In the first 4 seconds of placing himself in the cold ice bath, Tan, 32 years old, felt like thousands of needles were stabbing him, causing a sharp, numbing pain on the top of his head.
Starting the new day, Tan, a health coach, soaks in ice water for 25 minutes to build strength and endurance. To overcome the cold feeling in the first seconds, he encouraged himself and used breathing techniques to control and gradually get used to the cold. Finally, after 25 minutes of soaking, the man felt refreshed and full of energy.
“When you do the most unpleasant things first, all the problems of the day become pleasant,” he said, considering this the secret to improving health, improving the immune system, and reducing stress.
Thanh Hang, 31 years old, real estate consultant, in Hanoi, also takes a cold ice bath in the morning to relieve stress and increase excitement. In recent months, her work pressure has increased many times compared to the same period last year due to the more positive real estate market.
Hang often leaves early, comes home late, eats and sleeps irregularly, and is always angry and frustrated. Introduced by friends to the method of soaking in rocks to help reduce stress, Hang applied it, hoping to be “healed” and not fall into depression.
Guided by the trainer, the woman gradually reduces the temperature, while soaking from her feet, then her whole body. In addition, she learned breathing techniques to increase her endurance, for example inhaling for 7 seconds, holding her breath for 2 seconds, then slowly exhaling for 7 seconds, to provide more oxygen to the body. For Hang, just by passing the first 4 seconds, she can endure the challenge for the remaining 15 minutes.
“Overcoming the feeling of cold, you will notice that your body is extremely alert, full of excitement, working focused and very effective,” Hang said on April 22.
Mr. Tan soaked in ice in the morning. Image: Character provided
Searching for the keyword “ice bath” on TikTok, many videos appear showing instructions on how to take an ice bath to relieve stress. Many people recommend this as a popular cooling therapy with countless benefits, notably improving mood and reducing stress.
In his latest book titled “The Wim Hof Method: Unlocking Potential, Overcoming Limits”, Wim Hof, 61 years old, known as the Ice Man, believes that anyone can become stronger, healthier and happier through the cold, proper breathing and thinking. Thereby, they can control the power of their mind to overcome challenges in life, according to Telegraph. Starting your day with a 30-second cold shower can help stimulate blood circulation, improve your immune system and even make you feel happier.
Ice bathing is an effective way to develop mental strength and endurance, because participants in the challenge need to have strong will and concentration to withstand the cold. Besides, this method helps the body produce substances that improve mood and regulate the amount of stress hormone (cortisol), thanks to which the bather will overcome pressure and become more resilient.
On the other hand, bathing in cold water (water with a temperature below 20 degrees Celsius) will cause a temperature difference reaction, thereby helping the brain secrete endorphin – a hormone that helps improve mood and reduce stress; Along with that, the body increases blood circulation to balance temperature, which helps you stay alert and full of excitement for the new day.
Regularly bathing in cold water (2-3 times/week, at least 5 minutes each time) is also beneficial in increasing the amount of brown fat (a type of fat that helps increase metabolism), improving digestive system function, thereby helping to speed up weight loss, speed up post-workout recovery, and increase resistance. Soaking your face in cold water every day also helps stimulate collagen production, helps firm skin and reduces the aging process.
An online account shares the journey of taking ice baths in the morning for 90 days, attracting many people’s attention. Image: Screenshots
However, doctors say ice baths also pose risks if done incorrectly. In fact, the temperature of ice water is much lower than body temperature. When bathing too much, you risk getting colds, headaches, runny noses, and allergic rhinitis. Moreover, if the body is in a tired state, has just exercised vigorously or is sick or has a fever, “taking” a basin of cold ice water will cause the body temperature to drop too much, making the patient’s condition worse. should be more serious.
Therefore, for beginners, it should not be done suddenly but should be a gradual change. You can take a warm bath first, then start changing to cool water (regular water not mixed with hot water), shower for about 2-5 minutes more (depending on your ability). Or you take a hot shower alternately with a cold shower, each for about a minute. This type of bath is suitable after heavy exercise sessions, helping to relax muscles very well.
The practitioner can add some of the following habits to help maximize benefits while bathing, including using a soft loofah to dry the entire skin. This method not only helps clean dead cells but also enhances the activity of the lymphatic system and circulatory system, helping blood circulate. Or you can use your hands to gently pat the whole body (the force of your hands causes a slight burning sensation on the skin) to help increase lymphatic activity and circulation, helping to increase energy. Using your fingertips to massage the scalp and gently pulling the hair with your hands to gently stretch the roots is a good habit.
After a while, you can switch to completely cool water bath mode (water not mixed with hot water), and finally proceed to the cold/ice water bath challenge 2-3 times per week, 5-25 minutes each time. .
When practicing, take deep breaths and focus on breathing to overcome the cold feeling. To limit the risk, doctors note that you should not pour water directly on your head, instead, bathe from low to high, wash your hands, feet, face and shower from the neck down first, to let your body get used to the temperature. (about 1.2 minutes), then shower. Some groups of people with weak immunity, postpartum women, people who have just recovered from illness, people with blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease… are not suitable to try the cold water bath method.