Cold showers and ice baths, also known as cold-water immersion therapy, soared in popularity last year, and continues to be the health trend to follow.
Cold-water immersion is, quite simply is deliberately exposing ourselves to the cold, whether it is a blast of cold water after a shower, after a sauna or steam session, ice bath after exercise, even walking in the fresh air, and even dunking our face in cold water like Bella Hadid.
It has numerous health benefits, from boosting metabolism, mental health benefits, can close pores and awaken the skin for a glowing complexion, while also aiding the immune system.
Nicole Scherzinger in her ice bath: "3°C 39°F, 6 minute cold plunge. You have to breath through to break through. Let’s get it|"
Wim Hoff’s series Freeze The Fear showed the benefits of cold-water immersion, and since we have seen other celebrities, including Spice Girls Mel C fitness guru Joe Wicks, Madonna, Chris Hemsworth, Kendall Jenner, and presenter Emma Willis also follow suit.
But you don’t have to venture to your local gym, or the extreme cold continents, to practice this, as there are a number of DIY ice baths to shop online.
It’s important to note hot and cold water therapy is not for everyone, and should be taken slowly and steadily, with calm breaths so not to shock the body.
It has been recommended to ease the duration of time in a plunge pool, from one minute, and up to 15 minutes for some experts, but be cautious.
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What is a plunge pool?
A plunge pool, also known as ice plunge pools, ice baths, are shallow tubs filled with ice cold water, or ice, to dip into hydrotherapy practice.
What are the benefits of ice baths and plunge pools?
There are numerous health benefits to cold water therapy, both physically and mentally.
Eva Katrín Sigurðarsóttir, Medical doctor and Certified Wim Hof Method instructor at Hvammsvík, exclusively told us: "Cold water therapy has grown exponentially in popularity over the past few years with a committed, consistent practice including the breathing technique and cold exposure having proven to help you unlock a host of benefits.
"As a result, an increase in energy, improved sleep quality, reduced stress levels, heightened focus and determination, increased willpower and even a stronger immune system have all been scientifically proven as benefits of the Wim Hof Method."
Speaking on Dr. Rangan Chatterjee’s podcast, titled Feel Better, Live More, Dr Susanna Søberg explained the science behind cold therapy.
She said: "You stress your body in a very good way, but then you pause. Your calm is the rest of the day. This modern society we have turned this upside down. We are stressed all day, and do something else that will stress us. It eventually leads to chronic stress.
"Going into the cold is stressful, but it’s useful, because you do it at that time and then cold afterwards.
"The healthy brown fat is quite opposite to our white fat, this special, mystic organ, is the temperature regulator we have in our body, and if we don’t get exposed to different temperatures changing on our skin, then we are not using this organ in our body. We have found out this organ is not only controlling our temperature from the inside, but also our metabolism. If people dont have healthy brown fat, they have obesity, a higher BMI, Type 2 diabetes, so there is a correlation.
"You have cold receptors on the skin, adrenalin kicks in, so this stressor will activate brown fat cells, which will take sugar and fat in as fuel, so you get warmer as you get into the cold."
How long do you need to stay in an ice bath for?
If you are looking to use an ice bath for the first time it is recommended you take it slow and steady. Just one minute can be sufficient to reduce stress, boost your immune system, and wake the body.
However, some more seasoned ice water afficionados may last 10 to 15 minutes in cold water.
Eva advised: "For beginners that want to start out on their own, it is critical to avoid forcing the body to withstand the cold with gradual cold exposure training for example with cold showers being recommended prior. Forcing your body to stay immersed for too long in temperatures between 0-4 degrees can cause the body to go into a state of hypothermia.
"A maximum of two minutes in an ice bath will give you anti-inflammatory effects and increased production of white blood cells (i.e boosts your immune system) that lasts six days."
Do ice baths help with weight loss?
In short, yes.
Cold water therapy produces "healthy" brown fat tissue, which calls on any glucose stored, kicks your adrenalin, and boosts your metabolism.
