Bracing The Cold
Having always been interested in trying cryotherapy, one of the first articles I had planned on writing for Welluvia was this one. I started to test ice baths and cold showers at home and see what differences I noticed. I planned on also doing a few cryotherapy sessions and writing about what I found, however having left the topic a bit too late into 2020, I can no longer try the cryotherapy sessions themselves (or for the foreseeable future). Today we’re going to look at all sorts of ‘cold therapy’ techniques - namely ice baths, cold showers, cryotherapy chambers and the Wim Hof Method. When I try cryotherapy in the future I’ll update this article with my findings underneath its section.
What is cold exposure?
Cold exposure is classified as exposing your body to a cold environment for a controlled period of time. Some research has shown that cold therapy can potentially contribute to increased longevity.
Ice Baths:
Ice baths are probably one of the most common forms of cold therapy that most people have either tried or seen in popular media. They are commonly used by fitness enthusiasts and athletes after training or physical activity and there’s a good reason why.
Ice baths, also called cold-water immersion, is the practice of taking a bath in very cold water (around 10 degrees Celsius) for a limited amount of time in an effort to reduce muscle pain and soreness. It is believed to speed up bodily recovery in athletes. Other benefits include -
Eases sore and aching muscles
As everyone knows that an ice-pack can soothe a muscle cramp or ache, ice baths also relieve sore and burning muscles on a large scale.
Assists the nervous system
Ice baths can help with sleep, thus assisting our nervous systems and giving us less fatigue. It also bolsters our nervous system which can in turn improve reaction time and stamina in future physical activity.
Limits inflammatory response
Decreasing the local temperature of the body after exercise helps limit inflammatory response, decreasing the amount of inflammation and helping to recover sooner.
Decreases effects of heat and humidity
Using an ice bath prior to physical activity can lower the core body temperature which can lead to improved performance once the body participates in an activity where the body temperature usually rises.
Trains the vagus nerve
The vagus nerve is linked to the parasympathetic nervous system, and training the nerve via ice-cold bath immersion can help the body endure stressful situations more adequately and efficiently.
Cold Showers
Cold showers are an easy-to-do-yourself form of cold therapy which as you would imagine, centres around taking a cold shower (under 20 degrees celsius) to over time build up our body’s resilience to stress. Benefits include -
Increasing Endorphins
Hydrotherapy has been adapted as a holistic method to treat symptoms of depression. A study showed that taking a cold shower for up to five minutes, two to three times a week helped relieve symptoms of depression. Cold showers can also work as a sort of gentle electroshock therapy, as the cold water sends many electrical impulses to your brain, jolting the body into increase alertness, clarity and energy levels. Endorphins, a type of happiness hormone, are also released in this process which can result in an overall sense of wellbeing and optimism.
Improve Metabolism
Brown fat is a kind of fat that everyone is born with, and also plays an important role in adult health. Healthy levels of brown fat are a signal that indicates that white fat levels are at a healthy level as well. Brown fat is activated from white fat when exposed to cold temperatures. Research has shown that taking a cold shower a few times a week can contribute to increased metabolism, balanced hormone levels and healing of the gastrointestinal system.
Improving Circulation
When the body is exposed to colder temperatures than its natural state, the body works slightly harder to maintain its core temperature. When cold showers are taken often it can help the circulation system become more efficient, whilst also boosting the natural appearance of the skin.
Assists with common illnesses
The body is designed to fight off and become resistant to the elements around us that we are exposed to. Leukocytes are the body’s natural way of fighting off infection in the body, and the shock of cold water in the bloodstream stimulates leukocytes. A study showed that cold showers were potentially able to make the body more resistant to certain types of cancer.
Cryotherapy
Coming from the greek work ‘Cryo’ meaning cold, cryotherapy refers to any form of treatment that utilises cold exposure, however, today we will focus on WBC (whole body cryotherapy). Whole Body Cryotherapy involves immersing the body into a chamber which emits vapours at cold temperatures ranging from -110 degrees celsius to -160 degrees celsius over approximately 2-4 minutes. When inside the chamber the client is undressed except for underwear, socks and gloves to protect the extremities. WBC has an array of benefits which include -
Reducing oxidative stress
A study showed that cryo chamber treatments decreased markers indicating oxidative stress and increased the presence of antioxidants in the blood. Another study found that antioxidant activity in the blood was higher when cryogenic treatments were practised after physical activity.
Reduction of migraine symptoms
A study found that cryotherapy treatments can also help treat migraine and migraine symptoms by cooling and numbing the nerves in the neck area. This is thought to be attributed to the cooling of the blood passing through carotid arteries called intracranial vessels, which are accessible due to being close to the skin’s surface.
Numbing nerve irritation
Cryotherapy has been used for years by athletes to treat injuries due to its ability to numb pain. The cold can numb an irritated nerve and help treat pinched nerves, chronic pain and even acute injuries.
