An icy bath to reset your body

Cryotherapy (or cold therapy), led by extreme athletes, such as the Dutchman Wim Hof (also known as The Iceman), and backed by high performance trainers and specialists in recovery from all over the world, is becoming increasingly popular and has spread in recent years.

The therapy, which has been used traditionally in different cultures, consists in lowering the body temperature until physiological changes occur in the organism. Immersion in cold water activates the body’s natural healing powers that can alleviate the symptoms of main medical ailments and promote a feeling of health and well-being. When it is carried out regularly, cold water baths can even provide long-lasting changes in the immune, lymphatic, circulatory and digestive systems.

Beyond the positive effects that it produces to the blood circulation, among other benefits for the health, cryotherapy decreases inflammation, pain, the speed of nerve conduction; it increases muscle tone and encourages the production of collagen, which is essential for the skin. It also contributes to the elimination of toxins; to an early recovery from muscle injuries (the reason for which is its frequently used in physiotherapy); to relief from muscle contractions; to the reestablishment of the body’s temperature regulation and to an increase in mental tenacity, since it makes you carry out an exercise that forces you to leave your comfort zone. Some studies also have shown that cryotherapy can be used to treat symptoms related to anxiety and depression. This is due to the fact that the cold water activates a large amount of neurotransmitters, such as the endorphins, which affect our moods.

Cryotherapy techniques have become fashionable. In the sports world, increasingly more clubs treat injuries and prepare their players physically using cold therapy. Accordingly, some studies indicate that cryotherapy speeds up the complete recovery of footballers after matches or training sessions.