You know the shock that overwhelms your body (and soul) when you step into a cold shower?
Professional athletes who jump into ice bathspost-workoutare onto something.
As shown ina 2022 meta-analysis1published in the journalSports Medicine,cold water exposure is beneficial for muscle recovery.
This gives your body enough time to buildnew mitochondria2after the stress of exercise.
Ice baths reduce stress and increase resilience.
Ice baths improve sleep.
Ice baths support mood and alertness.
Taking a dip in freezing cold water might not sound like amood-boosting activity, but science says otherwise.
Where to take an ice bath
Do cold showers count?
If you start to experience any of these symptoms, it’s a sign to cut back.
What’s next for ice bath benefit research?
There are many unanswered questions about ice baths just waiting to be rigorously researched.
I’d love to see a body of research on this in the future."
FAQs
Is it OK to take an ice bath every day?
Are ice baths dangerous?
However, if you’re healthy and understand your limits, taking an ice bath is not considered dangerous.
Are ice baths scientifically proven?
How long should you ice bathe for?
Or, you could aim to get in a few minutes of cold exposure daily.
“More is better when we’re talking about brief, consistent exposures to cold.
Consistency trumps volume.”
How uncomfortable is ice bathing?
“Cold exposure is no different,” Shallow tells mbg.
Eager to take the plunge?
Theseat-home cold tubsare here when you’re ready to get started.
