If you haven’t heard of it yet, cold water therapy is a form of cryotherapy that requires a person to sit in extremely cold water. And for many women, braving a plunge in an Ice Barrel of chilly water between 50°F-55°F, they’re discovering a growing community of like-minded folks who find the cold empowering, and strengthening for both the mind, and the body.
What is an Ice Bath?
Typically, an ice bath is a cold water bath between 50°F-55°F, where an individual is fully submerged in water for up to 5 minutes. While some DIY-style ice baths—like just filling your tub or a barrel with cold water, or taking a frigid shower—may feel easier in the short-term, you miss out on many benefits in the long-term.
The Ice Barrel is designed to maximize both comfort and health benefits. Its unique, upright design makes a full-body plunge easy to achieve, and gives you the ability to harness the benefits of ice bathing right at home.
Ice Baths: History Meets Modern Wellness
Ice baths are hardly a new invention. Mentions of cold water therapy date as far back as 3500 B.C., when ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and Romans practiced cold water bathing as a way to treat muscle fatigue and fever. Over time, the practice adapted, eventually transforming into a tool primarily for athletes and recovery performance right around the 20th century.
And throughout history, women have been using ice baths to build resilience, and improve vitality. Regardless of whether you’re an athlete looking to improve your workout routine, or just hoping to improve your mental and physical wellbeing, ice bathing is a great tool to bridge the gap between physical performance and mental wellness.
Why Women May Benefit Differently from Ice Baths
Like any health routine, the results may vary between different individuals, and this is especially true for women. Physiological differences, such as individual hormonal fluctuations and different inflammatory responses in the body, can mean an ice bath may be highly effective for one person, but less so for another.
Which is why it’s important to listen to your body, experiment with ice bathing safely, and consult your primary care provider before introducing ice baths to your routine. While research is ongoing, there are limited studies on women-specific outcomes for ice baths, and large-scale studies on cold immersion effects are limited.
That’s why Ice Barrel focuses on continued learning and growth. We know this is an ever-changing science, and we keep up-to-date on the latest research and trends to continually refine our product, and share everything we learn with you.
Ice Bath Benefits for Women
Although individual benefits may vary, there are several mental and physical benefits you may see after adopting cold water therapy into your routine.
Physical Recovery Benefits
Let’s start by exploring some of the physical benefits you may find after taking the polar plunge.
Faster Muscle Recovery
Studies have indicated that ice baths can help reduce inflammation in the body, which in turn can improve overall muscle recovery. As the inflammation is soothed, cold water therapy can reduce soreness and speed up recovery for female athletes—or anyone experiencing a little extra muscle soreness at the end of a long day. An upright immersion approach, such as the one offered by Ice Barrel, helps to maximize submersion and improve the overall muscle recovery process as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Inflammation and Women’s Physiology
While each woman may experience inflammation symptoms differently, cold water therapy can still be a helpful tool in the recovery process. As your body is exposed to cold, your blood vessels go through a process called vasoconstriction and vasodilation. Or, more simply put, your blood vessels contract and expand as they are exposed to cold temperatures. This process can improve circulation in the body and can help reduce inflammation.
Supporting Circulation and Cardiovascular Health
And, speaking of improved circulation, that same process of vasoconstriction and vasodilation also means blood is pumping through the body better than before, which is especially important for women who want to take the polar plunge in the interest of improving their cardiovascular health. While it is vital to listen to your body and to avoid swift temperature changes that may cause shock to your body, a gradual submersion in the cold for up to five minutes at a time can improve circulation.
Pain Management (Including Menstrual Relief)
Research has demonstrated that women believed cold water immersion had a positive overall effect on perimenopause and menstrual symptoms. In a study done on 114 women, participants reported that cold water therapy reduced their menstrual symptoms, including hot flashes and period cramp pain improvement.
Additionally, the numbing effects of cold water—and the ability to reduce inflammation—has led to ice bathing being a key contributor to pain relief. The unique positioning of the Ice Barrel can also lend considerably to this pain relief, as the upright design allows for the user to fully submerge, letting the cold water impact any pain area of the body.
Hormonal and Reproductive Health Impacts
In a study done on women and cold water therapy benefits, participants identified the calming and mind-boosting effects of cold water, along with period pain relief and hot flashes improvements as part of their hormonal and reproductive health benefits from an ice bath.
Balancing Hormones
Cold water therapy has the potential to help regulate hormones in the body, including cortisol, progesterone, estrogen, and more. However, every body—and every woman—is different, and may experience hormone regulation changes differently. It is important to consult with your healthcare provider to see if cold water therapy is a good option for you as a form of hormone regulation. A physician will be able to give you personalized guidance based on your health history and hormone levels.
Cold Therapy for Menstrual Symptoms
In the same study mentioned above, women reported that cold water immersion reduced their menstrual symptoms, most notably psychological ones such as anxiety (46.7%), mood swings (37.7%), and irritability (37.6%). The majority of women in the study participated specifically in the interest of reducing these symptoms.
While this study has demonstrated that ice baths may be positive for some women, results may vary for each individual person. It’s vital to listen to your body while you take the plunge, and speak to your doctor before adding cold water therapy to your routine.
Perimenopause and Menopause
Research indicates that perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms can also be reduced thanks to cold water therapy. For example, of the 114 women who participated in the previously mentioned study, 30.3% reported a reduction in hot flashes, while 46.9% reported improvements in anxiety symptoms. Nearly a third also said their mood swings or low mood feelings had also improved.
