and many people search for ways to achieve a slimmer physique. While there’s no magic bullet for weight loss, cold water immersion may help to boost your weight loss efforts. Your body must work hard to maintain its core temperature in cold water. Taking a cold plunge helps burn calories by increasing energy expenditure. Cold therapy also boosts metabolism and promotes fat burning.
When you expose your body to cold temperatures, it starts to burn fat to stay warm, enhancing your metabolism.[*] Additionally, brown fat is a type of fat that helps burn calories and generate heat. Interestingly, cold water immersion may help increase the amount of brown fat in your body.[*]
Enhanced Immune Response
The white blood cells in your body are responsible for fighting off infection. According to studies, cold water immersion can help boost your immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells in your body.[*] Additionally, regularly swimming in cold water can create an adaptive antioxidant response in the body, helping combat oxidative stress.
According to a study published in the journal PLoS OneTrusted Source, people who take cold showers are less likely to call in sick for work or school.[*] More research is needed. However, these results are promising.
Relieves Pain and Soreness
Professional athletes often use ice baths to relieve sore muscles after a game. However, while less active people may have increased hormone levels from cold showers, exercise enthusiasts may see the opposite effect.
For instance, according to research, cyclists who took a cold shower after working out felt more comfortable, and their heart rates returned to normal faster than those who skipped the cold shower.[*]
As you can see, there are many benefits associated with cold water immersion. This may be something to consider if you're looking for a way to improve your overall mental and physical health. So give it a try and see how you feel!
Buy the King Kool Plunge
Our custom-made King Kool Plunge is a great way to experience the benefits of cold water immersion therapy. Our cool plunge pool is perfect for anyone who wants to improve their focus, reduce stress, increase weight loss, boost their immune system, or improve their sleep quality. So check out our King Kool Plunge today and see how we can help you reach your health and wellness goals!
Resources
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/911386/
- https://www.science.org/content/article/fat-cells-feel-cold-burn-calories-heat
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6698197/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10751106/
- https://virtualce.ucsf.edu/returntocare-making-stress-work-you-restoration-through-hormetic-stressors-and-wim-hof-breathing
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5025014/
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0225749
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4688585/
