THE COLD HARD TRUTH OF AN ICE BATH
When I first heard about the idea of an ice bath, I thought it was a crazy fad. The thought alone of jumping into a cold shower or bucket full of ice cold water made me shiver. But, after some research and trying it myself, the results spoke for themselves -- the instant benefits I noticed were my muscles felt less sore than usual following my workout and only had mild discomfort days later instead of annoying pain like usual. After consistently throwing this into a little routine for myself I started noticed even more perks.
The idea behind the procedure is that by lowering your body's temperature you will decrease inflammation in the muscles and joints, which helps with recovery time after strenuous activity. It constricts blood vessels which slows down blood flow, increases your heart rate (which improves circulation), and cools down muscles (due to vasoconstriction). The icing also helps with muscle recovery by decreasing lactic acid build-up in your tired muscles which causes them to feel better while increasing their range of motion.
If you’re thinking that ice baths are just for athletes or those who are ding intense workouts, ther’re not. Ice baths can also benefit many people facing problems such as hair dullness, sleep problems, fatigue, dry skin, and poor circulation. Who knew? Have you ever had your hair colored and wondered why the heck they’re rinsing your hair with cold water? There is a reason. The cold water helps with closing the cuticles on the scalp, which in return helps seal the follicle and reduce hair loss and hair dullness. The same applies to your skin. People believe that hot water will actually help with soothing dry skin, but it actually can strip your skin of nutrients. The ice water helps to seal in the nutrients and keep moisture reducing the dryness and stripping oil from the human skin (very beneficial with the upcoming winter months). Dan Bowen, NPTI, NASM personal trainer and owner of Philadelphia’s Hit Fitness, explains that ice baths may help improve your sleep. he cold water can have a positive effect on the central nervous system, “which helps you sleep and reduce fatigue feel better after spending ten to fifteen minutes in it,” he says.
Even with listing all the benefits of an ice bath, it can be hard to imagine that they are worth all the time and effort. It’s not easy to convince ourselves to get into a freezing cold tub with water from our freezer rather than just hopping into a warm tub of water! Don't let fear stop you from trying something new; I’ve got your back! I’ve even included a video of me trying the polar plunge for you to see it is possible. It definitely tested my mind over matter capabilities, no doubt, but the benefits afterward (of my 1-minute experience) left me feeling energized and refreshed and excited to do it again.
But there is one thing you should know before taking your plunge-once you do take this step, you will feel energized and refreshed in no time.