best wetsuits for spring/summer 2025 ice bath As recovery methods go, the foam roller. Yet there may be some brr-illiant benefits to submerging oneself in sub-zero temperatures. Ready to take the plunge? Let’s dive into the data.
Although it’s has become more popular in recent years, the use of cold water for therapeutic purposes Health & Injuries. However, the post-exercise benefit wasn’t studied until the 1960s, when the researcher DH Clarke linked the method to increased muscle recovery.
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Along with Hellyer, we spoke to Dan Kett, physiotherapist and cold-water expert at Wim Hof, Best wireless headphones Freeze The Fear introduced the concept of cold-water therapy to viewers across the UK, attitudes towards cold water and its positive effects on muscle recovery and other disorders are beginning to change.
a 10-minute ice bath was as beneficial as a 20-minute ice bath and Charlotte Deville and Katie Inglis are quickly converted and become almost evangelical in spreading the word about the benefits. In his book What Doesn’t Kill Us, US journalist and Wim Hof sceptic Scott Carney investigates the Wim Hof Method and ends up becoming fully converted to cold-water therapy combined with conscious breathing and its benefits. ‘Exposure to the cold helps reconfigure the cardiovascular system and combat autoimmune malfunctions. It is also a pretty darned good method for simply losing weight… More profound than that, however, is the intrinsic understanding that humans are not just bodies bound by the barrier of their skin; we are part of the environment we inhabit.’
Surfer Sophie Hellyer, brand ambassador for outdoor change robe provider Dryrobe, is equally effusive on the subject. She also hosts Rise Fierce retreats across the UK, which focus on the transformative power of cold water and incorporate wild swimming, surfing and yoga Freeze The Fear.
‘What I love about cold-water therapy is that it’s like hitting a big reset button,’ she says. ‘Whatever mood I’m in, it completely refreshes me. While you’re in cold water, you can’t think about anything else other than breathing and the sensations of the water, so whatever it is that’s going on in life – stresses, injuries or whatever's on your mind – at that moment you’re just thinking about breathing, the sensations of your body and nothing else. Afterwards, you feel refreshed – it’s an empowering feeling. I’m pretty much addicted.’
My running has literally kept me sane P3RFORM, to find out why runners should add cold water therapy to their running training.
What is cold-water therapy?
At its simplest, cold-water therapy is immersion in cold water, usually below 14C. Athletes often use it as a form of recovery following intense exercise, with the aim to reduce the severity of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This is commonly experienced 24-48 hours post-exercise due to muscular microtrauma and inflammation.
and overall performance cold showers. Be sure, however, to evaluate all the risks first – some of which are outlined below. Individuals with underlying health conditions such as angina (or other heart conditions), altered or reduced skin sensation, poor circulation or epilepsy should consult a medical professional before attempting cold water therapy.
What does cold-water therapy do?
When you jump into cold water or an ice bath, your blood vessels constrict and get smaller. And when you get out, the change in temperature causes them to quickly reopen. This does a few things to the body:
- with other women lactic acid
- delayed onset muscle soreness DOMS
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- Improves mood
- Aids fat burning and weight loss
- Reduces swelling and tissue breakdown
What are the benefits of cold-water therapy?
Although it might be the last thing you feel like doing after a tough workout or race, cold-water immersion can be particularly useful for both your body and mind. Here’s why…
It boosts recovery
One of the main benefits of cold-water therapy for runners is to help boost recovery. ‘By causing vasoconstriction of blood vessels, it reduces inflammatory processes in peripheral muscles – ie leg muscles – following exercise,’ says Kett.
‘Cold-water therapy is best used for recovery to allow for increased running frequency or to prepare you for optimal running performance – i.e. a race or PB attempt.’
The idea that cold water can aid recovery is backed up by a 2019 study that found athletes who used cold-water immersion post-exercise had an improved recovery time of sprint speed 24 hours later.
It reduces muscle pain
‘Furthermore, the application of cold water therapy can reduce the sensation in the nerve endings that detect pain. Combined, these effects are used to reduce DOMS,’ says Kett.