Assistance with mood disorders
Due to the extremely cold temperature in the cryotherapy chambers, the cold can actually create physiological hormone responses. This response includes the release of adrenaline, noradrenaline and endorphins, which can have a positive effect on those suffering from mood disturbances such as anxiety and depression. A study found that cryotherapy was effective in short-term treatment for both of these conditions. Another study found that cryotherapy reduced all symptoms of depression, except for day and night fluctuations.
Reduction in arthritic pain
A study showed that cryotherapy chambers significantly reduced pain in people with arthritis, and was well-tolerated by participants. This allowed for more aggressive physiotherapy treatments and generally making rehabilitation programs more effective.
Treating low-risk rumours
Targeted and localised cryotherapy sessions called cryosurgery can be used as a cancer treatment. It works by freezing cancer cells and surrounding them with ice crystals.
Assistance with skin conditions
Atopic dermatitis can be treated with cryotherapy due to the cold improving antioxidant levels in the blood and simultaneously reducing inflammation.
The Wim Hof Method
Born in 1959, this Dutch athlete set the Guinness world record for swimming under ice and prolonged full-body contact with ice. Also known as the Iceman, Wim Hof has done some pretty remarkable things. He can hold himself under ice water for nearly two hours with an elevated body temperature and has climbed Mount Everest in shorts and no shirt. He was shot full of endotoxins by scientists and didn’t have an immune response - which is because of his belief that using his technique - The Wim Hof Method - can make the body more resilient when faced with physical and psychological stress.
What is the Wim Hof Method?
Wim Hof markets a regimen, the Wim Hof Method (WHM), created alongside his brother Marcel Hof that combines three pillars - cold therapy, breathing and meditation.
The Wim Hof Method is broken up into smaller parts each with their own benefit.
Third eye mediation, an unguided visualisation exercise aimed at total relaxation.
Cold exposure by a variety of techniques
Specialised breathing techniques, outlined below
Developing the breath
Our breathing rate and pattern is an autonomous process within the nervous system that with practice can be controlled to achieve different benefits. Through the practice, you are able to gain a greater awareness of your breath and learn how to control and manipulate it to your advantage. The method hosts similarities to other breathing techniques such as Tibetan Tummo meditation and pranayama. The basic version of the method consists of the three following -
Controlled Hyperventilation - this phase involves 30 cycles of breathing. Each cycle follows this structure: Take a deep breath in, fully occupying the lungs. Breath out by passively releasing the breath, but not forcefully. Repeat this cycle at a balanced pace thirty times. Wim Hof says that this form of hyperventilation can lead to light-headedness or tingling sensations in the body.
Exhalation - after the 30 cycles of controlled hyperventilation, take another deep breath in, and then let it out completely. Hold the breath with lungs empty for as long as possible.
Breath Retention - when the urge to breathe again occurs, take a full deep breath in. Hold the breath for around 20 seconds and then let it go again. It is common for the body to experience head-rush sensations in this stage.
This three stages can then be repeated for three consecutive rounds.
The benefits of the Wim Hof Method, and the research behind it
Wim Hof believes that people can accomplish incredible things by developing command over the body through the use of his method. According to the Wim Hof Method website, consistent practise of this technique offers many potential benefits, including:
Improving concentration
Boosting the immune system
Improving your mental well-being
Increasing willpower
Increasing your energy
Managing some fibromyalgia symptoms
Relieving some symptoms of depression
Relieving stress
Improving sleep
In 2014 study participants performed methods in the Wim Hof Method and the results showed that the sympathetic nervous system and the immune system were voluntarily influenced. This led scientists to believe that this method could be useful in treating inflammatory conditions such as autoimmune disorders. Others who learnt the Wim Hof Method also had fewer flu-like symptoms and increased plasma epinephrine levels. In a 2017 case study of Wim Hof, the findings showed that he was able to tolerate extreme cold by creating an artificial stress response in his body, which led researchers to believe that he used his brain rather than body to assist in response to the cold exposure. From this study, it was shown that people can learn to control their autonomic nervous system to bring about similar changes.
When I had originally planned on writing about cold exposure and therapy I had tested a few techniques at home. On the first night, I filled up a bath with cold water and put numerous ice packs and 3 buckets of ice into the bath. I practised some heavy breathing (similar practices within the Wim Hof Method) and (very) slowly immersed myself in the water. I was freezing and found myself shivering a lot but after a few minutes was able to sit in the bath for around 10 minutes. Once I got out I felt a strange sense of wellbeing (potentially from removing myself from the freezing temperature). The next few days and in the past week I’ve been experimenting with cold showers, a little colder each time. I found the cold showers a lot harder to do than the ice bath, but after each one, I find my body is ready for the day and my mind is no longer cluttered in thought. In the evenings I’ll alternate with a warm or hot shower which helps me relax and get ready for bed. Although we can’t try cryotherapy chambers at the current point in time, I hope something from today’s article sparked an interest for further research and discussion. It’s as easy as turning the shower tap over to the colder side.
With wellness,
Aleksandar
Photography by Aleksandar Zarić for Welluvia
Photo of Wim Hof available at www.wimhofmethod.com
