![]() Set your alarm for 5 to 10 minutes or less based on what feels reasonable. Step into the tub slowly when the water reaches 50 to 59☏, or 10 to 15☌. Remember to wear comfortable clothes like a t-shirt and shorts before getting into the tub. Gradually add ice cubes to the tepid water. Run lukewarm water, and put your thermometer in the tub. All you need is some ice cubes, a thermometer, and a timer. You can go to a gym or spa or buy an at-home ice bath with a temperature control system. You have plenty of options if you decide to try ice baths. So most information –– on the best water temperature, how long to sit in an ice bath, and how often to take one –– comes from research and firsthand accounts. There are no standard guidelines for how to make an ice bath. These changes can improve your mood and help you adapt to stress over time. Scientists think that exposing your body to cold water triggers a stress response and activates the nervous system. They had better joint mobility and less stress, anxiety, and depression. A small study found that taking a 20-minute ice bath 4 days a week improved quality of life in people with gout. Ice baths might be good for your mental health too. But it's difficult to know just how effective cold water immersion is for your immune system because the study looks at several methods. In a small study, people who combined cold water immersion, deep breathing, and meditation had fewer bacterial infection symptoms than those who did not. Some evidence suggests that ice baths support a healthy immune system. Cooling down after you work up a sweat can help you avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion. One study found that soaking in cold water for just under 10 minutes reduces your core body temperature after a workout. Perhaps one of the most obvious benefits is that ice baths can help you cool down when you're overheated. So active-recovery workouts might be a more reliable option if you want to increase muscle mass or strength. This potential side effect may apply to endurance, but not aerobic workouts.Īnother study shows that ice baths and active recovery are equally effective at lowering inflammation. ![]() The researchers note that they can also hinder training adaptations that allow you to build muscle and improve your performance. But do the pros outweigh the cons? A 2021 review shows that taking an icy dip reduces exercise-induced inflammation. That's another reason people use ice baths for post-workout recovery.Īnd some studies do suggest that ice baths are an effective recovery method. The nutrient-rich blood flow to your muscles may help remove metabolic waste that builds up during exercise. When you get out of an ice bath, your blood vessels dilate, or re-open, increasing circulation. ![]() But there's a need for more research on ice baths for chronic pain and possible long-term side effects. This includes rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and fibromyalgia. And the best way to take an ice bath to soothe sore muscles –– including ideal water temperature, duration, and frequency –– is unclear.Įvidence suggests that ice baths may also ease pain from chronic conditions. That explains why a systematic review found that ice baths reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after exercise. Cold water could also lower your perception of pain or how much soreness you feel. But less inflammation and slower nerve signaling could mean less pain. Scientists aren't sure exactly how it works. Stepping into a cold bath might help relieve sore muscles. And research suggests that the cold-therapy technique lowers post-exercise inflammation better than other methods like compression socks. This decreases blood flow to your muscles, which may reduce inflammation and swelling. When you take an ice bath, the cold temperature narrows your blood vessels. And fans of the method use ice baths to remedy muscle soreness, stress, and more.įind out how the purported benefits of ice baths measure up to the science. Instead, ice baths include a brief –– usually around 5 to 10 minutes –– plunge in 50 to 59☏ water. Ice baths aren't as extreme as whole-body cryotherapy, which involves brief exposure to extremely low temperatures. What are the benefits of taking ice baths? Much of the research on the benefits of ice baths is mixed. That said, don't jump into a cold bath looking for a cure-all. But the practice may support your physical and mental health. Hopping into an icy bath might not seem appealing to everyone. People have used cold-water immersion for health and wellness for centuries. Although the technique has become popular again in recent years, it's nothing new. Cold-water plunges are a form of cryotherapy, which involves using cold to treat various issues. Or maybe you know a fitness buff who swears by ice baths for post-workout recovery. You might have seen professional athletes hop in an ice bath after a game.
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