Whole Body Cryotherapy
What to Expect from Whole Body Cryotherapy
Whole body cryotherapy is a cold treatment and a procedure that will expose the body to a temperature colder than negative 200 degrees for about two to four minutes. It's been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis in Japan since the 1970s and is now being used in Western countries to help alleviate muscle soreness and back pain.
Now gyms, spas, and cryotherapy specific facilities are showing up and also talking about benefits to your skin, your mood, energy levels, and weight.
Depending on where you go for whole body cryotherapy, you may be given socks, slippers, ear muffs, and a face mask to protect sensitive skin before you go into the chamber. It feels cold right away but the time should pass pretty quickly. You will get the shivers but you aren’t going to feel like you are frozen. The treatment doesn’t penetrate the skin so organs stay safe. If you need to, you can get out at any time.
Benefits include relief for muscle, joint, and back pain, weight loss, and younger looking skin. If you have ever iced an injury then you will understand how cryotherapy works for muscle pain. The reason cryotherapy works for weight loss is that the cold temperatures will force your body to work harder so you burn more calories in order to stay warm. It also boosts your metabolism so you are still burning more calories after your session. It helps with skin because the decrease in temperature helps decrease inflammation. However, it's not a long-term solution for better skin. It can also temporarily boost your energy and mood levels and some studies are looking into whether or not it can help treat mental illness. The theory behind this is that it releases endorphins and gets blood flowing through the body, which can be helpful if you are experiencing depression or anxiety.
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