Health & Safety

INTRODUCTION

With the growing popularity of ice baths for sports treatment and recovery comes a slew of myths and questions about their efficacy and potential risks.  Is there any truth to the science that ice baths are therapeutic?

To help you decide if an ice bath is suitable for you, we’ll cover all the essentials you need to know here.

Why the name iglu?

Welcome to IGLU, where we redefine icy indulgence! Inspired by the Inuit spelling of Igloo, our brand evokes the sturdy shelter it represents. We are inspired by the Inuit people, who, offer a captivating glimpse into a way of life intricately intertwined with the Arctic landscape.  Demonstrating adaptability, artistic expression, sustainability, and the power of cultural resilience. But we didn’t stop there! We’ve taken the concept of an ice bath to a whole new level. Our aesthetically pleasing designs, equipped with pumps, filters, chillers, and even ozone generation for sterilization, transform the humble ice bath into a luxurious haven for invigorating relaxation.

WHAT IS AN ICE BATH?

An ice bath is a brief immersion of a section of the human body in ice water, generally as part of the recovery process.  Some propose 10 to 15 minutes, whereas, at IGLU, we recommend 3 to 5 minutes.

An ice bath is also known as cold water immersion, cold water therapy, cold therapy, or cold plunging. Although primarily utilised by athletes for sports therapy, ice baths provide other benefits besides aiding physical recovery that non-athletes can benefit from.

BENEFITS OF ICE BATH PLUNGING

Everyone can benefit from an ice bath at some point in their health journey. Cold plunging is an excellent activity for improving your mental and physical health. Here are a few benefits you might anticipate:

FEEL BETTER

• Immune system support
• Increase blood flow
• Boost metabolism
• Support weight loss
• Boost energy

THINK BETTER

• Elevate mood
• Build discipline
• Increase mental resilience
• Decrease stress
• Energy boost 
• Reduce anxiety and depression

RECOVER BETTER

• Reduce inflammation
• Reduce & prevent muscle soreness
• Boost performance
• Build physical resilience
• Reduce chronic pain

CONSIDERATIONS FOR ICE BATH PLUNGING

There are several things to consider before jumping into an ice bath to make the experience enjoyable and beneficial.

• If you are sensitive to cold temperatures or have other health issues, talk to your doctor before going for a cold plunge.
• Take a cold shower to get yourself ready psychologically and physically. This will give you a sense of your response to the cold, which will help control those responses as they occur.
• Take your cold tolerance into account. It’s OK to begin at about 15°C degrees and gradually lower it. Starting with 30 seconds to 1 minute and slowly increasing to 2 to 5 minutes.
• Two to ten minutes is ideal, but even one or two minutes will do to become acclimated to the ice bath

HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN ICE BATH

1.  Set a Timer Set & Keep It Within Reach

Even if you can simply commit to 1 minute at first, you’ll still reap the benefits.  At IGLU we recommend 3 to 5 minutes.

2.  Enter the Ice Bath & Start the Timer

After doing a couple minutes of pre-IGLU breathwork, start your timer, then slowly submerge yourself into your ice bath.

3. Soak & Focus on Your Breathwork and Mind

Instead of focusing on how cold the water is, focus on something you can control – your breath. You can improve your heart rate, circulation, and comfort by practicing some breathwork like long breath exhales and full in-breaths followed by a short pause before exhaling. It will also keep you focused on something else other than the ice cold water.

4. Exit the Ice Bath & Warm Up with Light Movement

Once your timer goes off, slowly get out of the ice bath and pat yourself dry (also pat yourself on the back you champ!) Then, change into your post-ice bath clothes and consider doing some light movement to warm up like stretches or jumping jack.

Don’t forget to also consider these following safety tips in the safety section for your absolute best ice bath experience and to ease any woes you may have.

SAFETY TIPS FOR ICE BATH PLUNGING

Ice bathing is considered safe. As with most things though, there are potential risks but there are also things you can do to increase safety and minimize potential risk during the process. Here are some safety considerations for you to have the best ice bath possible.

1. Most importantly, consult with your primary care provider before starting an ice bath routine! They know you and your body the best and can advise you with more details based on your history.
2. Consider your cold tolerance and start at a temperature you’re comfortable with that’s not too cold. You can work your way down later from 10°C to the 3°C range.
3. If you’re a beginner, start with 30 seconds to 1 minute if that’s what you’re comfortable with and work your way up to 3 to 5 minutes.
4. If you feel dizzy, are extremely uncomfortable, start excessively shivering, or otherwise feel unwell during your ice bath, get out slowly but immediately.
5. Get out of your ice bath slowly.
6. This is a wet area, please be careful not to slip when leaving the IGLU bath area.
7. If you are prone to falling or are just nervous, have someone there with you, outside the door, or have your phone in reach nearby.

POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS

As with most health-related things, there are some risks when ice bathing, but these are minimal. Keep in mind the safety tips and guidelines mentioned above and you’ll greatly reduce potential risks. The potential drawbacks include:

Cold injuries: Frostbite or hypothermia can happen when sitting in cold water for too long, but you will most likely feel warning signs before it was to occur. To avoid this, only set your water temperature to as low as you feel comfortable – between 3 – 11 °C is a good range. Also, stick to 3 to 5 minutes per session.

Dizziness: Ice-cold water constricts your blood vessels which can lead to this dizziness. This is another great reason to pick a comfortable water temperature and spend only a few minutes submerged per session. Get out of the ice bath if you start to feel dizzy at any point.