Is Cold Exposure Therapy Beneficial for Women?

Many well known celebs, wellness guru’s and professional athletes tout the benefits of cold water therapy, but is it really worth all the hype? 

The research says yes (mostly)! 

The list of benefits from cold exposure is long! Dipping yourself into chilly water is a great way to increase your physical and mental wellbeing. Cold water therapy is thought to help with everything from decreasing inflammation and muscle soreness to boosting your immune response, improving circulation, and even supporting healthy digestion and metabolic health. But it’s not for everyone. 

Cold exposure therapy is safe and appears to be as beneficial for women as it is for men, but with some caveats. Much of the research surrounding biohacking strategies is based on male biology, which is more predictable, and steady than the cyclical biology of women.

Aside from a very small amount of evidence for symptom reduction in menopause, there is no body of research on the benefits of cold water immersion or cold exposure specifically for women’s health issues. 

There are unique hormonal features of female physiology that may change how cold exposure affects women. Due to fluctuations in the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, menstruating women may experience slightly more benefit from cold exposure during the late first half of their cycle when estrogen is at its highest and progesterone at its lowest.

For pregnant women, women with painful periods, and women with significant cardiovascular disease, cold water exposure may not be appropriate. 

I f**king HATE cold water. And just being cold in general. But, I remember sitting in the Utah desert, freezing my ass off on a bouldering trip back in 2012, with my friend Justin telling me I just needed to learn to control my breath like this guy Wim Hoff. 

Obviously I ignored him, and it wasn’t until New year’s day 2020 that I finally took my first “official” plunge. And surprisingly I didn’t hate it. 

Early that morning, I joined a group of friend’s to dip our bodies into the frozen waters of the Deschutes River. And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to dreading literally every minute leading up to it, but it really did clear my head more than anything else I’ve ever tried. And I have tried a LOT.  

The good news is,  you don’t have to go all in and start plunging into frozen rivers or buy an expensive tub to reap the benefits. Just a few second rinse at the end of your shower is a great place to start! And it requires WAY less of a mental pep talk beforehand! 

Cold water therapy creates stress on the body. 

I know what you’re thinking, aren’t we trying to reduce our stress? 

And you wouldn’t be wrong, but there are some kinds of stressors that can actually be beneficial! The key is that they are temporary! 

Chronic stress isn’t doing your body any favors! 

Exercise, for example, puts stress on your body, but ultimately, this temporary stress helps you to get stronger. Exposure to cold water does the same. It temporarily puts stress on your body but helps to build more resilience to stress in the long term. Making it easier for  your body to shift out of fight or flight mode and into rest and digest mode. Which we all could use to spend a little more time! 

Read on for 5 more reasons to turn the temp WAY down on your next shower. 

TO BOOST YOUR MOOD 

A recent study found that just a few minutes of cold water immersion daily could help relieve symptoms of depression. So if you tend to struggle with the winter blues, or have a hard time keeping stress and anxiety at bay, cold therapy can help!

TO DECREASE INFLAMMATION 

One of the big benefits of cold water immersion is that it reduces swelling and inflammation, which is why many athletes  follow a tough workout with a soak in an ice bath. 

But even if you’re not a serious athlete, you can still get the benefits! Just a quick blast of cold water can help reduce inflammation, decrease soreness and help you recover more quickly. 

TO INCREASE YOUR  IMMUNITY 

Another major benefit of cold water immersion is that it triggers your immune system’s white blood cells, which helps your body to fight off illnesses. The cold water also supports your lymphatic system which plays a role in your immune response and ultimately keeps you feeling your best! 

TO SUPPORT CIRCULATION 

When your body is exposed to cold water, your blood rushes to protect your vital organs, which forces your circulatory system to work more efficiently! And supplying your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Done routinely, it can help promote healthier circulation, and a healthier heart. 

TO BOOST YOUR METABOLISM 

Cold water immersion also helps increase the amount of brown fat in your body which burns more energy to keep you warm. 

Are you convinced yet?

HERE’S HOW TO DO IT

You don’t have to go all in, just start by  slowly decreasing the amount of hot water you use in your showers and end with a cooler blast of water.  Eventually you’ll be able to spend a little more time under the cooler water.

While it’s still not my favorite wellness practice, nothing beats it when it comes to clearing your mind fast.