1. Reduce Inflammation
An ice bath is like putting a cold compress on your entire body. A 2021 scientific review looked into how effective cold temperatures were at addressing inflammation in athletes and found that cold was indeed effective. [1]
2. Ease Sore Muscles
Soreness and inflammation tend to go hand-in-hand, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that ice baths are also excellent at relieving sore muscles. Scientists aren’t entirely sure of the mechanisms at work, but scientific evidence verifies that it does work. [2]
3. Help Recovery After Exercise
Scientific research supports the idea that cold water immersion—an ice bath—can help the body recover after exercise. [3] The anti-inflammatory aspect of cold water certainly plays a role. Still, it may also be that after the bath, blood vessels dilate, increasing blood flow and sweeping away metabolic waste products left over from the exercise.
4. Boost the Immune System
Believe it or not, ice baths also may help boost the immune system. In one study on cold water and the immune system, the research suggested that short-term exposure to cold water, like in an ice bath, can increase the body’s production of multiple types of immune cells. [4]
5. Improve Mental Health
Scientific evidence indicates that ice baths may help boost mood and decrease symptoms associated with stress and depression. [5] It’s unclear exactly how it works, but one theory suggests that the ice bath stresses the body, training the nervous system to adapt to stress over time. [6]
Resources:
1- Bouzigon R, Dupuy O, Tiemessen I, et al. Cryostimulation for Post-exercise Recovery in Athletes: A Consensus and Position Paper. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 2021;3. doi:10.3389/fspor.2021.688828
2- Bleakley C, McDonough S, Gardner E, Baxter GD, Hopkins JT, Davison GW. Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Published online February 15, 2012. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd008262.pub2
3- Moore E, Fuller JT, Buckley JD, et al. Impact of Cold-Water Immersion Compared with Passive Recovery Following a Single Bout of Strenuous Exercise on Athletic Performance in Physically Active Participants: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis and Meta-regression. Sports Medicine. Published online February 14, 2022. doi:10.1007/s40279-022-01644-9
4- Mooventhan A, Nivethitha L. Scientific evidence-based effects of hydrotherapy on various systems of the body. North American Journal of Medical Sciences. 2014;6(5):199. doi:10.4103/1947-2714.132935
5- Kelly JS, Bird E. Improved mood following a single immersion in cold water. Lifestyle Medicine. Published online December 2, 2021. doi:10.1002/lim2.53
6- Sramek P, Simeckova M, Jansky L, Savlikova J, Vybiral S. Human physiological responses to immersion into water of different temperatures. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2000;81(5):436-442. doi:10.1007/s004210050065
