Cold water therapy or cold water immersion, is a popular way to cool down your body after an intense physical workout, and this could be done comfortably with your own cold plunge tank.
Studies show that cold water baths have many benefits, not just for professional athletes, but also for the man on the street. In fact, you don't even need to exercise to benefit from using a cold plunge tank.
Cold water exposure benefits both men and women, but some cold temperature benefits apply specifically to men.
How Men Benefit from Cold Water Therapy
There are at least seven cold water therapy benefits for men.
1. Relieve Inflammation
Not all inflammation is bad, in fact, your body needs a certain amount of inflammation after physical exercise. Too much inflammation is the problem; this is where cold immersion comes into the picture.
Cold baths constrict your blood vessels. When you get out of the bath, your blood vessels open up again and this helps your body get rid of metabolic waste that accumulates during a workout.
It's especially important for flushing lymph fluid through your body. It also increases oxygen and blood flow throughout your body, which assists in the relief of muscle pain.
As you can see, cold exposure manages inflammation, keeping it at optimum levels, so you can work extra hard on the strength and fitness needed to be an extreme athlete. Ice water will speed up your recovery time, which helps your sore muscles return to normal.
2. Improve Mental Health
Cold water temperatures activate the Vagus nerve, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system in turn. This makes you feel calm and relaxed after a hectic day of meetings, presentations, and showing potential investors around the company.
Direct vagus nerve stimulation is one method used to boost mood. It involves a surgical procedure where a device is implanted near your collarbone, which connects to your vagus nerve by a wire. When it's activated, it stimulates the nerve to send signals to the areas in the brain that control mood.
Cold water therapy works similarly, albeit indirectly. The cold shock response triggers the parasympathetic nervous system. As above, the vagus nerve releases feel-good hormones.
Keep in mind that this is not an approved treatment for mental illness. Consult your mental healthcare practitioner before you start taking cold baths for emotional rather than physical reasons.
3. Improve Sleep Quality
Evidence suggests that cold therapy can improve your sleep by putting you in a relaxed state that facilitates falling asleep. This also has to do with the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system.
4. Mental and Physical Stamina and Resilience
It's tremendously satisfying to be able to tolerate sitting in freezing water for up to 15 minutes at a time. It's a clear indication of mind over matter and is an attitude that you carry into your everyday life.
5. Improve Insulin Resistance
Studies show that cold water baths affect how your body responds to insulin, facilitating glucose processing. It doesn't lower insulin levels and definitely doesn't replace medication or other medical treatment for the disease.
In fact, if you have any type of diabetes you should consult your doctor before you start taking cold water baths.
6. Fat Loss
Cold water therapy activates brown fat tissue, which is a good fat. Brown fat is metabolically active adipose tissue that burns calories and glucose and helps maintain healthy body weight.
Studies have shown that people with active brown fat are less likely to have cardiovascular health problems and type 2 diabetes. It also plays an important role in curbing obesity.
Brown fat also helps with temperature regulation in the cold. Regular immersion in ice-cold water will help you reap the potential health benefits.
7. Increase Testosterone
Cold water therapy alone won't affect your testosterone levels, but combining all the benefits of cold baths boosts your overall physical and mental health. This naturally increases testosterone levels.
As a result, cold water immersion therapy is a non-invasive method with potential benefits that could increase your fertility.
However, cold baths don't guarantee to increase hormone levels nor take the place of testosterone hormone replacement therapy. For this, you must consult a fertility specialist.
How to Use a Cold Plunge Tank
Cold plunge tanks are perfect for home use. They're compact and easy to install and enable you to enjoy ice bath benefits without going to the gym.
When you use a plunge tank you must ensure the water is at the correct temperature before you enter, 50°F to 59°F or 10°C to 15°C.
You can start with five minutes and work your way up to 15 minutes. Ideally, you want an ice bath to reach halfway up the tub.
You can take an ice bath every day or just on days when you have an especially hard workout.
Choose High-Quality Cold Plunge Tank from RENU Therapy
The cold bath tubs from RENU Therapy are entirely handcrafted in the USA. Additionally, they have the finest warranty and always have happy customers.
By filling your bathtub with ice from an ice maker, you won't need to prepare a cold plunge tub. You don't even need to consider DIY options. Our ice bath tubs are the perfect size for you to feel comfortable using them.
Let our team help you choose the best cold plunge tank for your needs!
