People and athletes take ice baths to reduce swelling, ease muscle pain, and improve blood flow. Taking an ice bath provides various health benefits. Ice baths aim to subject the body to extreme cold and most athletes practice this therapy to alleviate sore muscles and exercise after an exercise. Ice bath, also called cold-water immersion or cold therapy requires the water to be between 50 to 59°F (10 to 15°C). It is not a long therapy and only takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Immersing the body in cold, freezing water helps speed up recovery after exercise and reduces temperature, blood flow, and inflammation in the tissues of muscles. This is why most athletes have a habit of taking ice baths. Ice baths are beneficial not only for athletes but for everyone as they improve the body’s endurance. It enhances the body’s tolerance to cold and reduces fatigue. This therapy regulates the core body temperature, which improves performance and reduces fatigue during intense physical activities. This is the reason why athletes follow ice bath therapies.
Ice Bath: How Does It Work?
Having ice baths helps improve alertness, reduce pain, and decrease inflammation. Ice bath therapies work to lower the body temperature and trigger more blood flow to the core. Along with constriction of blood vessels, ice baths help flush out waste products, such as lactic acid from the body.
The body temperature rises after taking an ice bath and blood flow returns to the tissues. Ice baths reduce blood flow to the muscles to reduce inflammation and swelling. Because of the soothing benefits of cold exposure, most athletes practice ice bath therapies.
The cold temperature helps bring down the metabolism, which causes breathing and sweating to slow down. It speeds recovery, reduces swelling and tissue breakdown, and moves lactic acid away from the muscles. After taking an ice bath, you will notice that the body will start to warm up, which increases blood circulation and helps the muscles relax.
Right Way To Take An Ice Bath
To take an ice bath, fill the tub with lukewarm water and gradually add ice cubes to it. One to three bags of ice should make the water cold enough. Add ice cubes according to tolerance level. Put the thermometer in the tub and step in slowly when the water reaches 50 to 59°F, or 10 to 15°C. Ensure you wear comfortable clothes like T-shirts and shorts to protect the skin. Set an alarm for 10 to 15 minutes or per your tolerance level.
However, do not stay more than 15 minutes, which is the recommended time for an ice bath. Enter the ice bath slowly, as entering too quickly can shock your system. Slowly submerge your feet, legs, and waist, and breathe deeply to stay calm. Get out of the bath carefully as you will feel numb. Dry off thoroughly before changing into dry clothes to keep the body warm. Also, drinking a warm beverage is recommended to warm up faster.
How Long Should You Stay In An Ice Bath?
The recommended time to stay in an ice bath is 10 to 15 minutes. However, this purely depends on a person’s tolerance level. The health benefits of cold-water therapy can start from 30 seconds. If you are a beginner, do not stay in an ice bath for a long time. Take baby steps. Check the temperature and adjust accordingly as per your tolerance level.
Start with 2 to 5 minutes and slowly increase the timing. After several weeks, move to 10 minutes and then eventually 15 minutes. Do not jump-start into the full 15 minutes as the body might be unable to tolerate it. You can stay in an ice bath as long as you can but it should not exceed 15 minutes.
Benefits Of Having An Ice Bath
Having an ice bath provides various health benefits.
- Relives pain and sore muscles:
Ice baths help relieve sore muscles. It slows down nerve signaling, which helps ease the pain. The cold receptors on the skin send electrical impulses to the brain, which has a pain-reducing effect. This cold therapy also helps reduce muscle soreness after exercise.
- Reduces inflammation and swelling:
The cold temperature can narrow the blood vessels, which decreases blood flow to the muscles. This helps reduce inflammation and swelling. Cold therapy is used to lower post-exercise inflammation.
- Supports immunity:
Many studies show that ice baths help improve the immune system. It improves the body’s endurance and tolerance to cold and reduces fatigue.
- Aids in exercise recovery:
Taking ice baths helps improve blood circulation and remove metabolic waste that builds up during exercise. Ice bath helps improve exercise recovery, boost performance, and build muscle.
