Table of Contents
Even if you haven’t tried an ice bath or cold shower yourself, you’ve probably heard more than a bit of talk around these practices. From athletes to influencers, people everywhere are taking advantage of cold water therapy—a regimen that can support the body and ease the mind.
But it’s more than a current social media trend. In fact, the practice of cold water exposure dates back to Ancient Greece where physicians believed it could cure sickness and promote relaxation.1
Curious about cold water therapy and which method is right for you? In this guide, we dive deep into the differences between an ice bath vs cold shower, their benefits, and how to incorporate both into your routine to optimize your recovery process.
Benefits of Cold Water Therapy
Cold water therapy boasts a number of benefits for the body and mind. Just a few minutes of cold water immersion can1:
- Quicken recovery after exercise
- Reduce swelling and inflammation
- Boost your mood
- Replenish energy levels
Let’s break down exactly how cold water therapy works to promote these benefits.
Reducing Muscle Soreness
Muscle soreness is a common response to most exercise routines. Fortunately, it’s a good indication that you're building muscle strength. However, treating soreness is essential to maintaining that strength and helping your muscles heal.
Enter cold water therapy.
Cold water therapy reduces blood flow to exposed areas which causes blood vessels to narrow and shrink, a response known as vasoconstriction.1 Blood and nutrients are redirected to vital organs such as the heart, brain, and lungs, which helps reduce swelling and ease pain in other areas of the body.1
Think about applying ice to a sprained wrist or twisted ankle and the ease you feel afterward—cold water therapy has the same effect.
Decreasing Inflammation
Conversely, when you emerge from cold water, those same blood vessels expand again, increasing blood circulation, in a process known as vasodilation.1 Oxygen and nutrient-dense blood then redirects back to your muscles, which helps remove waste products like lactic acid. This, in turn, can decrease inflammation.1
Because cold water therapy is so effective at treating inflammation, it can be especially beneficial for those who experience increased inflammation due to chronic conditions like arthritis.
But cold water therapy isn’t just beneficial for the body—it can support your mood and energy levels, too.
Boosting Mood and Energy Levels
Studies show that regular cold water exposure can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, resulting in improved mood overall.4
And that shock you feel when you jump into a cold lake or dive into the ocean on a hot summer day? It doesn’t just result in a gasp—exposure to cold water actually increases oxygen intake and heart rate, promoting mental clarity and increased energy.1
Overall, incorporating cold water immersion into your regular recovery process can help you harness the benefits of this age-old practice. But first, let’s explore two main methods that can get you there.
Comparing Ice Baths and Cold Showers
In the debate between ice bath vs cold shower, there are a few differences to be aware of. While both practices can have similar effects on the body and mind, selecting the right recovery method for you is essential to harnessing the true power of cold water therapy.
To that end, consider the following key factors that set these practices apart.
Temperature Differences
To activate the benefits of ice baths, most experts recommend submerging yourself in a cold temperature range between 50–59 degrees.1 On the other hand, while the typical home shower can decrease to fairly cold temperatures (below 60 degrees), you have less control over the exact temperature of the water.5
Coverage and Cold Immersion
With a portable ice bath, you can opt for complete coverage, (that is, fully immersing your body in water up to your neck) or choose to focus on a specific part of the body. For example, if you want to address localized pain in areas such as your wrists or ankles, just immerse those areas in ice water.
Cold showers offer a little less flexibility—inevitably this method involves full coverage. For this reason, cold showers can be ideal if you require quick recovery before the next day, or if increased energy and alertness is a target goal of your recovery process.
Duration and Frequency
When it comes to optimizing cold water therapy, timing is everything: You don’t want to soak or shower too long as you may add further stress and strain on your body. What’s more, some studies show that just a few minutes of cold exposure can produce health benefits.3
So, how long should you stay in an ice bath?
You can immerse yourself in an ice bath for 10–15 minutes at a time.1 Overall, optimal ice bath exposure is about ten minutes per week or one session. If you prefer, you can break those minutes into shorter sessions over 5–7 days.
A good rule of thumb is to follow the same method for cold showers as you would an ice bath. However, most at-home showers don’t get as cold as an ice bath can, so you can increase the duration of your sessions if you want to.
Other Factors to Consider When Choosing
Dipping into an ice bath or jumping into a cold shower share some of the same benefits when it comes to promoting health and recovery. For this reason, choosing the right treatment for you will depend more on your recovery needs, personal preferences, and routine.
That good news is that you can try both methods before you incorporate cold water therapy into your recovery process.
Still unsure which practice is best for you? Below, we break down additional factors to consider before you decide.
