Jungmann M, et al. (2018). Effects of cold stimulation on cardiac-vagal activation in healthy participants: Randomized controlled trial. Having run collegiately and professionally for the last 14 years, I’ve spent countless hours in ice baths. When deciding on the best barrel for your cold water therapy sessions, consider these crucial factors. From the material’s insulating capabilities to the size that suits your space, each element plays a role in enhancing your ice barrel therapy experience. Maximising Your Cold Plunge Experience: Tips for Success Dive In: Ice Barrel Therapy at Its Best Shevchuk, N. A. (2008). Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression. Medical Hypotheses, 70(5), 995–1001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2007.04.052

The upright design allowed me to stay in a natural position and It’s even possible to fully submerge. The physical experience Bleakley C, et al. (2012). Cold‐water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise.

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Most plunge pools shouldn’t be used outside in the winter, as their pipes can freeze up. But this product’s ability to heat up, combined with the durable acrylic construction, means it can stay outside all year long. The Hot and Cold Plunge Pro can heat up to 103 degrees and chill to 39 degrees, so you get a hot tub and cold plunge in one. The hot and cold option is a little pricier, Herod, our tester, says. But if you’re already spending thousands of dollars on a tub, the upgrade is a pretty cheap upgrade by comparison. Bieuzen, F., Bleakley, C. M., & Costello, J. T. (2013). Contrast Water Therapy and Exercise Induced Muscle Damage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062356 While cold therapy has been an accepted treatment for acute injuries and post-exercise recovery for over 30 years, new research is showing that cold therapy is safe and effective for chronic diseases.

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is one class of many specialized proteins that are involved in inflammatory response. IL-1 causes fever, increased sensitivity to pain, vasodilation, and hypotension (drop in blood pressure).Direct stimulation of the nerve is a treatment for epilepsy and treatment-resistant depression (Tindle & Tadi, 2020). However, this sort of intervention would be extreme and not normally recommended medically for people who suffer from less extreme diseases. The Ice Barrel Owner’s Guide features some big claims: “ Stress, anxiety, depression, and low energy are common phenomena with significant health implications. We’ve discovered one solution to all these problems, and that is our Ice Barrel.” Pretty wild stuff, huh? While this is great for a budget buy, it’s not going to provide as much comfort or last as long as some of the more expensive products on our list.

There are two types of cold plunge tubs; self-cooling and externally cooled. The self-cooling tubs come with a chiller that makes the water cold and often cleans it too. Externally cooled tubs are heavily insulated and meant to stay cold once you add ice or cold water to them. They also don’t require electricity to function like self-cooled tubs do and are usually less expensive. Are ice baths good for you? Rymaszewska, J., Tulczynski, A., Zagrobelny, Z., Kiejna, A., & Hadrys, T. (2003). Influence of whole body cryotherapy on depressive symptoms – Preliminary report. Acta Neuropsychiatrica, 15(3), 122–128. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1601-5215.2003.00023.x Szczepańska-Gieracha, J., Borsuk, P., Pawik, M., & Rymaszewska, J. (2014). Mental state and quality of life after 10 session whole-body cryotherapy. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 19(1), 40–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2013.780130 These improvements suggest that regular cold water immersion is enhancing my body’s natural healing process.

What’s included with your Ice Barrel

Embarking on the journey of cold water immersion, I welcomed the Ice Barrel 400 into my daily routine with open arms – or should I say, an open mind. This minimal space requirement, coupled with its lightweight design, means that the Ice Barrel can be conveniently set up in nearly any suitable environment. There are a lot of cold plunge tubs and ice baths on the market, which means there are also a lot of statements claiming each one is the absolute best. That’s why we put a ton of tubs to the test, getting first-hand experience to truly narrow the list.