Cold plunges are a newly-popular wellness practice that can have a profound impact on your health. Let's take a look at the cold plunge benefits.
Studies and anecdotal reports alike point to the fact that cold plunges and other forms of cold exposure are incredibly beneficial.
In this article, I’ll share the 10 top benefits of cold plunges.
I’ll also cover top frequently asked questions and help you avoid common cold plunge mistakes.
I hope you enjoy it!
Cold Plunges 101: The Basics
You know that old adage, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?
It’s true — at least when applied to cold plunges.
Overcoming the gentle stress of cold plunges (and other types of cold exposure like cold showers) can help your body burn fat, silence stress, and promote longevity.
People have been exposing themselves to cold weather for thousands of years for these very reasons.
Hippocrates and other early physicians said that cold plunges could treat fatigue, fever, and other maladies. (Source)
More than a few ancient cultures were huge fans of cold exposure, often pairing it with intermittent sauna use.
More recently cold plunges have been popularized via the Wim Hof Method.
Affectionately known as ‘the iceman,’ Wim Hof has leveraged the power of cold exposure + meditation to climb Everest, break world records, and fundamentally retrain his breathing. Today he’s training thousands — if not millions — of other people to do the same.
Modern science shows that cold plunges may improve a health marker called HRV, or heart rate variability, that can be used to assess nervous system health.
Learn more about the ins and outs of HRV here.
Cold plunges have gotten so popular, in fact, that they’ve trickled up into pop culture.
Everyone from actress Allysa Milano to pop singer Lady Gaga is trying them out.
The cold plunge challenge is trending on TikTok, too.
Related: Best Cold Plunges
Cold Water Plunge Benefits: Top 10 Benefits
The benefits of ice baths are numerous.
What do ice baths do?
All sorts of good stuff!
In the list below, we’ll be taking a much closer look.
1. Less Stress
The very biggest benefit of cold plunges is reduced stress levels.
At first glance, that might sound surprising.
Isn’t cold exposure kind of…stressful?
Yes and no.
Cold exposure might be stressful at the moment, but the biochemical shifts that persist after each session actually reduce stress in the long run.
This initial stress is especially noticeable when you try out cold exposure for the first time.
You might just want to jump out of your first cold shower!
That’s because the cold activates your sympathetic nervous system — yes, the same one that triggers that infamous ‘fight or flight’ response.
If you start feeling this way, focus on your breathing and embrace the discomfort.
This helps bring balance to both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Learning to keep your parasympathetic nervous system under control instills benefits that carry over to many other parts of your health, wellness, and general lifestyle.
2. Increased Energy Levels
As mentioned above, our nervous systems play a key role in how we feel and operate.
And since extremely cold temperatures activate a fight or flight response, an opportunity for increased energy emerges through regulating these two systems.
When your body is exposed to cold temperatures, changes in hormonal secretion occur.
In this process, the hormone called norepinephrine increases.
This particular hormone assists in helping you improve your overall energy.
A cold shower in the morning could do you really good for a more energy-filled start to the day.
And yes, even during the winter can, this method really helps you.
So even though a warm shower or bath can aid in relaxation or muscle relief, they definitely don’t assist in a boost of energy.
3. Hormesis
When you engage in exercise, it can often feel uncomfortable at first.
During workouts, your body gets exposed to stressors that fire up.
Throughout the exercises, you realize the actual strength and endurance you have to make it to the end.
Your body adapts to exercise in a similar way it would to a cold plunge.
At first, it may be uncomfortable, but exposure makes you stronger.
This initial shock and transformation from heat or cold exposure is a process called hormesis.
It takes a while to get used to nearly freezing cold water.
Since I began, I’ve increased how much time I spend suspended in the cold.
As a result, I can withstand the cold more and more.
4. Faster Recovery From Workouts
After a workout, you might opt for ice packs or a hot shower to help soothe sore muscles.
This can be beneficial depending on the circumstances but doesn’t necessarily aid as much as it could.
Athletes often submerge themselves in a cold bath between or after workouts at certain sporting events.
This is because studies show that cold water causes your blood vessels to constrict.
When your blood vessels go through constriction, warm blood cells flow to your vital organs.
Through this process, the circulation in your extremities restricts temporarily.
After your cold plunge, the blood vessels in your body dilate.
Your arms and legs regain blood flow to the muscle tissues, rapidly increasing muscle recovery and decreasing soreness.
We can all benefit from easing our sore bodies through a cold plunge.
Changing the temperature in your shower from hot to cold can help you.
