Whole body cryotherapy, aka cold therapy, has become increasingly popular among professional athletes, celebrities, fitness enthusiasts, chronic pain sufferers and even the everyday person – but why? According to a 2016 industry survey with over 300 respondents, cryotherapy goers have reported that a 3-minute chill session in the Impact cryosauna provides them the following benefits:
Pain Management
Have you ever put an ice pack on a sprained ankle to reduce swelling and ease the pain? Although not scientifically proven, conceptually, cryotherapy helps achieve similar results – but instead of focusing on a single area, it’s a whole body experience.
Podcaster and bio-hacking enthusiast, Joe Rogan, has been utilizing cryotherapy for years to help alleviate aches and pains.
Workout Recovery
If you’re an athlete, you’re most likely familiar with ice baths. The goal of an ice bath is to use cold temperatures to reduce inflammation and speed-up the muscle recovery process. Cryotherapy, is essentially an ice bath on steroids, however, it takes half the time – and there’s no cold water immersion involved.
Many professional sports teams and collegiate athletic programs have implemented cryotherapy in their training rooms as an ice bath alternative.
Mental Well-being
A 2008 clinical trial found that taking a cold shower 2-3x a week can help relieve symptoms of depressions. Exposing the body to cold temperatures is said to help the release of endorphins, the “happiness” hormones. Like cold showers, cryotherapy surrounds the body in extremely low temperatures thus providing many of the same benefits as a cold shower.
Weight Management
Many scientists believe that exposure to cold temperatures can help produce brown fat – the type of fat that utilizes more calories to keep the body warm and burn extra body fat. Although there is no direct correlation between weight loss and cryotherapy, many cryotherapy users have found that doing cryotherapy on a regular basis has helped them achieve their weight loss goals.
Whole Body Wellness
Specific benefits aside, whole body cryotherapy is an excellent complement to anyone’s wellness routine. Whether you’re trying to get in shape, look younger, or simply feel better, cryotherapy can help you achieve your wellness goals.