Cold showers and ice baths are both examples of immersion in cold water, a practice developed by Charles Tabone, ND, a physical therapist with Studio pausesays that mbg has “been around for thousands of years”.
Although uncomfortable, exposure to cold water under these conditions (safely in a sink, pool, or body of water) acts as a positive pressure that cause the body to override its reactive instincts and, instead, adapt both physically and cognitively.
“When you are shocked by a sharp change in temperature, different signaling proteins are produced, which can also cause many systemic effects,” Tabone explains. In other words, the shock of cold causes the brain to send a signal to other parts of the body that it is under stress and needs to respond accordingly.
Tabone says this can lead to the production of mitochondria (the membrane-covered structures that generate the chemical energy cells need to perform specific functions), an increase in a person’s resting metabolism (the number of calories the body burns at rest), and/or the release of endorphins ( Also known as happy hormones). There are also mental benefits to taking ice baths, Tabone adds.
Here are the health benefits of ice baths that have been extensively studied in scientific research:
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