- Improves mental health:
Ice baths help improve the mood by calming the body and mind. It helps ease anxiety, stress, and depression as cold water triggers a stress response and activates the nervous system. This improves mood and aids one in adapting to stress. It also enhances alertness and cognitive functions.
Safety Tips And Points To Remember
Do not enter the ice bath quickly, as it can shock your system. Instead, enter the ice bath slowly by submerging your feet, legs, and waist, and breathe deeply to stay calm. Do not push your body too hard into staying in the ice bath more than your body can tolerate, as it results in more harm than benefits.
Stay in the ice bath as long as your body can tolerate but not exceed 15 minutes. Ensure you wear comfortable clothes while taking an ice bath, and dry yourself thoroughly before changing into dry clothes. Do not take a warm shower or bath right after taking an ice bath, as it heightens the risk of shock. Before trying ice baths on your own, speak with a healthcare professional to determine if the therapy is safe and appropriate for you.
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Risks And Side Effects Of Taking Ice Baths
Even though ice bath provides various health benefits, it might also cause certain side effects.
- Feeling cold and numb is the most noticeable and common side effect
- Nerve damage
- Cold shock response, which may increase heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate
- Ice burn on the skin
- Low body temperature or hypothermia
Some of the risk factors of taking ice baths include;
- Poor circulation
- Neuropathies or nerve damage
- Diabetes
- An open wound
- Cold urticaria (it is a condition where you develop hives in response to cold)
- Heart disease
- Raynaud’s syndrome (a condition in which your fingers and toes turn blue or white in color)
The Bottom Line
Ice baths are a common therapy among athletes. Ice baths aim to subject the body to extreme cold, which offers various benefits like improving alertness, reducing pain, and decreasing inflammation. It enhances the body’s endurance and helps improve mood, support immune function, speedy recovery, and promote mental health.
The cold therapy requires the water to be between 50 to 59°F (10 to 15°C). It is not a long therapy and only takes 10 to 15 minutes. However, exceeding 15 minutes might cause adverse effects. Ice bath therapies work to lower the body temperature and trigger more blood flow to the core. Ice baths reduce blood flow to the muscles to reduce inflammation and swelling. Because of its soothing benefits, most athletes practice ice bath therapies. Ice baths are beneficial not only for athletes but for everyone as they enhance the body’s tolerance to cold and reduce fatigue.
Ensure to wear comfortable clothes like T-shirts and shorts to protect the skin and set an alarm for 10 to 15 minutes or per your tolerance level. Enter the ice bath slowly, as entering too quickly can shock your system. Slowly submerge your feet, legs, and waist, and breathe deeply to stay calm. Dry off thoroughly before changing into dry clothes to keep the body warm. Also, drinking a warm beverage is recommended to warm up faster.
If you are a beginner, do not stay in an ice bath for a long time. Start with 2 to 5 minutes and slowly increase the timing for up to 15 minutes. Do not jump-start into the full 15 minutes as the body might be unable to tolerate it. You can stay in an ice bath as long as you can but it should not exceed 15 minutes. However, speak with a healthcare professional before trying ice baths to determine if the therapy is safe and appropriate,
Frequently Asked Questions
You can take daily or multiple ice baths weekly according to your body’s tolerance. It is better to take ice baths that last up to 10 to 15 minutes, 3 to 5 times weekly.
The three main dangers associated with taking ice baths are hypothermia, heart attacks, and drowning.
You can get benefits from an ice bath in only two to three minutes. So, a 5-minute ice bath is enough.
Get out of the ice bath carefully as you will feel numb. Dry off thoroughly before changing into dry clothes to keep the body warm. Also, drinking a warm beverage is recommended to warm up faster.
Ice bath therapies are healthy as they offer benefits like relieving pain and soreness, enhancing mood, decreasing inflammation, supporting immunity, aiding in recovery, and improving mental health. However, do not exceed 15 minutes.
Ice baths constrict blood vessels and boost blood circulation, which reduces inflammation and pore size. Also, ice baths improve skin health by promoting collagen production, aiding in better absorption, and soothing blemishes.
