Cryotherapy for Stress, Mood & Better Sleep
Stress comes at us from every angle. Work, family, hormonal shifts, the sheer pace of life. Your nervous system often feels it before your mind can catch up. That racing feeling. The irritability. The disrupted sleep. The fog.
Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) isn’t just about recovery or performance. One of its most powerful effects is the way it helps your body regulate stress, stabilise mood, and settle into deeper, more restorative sleep.
And the science is starting to catch up.
Studies in recent years have been published that show how WBC can influence inflammation, neurotransmitters, and the autonomic nervous system — all of which play a huge role in how we feel day to day.
Here’s how it works.
Cryotherapy Calms the Nervous System
Cold exposure triggers a short, controlled stress response — the opposite of the chronic stress that wears you down. Once you step out of the cold, your parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” mode) becomes dominant.
A recent review found that cold exposure helps rebalance the autonomic nervous system, supporting mood stability and stress recovery. You can read it here:
Cold Exposure Review (2025) →
This shift is one of the main reasons people feel calmer and clearer after a session.
Boosts Mood Through Powerful Neurochemical Changes
One of the most interesting effects of WBC is its impact on norepinephrine — a neurotransmitter linked with focus, mood and alertness. Cold exposure can dramatically increase its levels, which helps explain the “mental lift” people feel afterwards.
Cryotherapy has also been explored for its impact on depression and anxiety symptoms. Clinical trials suggest meaningful improvements, though more research is still needed.
Cryotherapy Can Support Better Sleep
Poor sleep and stress often go hand in hand. Cryotherapy helps reset this cycle in several ways:
Lowering core body temperature (helps you fall asleep faster)
Reducing inflammation that disrupts sleep
Supporting the nervous system’s ability to downshift at night
This aligns with evidence showing that cooling interventions can improve slow-wave sleep quality — the deepest, most restorative sleep stage.
Many Revive clients report their best night’s sleep of the week after cryo.
Cryotherapy Reduces Inflammation — Essential for Emotional Stability
Inflammation isn’t just physical. It affects your brain and mood too.
A 2025 meta-analysis of 11 human WBC trials found significant reductions in inflammatory markers, including IL-1β, and increases in anti-inflammatory IL-10 (it’s okay we don’t know what they mean either but the scientists do!!):
WBC Inflammation Meta-Analysis (2025) →
Lower inflammation supports:
Emotional resilience
More stable mood
Less fatigue
Better cognitive function
This is especially valuable for anyone living under chronic stress or hormonal change.
What We Know vs What We Don’t Yet Know
We know:
WBC reliably reduces inflammatory markers
Cold exposure supports mood and cognition
Cryotherapy provides a strong short-term nervous system reset
Sleep often improves (subjectively and physiologically)
We don’t fully know:
How long mental health benefits last
Ideal frequency for mood/stress outcomes
How WBC compares to other stress-reduction modalities long-term
The early data is promising — and the lived experience is even stronger — but responsible interpretation matters.
Cryotherapy at Revive: A Reset for Mind and Body
If you’re feeling overstretched, overwhelmed, sleep-deprived or mentally foggy, WBC is a powerful tool that helps your body shift gears.
Just three minutes — and your nervous system gets the reset it’s been asking for.
Book a Cryotherapy session at Revive and feel the difference for yourself.