Just like float therapy or ice bath therapy, cryotherapy has risen to popularity within recent years. More and more people are using cryotherapy to aid recovery and improve performance, from well-known celebrities and athletes to the average person. Although cryotherapy seems like a relatively new and exciting therapy, the use of cold temperatures to reduce pain is not a new concept. 

People around the world have used cold therapy to reduce pain, support healing, and elevate mood. Cold water therapy, like cold plunges and ice baths, involve brief stints in chilled environments. What differentiates cryotherapy from these other types of cold therapy is the duration and temperatures. A cryotherapy chamber, or cryochamber, is cooled at varying temperatures, typically between minus 200 and minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit. You can start with a warmer temperature of minus 130 degrees if that makes you more comfortable.

What Is Cryotherapy?

This type of treatment uses extremely cold air, typically by using liquid nitrogen or argon gas. Typically, liquid nitrogen is applied to a specific area to destroy abnormal cells, such as cancerous cells or tumors. Small-scale cryotherapy can include ice bath immersion or cryotherapy facials. The cry-chambers are full-body treatments that involve sitting or standing for two to three minutes. During this process you expose your body to freezing temperatures, wearing only socks, underwear, and gloves to protect your extremities. Continue reading to learn about the potential health benefits of cryotherapy. 

May Improve Sleep

Based on existing studies, cryotherapy may help improve sleep. One study out of China monitored middle- and long-distance runners and found that whole body cryotherapy (WBC) reduced inflammation and muscle damage post exercise. Researchers conducting that study also noted that subjects reported better sleep quality after WBC, when compared to other forms of cryotherapy. A 2019 study found that soccer players moved less during the night and reported better sleep after three minutes of partial body cryotherapy. Researchers speculate that cryotherapy activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This puts the body in a rest and digest stage and makes it easier to relax. 

Mood Enhancement

Although cryotherapy may improve muscle performance and recovery, it may also boost your mental health. The sudden drop in temperature when you step inside the WBC sparks the production of mood-enhancing endorphins, which make you feel more energetic and happier. Experts equate that rush to a runner’s high or that feeling you get when you take an ice cold shower. Cryotherapy may also boost your mood because it counteracts pain, releasing norepinephrine and adrenaline, which promote circulation and mobilization. More research is necessary to determine that link, though. 

Pain Reduction

You already know that applying cold packs or ice to a painful joint, for example, can help reduce pain. Similarly, applying a cold pack to an inflamed area after surgery can bring down the swelling and accelerate healing time. One report found that WBC is a great form of physical treatment for recovery from injuries, trauma, or overuse. A 2017 review included results from 16 studies and articles, citing evidence that improved recovery in athletes and athletic performance. Researchers noted that WBD did not cause any unwanted side effects.

Reduced Inflammation And Tissue Damage

In the same 2017 review that we just mentioned above, researchers noted that cryotherapy was able to reduce system inflammation. Additionally, WBC helped lower inflammatory markers for muscle cell damage. Although that review may have provided that evidence, not every researcher believes that cryotherapy fights inflammation. A 2014 review, for example, found that the evidence was weak in regards to activating parasympathetic response and altering inflammatory pathways. Another review, however, found that WBC was able to decrease proinflammatory cytokines and other markers of muscle tissue damage.

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It’s a fact that there is a direct link between the gut and brain. Anxiety can increase stomach problems and vice versa. The feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you’re nervous is in fact a real thing. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is sensitive to emotions, including stress, sadness, anxiety, anger, and joy. All of these feelings and more can trigger reactions or symptoms in the gut. 

Because of the the gut-brain connection, health experts found that poor digestive health influences several neurological disorders. Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, migraines, and epilepsy have gastrointestinal manifestations, some of which include constipation, diarrhea, and indigestion. According to research studies, there is a deeper connection and communication between the brain and gut. The communication pathway is the vagus nerve. 

What Is The Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is the primary component of the parasympathetic nervous system. This system supervises bodily functions including immune response, digestion, heart rate, and mood. The parasympathetic nervous system is the “rest and digest” system, opposing the sympathetic nervous system, which activates the “fight or flight” response. 

