Cold water therapy, what’s all the fuss about?
Over the last couple of years people have been talking more and more about cold water swimming and cold-water immersion therapy. As I have recently joined the craze with a cold pod of my own, I thought I would write this blog to discuss some of the physical and mental health benefits cold water therapy can provide.
So what is cold water therapy?
Cold water therapy, can be anything from outdoor swimming, in lakes, rivers, or the ocean to cold showers and ice baths. It has been used for years in professional sports to reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery time, people will typically spend about ten minutes after exercise in cold water that’s about 10-15°C.
Cold water therapy could seriously benefit your recovery routine.
Cold water immersion therapy lowers inflammation, which is a leading cause of pain and injury. A meta-analysis of 23 peer-reviewed articles in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that cold water immersion can help enhance recovery and reduce feelings of fatigue so, if you’re hitting the gym hard or simply want to up your workout game, cold water therapy could help.
Mental health benefits
Reduced stress- repeated cold-water exposure trains the body to deal with short term stress, this can be applied in other areas of life.
Improved mood and confidence- Cold water causes an increase in endorphins, a neurotransmitter responsible for increased mood and feelings of joy.
Improved sleep- It also activates the parasympathetic nervous system and stabilizes serotonin, which leads to mental balance and good sleep.
Risks of cold-water therapy
At the moment the science to fully support cold water as a therapy is not available and it’s not yet known if there is a certain duration or temperature that works best. But what we do know is that less is more when it comes to cold water immersion. In other words, going in colder water or staying in for longer is not better for you. In fact, it can have just the opposite effect.
So if you are wanting to give cold water therapy a go, here are some things to consider:
Check with your GP beforehand to make sure it’s safe for you to do.
Make sure you’re not alone and the water is safe, if outdoors consider tides, currents, waves
Plan how you’re going to get in and out of the water safely (remember that your muscles won’t work as well when you’re cold and you may not be able to feel with your hands and feet).
Know how you’re going to get warm afterwards - make sure you have towels, dry clothes, a hot drink and somewhere to shelter. Don’t drive or cycle until you have completely warmed up.
Only stay in cold water for a short period of time, get out before you experience numbness, pain or shivering.
If you would like to find out more or have any other injury or physical concerns, you can give us a call on 01202 604707 or email admin@wimbornewellnesscentre.co.uk - we look forward to hearing from you!