Can ice baths help with sleep?

Ice baths can indeed help with sleep by influencing circadian rhythms through changes in body temperature. Andrew Huberman explains that exposure to cold can have effects like increasing stress tolerance and shifting circadian rhythms, impacting when you feel sleepy or alert depending on the timing of the exposure. If an ice bath is taken late at night, it might extend the perception of the day, leading to a delay in sleep time, as the body perceives the day as continuing. However, it can also cause a rebound in melatonin production, which can help initiate sleep. Timing is crucial; an ice bath early in the day might make it easier to wake up earlier the next morning, whereas late-day cold exposure can delay the sleep phase 1 2.