Think of the vagus nerve as a communication highway that carries information that influences the brain and internal organs. Despite the fact that people refer to the vagus nerve as singular, it is a pair of nerves. They emerge from the medulla oblongata area of the brain stem and signals constantly travel from the brain to the gut and back via the vagus nerve. 

How To Stimulate The Vagus Nerve

There is some evidence that points to the fact that vagus nerve stimulation may treat or balance several psychiatric and digestive disorders. Some of these disorders include inflammatory bowel disease, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more. Stimulating the vagus nerve may inhibit cytokine production while increasing vagal tone. Both of these mechanisms maintain resiliency in the body. Additionally, stimulating vagal afferent fibers in the gut can influence monoaminergic brain systems. Those systems play large roles in numerous mood and anxiety disorders. The thought is that a person can influence vagal tone via breathing techniques, yoga, and meditation. Continue reading to learn more about vagal nerve stimulation.

Take A Cold Shower

Wim Hof, a.k.a. “The Iceman,” may be the largest promoter of ice baths and cold showers. Cold water therapy helps to activate the vagus nerve, in addition to other neurons that travel on the vagus nerve highway. In doing so, this activation kickstarts the parasympathetic nervous system. All you have to do is remain in cold water for one minute. The final minute of your hot shower can be cold. Don’t be afraid of the chill!

Gargle

You don’t have to gargle with salt water like you do when you want to combat a sore throat. Use filtered water and gargle like you mean it. There’s no elegant way to gargle, so gargle with purpose, even if it makes you sound like a monster. When your eyes start to water, you’ll know that you’ve gargled hard enough. The ensuing laughter will also stimulate the vagus nerve. Additionally, laughter increases the production of beta-endorphins and nitric oxide, which benefit the vascular system. 

Consume Probiotics

The gut microbiome can influence immune system and nervous system function. Improving the overall function of these systems may lead to improvement of conditions like depression and anxiety. There is growing research on the fact that increasing probiotic intake may positively impact vagus nerve activity. By interacting with gut microbiota, probiotics work to mediate the effects that drugs, gluten, and antibiotics can have on the brain. Probiotics may also increase GABA production, which promotes healthier sleep. Lastly, probiotics may help reduce stress and anxiety. 

Scale Back On Animal Protein Consumption

Several dietary studies found that people who consume a lot of animal protein have a higher risk of inflammation and cardiovascular diseases. Eggs and red meat, for example, contain choline, which can be harmful when consumed in excess. Too much choline gets converted to trimethlyamine N-oxide (TMAO), which increases inflammatory markers. By reducing animal protein consumption, you can decrease inflammation and activate better vagal nerve function. This allows the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems to better regulate bodily vitals. 

Try Deep Breathing Or Meditation

It seems that deep breathing, especially diaphragmatic breathing, is the most efficient and simplest way to stimulate the vagus nerve. Breathe from the diaphragm, as opposed to breathing shallowly from the lungs. Ideally, these deep breaths stimulate and tone the vagus nerve. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, creating a calmer feeling. You can accompany deep breathing exercises with meditation, which may help to improve sleep, reduce pain, and decrease anxiety levels. Practice for 5-10 minutes a day and make sure you take big belly breaths.

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Immersing the entire body in a large tub of near-freezing water is not everyone’s go-to favorite thing to do. Nonetheless, ice bath therapy has received a lot of attention from celebrities, athletes, trainers, and health influencers for its reported benefits. What are the secrets and benefits of this frigid therapy? Our content writer, Vinnie, will tell you all about them by recapping his latest fire & ice therapy session.

What Is Ice Bath Therapy?

If you’re familiar with Wim Hof, a.k.a. The Ice Man, the philosophy of soaking in cold water is to put the body into a fight or flight state. With the rush of endorphins and adrenaline, the natural instinct is to stress and jump out of the water. Remaining in the ice bath not only helps the body adapt to stress, but it also works to improve circulation, enhance immune function, and reduce inflammation. 

On my most recent adventure, I went to Remedy Place in West Hollywood, California. The entire facility is one of the most tranquil places I’ve ever been to, especially on The Adventures of V-Man. The entire facility houses various healing modalities. From hyperbaric oxygen therapy pods and infrared saunas to massages and ice baths, Remedy Place has it all. I opted to experience the one-two punch combo therapy that is fire and ice. This combo immerses the body in ice cold water for three to six minutes, followed by a 45-minute infrared sauna session. 

