Three Benefits of Cold Water therapy on the body and our health

Three Benefits of Cold Water therapy on the body and our health

Cold water immersion, which is usually referred to as either cold plunging or ice bathing, is an excellent way to reduce inflammation, recover quicker from high-intensity workouts, better manage stress and anxiety, become more resilient and much more.

If possible I try to promote this concept with my JS Chiropractic Chandlers Ford patients as even doing this for only a couple of minutes a day will yield huge benefits on our overall level of health.

I’m going to explain my favourite benefits of using cold water therapy for out body. Mind and health.

1.      Increases Energy Levels

Exposing your body to cold temperatures for short periods causes changes in hormone secretion. For example, studies have shown that the secretion of norepinephrine increases during cold exposure. (Norepinephrine is one of the hormones responsible for regulating attention, focus and energy.)

I have been having consistent cold showers in the mornings before work and notice it can help set up my mind better for the day ahead.

2.      Speeds up Physical recovery.

studies have shown that cold exposure can increase oxygenated blood flow, thus speeding up muscle recovery and reducing delayed onset muscle soreness.

Enabling your body to heal muscle damage quicker can promote muscle growth and lead to a reduced risk for injury.

When you jump into ice-cold water, your central nervous system causes the blood vessels in your extremities to constrict to force the warm blood to your vital organs. As a result, circulation in your arms and legs gets temporarily restricted. 

However, once you get out of the cold water, your blood vessels dilate, thus triggering increased blood flow to the muscle tissue in your extremities and skin.

I have noticed by using cold showers my frequency of minor gym related injuries have dropped substantially and notice less muscle soreness the next day after my work-outs.

3.      Helps manage stress

jumping into a tub filled with cold water stresses your body because it causes the activation of your sympathetic nervous system — the one that triggers the “fight or flight” response.

Cold water helps focus on your breathing and trains to help reduce activation of your flight and fight, improving your activation of you rest and digest.

This will help in time to manage stress as your body is well equipped to remain calm and not go in to a physiological stress response immediately

I hope these three benefits provide a positive insight in to cold water therapy and you can further understand why incorporating a small cold shower in to your daily routine can health a vitally positive impact on your health and wellbeing