COLD EXPOSURE THERAPY
Use Coupon Code EquilibriumPorts
to receive $150 off your next EDGE order
Taking the Plunge: A Step-by-Step Guide by Dr. Susanna Soberg
1. Start Small: You don't need to jump into an ice-cold river on your first attempt. Instead, start with shorter exposures, such as a brisk walk on a cold day or a quick cold shower, and gradually increase the duration as you acclimate to the cold.
2. Master Your Breath: Controlling your breath is key to overcoming the initial shock of cold water exposure. Techniques such as the Wim Hof breathing method can help you maintain calm and control during your cold exposure practice. Check out our article Discover the Benefits of Cold Water Immersion Therapy and the Wim Hof Breathing Method for detailed guidance.
3. Diversify Your Cold Exposure Practices: Variety in cold water exposure can make your practice more enjoyable. Try different temperatures, switch between indoor and outdoor settings, or even add in a winter swim if you're up for it.
4. Combine with Nature Immersion: Embracing the chill outside can bring dual benefits. Combining cold exposure with nature walks can have a profound stress-reducing effect, lowering cortisol levels and improving mental health.
5. Keep it Short: Cold therapy sessions don't need to be long to be effective. Even short durations (e.g., two minutes) can yield substantial benefits.
What Are Cold Shock Proteins?
Cold shock proteins are stress proteins that are activated by cold exposure. They’ve been reported in a wide range of organisms, from bacteria to amphibians to humans. A major function of these proteins is to help organisms cope with cold stress and adapt to changing environments.
In humans, scientists have identified a long list of cold shock proteins. Let’s take a look at some of the main cold shock proteins in your body, including what they do and their potential benefits.
How to Activate Your Cold Shock Proteins
There are many ways to tap into the potential benefits of cold shock proteins. Some of the best ways to expose your body to cold are winter workouts, cold showers, and ice baths.
Move Your Workout Outdoors
Exercising outdoors in cold weather can leave you feeling chilly, but it could also activate your cold shock proteins. Try replacing some of your regular indoor workouts with outdoor sessions.
Take a Cold Shower
Cold showers aren’t just a great way to wake yourself up in the morning: They could also help you activate your cold shock proteins. To reap the potential benefits of cold showers, make sure the water temperature is below 70°F (21°C).
Soak in Cold Water
Cold water immersion can be even more effective than cold showers. This option makes it possible to submerge your whole body in cold water rather than just the parts of your body that are in the path of the cold water jets. Plus, adding ice helps you achieve colder water temperatures than are possible from the tap.
The Benefits of Cold Therapy
To Increase Energy and Focus
Deliberate cold exposure causes a significant release of epinephrine (aka adrenaline) and norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline) in the brain and body. These neurochemicals make us feel alert and can make us feel agitated and as if we need to move or vocalize during the cold exposure. Cold causes their levels to stay elevated for some time and their ongoing effect after the exposure is to increase your level of energy and focus, which can be applied to other mental and/or physical activities.
Cortisol, Melatonin, and Cold Exposure
Dr. Soberg points out a potential relationship between cortisol and melatonin. It's thought that by boosting cortisol levels through cold exposure, we might indirectly increase melatonin production. This could promote a more restful sleep and contribute to better circadian rhythm alignment.
In essence, the interplay between cold exposure and our circadian rhythms is a fascinating area of research. While there's still much to uncover, the potential benefits of correctly timed cold exposure are compelling. So why not try adjusting the timing of your cold plunge and see how it affects you?
Physical Recovery
A meta-analysis of cold-water immersion effects on recovery found that cold exposure can be a highly effective recovery tool after high-intensity exercise or endurance training. Short interval (< 5 mins), cold water immersion demonstrated positive outcomes for muscle power, perceived recovery, and decreased muscle soreness (in part due to a reduction in circulating creatine kinases).
The problem is that cold water immersion (but not cold showers) can limit some of the gains in hypertrophy, strength or endurance if done in the 4 hours or so after training. It’s better to wait 6 to 8 or more hours until after training, or do it before training UNLESS your goal is simply to recover without adaptation (for instance, when in a competition mode and not trying to get better, stronger, etc.)
Cold Exposure and Muscle Growth
Dr. Soberg points out that cold therapy can be beneficial for muscle growth and fitness. If your aim is muscle growth, cold therapy should be scheduled before or a few days after a workout. This can help with the process of muscle protein synthesis, a crucial part of muscle growth.
Interestingly, cold therapy can even be used as a performance enhancer for competitive athletes. This is why many athletes incorporate cold plunges into their training regimens. To get the best of both worlds – the benefits of exercise and the recovery and enhancement effects of cold therapy – browse our collection of cold plunges.
