Cold water therapy has gained massive popularity in recent years as a means of helping you recover from exercise along with improving your physical and mental health.
While ice baths and cold showers are both forms of cold water therapy, ice baths are widely regarded as the more effective means of achieving the benefits.
In this article, we’ll explore a few reasons why, but first we’ll cut to the chase and save you some reading time.
Ice Baths are generally considered more effective than cold showers for two reasons:
- You can typically get the temperature of an ice bath much lower than a shower - at least to the optimal range of 11-15 degrees celsius.
- An ice bath allows for full body immersion (to the neck) - which improves the overall benefits of cold water therapy.
Now for some details.
recovery after exercise
Cold Watery Therapy has been used by professional athletes for decades with the humble ice-bath being their weapon of choice. And for good reason.
Ice baths are more effective than cold showers for workout recovery because you can get them much colder and be fully immersed from the neck down. The optimal recovery benefits are found below 15 degrees celsius (ideally 11-15), whereas cold showers rarely get below 20 degrees.
Cold water immersion has been found to decrease muscle soreness after exercise, preparing the body for the next round of physical activity faster, which helps improve your performance.
One of the ways this works is by improving blood-flow, which helps speed up muscle recovery. By constricting your blood vessels, the cold temperatures of an ice bath can help improve circulation, which helps flush out toxins and promote general healing in your muscle tissue.
When blood vessels constrict in response to cold temperatures, it reduces the blood flow to the tissue, which reduces heat loss and helps to maintain core body temperature. However, once the body is rewarmed, the blood vessels dilate, increasing blood flow back to those areas, promoting circulation.
Several studies have shown that cold water immersion therapy can improve circulation, leading to better physical performance.
One study, published in the British Journal of Medicine, used 2 groups to test the effectiveness of Cold Water Therapy on recovery. Following a 35 minute all-out workout, the groups split in half for 15 minutes of either active recovery (ACT) or cold water immersion therapy (CWI). Both groups then had 40 minutes of passive rest followed by another 35 minute workout.
The study measured the performance change between the two workouts and found a “significant decline in performance after ACT compared with CWI, where performance remained unchanged”.
One of the primary reasons was due to the difference in blood flow.
In terms of “ideal temperature” for post-workout recovery, a recent meta-analysis found that the most effective protocol for cold water immersion therapy is 11-15 degrees Celsius (50-60 degrees Fahrenheit) for 11-15 minutes. It's important however, that you build towards this protocol if you are new to cold water immersion. Safety first and always consult your doctor before starting any new health protocols.
While a cold shower may provide some relief for sore muscles, an ice bath is more effective in this sense due to its colder temperature and the ability to properly immerse you body.
mental health benefits
Cold water therapy has been found to have numerous benefits for brain health and mental strength. Research has shown that exposure to cold water can help to improve mood, reduce stress, and alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.
One of the main ways that cold water therapy can benefit mental health is through the release of endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals produced by the body that can help to reduce pain and improve mood. When the body is exposed to cold water, it can trigger the release of endorphins, which can lead to a feeling of euphoria and a reduction in stress and anxiety.
In addition to releasing endorphins, exposure to cold water can help to improve circulation. We addressed the importance of blood flow to muscle recovery, but it also has mental health benefits. Increasing blood flow helps deliver more oxygen and nutrients to the brain, which can improve cognitive function and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
While taking a cold shower can provide some benefits, an ice bath is generally considered to be more effective. This is because an ice bath involves more intense and prolonged exposure to cold water, which can stimulate a stronger response in the body.
A study on how cold exposure could affect depression, suggested “Exposure to cold is known to activate the sympathetic nervous system and increase the blood level of beta-endorphin and noradrenaline and to increase synaptic release of noradrenaline in the brain…” and further concluded “… due to the high density of cold receptors in the skin, a cold shower is expected to send an overwhelming amount of electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings to the brain, which could result in an anti-depressive effect”
While more research is needed to fully understand the benefits of cold water therapy for mental strength, early studies suggest that it could be a useful tool for improving mood and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
If you are considering trying cold water therapy for your mental health, it is important to start slowly and gradually increase the duration and intensity of your exposure as you go. The benefits accrue over time, so there’s no rush. Just be consistent and play the long game.
It is also important to note that while cold water therapy can be helpful for some people, it is not a substitute for professional treatment for mental health conditions. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety, it is important to seek the guidance of a mental health professional.
vagus nerve stimulation
We asked ChatGPT to explain the Vagus Nerve to a child. Here’s what it came up with:
The vagus nerve is like a special telephone line that connects your brain to many important parts of your body, like your heart, lungs, and stomach. It helps your brain communicate with these parts and control how they work. Sometimes when you get scared or worried, your body gets stressed out and the vagus nerve helps calm you down. It's like a superhero that comes to rescue you when you feel anxious or upset!
Not bad.
One of the primary benefits of cold water immersion therapy is its ability to stimulate the Vagus nerve, which creates numerous benefits for your brain and body. The Vagus nerve is responsible for dampening the body’s stress response, promoting a feeling of calm and well-being.
Research has shown that cold exposure can activate the Vagus nerve, reducing stress levels and improving your overall mood. This is why you’ll often hear of people who take a regular ice bath in the morning, as it creates a positive impact on the rest of their day.
While cold showers can achieve this to some extent, ice baths take it to another level. Ice baths are able to achieve colder temperatures compared to cold showers, allowing for more complete immersion in colder water. Being fully immersed (up to your neck) is important, as it helps to fully activate the Vagus nerve, which runs from the base of your brain down through your body.
metabolic health
In addition to aiding workout recovery, cold water immersion therapy may also provide metabolic benefits. Exposure to colder temperatures has been shown to increase the amount of brown fat in the body. Brown fat is a type of fat that helps with the processing of glucose and fat molecules, leading to improved metabolism, which might provide some benefit towards weight management.
Repeated exposure to cold water may help the body adapt and produce more brown fat over time. While ending a shower with a rinse of cold water may provide some benefit, using an ice bath as a regular method for cold exposure is more effective at producing this result.
conclusion
While both ice baths and cold showers are forms of cold water immersion therapy, ice baths are more effective in achieving the benefits of this therapy. Ice baths are able to achieve colder temperatures than cold showers, allowing for a more complete immersion in cold water and a greater potential for building mental strenght and helping your muscle recover faster after a touch workout.
We've said it a few times, but it's important to highlight the importance of safety first. Don't be an idiot. The benefits of cold water therapy accrue over time, so there's no rush. Start with warmer water and shorter durations, building up from there. And always speak to a doctor to make sure that this is the right type of activity for you.
