Benefits of Cryotherapy – 5 Reasons You Need to Stand Butt Naked in the Freezing Cold

My first experience with Cryotherapy was watching Yolanda Foster strip naked and step into step into a big towering cryosauna machine on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Yes, I have watched an episode or two when I’ve had a long day and just want to veg in front of the TV. Don’t judge.  

For those who don’t know, Cryotherapy is the process of using cold temperature for a variety of medical therapies. This could mean anything from sitting inside an ice bath to using ice to treat wounds. There are many benefits of cryotherapy, a medical care method that has been in existence since the 1700s. It has been used in different ways to reduce pain and muscle spasm, slow down the aging of cells, improve recovery and overall health and wellbeing.

For decades, athletes have been using cold therapy for treating injuries and pain. Thanks to recent medical innovations, now athletes can enjoy specialized cryotherapy (inside a chamber using liquid nitrogen) for the entire body, better known as WBC or whole body cryotherapy.          

But it’s not just for athletes. There are many benefits of cryotherapy for a variety of conditions like autoimmune disease and systemic inflammation.

Here’s a summary of the benefits of cryotherapy:

 

• Cryotherapy is known to reduce inflammation

 

We all know that when ice is applied to certain parts of the body, it decreases inflammation. That’s why we run to the refrigerator to get some ice when someone has a bruise. With cryotherapy, you can actually address inflammation in the whole body and heal multiple areas at a time. For instance, if you are injured on your hands, legs and your back, you can support each area in one go with cryotherapy.

This new therapy is also known to stimulate the nerve and decrease fatigue and anxiety.

Medical experts are trying cryotherapy in hospital settings to treat different types of inflammatory problems like rheumatoid arthritis as well as chronic pain. The cold seems to have some kind of long term and short term benefits when it comes to treating chronic pain. It can be used with other therapies to make them more effective and help patients improve their level of tolerance.

Cryotherapy can be a good energy and metabolism booster

The benefits of cryotherapy include energy and metabolism boosting.

After a cryotherapy session many people report that they feel a surge in energy – like you could run a marathon without issue. Three minutes of bitter naked coldness can apparently do wonders for your energy levels and mental alertness.

One of the other benefits of cryotherapy is metabolism support. A good friend of mine, a reputed nutritionist, believes that you can actually burn a significant amount of calories in a 3-minute cryotherapy session. Studies show that certain cold therapy methods, especially if it involves immersing yourself into ice water, can skyrocket your metabolic rate by 300% or more.       

 

• Faster Recovery Speeds

 

Among the many benefits of cryotherapy, this one seems to be most well-supported. The method has been tried and tested on athletes in different sports for several years. Ice is known to promote speedy recovery from injuries and wounds and WBC is a fast way to expose the entire body to the cold. Some studies even claim that WBC can be effective against muscle soreness.

And if that doesn’t convince you, there are many celebrities and athletes including Jessica Alba, Kobe Bryant and basketball teams  like the Dallas Mavericks, who claim that they have benefitted from cryotherapy and its ability to enhance faster recovery from injuries.

For individuals who suffer from chronic pain or fatigue, cryotherapy could offer a much needed respite. The extent of relief may vary from one person to another. While some individuals experience only a few hours of relief, others have reported that they’ve had a few days (sometimes even longer) of freedom. One thing in common among all those who have tried it is they all feel it’s worth a try. They state that the benefits of cryotherapy are definitely worth shivering butt naked in the freezing cold for a few minutes .      

 

• Improves performance levels

 

Thanks to its ability to strengthen muscles and joints, can help athletes recover and start training faster. It naturally gives a competitive advantage so they can reach higher levels of performance. Athletes can start their practice sessions faster and fresh and enriched blood will start to flow back into the body, improving the overall health and fitness.

In the case of cryotherapy, muscles don’t require time to recover, as is the case with the ice bath.

 

• Boosts peace of mind and happiness

 

I think we can agree that the world would be a much better place if people were experiencing more peace and happiness. Bye bye antidepressants. Hello cryotherapy. 🙂

Cryotherapy releases endorphins into the bloodstream; as a result, you feel your energy, mood and happiness soar after a session. Endorphins can work magic in reducing the perception of pain by interacting with pain receptors. When cortisol levels are decreased, you naturally feel happier.

The many benefits of cryotherapy also come with some risk factors

Not surprising, getting into the sub-zero chamber has its share of risks too, though not as much as one would imagine. There are some reports of harm and injury in cases when individuals tried this method by wearing damp or wet clothing and other people who tried it in the absence of a qualified technician.

The WBC process usually happens for a short time and in a well-controlled environment. That means, the amount of risk involved is much lower than in cold-water immersion therapy.

It is obvious that this method is not for pregnant women and people with specific health conditions. It is always better to check with your physician before giving it a try for the first time.

WBC is not recognized by the health councils and is unregulated at the moment. It is also not extensively practiced or researched. Therefore, we may continue to see different opinions from different health experts when it comes to the risks and benefits of cryotherapy.

Final Thoughts

The benefits of cryotherapy are very evident; but it’s not a comprehensive solution for the health for your overall health. It should be viewed as another “tool” – another method of support for your whole body and wellbeing. Regardless, I’m still going to try it simply because of its ability to promote energy and mental clarity.

What about you? Would  you be willing to try a session of cryotherapy?  Or do you think it’s just crazy? Let us know in the comments below!