While individual results may vary, it’s important to note that an upright design—like the one offered by Ice Barrel—may be more comfortable for those struggling with symptoms of menopause, especially the symptom of joint sensitivity.
Fertility and Other Considerations
While cold water therapy can be beneficial for a myriad of health concerns and symptom relief, anyone trying to conceive or currently pregnant should speak to a healthcare professional before adding ice bath therapy to their routine. Sudden drastic temperature changes could be dangerous for you and your baby.
If you are under 12 or over 65, have another health condition such as heart defects or high blood pressure, if you have any open wounds, or any other health concern, you should speak to your doctor before attempting a cold plunge.
Mental Health and Cognitive Benefits
The benefits of cold water therapy don’t just stop with your physical body. There are plenty of ways that a cold plunge can improve your mental wellbeing, too.
Mood and Anxiety Management
When the body is exposed to a sudden temperature change, it can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s feel-good chemical, and dopamine, a calming neurochemical. The release of these chemicals within the body can lead to a boost in mood and a general improved sense of alertness.
Brain chemicals aside, you may also find yourself discovering a positive community through the practice of ice bath therapy. Women supporting other women through the cold therapy journey can build a sense of communal well being and improved feelings of community with one another, too.
Stress Relief and Building Resilience
While many studies report feelings of decreased anxiety after taking a cold plunge, stress relief can go hand-in-hand with the anxiety-relieving feelings of cold water. When you take a cold plunge, it activates your body’s “fight-or-flight” response, which can release cortisol and other hormones, along with endorphins, throughout the body, stabilizing your mood and “resetting” the brain. The upright design of the Ice Barrel allows your body to experience this naturally, giving you the ability to focus on breathwork to intentionally calm the mind and build your sense of resilience to discomfort. Through cold plunging, you can master your mind, your body, and your response to stressful situations.
Depression Symptom Improvement
A 2020 study reported that participants experienced an improvement in symptoms that was “statistically significant,” and also reported general improvements in mood as well as a reduction in depressive symptoms after ten cryotherapy sessions.
While cold water therapy can certainly be a helpful tool in managing symptoms of depression, it is not a cure-all solution to any ailment, mental or physical. Rather, using cold plunging as a tool as part of a holistic treatment plan for depression symptoms or other ailment can help you maximize your mental and physical health strategy, and can bring you benefits that will help you continue your mental health journey in combination with other treatment methods such as therapy, mindfulness exercises, and more.
Enhanced Mental Clarity
As mentioned previously, when your body is exposed to sudden intense cold, it activates your fight-or-flight response. This can immediately wake up your body, improving your overall sense of alertness and cognitive function. And, once you exit the bath, you may even find yourself with a brief productivity boost from the “wake up call” brought on by the ice bath.
If enhanced mental clarity and improved focus and motivation are benefits you are especially excited for as you add ice bathing to your routine, try integrating cold water therapy sessions into a daily or weekly self-care routine, especially first thing in the morning. Starting off your day with a boost of mental alertness can improve your focus for the whole day, and set you off on the right foot for the day.
How to Use Ice Baths as Women
Regardless of gender, there are always important safety factors to consider when starting an ice bath. Here are some things you should note.
Starting Safely
Ease your way into an ice bath routine, especially if you’re a beginner. You should aim for your bath temperature to be around 59° or 60° Fahrenheit to start, and slowly lower the temperature with each new session.
It’s vital to pay attention to your body, even if you’re an old pro at ice bathing. If at any point the discomfort starts to become pain, or you feel like the cold has become unbearable, don’t try to muscle through it. Exit the ice bath as soon as your body alerts you to do so.
Temperature, Duration, and Frequency
Ideally, your ice bath should be between 50° and 55° Fahrenheit, but it’s always best to always start warmer and work your way down to colder temperatures as you become comfortable. Similarly, when first starting out with ice baths, try to only stay in the ice bath for about 2-5 minutes, and increase duration with each session to build a tolerance.
Never spend more than 15 minutes in an ice bath, regardless of experience level. More time in the bath—and more intense temperatures—will not result in more benefits. In fact, the longer you stay exposed to low temperatures, the greater your risk of frostbite or hypothermia.
While these are general guidelines, remember that everybody is unique. What may work for one individual may not be best for another. Adjust your temperature and time to what suits you best and maximizes your individual benefits.
Safety Checkpoints
If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, have a heart condition, are younger than twelve or older than 65, or have other health conditions that may be exacerbated by the cold, you should speak to a healthcare provider before adding ice bathing to your routine.
When you’re ready to explore the benefits of cold plunging, Ice Barrel’s stable base and anti-slip entry and exit with full-body coverage lets you maximize your healing benefits while prioritizing your safety and wellbeing the whole time you plunge.
Equipment Essentials
While a typical bathtub filled with ice water or freezing shower may feel more budget-friendly, it’s worth spending the extra money for a professional Ice Barrel to get the job done. The Ice Barrel is made from linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), a non-toxic, BPA-free, medical-grade material. It’s non-porous, so it won’t absorb oils, toxins or other contaminants.
Plus, the upright design means you’re getting a comfortable position while simultaneously fully submerging your body, helping maintain equilibrium and balance throughout your body as you maximize health benefits. Ice Barrel also only weighs 55 lbs when empty, making it portable and easy to position in your home gym, your backyard, or even an apartment balcony.
Conclusion
If you’re ready to take the plunge and explore how cold water therapy can improve your mental and physical health, you can explore all the barrels here and find the perfect one to add to your routine.
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