Mark Wahlberg's fitness routine includes liquid nitrogen...

Plunging your body into temperatures of -100C in a chamber of liquid nitrogen doesn’t sound like the most relaxing start to the day, but if you want a body like Mark Whalberg’s, you might want to think about skipping the lie in and getting yourself down to a session of cryotherapy instead.

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The Hollywood star, who takes his health and fitness very seriously, gave fans a glimpse into his daily life after he detailed a breakdown of his gruelling schedule on Instagram. It includes a 2.30am start, two daily workouts and a morning session of the cryotherapy.

Whalberg has been pretty vocal about his love for the alternative cold treatment. "It’s great for recovery, it takes all the inflammation out of your body and it helps you sleep good," he told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview.

The oh-so-LA craze first originated in Japan in 1978, when cryotherapy was introduced as a treatment option for those with serious cases of rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation of the joints.

Thanks to wellness-loving Instagrammers and celebrity interest though, the trend is catching on in a big way, with dedicated cryo chamber studios popping up in Dublin.

What is cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy translates to "cold therapy", and it’s probably one of the shortest spa treatments you’ll ever have in your life – a single session lasts just three minutes.

The treatment happens inside a body-sized chamber, which looks pretty sci-fi – think nitrogen gas vapours pluming over the edges of a silver pod that wouldn’t look out of place on Star Trek.

Essentially like taking a stand-up ice bath, it works by filling a chamber with nitrogen gas which cools to anywhere between -80 and -100C.

As you submerge yourself into the freezing temperatures, the body’s survival mechanism is triggered, releasing endorphins and causing rapid circulation.

Experts believe that shocking your body with extreme cold can make your capillaries expand to up to four times the normal amount, which enables white blood cells to access and heal any sporting injuries faster – but because your body is only under stress for a short amount of time, you’re unlikely to suffer frostbite or burns.

"Cryotherapy is nothing new to elite athletes," says Maria Ensabella, founder of LondonCryo. "It’s been championed by the likes of Mo Farah and Cristiano Ronaldo for its muscle recovery benefits for years, but now more than ever people are signing up after hearing of its benefits."

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So what exactly are the benefits?
Because cryotherapy is pretty new, some of the potential benefits aren’t yet proven, but some believe that it can relieve pain, heal muscles, help with weight loss and reduce inflammation. Others seek out cryotherapy for its purported skin toning properties and the belief that it can reduce cellulite.

"The extreme cold forces the blood to rush to the internal organs allowing them to be replenished with nutrients," says Ensabella. "After three very cold minutes, the body will be flowing with oxygen-rich blood, rejuvenating the skin, increasing energy levels, improving sleep quality and relieving overall stress.

"It can also boost calorie burn, assist in muscle recovery, encourages the release of endorphins and can help with pain management. "

Sort of like jumping off a jetty into a freezing-cold lake, the initial unpleasantness of the low temperatures can be difficult to get used to, but regular cryo-goers say that feeling afterwards is amazingly refreshing.

That being said, it’s not suitable for pregnant women, children, people with severe high blood pressure, and people with heart conditions, and if you’re unsure, you should always speak to your doctor before trying anything new.

Mark Wahlberg's fitness routine includes liquid nitrogen...

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