You can also always alternate between hot and cold exposure to get the blood flow moving.
5. Stronger Mental Framework
Surely no one would want to jump into freezing temperatures, right?
It certainly goes against our natural instincts!
But what if this can be utilized to improve not only your physical health but your mental health as well?
With a cold plunge, you have the capacity to choose how you respond to your thoughts.
We really can survive more than you might think, so by overcoming fear or your fight/flight response, you prove you’re stronger and more capable than previously believed.
6. Improved Mood
With the physical and mental benefits covered, you’ve realized how strong you actually are.
Feeling like you’ve overcome a challenge within your body and mind is a pretty good reason to feel on top of the world!
By persevering in this mental challenge, a chemical shift actually takes place in the body.
Endorphins and other neurotransmitters, such as the aforementioned hormone norepinephrine, release throughout the body, altering your overall mood.
Through the interactions between the chemical and mental bodies, your day-to-day is bound to get much better!
7. Deeper Sleep
Many of us struggle with our relationship with sleep.
Cold plunging can be dramatically helpful, whether it be the quality of sleep, trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep.
The stress hormone cortisol can be one of the main factors for sleep issues.
Since cold plunges assist in stress regulation, they incredibly impact your sleep!
Through this process, I now wake up less during the night and have much deeper sleep than before.
Related: L-theanine for sleep
8. Improved Body Composition
Regulating your metabolism is a key component of weight loss.
A cold plunge combined with a healthy lifestyle and diet habits can assist greatly in toning the body.
Cold plunging activates an energy-consuming tissue called brown adipose tissue, also known as brown fat (BAT).
Not only does it aid in metabolism, but it also clears glucose in the body. (Source)
Over time, you’ll notice aesthetic differences in your body with the help of cold plunging!
9. Stronger Immunity
Cold plunging is one way to fight pathogens, including viruses and bacteria.
When you expose your body to cold water, an antioxidant is released, aiding the immune system.
The antioxidant responsible for this process is called Glutathione.
Glutathione redirects immune responses to antiviral pathways, increasing your immunity against unwanted infections.
This chemical also promotes the natural killer cells and further supports the strengthening of the immune system.
It may seem counterintuitive at first, but in a similar way as mentioned in previous benefits, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!
10. Improved Neurocognitive Function
Taking a cold plunge in the morning can really help you feel more awake after a night’s sleep.
When you’re asleep for an extended period of time, synapses in the brain diminish neurological pathways which can contribute to memory problems and overall cognitive function.
So when your body is exposed to colder temperatures, these synapses can actually repair and become reinvigorated.
Consistent cold plunges could improve neurocognitive function with these neurological connections in reparation.
Related: Alpha Brain vs Mind Lab Pro
Cold Plunges: Top Mistakes
Even with all of these great benefits, there are still some safety measures to consider when cold plunging.
Let’s look at some top mistakes that can actually cancel out the positives.
Too Cold Too Soon
There’s no reason to go to extremes, especially when starting out.
Begin slightly below a comfortable temperature, and gradually work your way lower.
The more gradual the process, the more comfortable you will be while incorporating this into your routine.
Longer plunges
These benefits of a cold plunge don’t necessarily increase by staying in longer.
They can actually start to wear off and cancel out any positives. Start off by staying in for around two to five minutes, and hop out if you begin shivering.
Always listen to your body, and stay within a reasonable time limit.
Over time, you can extend to a max of 15 minutes for the best results.
Not quite a habit
Consistency is key in developing any new habit, especially something particularly strenuous such as cold plunges.
Start small and keep at it.
Over the next few days and weeks, you’ll begin to really feel the benefits.
No breath control
Since the nervous system sets off its alarm bells, breathing too fast can tend to occur.
By breathing slower, you can regulate yourself faster and with the overall ease of discomfort.
Try to elongate your breath as much as possible and hold each count for a few seconds.
Half way in
You can only receive so much benefit if you do not consider your whole body.
Submerging yourself up to the neck assists in regulating the vagus nerve, which helps your nervous system settle down.
If you feel comfortable, you can dunk your head under the water or get your face wet for additional benefits.
Cold Plunges: Top FAQs
Cold vs. Ice bath
Both a cold bath and an ice bath provide their own benefits and protocols.
If you’re first starting out, a cold bath or shower will be your best bet.
The temperature depends on what you can handle.
It’s good to expose yourself to a temperature that is both uncomfortable and tolerable.
