Cold Water Therapy
Heal yourself naturally with hydrotherapy.
You’ve probably heard people talking about the power of cold plunging and wondering if this latest health trend is actually worth all the hype. The truth is cold water therapy is nothing new, it’s been around for about as long as human culture. It just happens to be going through a 21st century renaissance.
Getting into cold water is a primal and instinctual way to heal the body, similar to fasting.
It’s cheap, it’s totally natural, and it can positively impact almost every facet of your health and wellbeing. The big question is do you dare to go there, and if so what’s the best way to get started?
How I got started.
I was first introduced to this lifestyle through my work in the spa industry, where I learned that hydrotherapy or water therapy, was considered the original heart and soul of the spa experience.
I was also intrigued by the Nordic tradition of sweating in the sauna and then dipping into a cold lake afterwards. In massage therapy school, I learned about Contrast Hydrotherapy, a combination of hot and cold water immersion for treating a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions.
So it was from these different sources of inspiration that my morning shower ritual was born.
I now have a long standing tradition of beginning my day with a hot shower, followed by an icy cold one. I might even repeat this cycle a second time when I want to flush my system or relieve pain.
It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the gratifying cold rush, after relaxing in the heat. It makes me feel fully alive and ready for the day.
Over the last year, I began incorporating twice monthly sauna and ice bath plunging at my local Othership spa. For me, the true secret to health is in the contrast. I find the combined power of hot and cold is like balancing the yin and yang forces of the body.
I want to unpack both the history and benefits of cold water therapy, within the broader context of contrast hydrotherapy.
The origins.
Contrast hydrotherapy, or alternating hot and cold water immersion, is part of a family of spa therapies that were popularized in the 1800s, but had its origins in the ancient medical practices of Egypt, Greece and Rome.
The spa concept is actually founded upon the the therapeutic use of baths, fountains, and natural springs. The quintessential European spa is an oasis in a natural setting where people could restore their health through water therapy and bathing.
Sport’s medicine.
In ancient Greek and Roman society, water therapy was an integral part of gymnasium sports and military training because it was such effective way to recover from the physical demands of their work.
Similarly, in contemporary sports medicine, contrast hydrotherapy has shown to improve recovery following high intensity exercise, reduce muscle fatigue and muscle soreness, and benefit overall performance levels. The therapeutic effects are due to enhanced blood clearance of metabolic waste after exercise, when compared to passive recovery in clinical studies.
Classical water therapy.
Classical water therapy involves three basic types of water immersion:
Cold fresh water
Sea water (thalassotherapy)
Thermal water (balneotherapy)
Contrast hydrotherapy is a simple but very effective method that capitalizes on the combined health benefits of heat and cold. The overall effect of the contrast is improved circulation and lymphatic drainage.
The alternation between vasodilation (blood vessels widening), and vasoconstriction (blood vessel narrowing), creates a pumping effect that flushes out the vascular and lymphatic systems.
Hot cold therapeutics.
Therapeutic heat stimulates blood flow and reduces muscle tension, which in turn oxygenates and enriches the exposed tissue resulting in faster tissue healing and recovery.
Therapeutic cold, on the other hand, has a more tonic effect on the circulatory system. Tightening blood vessels which in turn reduces swelling, edema, and inflammation.
The combined effect is immediate pain relief, faster recovery time from sports or injury, and enhanced detoxification and circulation.
The benefits of cold stress.
An interesting fact about short-term cold exposure is that it excites the sympathetic nervous system and acts like a positive stressor on the body. Cold stress activates circulating immune cells, stimulates thermogenesis and brown fat activity, and increases brain and blood levels of endorphins and noradrenaline.
These biochemical changes result in an immediate boost in mood, alertness, and energy. Providing the effects of a strong cup coffee but without the side effects or chemical dependency.
Putting it into practice.
Cold plunging and ice baths were popularized in recent years through the Wim Hof Method, which has brought awareness back to this transformative, ancient health practice. When you compare cold showers to full body immersion in cold water, immersion comes out as the winner in terms of health benefits.
But the upside of daily cold showers is that they’re more accessible and have cumulative, long-term health benefits. I believe that cold showers are the best way to prepare mentally and physically for the full ice bath experience.
Ice bath skills.
Getting into an ice bath takes skills.
It’s like asking your body and mind to do something it just doesn’t want to do. But if you can find a way to get past the resistance, you will reap a huge reward. The key is having tools to help you adapt to the shock, and the natural desire to get out.
Breathwork is the most effective tool for cultivating inner calm and bringing your nervous system into a grounded and regulated state. It gets easier with practice, and you will develop a cold tolerance after a few plunges.
Once you face your fear you will be amazed at how powerful and how electrifying it is.
The skills you build to help you get in, and stay in the cold water, will cultivate mental resilience and allow you to powerfully harness the mind-body connection. At community events put on by Toronto’s Unbounded, I have met a number of people who have used cold plunging to heal their anxiety.
For me this is a lifetime practice with undeniable benefits on every level.
It’s so much more than a passing health trend. It’s an essential tool in the repertoire for healing yourself naturally.
