Duration: Spend 1-12 minutes in the ice bath. This brief exposure is sufficient to reduce inflammation and numb pain without risking hypothermia. As a general rule for each degree of temperature you should spend 1 minute in the ice bath e.g if the temperature is set to 3 degrees spend 3 minutes in the ice bath.
The ideal number of weekly ice baths varies depending on your health goals. In general, two or three ice baths that last 10 to 15 minutes is a good weekly number to aim for. Keep in mind that you'll have to build up to 10 to 15 minutes over time.
It is typically recommended to submerge yourself in the water so that your neck and head are above the water level. This helps drop the body temperature drop quicker to the desired temperature so that you can reap the full benefits of the ice bath.
Taking an ice bath lowers your body temperature and triggers more blood flow to your core. After an ice bath, your body temperature rises, and blood flow returns to your tissues. Ice baths may help improve alertness, reduce pain, and decrease inflammation.
Slowly Begin the Warm-up Process: Drying Off and Covering Up
To prevent this, take your time to dry off thoroughly and wear warm, comfortable clothing immediately after the ice bath. Wrapping yourself in a cozy towel or robe and wearing dry socks can help retain body heat and initiate a gentle warming process.
After a cold plunge, dry off and warm up by getting dressed in dry clothes. You can sip a warm beverage and move to a heated area. But don't head straight for a sauna or hot tub, because the extreme heat could cause too much stress on your body.
Wear clothing during your Ice Bath experience: Make sure, again, that you don a pair of shorts and a t-shirt if possible to protect your largest major organ: your skin! Set your clock: Remember- 15 minutes is the maximum amount of recommended time… And if you're a newcomer like myself, I'd start off with 5 minutes.
Generally speaking, most enthusiasts recommend not going below 40°F or around 4°C. With that being said, if you can handle the water being a couple of degrees colder, you are more than welcome to try it.
Start Ice Bathing Slowly
If you're new to ice bathing, it's essential to start slowly and build up your tolerance gradually. You can begin by taking a cold shower for a few minutes and then gradually decrease the temperature until you can comfortably tolerate the cold water. From there, you can progress to ice baths.
Controlled breathing is essential for managing the initial shock and discomfort of an ice bath. Deep, slow breaths can help calm your nervous system and make the experience more manageable. Tips: Deep Breathing: Inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth.
In summary, ice baths offer various benefits to metabolism, sleep and energy levels by improving metabolic function, fostering relaxation, and increasing resilience. To ensure optimal benefits, it is prudent to wait at least 2 hours before showering or taking a warm bath after an ice bath.
The morning hours can be an excellent time to dive into a cold plunge routine. With the body just awakening from sleep, the shock of cold water triggers the sympathetic nervous system, giving you an instant energy boost and heightened alertness.
'The secret to acclimatising to cold water is just to swim in it, often – at least once a week, and preferably two or three, gradually extending the time that you stay in the water,' says Dr Heather Massey a swimmer and a researcher at the Extreme Environments Laboratory at the University of Portsmouth.
His ice bath routine involves filling up a bathtub with cold water and adding a few bags of ice to bring the temperature down to around 50°F (10°C). Rogan then submerges himself in the ice bath for 10-20 minutes. Joe also uses his cold plunge pro by Sun Home at his home for daily ice baths.
Find the Ideal Temperature for Your Ice Bath
The important part is that you plunge at a temperature that is “uncomfortable”. It can be best to ease into your practice to allow your body to get used to lower temperatures and to build up your tolerance slowly over time.
Start with a short dip of 30 seconds to 1 minute. This will allow your body to adjust to the cold temperature. Gradually increase your time in the cold plunge by 30 seconds to 1 minute each time you use it. This will help your body adapt to the cold temperature.
Submerging as much of your body as possible will give you maximum benefit from your ice bath. But if you're looking for local relief (specific to certain parts of your body), you can still get some benefit from exposing just those body parts to the cold. Partial-body ice baths could be: Hands and arms.
Taking a cold plunge in an Ice Barrel can activate the brown adipose and muscles in your body. Once activated, irisin and FGF will be released (irisin and FGF are cold-induced endocrine activators of brown fat function in humans). These two hormones burn up the white fat tissues resulting in weight loss.
Essentially, when you expose yourself to colder temperatures, your body will naturally constrict your blood vessels in order to keep your internal organs warm. This is why you may find your fingers and toes get numb after longer cold plunges.
Dry off with a towel and dress in warm layers (like our poncho). Have a warm drink (such as coffee, soup or tea) or eat something. Foods that are rich in healthy fats, protein and iron (such as eggs) can help you warm up.
Be aware of the signals your body is sending you. If you're feeling lightheaded or dizzy, experiencing intense shivering or feeling any pain, you should get out of the cold water. These are not normal responses to cold water therapy. Pay attention to how you feel during and after your ice bath.