Arriving At Remedy Place

Am I allowed to say that everyone in this facility was beautiful? Entering this building was like wandering into a place where beautiful people congregate. Sorry, but I’m allowed to admire, right? Anyways, that says nothing about the facility. Remedy Place is chic, modern, dimly lit and intended for healing the body. The knowledgeable and friendly staff member, James, gave me a tour of the facility before showing me to the ice bath station. 

Typically, for the fire and ice therapy combo, a person starts with the ice bath therapy and then transitions to the infrared sauna. It’s possible to reverse the order, but James did not recommend that for my first go around. One doesn’t just change and enter the ice bath, though. The mind is not ready for that shock. For this reason, the person engaging in the therapy goes through an 11-minute breath work session. 

The Ice Bath Therapy

I mentioned Wim Hof earlier in the article. The breath work is similar to that of Wim Hof’s teachings, in that the goal is to oxygenate and alkalize the body. During this breathing, which essentially a form of guided meditation, you essentially prepare the body for the cold. The idea behind it is so that the mind can take over and make it so the body can handle the cold. I sat near the ice bath and practiced the breathing exercise. 

Before I knew it, it was time to submerge in the ice water. In the video, the water doesn’t look cold, but the tub of water remains at a cool 39º F by an electric cooling system. There is no ice in the water, but trust me when I tell you that it’s brisk. James, my ice bath coach, queued up a song that I wanted to listen to for motivation. And then I plunged in, leaving all but my head submerged in the water. My first instinct was to get out immediately because it was freezing. James encouraged me to recall that breathing to help calm my mind and just sit still in water. 

At one point, my forearms started to cramp a little, so I lifted them out of the water. James noticed that I started shaking after a while, so he suggested that I exit the water. I made it five and half minutes out of the maximum six-minute time limit. No big deal. I felt like I was ready to run through a wall after emerging from the cold. I was energized, hyped, and felt rejuvenated. 

Infrared Sauna Therapy

It was a very interesting transition to transfer from such an electrifying state to an immediate state of relaxation. The intense cold was lively and exhilarating and the sauna brought me down several levels. It was the fanciest sauna that I ever sat in. There was bluetooth capability! So I started up a podcast and relaxed in the space. 

One of the greatest things about the infrared sauna is that you can stay in there for a while without experiencing any feelings of discomfort. I didn’t feel like my breathing suffered from the heat or anything like that. The infrared sauna uses infrared light to heat the space, and this light can benefit the cells in the body more easily than a traditional sauna. Infrared saunas use infrared light to optimize the body’s ability to relax and promote detoxification. It’s not oppressive or uncomfortable; rather, the infrared sauna experience is restorative, especially after an ice bath session. I could have gone to sleep in there. That’s how relaxing I felt during that therapy. 

I felt like a new man after leaving Remedy Place and encourage people to check out the facility if they live in Los Angeles, CA. They have memberships, but all of the therapies are available for individual purchase. Please check them out and see how the other healing modalities can assist you in achieving the healthiest body possible. We are only on this planet for a limited time, so treat the body well and help it recover whenever possible. 

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In the latest episode of The Adventures of V-Man, Vinnie cools off with Cryotherapy at LA Cryo.

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While Dherbs is an all-natural herbal supplement company, it also aims to inform the public about alternative therapies that contribute to a healthier body. From floatation therapy to stretch therapy and acupuncture to sonic bathing, many practices can improve your physical and mental health.

Our latest adventure happened when we got the chance to visit LA Cryo in Pasadena, California. Cryotherapy has increased in popularity within the past couple years, especially for athletes. The therapy involves standing in extremely cold temperatures in a cryo tank for three minutes, but localized treatments are also available for those who cannot do whole-body cryotherapy. The benefits of cryotherapy include:

• Improved circulation (from the release of norepinephrine)
• Higher endorphin production
• Decreased inflammation (and improved range of motion)
• Anxiety and depression relief
• Improved immune function

We sent our content writer, Vinnie, and our media team to cover the cryotherapy experience. Here’s what Vinnie had to say about it.

