The greatest benefit of ice baths, most likely, is that they simply make the body feel good. After an intense workout, the cold immersion can be a relief to sore, burning muscles.

An ice bath can also help your central nervous system by aiding in sleep, and consequently, making you feel better from having less fatigue. Plus, it can help improve reaction time and explosiveness in future workouts.

By decreasing the local temperature after exercise ice baths can help limit inflammatory response, decreasing the amount of inflammation and helping you recover faster.

One of the main benefits of an ice bath is being able to train your vagus nerve.The vagus nerve is linked with the parasympathetic nervous system, and training it can help you face stressful situations more adequately.

Cold water is not a cure for any mental health condition. But certain case studies suggest that cold open water swimming has helped alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety in some people.