Cold Immersion has become a buzzword in recent years. But why cold water immersion and what are the benefits?
The hike in interest came about when a man named Wim Hoff, aka the “Iceman” submerged his body in extreme cold environments, both water and snow/ice. He claimed that doing this regularly had created an immune response in the body that helped fight off disease and build resilience for life. Soon after, we started to see people dunking themselves in cold immersion tubs as well as ice-covered lakes and streams.
What drew attention to cold immersion was the testing done on Wim Hoff and his students, which indeed show a resilience to common viruses and flu as well as an increased ability to help the body recover.
When you place yourself in a cold environment like water, your body responds in a few ways. It will pull the blood away from the extremities of the body and towards the major organs and core of the body. It does this through vasoconstriction or decreasing the volume the blood can carry. This is to slow the body from absorbing the cold and to protect the body from getting too cold. If the water is cold enough, it simultaneously creates a cold shock response. This then releases different hormones from the brain like dopamine and adrenaline.
The cold shock response was also happening at a cellular level and helped to reduce inflammation and remove old or dying cells.
So, how does all this help you recover? Firstly, reducing inflammation caused by food or stress is always a great thing to speed up recovery, especially for endurance-style workouts. The shunting of the blood to the inner core of the body also helped create an extra pump and movement of fluid away from the extremities usually associated with inflammation. When the body then heated up, the blood would flow back to the extremities also carrying with it new blood, oxygen and nutrients to those extremities. This resultant flushing of the system aids in recovery.
The shock response seemed also appeared to offset any rise in cortisol beyond the normal stress-related increase, which can cause poor sleep and fatigue.
The body needs movement to circulate fluid — especially lymph —which relies on physical activity to be pumped through the body and excreted. Living in a world where we now move less, it’s harder for the body to remove those toxins. High stress from our work, environment, and general lifestyle also offsets our normal circadian rhythm and our cortisol cycles. Resetting the system through cold immersion helps to regulate these systems and leads to more energy, better sleep, and other benefits.
The increase in dopamine and adrenaline also leave you on a natural high and filled with energy.
The trick is understanding your body and what temperatures give you the best results. Women have a different physiological response than men to cold water immersion and science is now showing that the sensitivity for women is much higher than men. It’s best to experiment with different temperatures and start with water that is not extreme while gauging how well you feel after a session of cold immersion
While the feeling of being immersed in cold water can be uncomfortable at first, the proven benefits can help you feel and respond better to life and sport.
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Whether you want to tone your body or pump up your cardio, harness the power and grit with PURE Fitness.
From private yoga to specialised classes, enjoy the ultimate yoga experience with PURE Yoga and lead happier, healthier, and more balanced lives.
From yoga to fitness, PURE Online provides scheduled and on-demand workout videos to practise anytime and anywhere.
noodfood offers only the good stuff — delicious and nutritious food and drinks including cold-pressed juices, raw foods and organic snacks to keep you happy and healthy.
