Can three minutes in a sub-zero degree chamber take years off your complexion, have you sleeping like a baby and aid in muscle recovery? WH&F journalist Angelique Tagaroulias and editor Katelyn Swallow bravely ditched their Melbourne woolies to give it a go.
It comes as little surprise that cryotherapy has its origins in the Greek word for ‘cold’: I can tell you from personal experience that being exposed to sub-zero conditions for up to three minutes via a ‘cryo chamber’ is nothing short of freezing; and, to be honest, we had the temperature gauge at minus 110 degrees Celsius for just two minutes and 45 seconds instead of three (weaklings).
So why put ourselves under such torturous conditions? The cold air triggers physiological responses in the human body – or so they say.
“Cryotherapy reduces inflammation and alleviates pain symptoms, and enhances athletic performance, immune function, sleep quality, metabolism, antioxidant activity, brain function – including focus, attention and mood – and collagen production,” says co-founder and chief creative officer of Alchemy Cryotherapy Centre Nitel Mimi (alchemycryo.com.au).
“You can expect to feel the benefits immediately, including reduced inflammation, increased energy, elevated mood levels and improved sleep quality. However, the benefits are cumulative and best results are generally achieved with a series of treatments.”
THE ROAD TEST
Katelyn and I nervously arrived at Alchemy Cryotherapy Centre wondering whether the premises resembled the North Pole and smelt like a deep freezer; oh, and if we could possibly endure colder conditions than that of a Melbourne winter. We stepped into the clean, white centre, and were quickly led to the changing room by the friendly staff to don our protective gear: wearing nothing else but our bathing suits, we were given a mask covering our nose and mouth, ear muffs, mittens, socks and attractive crockstyle shoes.
This story is from the September 2017 edition of Women's Health & Fitness.
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This story is from the September 2017 edition of Women's Health & Fitness.
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