Many people first heard of the concept of a cold plunge through the Ice Bucket Challenge, a fundraiser that went viral in 2014 for ALS. Since then, cold plunges have gradually increased in popularity, with many athletes taking them and wellness centers offering them as part of their services. However, you may be wondering if a cold plunge has benefits and whether or not it should be something you can add to your wellness regime. So, without further ado, let's dive into the benefits of a cold plunge.
A cold plunge is exactly what its name suggests and involves submerging your body in cold water. Other names for a cold plunge include:
For your plunge to be considered a 'cold plunge,' the water should be 50° F or colder. You can start by taking this plunge for about 30 seconds, and then gradually increase your time in cold water by 30 seconds each time until you reach five to ten minutes.
According to many, cold plunges can have several health benefits.
Many athletes use cold plunges after a workout, and one of the benefits of a cold plunge is to relieve aching muscles. The water's cold temperature helps constrict your blood vessels, slowing the blood flow. This can help to relieve soreness as well as swelling after exercise. Studies also show that cold plunges are effective in reducing inflammation and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) for high-intensity exercise (1).
As you may have guessed, having a cold plunge will reduce your temperature. If you have done an intense exercise or have exercised in hot weather, a cold plunge can help to bring your temperature down. However, on the other end, it can lower your body temperature too much. This makes it important to follow the recommendations on the correct temperature and timing of a cold plunge.
Studies show that having a cold plunge can alter the release of hormones in your body. In this study, two hormones that were affected by cold plunges were dopamine and noradrenaline. Dopamine is a feel-good hormone and can help to improve happiness, motivation, and focus. Another hormone also affected is noradrenaline, one of the hormones in your stress response system. It helps to improve memory, mood, and attention. Low levels of noradrenaline may cause anxiety and depression. A cold plunge can help increase this hormone's levels, thus improving mood and mental clarity (2).
Cold plunges may also help to improve your hair and skin health. The cold water helps flatten your hair's cuticle, helping to lock in moisture. This can help prevent breakage and give it that extra shine. Skin-wise, cold plunges can help to reduce inflammation and redness in your skin by constricting your blood vessels. If you are using cold plunges or showers for this reason, try to do it before and after warm water, as it can reduce the natural oils in your skin.
Having a cold plunge exposes your body to a form of stress. This deliberate stress is something you can use as practice to learn how to cope with stressors. You can practice breathing through the experience and work on clearing your mind. This can be useful to help deal with everyday stressors as well as help prepare for endurance sports events that can be uncomfortable at times.
Your metabolism refers to the speed at which your body uses energy. Many factors can reduce your metabolism, leading to weight gain. Cold plunges, however, help boost your metabolism. Whilst a one-time experience of a cold plunge may not change the rate at which you burn energy, on a long-term basis, repeated cold plunges can help to increase your body's metabolism. Additionally, it may increase the production of brown fat, which helps regulate your metabolism.
Regular cold plunges may increase your body's production of brown fat. Not only does this fat help to regulate your metabolism and help you burn energy more efficiently, but it also helps your body become more sensitive to insulin, a hormone your pancreas produces. This hormone is crucial for helping your body use sugar, also known as glucose. If your body resists insulin, your sugar levels can become too high and be stored as fat. Cold plunges can help to increase sensitivity to insulin.
Whilst more research is necessary, research does suggest that cold plunges can help to activate your immune system and increase the production of immune cells, potentially helping to boost your immune system (2). However, more research is necessary on this topic.
Menopause is a transition every woman will experience and marks the end of their reproductive years. Perimenopause is the transition from your reproductive years to menopause. Both perimenopause and menopause can cause many uncomfortable symptoms, including:
A 2024 study found that the use of cold plunges can help relieve these symptoms in women going through both perimenopause and menopause. The duration that was found to help release symptoms was between 15-30 minutes; however, more research on shorter time durations is necessary (3).
While there are many benefits to a cold plunge, some medical conditions may make it inadvisable to take a cold plunge. These medical conditions include:
If you have one of the conditions and are considering the benefits of a cold plunge, check with your healthcare provider first.
There are multiple reasons in which you may want to try incorporating a cold plunge into your wellness regimen, one of them could be to help with symptoms of hormonal imbalances or stress.
Whilst perimenopause and menopause are some of the reasons for a hormone imbalance, other factors, such as stress, can also cause an imbalance. During stress, your body produces cortisol, a stress hormone that helps your body cope with stress through the adrenals and the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response System. When the stress persists, your body continues to produce cortisol, and this can deplete your body of the resources needed to continue producing the hormone. It also can cause imbalances within the NEM system and marks the onset of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).
AFS is the non-Addison's form of adrenal dysfunction, where the body's stress response cannot keep up with life's chronic stressors. The symptoms of AFS will depend on where the imbalance occurs in the NEM system. One of the circuits that can become imbalanced is the hormone circuit. This circuit regulates your hormones and consists of your thyroid glands, adrenal glands, and reproductive organs. An imbalance in this circuit can cause many different symptoms, such as:
While there are benefits of a cold plunge that may help relieve these symptoms, if you are experiencing these symptoms, go to your healthcare provider first. During AFS, your body can become very sensitive, and whilst there are benefits of a cold plunge, the water's cold temperature may place extra stress on your body, which may cause your body to react and set you back in your healing journey.
Cold plunges can offer many different benefits, not only for athletes but also for anyone interested in boosting their health. Some benefits include:
If you are currently experiencing symptoms that appear to be related to stress or hormonal imbalance and would like guidance on finding relief from them, the Dr. Lam team can assist. Call us at +1 (626) 571-1234 for a free initial consultation.
Esperland, Didrik, et al. "Health Effects of Voluntary Exposure to Cold Water – a Continuing Subject of Debate." International Journal of Circumpolar Health, vol. 81, no. 1, Sept. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2022.2111789.
Moore, Emma, et al. "Impact of Cold-Water Immersion Compared With Passive Recovery Following a Single Bout of Strenuous Exercise on Athletic Performance in Physically Active Participants: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis and Meta-regression." Sports Medicine, vol. 52, no. 7, Feb. 2022, pp. 1667–88, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01644-9.
Pound, Megan, et al. "How Do Women Feel Cold Water Swimming Affects Their Menstrual and Perimenopausal Symptoms?" Post Reproductive Health, Jan. 2024, https://doi.org/10.1177/20533691241227100.
Anyone can receive the benefits of a cold plunge, even at home. Here you can use your bath, shower, or even pool. If you are looking to be specific with the temperature, you can use the pool or a bath. This way, you can measure the temperature and change it with the use of ice.
