In recent years, Cryotherapy has gained popularity as a trendy wellness treatment for athletes, celebrities, and everyday people seeking relief from various health conditions.
Take that, and the rise in popularity of cold plunges for health and wellness, and you may be wondering why everyone’s getting cold lately.
At datenight, we tried out three sessions of Cryotherapy at Vital Cryotherapy on 477 Richmond St W and may have found a favourite wellness routine!
So what exactly is Cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy involves exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures for a short period, typically for two to three minutes.
The therapy is said to offer numerous benefits, including reducing inflammation, boosting metabolism, improving sleep, and reducing pain.
While it may sound intimidating to some, Cryotherapy has been used for decades in medical settings to treat conditions such as skin lesions and certain types of cancer.
What a Cryotherapy appointment is like
So, when you arrive for your Cryotherapy appointment, you’ll be asked to change into a robe or other loose-fitting clothing. While you enter the chamber without clothes, it’s important to keep your feet and hands covered because of how sensitive they are.
Vital Cryotherapy absolutely stocked their rooms with comfy robes (including a BOUJEE robe you can use after your appointment to snap a mirror selfie for the gram), clean socks, gloves, and even Nike slippers.
Then, you’ll enter a small cylinder-looking chamber that’s open on the top so your head and shoulders can stay above the cold. It’s basically a giant freezer for your body which sounds a little intimidating, but has some very uplifting effects.
Just in case you thought you were doing this alone, there’s a Vital Cryotherapy staff member in the room with you making sure everything goes okay and is operating the machine for you – some people even use this time for a very short three-minute therapy sesh.
The main different between cold plunging and Cryotherapy is the temperature allowance. Your body physically can’t be in water that’s as cold as Cryotherapy can get (for obvious reasons). This temperature is -110 to -150 degrees Celsius.
Once your time in the chamber is up, you’ll step out and warm up with some light stretching and it’s totally normal for your skin to be red and cold to the touch. The good thing is, if you’re going outside in the winter after your appointment, it won’t feel so bad after what you just experienced.
So how does it feel?
Standing in the chamber as the temperature dropped, I kind of felt like a dry-ice dessert at a restaurant, if you can picture that.
The sensation of being in the chamber can vary from person to person, but to me it felt like standing outside on a cold day for a few minutes. It’s weirdly uncomfortable, but doesn’t have you running out of the chamber since it’s getting gradually colder and colder.
You’ll typically be in the chamber for only two or three minutes, depending on what you can handle, and during that time, you’ll be moving around to keep your blood flowing and prevent any parts of your body from getting too cold. The person in the room with you also helps take your mind off the coldness touching virtually every part of your body.
The results
With risk of sounding cliché, it actually works! Leaving the appointment, I felt like I just woke up from a nap that *actually* re-energizes you, or just got one of the best massages every with a bolt of energy.
There’s also a huge sense of, “oh my gosh I actually did it” after completing an appointment which adds to the mental benefits of Cryotherapy, because it’s pretty cool stepping out of your comfort zone (and into a freezing cold chamber).
Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is based on our own experience and publicly-accessible information. It is not intended to replace or substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new treatment, including cryotherapy, and to determine if it is right for you. Cryotherapy may not be suitable for everyone.
Ready to start your Cryotherapy journey? Learn more and book your session here, then use your new energy for a great date night with all these ideas!
