In recent years, cold plunging has gained popularity as a holistic approach to recovery and wellness. Here at CrossFit Flathead, we are two months into providing cold plunging as a recovery modality at our facility. This centuries-old practice involves immersing your body in cold water, typically in the form of ice baths, cold showers, or natural bodies of cold water like lakes or rivers OR the fantastic cold plunge tub that we have. Some love that inital rush of sinking into the cold water, while for others, it's a bit less of a rush and more of a discipline. Admittedly, it's getting more difficult to cold plunge outside as the days themselves get cooler! However, the multitude of benefits that can be reaped from cold plunging are so numerous, I would argue that it's worth the discipline. In this post, we are going to explore the numerous recovery specific benefits of cold plunging.
Enhanced Circulation
Cold plunging stimulates blood flow throughout your body. When you immerse yourself in cold water, your blood vessels constrict, also known as vasodilation, in response to the cold, which redirects blood towards vital organs. When you exit the water, your body experiences a rebound effect with vasodilation, causing your blood vessels to expand. This cyclical process enhances overall circulation and may aid in reducing inflammation.
Reduced Muscle Soreness
Athletes and fitness enthusiasts have turned to cold plunging as a natural remedy for muscle soreness and recovery for years. Cold plunging helps reduce muscle inflammation by flushing out metabolic waste products brought on by exercise such as lactic acid and decreases the production of inflammatory markers. When your muscles are submerged into cold water, the cold causes the tissues to contract. Once out of the cold and back into the warmth, they dilate. This contraction and dilation can help flush away metabolic waste, rejuvenating the muscles with fresh blood and nutrients which can lead to quicker recovery after intense workouts.
Cold plunging can also shift the way in which fluids like blood and lymph flow through your body. Your vessels constrict, like muscle tissue, because of the cold and open back up when your body warms up after the ice bath. This process also helps to flush metabolic waste from your body, while also getting oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. Exposure to cold limits the inflammatory response of the body and reduces the production of metabolites that cause muscle soreness.
Improved Sleep Quality
Engaging in strenuous physical activity, especially high-intensity or long-duration workouts, often leads to microscopic damage in muscle fibers, which is how we acutally grow our muscles when the body repairs this damage. This reparation process within the body happens during our sleep! Sleep is important to our muscular and systemic recovery. If we aren't getting quality or enough sleep, our body can struggle to properly repair and heal itself, in other words, recover.
Many people report improved sleep quality after incorporating cold plunging into their routine. The relaxation response triggered by cold water exposure can promote better sleep patterns, helping you fall asleep faster and enjoy more restful slumber.
Cold plunging is a versatile and accessible practice that offers a wide range of benefits, recovery being one of them. We will continue to explore the may benefits of cold plunging in our blog, so stay tuned!
If you’re considering adding cold plunging to your wellness routine we suggest you start slowly, and always consult with a healthcare professional if you have underlying medical conditions. With consistent practice, you may find that the invigorating chill of cold plunging becomes an essential part of your journey toward overall health and well-being.
