Cryotherapy is a form of cold therapy that is quickly rising in popularity. Professional athletes, like Lebron James and Cristiano Ronaldo, have their personal Whole Body Cryotherapy chambers. Professional Sports Teams in the English Premier League and the NBA have mandatory whole body cryotherapy sessions after training sessions and games to help with recovery. But this therapeutic method is now being used by the masses to alleviate chronic pain and improve mental wellbeing.
What is Cold Therapy?
Anyone who has already put a bag of ice cubes on the injured area after a bruise may not be aware of the fact: But they were doing cold therapy.
However, the delivery systems of cold therapy have gotten more modern than the ice pack principle. Local treatment of sports injuries allows the healing effect to be transferred to the surface of the skin with the help of cold sprays or special probes at temperatures from -60 ° C to -140 ° C. Even more interesting are that users can spend around two to three minutes in a bathing suit at temperatures as low as -120 ° C. With nitrogen-based chambers, the head remains out of the chamber, while with electrically operated cold chambers it is It can cool the whole body, including the head.
How Does Cold Therapy Work?
When the temperature of the skin drops rapidly by one degree Celsius per second, what is known as a heat shock reaction occurs. In doing so, our bodies reflectively take protective measures aimed at reducing pain.
Blood vessels contract so that metabolism moves to the core of the body. In addition, cold protective hormones can be released and activate the sympathetic system. The sympathetic nervous system is part of our nervous system and, among other things, ensures that our heart rate increases, blood vessels contract, and lungs relax. Also, the cold stimulus changes the sensitivity of our nerve cells, which relieves pain, inhibits inflammation, and relaxes muscles.
With wellness, in particular, there is another area of application that not only attracts more rheumatoid therapy patients or professional athletes. Because if you have stress in daily life, you release the hormone cortisol. This leads, for example, to a decrease in the performance of our thinking and memory.
Cold therapy reduces the production of this stress hormone and at the same time improves metabolism. Many people feel fresher, more vital, and more balanced as a result. Cold therapy for the whole body can also have a positive effect on ailments such as migraines, mild depression, and sleep disturbances.
Effects of Whole-Body Cryotherapy on Stress, Depression, and Anxiety
Full-body cryotherapy is a cold cabin in which the body except the head is submerged. The treatment is carried out at a very cold temperature that can reach -140 °. Despite the intense cold, there is no danger to the body or vital organs. Many people use cryotherapy to relax and unwind. In fact, during the session, under the action of cold, the body produces relaxation hormones. This will result in the reduction of stress and anxiety. We can say that cryotherapy is a real stress reliever.
Also, keep in mind that cryotherapy stimulates the immune system. Therefore, it promotes the secretion of endorphins by the pituitary and hypothalamus. Also called a wellness hormone, endorphin is a source of pleasure and has an anxiolytic effect. Therefore, it acts as an antidepressant, reduces stress, and increases sleep. Those seeking better physical and psychological well-being will opt for whole body cryotherapy.
The Benefits of Cryotherapy in People with Anxiety and Depression
Among the many benefits of cryotherapy, we can highlight the regulation of blood pressure, the stabilization of heart rhythms, and the reduction of palpitations. This is completely normal because, after a cryotherapy session, the blood vessels dilate. This will influence the blood flow and allow the tissues to be enriched with oxygen. Thus, after a cryotherapy session, one feels completely revitalized and relaxed. Stress, anxiety, and depression disappear as if by magic.
Cryotherapy is the ally of people with chronic pain. Chronic pain is a common cause of depression and anxiety. Thanks to the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of cryotherapy, muscle and joint pain can be significantly reduced. More than any other method, cryotherapy is one of the best alternatives to reduce the feeling of fatigue and improve the quality of sleep. It is the best way to de-stress and forget about anxiety.
Many factors cause stress and depression. These include fatigue, chronic pain, and sleep disturbances. Since cryotherapy also acts on the nervous system, it automatically influences the management of fatigue and stress.
Cryotherapy plays an important role in the search for the well-being of the patient. With a few weekly sessions, combined with drug therapy (if necessary), a significant reduction in stress and an improvement in the symptoms of depression can be achieved.
Cold therapy: A natural alternative to improve depression and anxiety
Stress is one of the main causes of anxiety and depression, affecting millions of people annually, regardless of their profession, and the treatment of these disorders and the absences they generate represent a high cost to public health. However, there are non-invasive treatments such as cold therapy, focused on stimulating the body through neurotransmitters such as endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine, also known as hormones of happiness.
What are Neurotransmitters and how do they intervene in Anxiety and Depression?
Neurotransmitters are responsible for sending brain signals for the body to act in certain situations, such as: Preventing stress, adjusting the rest cycle, and controlling appetite.
Neurological drivers, as well as hormones (endorphin, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin), pass through the brain and blood throughout the body, creating different effects, including tranquility, happiness, and happiness helps reduce cortisol levels. Most of the actions of antidepressants are to act on serotonin receptors in the brain to increase their activity and their presence in the body. When we have low levels of serotonin, depression appears.
Cold Therapy as an Alternative to Improve Anxiety and Depression
Cryotherapy acts on serotonin and other hormones and neurotransmitters responsible for managing organic functions during times of stress and pleasure. Currently, cold therapy is a non-invasive natural alternative, for people who suffer from chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders, this therapy is focused on activating the body, helping to balance the release of chemical substances, and in this way stimulate general well-being.