If you feel strong enough and are already experienced with this therapy, you can go right above freezing temperatures.
For a cold bath, it’s recommended to stay in for roughly three minutes.
With ice baths, this is where we get to below-freezing temperatures.
It’s important to proceed with caution when beginning to expose yourself to frigid water it’s best to stay in for a much shorter amount of time.
With both cold and ice baths, you can stay in longer the more your tolerance to cold temperatures increases.
As well, it’s not necessary to go extreme to really get the benefits.
Even just a few degrees cooler can still greatly impact your body.
How long should you ice bath for?
As mentioned above, when you first start out, it’s okay to start small.
The idea is to work your way into colder temperatures for longer amounts of time.
For a cold bath above 33 degrees, you can stay in for anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes once you get more comfortable.
It’s important not to stay in for too long! You don’t want to shiver or induce hypothermia.
Can you ice bath every day?
Of course, the benefits show the most when done regularly, but it’s not necessarily a bad idea either to practice every day.
If you feel you can handle it, then yes!
Can ice baths help weight loss?
Since cold plunging assists in regulating your metabolism, it helps to burn the fat in your body.
The fats in your body start to “burn” to keep you warm, so, yes!
They can help with weight loss.
Just make sure you’re balancing your lifestyle and diet with this therapy safely and accordingly.
Beginning to ice bathe
You don’t necessarily need a specific product to start ice bathing.
You can do something as simple as a cold shower or putting extra ice cubes in your bathtub.
If you’d like, you can create your own DIY ice bath and make it out of a suitable container.
You can also buy an actual Cold Plunge product that is specifically made for this therapy.
It just depends on your needs and availability.
Potential dangers
It’s important to check in with your healthcare provider if you have preexisting conditions that may interfere with the therapy.
Ice baths in general, are safe when properly done.
It can be helpful if you have someone alongside you when you ice bath to ensure you have support if you need it.
Remember to prepare for all possibilities, and regulate your breathing as you get used to the cold.
Hypothermia risk
There is a risk of hypothermia with prolonged exposure to cold temperatures.
Starting small is always going to be the smarter option.
If you start shivering, it’s time to get out.
If you need to, you can take a warm shower after your cold plunge to help regulate and stabilize your body temperature.
Skin benefits
Since hot water can disrupt your skin's oil production, it can become more sensitive and lose its protective layer.
Cold water on the other hand, decreases blood flow and tightens the skin.
By limiting exposure to hot water, skin conditions can improve over time.
Ice baths and blood pressure
It’s a common thought that cold therapy can help lower blood pressure, but since your blood vessels constrict during cold exposure, it actually does quite the opposite.
When our bodies go into a cold shock, the blood pressure increases to work its magic.
On the other hand, hot water lowers your blood pressure because the blood vessels dilate, causing relaxation.
Mental and spiritual health
Cold plunging has been shown to help neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, repairing the synapses in the brain and improving memory.
Navigating difficulties and stress creates more resilience when facing a fight or flight response.
The chance of falling into panic or anxiety can ultimately decrease due to higher stress tolerance.
You can also achieve a more transcended and uplifted state through breathwork and cold exposure.
These consistent practices can be utilized not only for mental strength but also for greater spiritual connection.
Ice baths vs. cold showers
Since the idea of cold exposure is to get as submerged as possible, ice baths are much more effective.
With a cold shower, you don’t have total immersion.
Add ice to a bath can also get even colder temperatures.
Of course, cold showers will give similar benefits and help you ease into cold exposure.
Ice baths vs. cryotherapy
While both methods are effective, cold plunging could be more effective.
Cryotherapy uses dry and cold air to cool the skin’s temperature, and an ice bath goes even deeper with cold and wet water, causing the muscles and blood vessels to react.
Even though cryotherapy uses much colder temperatures, it doesn’t penetrate your body the same way as an ice bath.
Cryotherapy could be considered safer since you are in a regulated environment with supervision, but as long as you’re prepared and supported, an ice bath will do just fine.
Ice baths are also typically more accessible and cost-effective in the long run, as you can receive treatment from your home.
Cold Plunge Benefits: Summary
The spectrum of what a cold plunge has to offer is vast and is surely bound to help you in at least one way you really need.
On every level, you can see the variety of benefits you can access from a cold plunge.
From physical improvements for soothing sore muscles to mental benefits for cognitive function to a boost in mood and stress regulation.
Overall, with the right mindset and preparation, you can start receiving benefits now by hopping into a cool shower. Take your time, and enjoy the power of cold therapy!