Top 7 Benefits Of Ice Bath: What Do Studies Suggest?

People use ice bathing as a remedy to feel better after intense exercise or when they are injured. People say it could be helpful, but there isn’t enough research. However, many who have tried this method say that pain and swelling can be reduced. Also, their tired muscles were soothed, and they felt happy afterward.

Are ice baths good for you? Well, this blog tells you the exact answer to this common query. However, before trying any of it, one should know the benefits of ice bath. Hence, consulting a knowledgeable person for advice would be great if one intends to try this at home.

The Top 7 Benefits Of An Ice Bath 

There are a lot of ways that taking an ice bath can be beneficial to one’s body. When an individual gets into an ice bath, the temperatures of their body and tissues reduce. An ice bath may leave someone feeling different. However, if you are still deciding whether to incorporate it, these are 7 significant benefits one will likely notice while taking or after an ice bath.

It Relieves Post-Workout Muscle Pain and Soreness

Cold temperatures constrict blood vessels. This can help alleviate pain. After coming out from an ice bath, blood flow increases in your muscles. Some studies have revealed that cold water immersion within sixty minutes of exercise can reduce soreness and enable muscle recovery.

Various studies have reviewed how cold therapy may minimize muscle soreness following physical efforts. However, it is difficult to state precisely how much ice bathing is good for you due to varying methods, types, and times.

Other research suggests that cold water after exercise might slow down long-term muscle growth and strength gains.

Alleviate Swelling and Inflammation

Apart from being a reliever of pain, low temperatures also aid in reducing swelling or inflammation. That is why people often apply ice packs in case they injure themselves. The same happens if you take a cold bath as well. So, if next time you do not have an ice pack at home, just take a cold bath, that’s it.

Source: Freepik

Get Relief When You Feel Overheated

Hyperthermia is when individuals who frequently indulge in physical activities feel too warm at times. An ice bath will reduce body temperature, lowering the chances of heat stroke. Being in water with very low temperatures cools you twice as fast as sitting in a cool place. Well, this is according to research conducted on humans.

Help Control Weight

At first, metabolism decreases when exposed to cold. However, the body will require more energy to maintain a steady average temperature. Further, cold temperatures can convert white fat cells to brown fat cells that generate heat and regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. This could be important for weight management purposes.

Lift Your Spirits

Some studies reveal that taking cold baths boosts mood significantly. People experience rapid mood improvement after staying in the cold seawater for twenty minutes. Even an eighteen-minute session resulted in dramatic improvements. The subjects were all young, fit, and healthy but tolerated the cold well.

Even submersion in cold water can lead to increased positive affect, better alertness, or reduced nervousness.

Relax Your Skin

Cool water causes minor arteries and veins near the skin surface to narrow. Your face might also look tightened with smaller pores and less puffiness. A splash of cool water can also do wonders by helping relieve inflamed or itchy skin. However, if you have open sores, do not take such baths.

Source: Freepik

Strengthen Immune System

Bathing with cold water can help change our response to stress. Thus reduce the chances of respiratory infections by taking a cold bath. If you replace hot showers with cold ones for 30 days, you will likely get less sick than others. This did not reduce the number of illness days among healthy adults.

While these benefits seem promising, further research is needed to conclude whether ice baths promote good immune health or are not yet established.

To Sum It Up

Lastly, there are several benefits of an ice bath. It helps to soothe sore muscles after exercise and reduces inflammation. Moreover, it can even enhance the mood. However, the results are inconsistent across studies, indicating more research is needed.

By taking one, you can help ease aches in the muscles and reduce swelling. People who have conditions like diabetes or damaged nerves should talk to their healthcare provider before attempting ice baths. Do this to ascertain safety at every level.

If someone doesn’t like being cold or finds ice baths beneficial, they should stop doing it. However, if the person finds it revitalizing and valuable, they can dive right in. So, what are you waiting for? Get your tub ready to experience what it feels like.

References

Pietrangelo, A. (2023, September 7). Benefits of Ice Bath: What Could They Help With? Verywell Health.