Upon arriving at LA Cryo, Ruth, one of the owners, greeted us and provided a tour of her quaint facility. A private room near the front is dedicated for localized treatments and the back area is where the big cryotherapy tank is. I can’t lie to you, folks…I was terrified when I saw that tank. It isn’t ominous or anything like that, but I started freezing when she explained the different temperatures that people experience in the tank.

The Three Levels Of LA Cryo

For first timers, such as myself, level one is the starting point. This is no walk in the park, considering it goes down to -135 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you get familiar with the process and enjoy the subzero temperatures of the cryotherapy tank, you can hit level two, which is -160 degrees Fahrenheit. Finally, the third and final level, “the boss stage” if you will, is a cool -185 degrees Fahrenheit.

First off, I love being the guinea pig for Dherbs. It is nerve-wracking at times, but I get to try new alternative therapies that contribute to a healthier body. I do it for you, ladies and gentlemen, to expose you to different treatments and therapies that can make you as healthy as possible.

Now, subzero temperatures and I are not exactly the best of friends, so you can understand my hesitation to lunge into the tank. At the same time, my left shoulder had been in pain for several days, and one of the primary benefits of cryotherapy is that it helps improve joint mobility and aids muscle recovery.

Entering The Tank

Before entering the tank, you have to put on the socks, gloves, and shoes that LA Cryo provides. Your head and neck stay above the cold, so you don’t need to don a beanie or ski mask. Failing to protect your extremities can result in possible frostbite. In addition to the gloves, socks, and shoes, you only wear shorts, underwear, or sports bra and shorts inside the tank.

Ruth prepped the tank for my entry and when she opened it, nitrogen vapors flooded the room. It looked like a fog machine flooded the stage at a 1980s rock show. I darted into the tank, Ruth closed the door, and she turned it on, releasing the nitrogen vapors to bring the temperature down to -135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Since it was hot outside that day, the first 30 seconds inside the cryo tank felt lovely and refreshing, cooling me off instantaneously. After the initial excitement wore off, it got chilly very quickly. I could feel my muscles tensing up and I started to shiver every now and again. I’m sure this doesn’t happen to everyone, especially if you continue to go back for more sessions. Ruth explained that I should move around a bit to generate some body heat. That suggestion definitely helped, but I ultimately had to go into the depths of myself, control my breathing, and accept the cold for the remainder of the session.

The key is to relax in the tank. You can meditate for those three minutes and focus on your breath to remain in control. Also, don’t touch the insides of the tank. I made that mistake and it was extremely cold.

Post Cryo Feelings

Within the first 10 minutes of exiting the tank, I felt an intense warmth in my muscles. Ruth explained that this feeling is attributed to the expansion of the body’s mitochondria, and this process helps to accelerate recovery, especially if you experience muscle soreness. My sore left shoulder felt looser, and my range of motion improved. I felt energized, like I was ready to tackle the remainder of the day. I was ready for whatever! Maybe that was the endorphin rush, which is one of the primary benefits of cryotherapy.

The feeling, both during and after the cryotherapy session, was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I felt limber, as though I had been zapped with the power of youth. I hope to return for regular sessions to keep my joints and muscles in tiptop shape.

Should You Try It?

If you can handle the cold, you should absolutely try cryotherapy. The benefits are too amazing to ignore and it truly works. It’s not the same as sitting in an ice bath; rather, it is an accelerated version of it without the cold wetness that you experience. If you want to reduce inflammation, improve range of motion, boost endorphin production, or improve circulation, you need to try cryotherapy.

People Who Should Not Do Cryotherapy

Unfortunately, not everyone can try cryotherapy. Anyone with a heart condition or unmanaged high blood pressure should not do whole body cryotherapy. Being in the tank raises blood pressure, so keep that in mind. Whole body cryotherapy may also be too intense for seniors or people with arthritis. Luckily, people with heart problems, arthritis, or seniors can benefit from localized cryotherapy treatment. There is a machine with a vacuum-like hose that blows -40 degree Fahrenheit air on the area being treated. Many people with joint pain or arthritis benefit from this treatment, and the temperature is completely safe for them.

If you’re in the Greater Los Angeles Area, make your way over to LA Cryo, located in Pasadena, CA. It’s an affordable treatment and Ruth is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. She definitely calmed my nerves before the session.

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