Cryotherapy explained: The natural healing benefits of cold therapy & the Wim Hof Method
Missing a cold winter season? A bit of cold therapy, breathing exercises and a nice icy bath might help
Text: Joel T
We love our Little Red Dot, but maaan, it’s hot. And sometimes we hanker after a fresh cold climate and exposure to icy temperatures. Not only does it give us the opportunity to wear a cosy sweater, but the cold comes with natural healing benefits. Cryotherapy in Singapore and the Wim Hof Method have been gaining traction over the years, but can cold therapy actually be good for you?
Mr Wim Hof, Earth’s “Ice Man” Method (WHM) entails a combination of frequent cold exposure, meditation, breathing exercises and mental techniques. Wim Hof has procured Guinness World Records for swimming under ice and prolonged full-body contact with ice, running barefoot for a half-marathon on ice and snow, and the longest ice bath (one hour, 52 minutes and 42 seconds).
Besides being a super-human of sorts, Wim Hof claims his cold therapy promotes a form of natural healing –– exposing yourself to cold baths floods your brain and cells with oxygen, releases endorphins, and excites the vascular system, resulting in a full-body reset.
Credit: Wim Hof
Fat burning & anxiety busting
Though scientific research has been inconclusive, there are numerous studies that show that cold therapy might indeed boast health benefits. A widely-held perception is that cold therapy helps with muscle recovery. A 2017 study supports this, while another recent study also found that cold therapy can be slightly better than passive recovery in the management of muscle soreness. It has also been cited with weight-loss benefits as shivering stimulates the secretion of irisin, a hormone that induces fat burning.
Further research discovered that exposure to cold temperatures can activate brown fat (fuel that our bodies’ burn for energy) metabolism in humans. In this 2014 study, participants performed breathing exercises and techniques such as consciously hyperventilating and retaining the breath while immersed in ice-cold water. Results confirmed that cold therapy could be especially useful in treating inflammatory conditions, especially autoimmune conditions.
It’s also believed that those suffering from depression or anxiety can benefit from WHM. Tests found that cold therapy reduced participants’ symptoms of anxiety and depression by at least 50 percent compared to people who did not undergo cold therapy –– the thinking being that the temperature activates the body’s “pain control system.”
But where to find such icy vibes here on the island? Here are two places in Singapore that offer cold therapy:
Credit: Absolute Zero
Established in August 2013, Absolute Zero is Asia’s 1st and only Whole Body Cryotherapy chain. The company is also the exclusive distributor of the most advanced Whole Body Cryotherapy Chambers in Asia Pacific. The therapy uses liquid nitrogen at temperatures as low as -184 degree celsius, and they offer a variety of treatments including the signature Whole Body Cryotherapy, localised treatment with Local Cryotherapy, and facial treatments with Face Freeze.
Address: Pacific Plaza, 9 Scotts Road #03-1; Raffles Place 22 Malacca Street #09-00 RB Capital; Dhoby Ghaut 190 Clemenceau Ave #05-03 SSC
Call 6338 4434 to make enquiry on price. Full details on Absolute Zero.
Credit: HyperActiv
HyperActiv is Singapore's first and only dedicated centre to the Wim Hof Method. Helmed by Chun Yih Tan, it offers a variety of classes catering to beginners and experts of the WFM. Chun Yih first discovered WFH while searching for treatments to alleviate pain after 15 years of strenuous physical activity and exercises. Using WFM, Chun Yih’s pain subsided tremendously. Hence, HyperActiv was born.
Address: Altered States studio, 66 Kampong Bugis or 25 Pemimpin Place
Price start from SGD95 for a private introductory session. Full details on HyperActiv.
