Embracing the Chill: The Power of the Cold

Embracing the Chill: The Power of the Cold

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor.

How do you wake up each morning? Is it through the persistent ringing of 10 alarms, the quick jitters from a shot of espresso, or perhaps the all-too-common wish for just a few more minutes of sleep? People's morning routines vary widely, but have you ever contemplated starting your day with an ice bath? The ice bath, the latest culture craze, serves not only as a unique method to awaken your senses but also to enhance your body. 

The enhancements in ice bath technology and their research have made the equipment more accessible and affordable. This has helped allow people all over the world, interested in such a practice, to easily incorporate it into their daily routine. This decrease in cost also means that the ice bath is no longer exclusive to elite athletes and the economically advantaged but can be enjoyed by a much broader audience. With the convenience of new at-home setups, what was once an exclusive amenity found only in select gyms and spas is now becoming a common feature in households everywhere. For example, The Pod Company sells a $130 single-person insulated ice bath pod that can be set up and used anywhere. At this reasonable price, it can be understood why so many people have begun their own ice bath routines. 

My Personal Encounters with the Ice Bath

Within the past year, I was exposed to my first ice bath. I’ve never been a fan of cold water, and growing up in Southern California, I never really had to experience it. During the summer, the ocean is the perfect temperature, and in the winter, I use a wetsuit if I’m going to swim or surf. With that, I dreaded the idea of hopping into an ice bath. Recently, I turned a meat freezer into a self-freezing ice bath, by jimmy-rigging the interior with some caulking. Some of my friends went a step further and added a thermometer that floats on top. I think this was a bad idea, I like to think of the temperature as out of mind, out of sight. But what can you do? 

This being said the first plunge I took was nothing short of a nightmare. I remember reading 35 degrees and thinking, “Oh sh*t”. After a little debate, I went for it. My approach was swift: legs first, followed by a full-body submersion, culminating in a momentary halt of breathing and a surge of panic. I had no words, just a loss of mental function as my brain tried to understand what to do next. In the end, I stayed for approximately 5 minutes, playing 2 songs on my phone as the torture continued. When the alarm finally rang, I hopped out faster than I had ever moved. 

At this point, my body was completely numb. I couldn’t feel a thing. But in a way, the feeling was sensational. It felt like I couldn’t feel pain, it was weirdly satisfying. I felt happier than I had all day, and although I warmed up after about 10 minutes, for the rest of the day my body felt much better than it had ever before. My muscles felt fresh, my legs felt energized, and that’s when it hit me. The ice bath was going to be my new thing.

Deciphering the Dip

To better understand the benefits of an ice bath, it must first be understood what exactly ice baths are. Ice baths, as the name suggests, combine ice and water to create an extremely cold environment for your body to be submerged within. There is no perfect temperature for an ice bath, but the colder the better. As some would say, the temperature should almost scare you (Seager). Once the desired temperature is obtained within the tub, I would then recommend you submerge into the water for 5-10 minutes. This time frame is based on my personal uses with my ice tub. I usually try to aim for around 5 minutes, but if you like the cold, you can also attempt to go longer. Just try not to exceed 10 minutes, I’d like to think anything after that might actually be a form of self-torture.

The Physiology of the Frigid

The hardest part of the ice bath starts before you even get in. Mentally, your body tries to raise every red flag it can to keep you out of the water. My brain still does this, and I’ve been an ice bath connoisseur for quite some time now. However, this first mental block is normal, and it’s another reason I think it makes the time in the cold that much better. It helps show you that mentally you are stronger than your subconscious thinks you are. 

Now onto the next step. As your body hits the bone-chilling water; you will experience the second mental barrier. You will feel an instant rush of adrenaline and endorphins, literally shocking your system into a state of hormonal euphoria. This natural high is not only beneficial for mood elevation but also plays a role in soothing anxiety (Espeland, Weerd, and Mercer). The instinct to hop out will be strong, but that’s completely normal. Yet, the trick I found to giving yourself the full rewards of the ice bath is in the surrender of your body. Keep your movements minimal, and your breathing controlled, and allow yourself to adjust to the sensation. It’ll be tough at first, your lungs will gasp for air, but after around 30 seconds, your body will begin to adapt to the distress. And once you can beat that first minute, you’ll feel time begin to move again. 

As you begin to process these next couple of long minutes, your mind goes free. No longer do you feel the stress and anxiousness of life you might have been thinking about when you hopped in? In fact, this is the favorite part of my day, and the most beneficial. I lose care for anything but what is happening directly in front of my body. My mind, usually awhirl with my daily anxieties, finds comfort in the singular focus of the brief moment. It is within this time that you really begin to see the reality of the serenity of the ice bath. 

The Truth Behind the Benefits 

Beyond the immediate shock that greets you as you enter the ice bath, your body begins on a greater transformative journey as your internal temperature drops. As you settle into the cold, your body starts to tap into a series of responses:

• Decrease swelling and inflammation: As your body's internal temperature begins to drop, your blood vessels will begin to constrict. As this happens, your heart will naturally begin to decrease in rhythm, reducing blood flow to muscles, which can be great for minor strains and overall muscle soreness, which I feel everyone can benefit from. I personally like to use the mornings after a workout, when your body is sore and achy, to ice bath as a way of recovery. When you eventually get out of the ice bath, you’ll literally feel your body begin the process of rewarming itself as blood begins to recirculate in the area it was constricted. 

• Boosted Immune System: You know the saying you can fight fire with fire, the same can be said about the ice bath. The temperature of an ice bath can be very beneficial to the body for how our immune system reacts. As the body begins to attempt to warm itself against the frigid exterior temperature, the immune system is activated as it begins to create an increase of white blood cells (Jansky). White blood cells, aka “Natural Killer cells” are what help us fight infections and sicknesses.

• Boost Metabolism and Weight Loss: A rather unique response to the cold temperatures of an ice bath is how the body uses the cold to stimulate a metabolic response. Although it might seem like the cold would have the opposite effect on the body, as your body cools, it helps activate brown “fat” tissue within the body (Stone). This tissue is what is directly responsible for helping maintain internal temperature, which is a process that helps burn calories as well. That is why the more regularly you ice bath, the more brown fat you will develop, only increasing the number of calories burned while in and out of the ice bath. 

 The Chilly Takeaway

As I reflect on the journey that the ice bath has taken me on, I realize it's not about the high or even the health benefits, it's about the mindset. It's a daily reminder that I am capable of enduring pain and finding peace in the hardest of places. By facing the cold head-on, I feel you can emerge stronger and more resilient. 

So to those curious souls searching for a spark to ignite their mornings or life in general, I offer this advice: give the ice bath a try. Start small, embrace the shivers, and who knows? You might just find some tranquility in the chill.

WORKS CITED

“9 Incredible Benefits of Cold Exposure Therapy.” Plunge, plunge.com/blogs/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-cold-therapy. Accessed 8 Feb. 2024.

Esperland, Didrik, et al. “Health Effects of Voluntary Exposure to Cold Water - a Continuing Subject of Debate.” International Journal of Circumpolar Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9518606/.

Janský, L. “Immune System of Cold-Exposed and Cold-Adapted Humans.” European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8925815/. Accessed 8 Feb. 2024.

Seager, Thomas. “How Cold Should Your Ice Bath Be?: Morozko Science.” Morozko Forge, Morozko Forge, 23 Jan. 2024, www.morozkoforge.com/post/ice-bath-temperature.

Stone, Will. “Ready to Cold Plunge? We Dive into the Science to See If It’s Worth It.” NPR, NPR, 20 Nov. 2023, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/10/08/1204411415/cold-plunge-health-benefits-how-to.