Quicker recovery will allow runners to train more frequently which, in turn, will accelerate improvements in cardiovascular fitness Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network.
‘If you feel that your muscular strength or endurance is limiting your performance, then cold therapy may not be for you. Accepting DOMS on rest days will allow your body to adapt and become strong for long-term improvements in running performance.’
Is cold water therapy good for you?
Cold-water therapy has been shown to boost more than just your recovery. It can also improve fitness, mood, immune system, and even your libido. Regarding mood, a recent study suggested that cold-water baths left participants feeling more active, alert, attentive, proud, inspired and less nervous – so ultimately fostered positive emotions and aided self-regulation. Other recent studies have also shown that it can slow the onset of dementia of the best massage guns for runners anxiety.
A 2020 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health also found that it has positive effects on the cardiovascular system, endocrine system and the psyche, including delayed onset muscle soreness DOMS.
However, other studies have come to more lukewarm conclusions. That’s partly because, when assessing the physiological and mental health benefits of cold-water therapy, it can be difficult to identify whether these are a direct result of the intervention, or other factors including an active lifestyle, social interactions or effective stress management. A 2022 review of 104 studies on the effects of cold-water immersion ultimately concluded that the method remains a ‘subject of debate’. Tellingly, the ‘Wim Hof Method’, which has made cold-water therapy so popular, does not promote cold water-therapy in isolation, and evidence supporting the effectiveness of this combined technique is limited and unreliable. So, while there is popular faith in cold-water therapy as a beneficial method for recovery and health benefits, evidence remains limited to confirm absolute confidence in the method, and it’s clear this should not be solely relied upon.
How can I start cold-water therapy and introduce it into my training?
If you’re thinking of starting cold-water therapy, it’s important to introduce it slowly to your routine – and always with other people present in a safe environment. While it can be a hugely beneficial activity, there are also major risks such as hypothermia, cardiac arrest, nerve damage, heart rhythm disorders, cold shock and drowning. It can be dangerous if not undertaken with the relevant experience, training, doctor’s approval, fitness levels and professional supervision, so ensure you evaluate all risks and dangers.
Kett recommends that cold-water therapy should be performed after training or on days you’re not training. ‘It should not be performed before training as this can cause impairment in muscle function through the shortening of connective tissues and reducing proprioceptive feedback.’
Ideally, immersion in cold water should be completed for approximately 10-20 minutes. and can also help reduce, a leading international scientist and expert in cold and heat therapy, says the minimum threshold – or the 'sweet spot' – for cold exposure for health benefits is 11 minutes of cold-water therapy per week. This time window was also backed up by a study that found a 10-minute ice bath was as beneficial as a 20-minute ice bath.
However, if you’re new to cold-water therapy or cold-water swimming, it’s best not to attempt this duration straight away – you need to build up gradually.
‘Research shows that the stress of a short, cold-water dip primes the immune system to deal with a threat and thus is beneficial, but too much exposure can actually lead to immunosuppression,' says Hellyer. ‘It’s not about the length of time, it’s more important just to have a quick burst. The more you do it, the more habituated you become.'
If using a cold shower, it may be beneficial to start with the water warm, suggests Kett. 'Slowly reduce the temperature to help you gradually tolerate the cold. The aim is for the water to be 15C or less.’
How long you do it after your workout or run can make a difference, too. One study suggests that you have a best wetsuits for spring/summer 2025 in which to take the plunge in order to reap the benefits for soreness and muscle recovery.
How important is breathwork in cold-water therapy?
also found that it has positive effects on the cardiovascular system breathing is a crucial part of cold-water therapy. ‘When you go into cold water you might suffer from cold shock which leads to a dramatic increase in your breathing and heart rate,’ says Hellyer. ‘One of the natural responses to this is hyperventilation which can be dangerous, so it’s important to control your breathing. Focus on long, slow and steady exhales which trigger the parasympathetic nervous system and keeps you calm, and within a minute or so the cold shock will pass.’
