As more and more studies side overwhelmingly in cold therapy’s favour. There’s no doubt that you can soak up some serious health benefits by climbing into an ice bath. However, scheduling sessions at your local physio or opting for various DIY options can turn this stress-busting, mood-lifting recovery tool into a chore rather than the chilled life-saver it’s supposed to be.
Introducing Renesis’ luxury ice bath, a convenient solution that’ll let you take the plunge whenever you need it most. This fully automated device sports a wooden outer shell that will mesh with any interior or exterior. Sitting comfortably alongside your furniture and decor.
However, its benefits aren’t just skin-deep: this advanced tub is rigged with a self-cleaning system that won’t just keep your waters icy but crystal-clear, too. And the power to keep your shallows sparkling can be controlled by an app that also gives you free rein to tweak temps to your liking. Start at a manageable 16°C as you ease your way into the practice, slowly lowering the mercury down to 1 degree once you’ve perfected the plunge.
Best part? There’s no plumbing required. So you can set up your ice bath wherever you want without having to worry about wrestling with awkward connections. The tub can also be used outside – just make sure you keep it sheltered from sun and rain. Head over to Renesis’s homepage to find out more.
Overview: The Specs
We know, that’s a lot to digest, but no worries; we’ve compiled a breakdown of everything this new-era ice bath has to offer:
- Automated water circulation, filtration and sanitation to maintain chemical-free, crystal-clear water (this is plunging in its purist form!)
- Tweak temps from 16°C right down to a chilling—but ultimately game-changing—1°C.
- The bath will churn out ice on demand for a real arctic experience (Wim Hof fans rejoice!)
- Absolutely no plumbing required
- Set it up indoors or out
The Benefits of Cold Water Therapy
For the uninitiated, there’s a reason cold therapy immersion has experienced a massive spike in popularity. No, and it isn’t just because major celebs like Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg have made a teeth-chattering soak part of their daily routines.
READ MORE: Discover the Impact of Cold Plunging, the Latest TikTok Trend
A slew of new studies have lifted the lid on the potential benefits of cold plunging. Sure, it functions admirably as a recovery tool, helping soothe sore muscles and get you back to firing on all cylinders in record time. But these rewards are just the tip of the iceberg.
Let’s look at a few more reasons that snagging an ice bath could be the health overhaul your body and mind are craving:
To Increase Energy and Focus
Deliberate cold exposure causes a significant release of epinephrine (aka adrenaline) and norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline) in the brain and body. These neurochemicals make us feel alert. Cold causes their levels to stay elevated for some time and their ongoing effect. After the exposure is to increase your level of energy and focus, which can be applied to other mental and/or physical activities.
Enhancing Your Mood
Cold exposure causes the prolonged release of dopamine. Dopamine is a powerful molecule capable of elevating mood, enhancing focus, attention, goal-directed behaviour. Even short bouts of cold exposure can cause a lasting increase in dopamine and sustained elevation of mood, energy, and focus.
Building Resilience
By forcing yourself to embrace the stress of cold exposure as a meaningful self-directed challenge (i.e., stressor), you exert what is called “top-down control” over deeper brain centres that regulate reflexive states. That “top-down” control is the basis of what people refer to when they talk about “resilience and grit.” Importantly, it is a skill that carries over to situations outside of the deliberate cold environment, allowing you to cope better and maintain a calm, clear mind when confronted with real-world stressors.
Metabolism
In the short-term, cold exposure increases metabolism as the body has to burn calories to increase core body temperature. The total calories burned from the cold exposure are not that significant.
Physical Recovery
Cold-water exposure can be a highly effective recovery tool after high-intensity exercise or endurance training. Cold water immersion demonstrated positive outcomes for muscle power, perceived recovery, and decreased muscle soreness.
