Does Cryotherapy Help You Sleep?
Cryotherapy may help with a better quality of sleep.
Most people like to sleep in a cool room. But does a cryotherapy session before bed help with sleep? Many people believe that it does, and the European Journal of Sport Science published a study that wholeheartedly agrees. Scientists in France studied the sleep and discomfort levels of active men who exercised in the evening doing a series of sprints between moderate jogging. Some of the men received whole body cryotherapy, some did not. Their sleep patterns were monitored and the results were conclusive. According to the experts: the use of 3-min [whole body cryotherapy] after training in the evening improves subjective and objective sleep quality in physically active subjects, which may be due to greater pain relief and improved parasympathetic nervous activity during the SWS period.¹
Your quality of sleep depends on many things; however, sleep is often disrupted by pain and restlessness. Whole body cryotherapy has been found to relieve pain,² relieve inflammation,³ and relieve discomfort from aching muscles.⁴ For the athletes in the above quoted study those that reported better sleep, and who registered as receiving deeper, uninterrupted sleep, were those who did cryotherapy. While your situation may differ trying whole body cryotherapy for improved sleep may be helpful.
Does it Matter When I Do Cryotherapy?
No. The effects of cryotherapy are received by the body throughout the day, and the results are effective for the following 24 hours or longer. Most people who do cryotherapy do so in the daytime. But some cryotherapy businesses are open later in the evening and this may help you even more, especially if you exercise in the evening.
Will Inflammation Harm my Sleep?
According to Harvard University inflammation is "the body's natural response to protect itself against harm."⁵ This is often experienced as swelling that can cause discomfort or pain. This can directly impact sleep, making it harder to get to sleep and stay asleep. Cryotherapy has been found in studies to reduce inflammation throughout the entire body. The French study referenced earlier found that athletes who did whole body cryotherapy not only slept better, but reported a feeling of wellness greater than those who did not have cryotherapy.
Learn more about the benefits of cryotherapy and go through the many cryotherapy clinical studies.
Founded on facts: for peer-reviewed articles, scholarly journals, and articles cited above please see the below sources.
Wafa Douzi, Olivier Dupuy, Maxence Tanneau, Geoffroy Boucard, Romain Bouzigon & Benoit Dugué (2019) 3-min whole body cryotherapy/cryostimulation after training in the evening improves sleep quality in physically active men, European Journal of Sport Science, 19:6, 860-867, DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2018.1551937
Effectiveness of Cryotherapy for pain. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16870097
Effectiveness of Cryotherapy for inflammation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5411446/
Effectiveness of Cryotherapy for muscle soreness. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19528900
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-disease-overview/ask-the-doctor-what-is-inflammation
NOTICE: Information contained within this website and on all materials, communications, or presentations by Cryo Innovations and Cryo Recovery Lounge is for informational purposes only. Whole Body Cryotherapy, infrared sauna, hyperbaric chamber, and any and all recovery methods described and/or offered by Cryo Recovery Lounge or Cryo Innovations are neither designed nor advised for treatment or cure of any illness or disease. No cryotherapy chambers (including the XR) have been tested or approved by the FDA. Please consult with your medical professional before beginning any cryotherapy or recovery method. All material contained within this site is copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission. All rights reserved. For permissions contact Cryo Innovations.