How Often Should You Do Whole-Body Cryotherapy For The Best Results?

One of the most common questions we get from our clients is, “how often should I be doing whole body cryotherapy?”

 If you’ve ever asked, I’m sure you know this answer depends a lot on what the desired results of cryotherapy are. Luckily, research studies on whole-body cryotherapy combined with client experience and feedback can provide a lot of practical guidance for the results you are probably interested in.

Keep reading to find out exactly how whole-body cryotherapy works and what our suggested protocols are for different categories of need.

If you’re looking to see more physical changes, we find most clients report results about one week after regular treatments five times a week.

How does whole-body cryotherapy work?

With chronic inflammation at the root of many common diseases, whole-body cryotherapy is one of the best options for preventative, restorative, and non-invasive healthcare.

Exposing your body to extremely low temperatures within the cryotherapy chamber for three minutes drastically reduces inflammation throughout your body. (1) And studies prove it really works. This technology has been shown to decrease inflammation, activate antioxidant enzymes, and lower oxidative stress in the body. (2

Three phases to whole-body cryotherapy — freeze, respond, and recover:

Freeze: Once you are situated in the cryo chamber, a clinician will release nitrogen vapor, which rapidly drops the cryochamber to sub-zero temperatures as cold as -250ºF.

Respond: Your body then enters survival mode, pushing blood from your arms and legs to your core, where your blood is enriched with micronutrients, enzymes, and oxygen.

Recover: After 90 seconds to three minutes of exposure, your body begins to re-warm, welcoming enriched blood to the periphery. The newly enriched blood cells promote the regeneration of internal organs, help eliminate subcutaneous toxins, and initiate the skin cell renewal process.

Post-session, we recommend clients drink water and also practice mindful eating to reap cryotherapy’s full spectrum of benefits, including post-treatment fat burn and youthful, glowy skin.

How often do I need to do whole-body cryotherapy treatments?

While a single session will instantly help, and you can safely do up to two treatments per day, these guidelines will help you match your cryotherapy schedule to your health and wellness goals:

  • General wellness: 3-5 treatment sessions per week for the first month, then choose the schedule best matched to your goals based on the following guidelines
  • Optimum health and wellness: 5 sessions per week for at least two weeks.
  • Weight loss and metabolism boost: 3-5 sessions per week for at least two weeks, combined with a healthy diet and exercise. (3, 4)
  • Chronic pain and general inflammation: 2-5 sessions per week. (5)
  • Better circulation: 2-3 sessions per week, at least ten times.
  • Arthritis: 5 sessions per week for at least two months. (6)
  • Sports and muscle recovery: 1-2 sessions for specific areas & combined with daily sports training regimens. 
  • Improved mood: 1 session, 1-2 sessions for maintenance. (7, 8)
  • Improved quality of sleep: 2-3 three sessions per week. (9)
  • Post-surgery recovery: 3 times per week for three weeks. (10)
  • Increased energy levels: 2-3 times per week regularly for at least 10 sessions.
  • Anti-aging and skin health benefits: 2-4 times per week for at least two months. (11)
  • Fibromyalgia: 3-4 times per week for at least 2-4 weeks. (12)
  • Chronic migraines and headaches: Effective at providing immediate relief during a migraine attack. Maintenance 2 times per week. (13)

Feel like you’re a slave to lacing those sneakers up? One cryotherapy session can help your body burn up to 850 calories during the hours after treatment. 

Do I get still get benefits from one whole-body cryotherapy treatment?

Yes! There is a list of whole-body cryotherapy benefits that happen from one session. You’ll immediately notice the positive effects of increased endorphins and adrenaline, leaving you feeling recharged and focused.

Just three minutes in the cryo chamber can provide instant gratification in the form of:

  • A high-calorie burn
  • Improved mood
  • Headache relief
  • Energy boost
  • Hangover relief
  • Pain relief
  • Accelerated muscle recovery
  • Improved focus