Cold Comfort: Cryotherapy Recovery

As I’ve covered in past posts, despite my almost relentless focus on pushing myself physically, I’ve never really given rest and recovery the same level of attention. More so recently though, I’ve acknowledged that I can’t keep punishing my body without giving it the rest, recovery, and recuperation it needs.

I continue to train daily, but after my girlfriend mentioned a wellness centre in town that offered cryotherapy, I figured it was a good time to give it a go. It’s been on my to-do list for a while, but without a local facility it always dropped down the priority list. Knowing it was only ten minutes away, I booked in for the following Saturday, which conveniently coincided with my chest day giving me a good chance to put the powers of cryo-supported recovery to the test.

First Steps into the Freeze

Upon arrival at the Ultra Wellness Centre, I was greeted by the team who walked me through the process and what to expect. They use state-of-the-art equipment and offer a range of other treatments, but for the first visit my focus was solely on the cryotherapy session. Within a few minutes, I was in the chamber room and ready to get underway.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect stepping into the chamber for the first time. They tell you the temperature, but it’s an unfamiliar experience regardless of how much you’ve read or prepared. I was advised that while they set the target internal temperature to 9 degrees on normal or 7 degrees on intense, the session wouldn’t last longer than four minutes. If you reached the target temperature sooner, it would finish automatically.

The setup involves multiple fans, front and back, hitting you with intensely cold air to rapidly bring your temperature down to the target range. My first session lasted around three minutes, and stepping out into the warm air was instantly refreshing, especially given I attended in mid-August so outside was a hot summer day.

Post-session first impressions were positive. DOMS were noticeably reduced in my chest the next day, and my legs felt surprisingly strong for leg day the following morning. I was aware the placebo effect might be at play, so I took it on face value for the first round. Subsequent sessions, however, produced similar results, and I now go once a week.

Stepping up to the intense setting made a clear difference, even if just a couple of degrees. The first time was certainly tougher, but over recent weeks my body has adapted to the therapy with the time to reach target temperature shortening week by week.

What are the key benefits?

I’ve touched on some of the changes I’ve noticed, but beyond anecdotes, it’s worth understanding what’s been evidenced through research and my own experience.

1. Reduced Muscle Soreness

DOMS are part and parcel of life for me. With the amount of running I do and the frequency of my strength sessions, I’ve come to expect it as the norm. While cryotherapy hasn’t eliminated it entirely, the soreness is noticeably less intense, and recovery between sessions feels faster and more complete.

2. Faster Turnaround Between Sessions

Running the volume I do means I’m often training twice a day, running to the gym in the morning and then another 4-6 mile run when I wrap up my working day. Normally after Sunday’s leg day, Monday and Tuesday’s miles feel heavy. Cryo, especially combined with intensive stretching, has gone a long way to easing that fatigue, particularly on weeks where I schedule cryo for post leg day.

3. Improved Sleep Quality

I wasn’t aware of this benefit initially, but one of the team mentioned it to me after my first session. They reminded me to stay hydrated (more on that below) and noted I’d probably sleep well that night. They weren’t wrong.
I’ve never been the best sleeper due to many years of late night working schedules. Since adding cryo to my recover routine though I’ve found I drift off earlier and have unbroken sleep. It’s clear it supports not just muscle recovery but helps with resetting my nervous system too. Generally, the day after a cryo session I wake up my most refreshed.

4. Mental Edge

Even once you’re used to it, stepping into freezing air isn’t something you exactly look forward to, especially as the darker, colder months roll in. There’s a mental sharpness that comes from jumping in the chamber though. It forces a focus on breath and composure whilst you’re inside and when I step out, I feel recharged and alert.

What’s going on with your body during and after the treatment?

The physical effects behind cryotherapy are well documented; it helps reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and triggers an endorphin release. Whilst you’re in the chamber your blood vessels constrict, and when you warm back up, fresh blood rushes back into your muscles and tissues. This process accelerates healing and helps the body reset, making it ideal for recovery after a big event or when preparing for an upcoming event.

The chamber I use displays a body map showing inflamed muscle groups. On my first visit, the trainer immediately guessed I’d worked chest and shoulders that day based on the deep red areas on the screen.

A point of note as mentioned above is on your hydration both pre and post treatment. The rapid constriction and expansion of blood vessels, means that hydration is crucial to ensure you maintain good blood flow. I always suggest to friends now to make sure they both go in well hydrated but also maintain focus on hydration throughout the day afterwards. For me, I tend to drink a lot anyway but it’s more a consideration if you’re visiting Cryo on a day where you may have a lot on to do afterwards. If so it’s always worthwhile to stay cognisant to keep drinking for the few hours afterwards.

Final Thoughts

Cryotherapy isn’t a magic bullet for recovery that will make all your aches and pains disappear but it has now become a staple in my recovery routine. It doesn’t make muscle pain vanish, but it has and continues to help me recover faster and maintain a consistent training load week after week.

As a recovery treatment it’s not exactly cheap however if you push your body to its limits regularly, investing in recovery is less a luxury and more a necessity.

Even if he session itself only lasts less than four minutes, the impact carries well beyond that. It’s helping me train harder, recover faster, and continue to sustain the routine I’ve built over years.