8 Ice Bath Dos and Dont’s

Whether you're a seasoned athlete or someone who takes pride in maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, cold therapy may be an important component of your recovery process.
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8 Ice Bath Dos and Dont’s

Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or someone who takes pride in maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, cold therapy may be an important component of your recovery process.

Cold therapy is a breakthrough treatment that can help you recover from painful muscles, decrease inflammation, and improve your overall mental health and fitness.

It’s among the most natural ways to help “reset” your mental frame of mind, and taking a chilly dip in ice baths is one of the best. Cold therapy may be beneficial in reducing stress and depression symptoms, which is especially crucial when you are feeling the strain of upcoming major games.

Taking a cold bath or cold shower can help to “reset” the mind and body, which can assist to balance the stressors that activate during work-life balance and other high-level stress situations.

Before you begin your cold therapy adventure, there are a few things you should be aware of first.

Photo by Brian Kyed on Unsplash

You’ll Never Forget Your Ice Bath Experience After Trying These 4 Dos of Cold Therapy

Do: Start with a low water temperature to avoid burning your skin.

If you’re just getting started, you don’t want to stress your body beyond its capabilities. When first beginning out, the temperature should not be too chilly because this could cause shock to the body. You can gradually experiment with lower temps as your body becomes accustomed to taking cold baths in the first place. You could try taking a cold shower, use ice cold water in your bath to prepare you for ice bathing.

Do: Maintain your “cold tolerance” temperature range.

Everyone is not created equal. While some people are able to handle frigid temperatures for longer periods of time and at lower temperatures, it is nevertheless done with caution. If you’re only capable of dealing with a specific quantity of cold throughout your cold bath session, keep to that limit.

Do: Dress in garments that help to control your body temperature during cold water therapy

It is important to wear long sleeves and shorts when having an ice bath to prevent hypothermia. While this may not totally keep you warm, it will assist you in maintaining a healthy body temperature during cold water immersion. There are many benefits of cold water and incorporating cold water immersion into your routine, however, you still need to make sure your cold exposure is monitored while you get used to cold temperatures.

Do: Make a schedule for your cold therapy appointments

Keeping track of your ice bath sessions can be time-consuming, which can be irritating while trying to prevent swelling and damage to tissue from injuries that have occurred during workouts and as a result of bad posture.

It’s less complicated to have an Ice Barrel that requires little to no upkeep or attention. Make an appointment with your primary care physician before beginning to reap the benefits of ice baths and other cold therapies.

Make as much preparation as you can ahead of ice bathing. Be aware of the risks associated with cold exposure, such as frostbite, anaphylactic shock, arrhythmias, damaged blood vessels, slower blood flow, among other things. You have to remember that cold water immersion involves extremely cold temperatures and it can be harmful to health issues such as high blood pressure, so it’s always best to consult your doctor and speak to a professional.

A cold bath is not your typical bathing experience; it is distinctive, and for some, it can be difficult to get into at the beginning. Ice baths are both a mental and a physical relaxation technique. Additionally, taking cold showers on the days leading up to the very first plunge is a smart idea.

To Have A Better Experience With Cold Therapy, Avoid These 4 Don’ts

Don’t: Try to force your body or push yourself too hard.

Pushing your body to go to greater extremes than it is physiologically capable of can result in more harm than benefit for your health.

The use of low temperatures during recuperation is intended to increase overall wellbeing. When done correctly, cold water therapy can assist in constricting blood vessels, which can aid in the reduction of inflammation-induced discomfort and swelling, among other benefits.

Taking a cold swim, on the other hand, may have beneficial benefits on the psyche and may stimulate the production of chemicals such as endorphins, which have antidepressant properties.

Don’t: Stay in for an excessive amount of time.

Even if you’re participating in a cold exposure training session, resist the temptation to stay for any longer than what is necessary – 6 to 8 minutes. Exposure to cold can help you reconnect with yourself and reset your mind and body. Nonetheless, excessive exposure might result in severe scenarios such as shock, as previously indicated, and hypothermia.

Don’t: Go it alone when you’re just starting out.

Make sure you have the assistance of an experienced cold therapist if you are new to the cold therapy scene. Even the most experienced persons have a second person with them at all times as a safety precaution.

Don’t: Take a warm bath or shower as soon as possible after your cold session, and don’t rely solely on ice baths for recuperation.

Contrast therapy has its advantages, but it is preferable to let your body increase its temperature gradually and naturally rather than using contrast therapy. There is also the possibility of a shock to the body if you move from cold to hot and vice versa in an instant. You want to get back to your core body temperature through active recovery. You are better off drinking a warm beverage after taking ice baths as opposed to trying to quickly get warm with warm water.

As a wonderful supplement to your workout and recovery sessions, ice baths can be enhanced by mixing them with other techniques. In order to speed up the healing process, a mixture of cold baths, massage, as well as other sore muscle therapies is recommended.

When it comes to getting your sore muscles, joints, and system back to their former strength, recovery, health, and treatment are all important considerations.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Cold Water Therapy?

  • Being able to lift one’s spirits when one is in a bad mood

  • Increase your overall energy levels.

  • Improve your sleep quality

  • It is possible to improve the heart muscle.

  • It shortens the recovery period for muscle and joint injuries.

  • It has the potential to lower pain levels in the body.

Have you scheduled your ice bath therapy appointment yet? Take advantage of the benefits of cold treatment today by contacting The Urban Ice Tribe.

Ryan Abbott

Ryan Abbott

Founder of Urban Ice Tribe

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Helping men & women release anxieties & limiting beliefs to experience a life of freedom using powerful breathwork, cold water therapy, movement & sound healing.

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