Personal Tolerance and Preference
While you can ease into the tub at your own pace, ice baths can still be shocking, and soaking for more than a few minutes can be challenging for some. With cold showers, you can gradually decrease the water temperature a few minutes at a time to ease into the experience.
Accessibility and Convenience
Preparing an ice bath does involve a few steps—namely, you’ll need to fill your bathtub with cold water and ice until it reaches the target temperature. This means some wait time is involved with ice baths. You’ll also need to ensure you have enough ice on hand for the water to stay cold for the duration of your immersion. Depending on the size of your bathtub, 2-3 large ice bags should do.
Alternatively, taking a cold shower is as easy as turning your shower handle all the way to “C”.
Safety and Precautions
Just like there are safety precautions you can take during your workouts, there are safety precautions you should know for your recovery process, too—especially when it comes to cold water therapy. While cold water therapy is safe for the average individual, there are a few potential risks involved, including1:
- Cold shock
- Hypothermia
- Vasovagal response
For this reason, it may be best to consult with your doctor before starting cold water therapy.
Practical Tips for Implementation
Whether you choose to take an ice bath or a cold shower, implementing practical tips can help you successfully incorporate cold water therapy into your routine and optimize your recovery process.
Preparing for an Ice Bath
Ice baths can be shocking to the body, especially if you haven’t dipped before. Fortunately, a few tips can help you prepare for the practice:
- Hydrate – Hydrating before you take your first bath can help regulate your body temperature and keep you from getting too cold too quickly.6
- Stretch – Stretching can ease your body into the cold immersion process by loosening muscles and encouraging circulation.6
- Take a warm shower – Taking a warm shower right before an ice bath can increase circulation and improve blood flow, which can help your body tolerate the initial cold shock.6
Optimizing Cold Shower Techniques
Cold showers are a quick and easy way to access the power of cold water therapy. Optimize your technique with these three tips:
- Get the temperature right – Ensure your cold shower is just cold enough to ease your aches and pains effectively. While it can be difficult to measure, turning your shower handle all the way down will bring the water temperature to at least 60 degrees.
- Take a gradual approach – To ease your body into the process, start your shower at a lukewarm temperature and decrease gradually to a lower temperature, or about every 2-3 minutes.
- Breathe deep – Initially, cold water immersion restricts oxygen flow. Deep breathing can help your body relax during the experience and optimize the healing effects of cold water.
Enhance Your Recovery with Lifepro Allevachill™ Portable Ice Bath
Cold water therapy has been used for thousands of years across various cultures for its beneficial effects on the body and mind. Today, it’s still a valued practice, particularly for workout recovery. But which method is right for you?
With Lifepro, you don’t have to choose between an ice bath vs cold shower— you can combine these practices for an even more transformative effect on the body and mind with our Allevachill™ portable ice bath. You can also try out the differences between an ice bath vs sauna, or a cold plunge vs ice bath and find out what works for you.
Five layers of thermal-insulated EPE keep water cold enough to target muscle soreness and decrease inflammation when you need more than just a quick cool down after a workout. Even better? An all-weather lid and portable design allow you to create a personal recovery space wherever you choose.
Learn how to take an ice bath at home, using our portable ice bath, and tap into the power of cold water therapy with Lifepro.
Sources:
- Everyday Health. What Is Cold Water Therapy? A Detailed Scientific Guide.
- https://www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/cold-water-therapy/guide/
- Healthline. What to Know About Cold Water Therapy. https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-water-therapy
- National Library of Medicine. Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17993252/
- UCLA Health. 6 cold shower benefits to consider. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/6-cold-shower-benefits-consider
- P3. How to Prepare for an Ice Bath. https://p3recovery.com.au/how-to-prepare-for-an-ice-bath-5-steps/
Author
Joel Gottehrer is the Co-Founder of Lifepro Fitness and has dedicated his life to helping people transform theirs. With over 12 years of experience in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and owner of two personal training studios, Joel has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to helping transform lives. After suffering from physical injuries, Joel and his business partner, Abraham Brach, came together with a common goal to alleviate the pain caused by their injuries.
They continued to find themselves disappointed with the results stemming from various products promising to relieve their pain, and with that – Lifepro Fitness was born. Joel's mission is to have a positive impact on millions of lives with the Lifepro brand. Whether it's finding new and innovative ways to help people recover from injuries or developing products to improve overall wellness, Joel is always looking for ways to push the boundaries. Thanks to his commitment to help people live their lives free of pain, Lifepro has been able to do this for thousands of people since its founding in 2017.