Hvammsvík expert, Eva, explained: "When the body comes into contact with the extreme cold, it will begin not only the production of brown fat tissue but the transformation of white fat tissue to brown. Packed densely with mitochondria, this brown fat tissue generates a significant amount of energy to heat the body and burns calories 560% faster than white fat tissue. The more brown fat tissue an individual has, the more one’s metabolism will increase, resulting in higher weight loss."
Do ice baths help with anxiety?
Absolutely.
Cold water therapy has numerous mental health benefits, as it not only encourages the brave-hearted to focus on themselves and their breathing, which is paramount when anxiety hits, but also releases "happy hormones" to lift your mood, as Eva explains.
"Anxiety relief from ice water bathing is a significant benefit of the practice.
"When an individual enters into the cold water, the body is shown to release what is commonly known as ‘happy hormones’, including serotonin, endorphins and oxytocin. Within just two minutes of time spent in a cold-water bath, our noradrenaline levels have been proven to increase by 530% along with our dopamine levels by 250%.
"Production and spikes in these wellbeing and happy hormones has a significant effect on reducing anxiety.
"Humans today are so used to comfort, never having to really experience intense spikes of our stress hormone levels, despite this having been proven to have a positive impact on our bodies.
"The act of cold-water bathing acts as a way to consciously initiate the body into a state of short-term stress. Physically, due to the spike in the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, your blood will automatically divert blood to your extremities, your pupils will dilate, heartbeat will speed up, your senses will become heightened and blood pressure will become higher.
"As a mechanism to preserve your core body temperature, protect vital organs and prevent hypothermia, the autonomic nervous system will make your capillaries constrict in reaction to the intense cold."
Polar
Polar has an impressive collection of ice baths, and on sale too, which makes for the perfect place to shop ice baths for all needs, sizes and budgets.
The Polar ice bath tub features an easy flow drainage system, cover, hand pump to inflate, which makes it easy to fill, inflate, and use.
Type of ice bath:Tub
Size: 80cm diameter x 75cm height
Capacity: 270 litre
Polar Recovery Tub, £114.99, Amazon
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Watebomb
Watebomb has created a genius bathtub-come-ice-bath, which is practical for all types of uses, including ice baths, and normal hot water soaks too, for both adult and children.
This design is easy to erect, and features a drain pipe to empty the contents after use.
Type of ice bath: Tub
Material: Net Clamping Cloth material, and PVC with with sponge base
Size: 31 inches diameter and 28 inches in height
Portable Plastic Bathtub, £99.99, Amazon
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Lumi
Lumi is one of the popular retailers for health gadgets and gizmos, from ice baths, to yoga mats and massage guns.
The Lumi Recovery Pod Ice Bath is fully portable, so you can place outside, in your shower, or maybe even your home gym area.
It can hold a whopping 270 litres, and is easy to clean, which is a huge plus.
Material: Insulated TPE internal thermal layer and rip-stop polyester external layer.
Size: 80cm diameter, 75cm height
Type of ice bath: Pod
Capacity: 270 litre
Lumi Recovery Pod Ice Bath, £95 (Was £125) from Lumi Spa
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Amazon
Amazon has a wide selection of ice baths, from YYR, Kelixu to Watebomb, and many more, which are portable, easy to erect, and clean too.
One in particular, which has caught our attention is by KELIXU, which is super affordable, portable, and foldable, but also freestanding, so you can take on the go should you not want to miss a day of ice bathing.
Material: Polyester and PVC
Size: 80cm diameter, 65 cm height
Type of ice bath: Freestanding
KELIXU Portable Bathtub, £56.99, Amazon
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Brassmonkey
Brassmonkey is the go-to brand Joe Wicks relies on, and it is no surprise as there are plenty of ice bath options to shop, with some including a cover against the rain, one for indoor use, external use, and varied sized tubs too.
If you have a spare room in your home, you can house it there, or outdoors, to truly feel the effects of cold immersion therapy as they are build to measure.
It’s well worth the price tag as it has automated ice creation, to save you the hassle of buying ice, or running the tap for hours.
Type of ice bath: Tub
Size: 200cm long, 72 cm high, 76cm wide
Ice bath, from £11,250, Brassmonkey
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