Enhancing Your Mood
While not true of every stress, cold exposure causes the prolonged release of dopamine. Dopamine is a powerful molecule capable of elevating mood, enhancing focus, attention, goal-directed behavior, etc. Even short bouts of cold exposure can cause a lasting increase in dopamine and sustained elevation of mood, energy, and focus. Listen to Episode #39 to learn more about dopamine’s role in the body.
Metabolism
In the short-term, cold exposure increases metabolism as the body has to burn calories to increase core body temperature. The total calories burned from the cold exposure are not that significant. However, the conversion of white fat (energy storage) to beige or brown fat (which are highly metabolically active) can be beneficial for:
Allowing people to feel more comfortable in the cold (i.e., cold adaptation)
Triggering further and more sustained increases in metabolism
Of course, calories in (consumed) versus calories out (metabolized) or “CICO” governs whether you gain, lose, or maintain weight. There is no escaping the laws of thermodynamics.
What is Cryotherapy?
Safely expose your entire body to sub-zero temperatures in a specialized chamber for up to 3 minutes.
BENEFITS OF CRYOTHERAPY MAY INCLUDE:
Stress relief
Enhanced healing
Improved athletic recovery
Reduced pain and inflammation
Boosted mood, energy and sleep
How Does Cryotherapy Work?
During a Whole Body Cryotherapy session, your entire body is exposed to freezing temperatures which enacts a natural fight or flight response that constricts blood vessels to restrict blood away from the extremities. This redirection causes your body to move blood toward the core, protecting your vital organs. During this process, the body increases its levels of antioxidant capacity, oxygen and certain proteins that may decrease swelling and increase your tolerance to physical challenges.
Our Commitment to Safety
At Restore, a trained expert operates the Cryotherapy chamber and is present outside at all times if you feel any discomfort and wish to leave before your time is up. We also encourage clients to choose a song, so you can dance and jam to your favorite tune to better enjoy the experience.
Cryotherapy Benefits
When you exit the Cryotherapy chamber and return to normal room temperature, this oxygen-rich blood moves back through the body. Benefits may include elevated energy and mood, decreased inflammation, muscle soreness and pain, and improvements to your sleep, cognitive health and sexual health.
This therapy is one of many ways that Restore utilizes controlled, natural stressors to increase your body’s resilience by proactively enhancing your health.
What is Local Cryotherapy?
Local Cryotherapy uses the same sub-zero temperatures to target pain and soreness and advance healing and recovery—all in just 10-12 minutes!
Types of Cold Water Therapy
The origins of using cold water therapy for health and muscle recovery may date back to ancient Greece, according to research. Types of cold water therapy range from a quick spray or rinse to full-body immersion in icy water.
Cold water therapy is a form of cryotherapy, a broad field that encompasses using cold therapies to attain health and wellness benefits. Examples of cryotherapy include cold water immersion, applying ice/cold to the skin and other general uses of cold for therapeutic needs. “Cold water immersion and cryotherapy chambers are generally considered the most effective forms of cold therapy, as they provide the most significant benefits,” says Chun.
Below are the most common types of cold water therapy.
Cold water immersion, such as the Wim Hof Method, involves an individual submerging their entire body from the neck down in water no warmer than 59 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 15 minutes. The Wim Hof Method is known for combining breath work and cold water immersion often in natural, scenic environments.
Cold showers: One small study found that a 15-minute cold shower after cycling improved heart rate recovery among nine cyclists. However, more research is needed to draw definitive conclusions about this benefit.
Contrast bath therapy: Similar to cold water therapy, contrast water therapy involves switching limbs from cold water to warm water for varying amounts of time (30 minutes total).
Precautions to Consider
Cold exposure might sound like a wonder therapy, but it's crucial to bear in mind that it may not be suitable for everyone. Individuals with heart problems or unregulated high blood pressure should approach cold therapy with caution. The abrupt temperature change may put undue strain on the cardiovascular system, so if you fall into these categories, consulting a doctor before starting a cold therapy routine is imperative.
Another point to consider is that cold exposure, like any form of stress, has individual variations. What feels invigorating for one person might feel overwhelming for another. Listen to your body and adjust your exposure duration and temperature according to your personal comfort level.
Cold water therapy is safe, although the American Heart Association cautions that the most dangerous time is within the first 60 seconds until breathing regulates. Speak with a trusted health care provider prior to practicing cold water therapy to ensure it’s a safe and beneficial option for your unique goals.