Have you met people who do cold showers all year round? There are people that also like to swim in the ocean every morning in chilled-cold water. All of them will tell you that they feel amazing after this and that their health is getting better as time passes taking cold baths and showers. They think dipping in cold water somehow promotes wellness, both physically and mentally. If you’ve ever thought about diving into an ice-cold pool or withstanding a freezing cold shower, then you’ll be interested in learning a hot new wellness trend that is called cold plunge.
Sounds intimidating but your mind and body thank you for it! More and more are praising the benefit of cold plunge. In this blog post, we are going to go over some of the pros & cons this wellness trend brings.
Cold Plunge for Wellness and Health
Cold Plunge means to dip a body in a colder temperature water, typically between 50°F to 59°F (10°C to 15°C) with potential health benefits. This method is not a reinvention of the wheel; it is well tested in many various cultures through time. Greeks in the old days made cold baths as their healing method. Its benefits have long been known and it has ended up as a part of the wellness world today. So, this wellness practice is referred to as cold plunge therapy by many enthusiasts.
Several sorts of cold plunges exist, accommodating everyone based on what they enjoy or what is available to them. This is a popular method in which people immerse themselves into ice water mixed with small pieces of ice for about 2 to 30 minutes. Scandinavia is popular for its cold swimming in a lake or river in the winter time that allows them to enjoy bathe in an ice cold nature. Some cold plunges are more customized with a more accurate temperature control, which are a more accessible and convenient way to enjoy the benefit of relentless consistency.
To conclude, there is a long history and current-day elements of the practice, cold plunge therapy. The science behind the physiological effects of cold exposure suggest that it can help in recovery and decrease inflammation or increase circulation, which is why people are learning to do it as well to try boosting their health status.
Cold Plunging Benefits:
1. Reduce Inflammation
It was associated with decreased inflammation in the body such as described here for cold plunging. Cold Water Exposure — your blood vessels constrict (vasoconstriction). This constriction can limit the flow of blood to inflamed areas, which may reduce swelling and pain. It’s why you often see athletes or fitness buffs plunging into icy cold water after a strenuous workout or competition. Cold plunging decreases inflammation in the muscles and joints, which results in faster healing, and you can spend less time after that taken directly back to life with a smaller amount of soreness or tightness.
Whereas the benefits to reducing inflammation after exercise have long been documented, cold plunging can also be a game-changer for those living with chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis or fibromyalgia. Complete Immersion in cold water is a natural anesthetic in itself as it numbs the sore areas, which results in lessened pain and more ability to perform normal activity. Cold plunging can support better joint mobility, decrease discomfort and enhance life quality in case some suffer from such conditions.
2. Mental Health Boost
Cold Plunging Serves As A Natural “Reset” For The Body And Mind Thus Providing Unusual Mental Health Benefits. When you get into cold water, your body experiences a quick burst of stress hormones such as adrenaline, and then endorphins are released — more commonly known as the “feel-good” hormones.
This high can activate a good mood and clarity in mind sets. Cold plunge is considered by many not only to be anti-inflammatory but also anti-anxiety, as you are forced to stay present and manage the discomfort you feel being in icy cold water with your breath. It just takes your mind away from other thoughts and worries. A slight change in your mindset can get you to stay focused and grounded.
It similarly contributes to your mental toughness. The more you immerse yourself in the discomfort of cold water and let your brain convince your body that it is fine, the more you train your brain on how to perceive stress as a familiar entity. The idea is “stress inoculation,” or training your brain to handle stress more effectively in other parts of your life.
This leads you to be able to remain cool and collected when faced with discomfort, or frustration, which also goes on to help you have better emotional regulation and be less reactive in stressful situations. Benefits over time may also become a part of mental toughness, which can help you remain calm and confident against the everyday stressors as referenced in study 2 above.
3. Boosts Immunity
It might also help your autoimmune system just by dunking yourself in cold water, your body kicks into gear and ramps up the production of white blood cells which help people fight off infections. Cold exposure causes a low-level distress signal in the body and alerts your immune system to be more active. The other wisdom of cold plunging is that as you make a regular practice of training your body to do a cold plunge, you are also training your immune system to become hyper-effective at dealing with the real thing…like colds, flu, and infections.
It also boosts the release of some antioxidants that guard your cells against free radicals. This means that your immune system will slow down and you may develop oxidative stress or even worse degenerative diseases from all the free radicals in your body. Cold plunging leads to greater antioxidant levels, which can lead to a more robust response by your immune system and potentially protection against the onset of chronic disease.
4. Muscle Recovery and Reduced Pain
Cold plunging is commonly referred to for its exceptional healing properties against muscles and pains, making it an obvious choice for athletes and fitness folks. Cold water will constrict blood vessels, thus reducing inflammation and the swelling around sore muscles. And this can be particularly useful for post-training (when it comes to prevent lactic acid build-up = pain). For example, when you go for a cold plunge after an intense workout, it can quickly reduces inflammation and helps speed up your body recovery time, so you do not fall too far behind your training schedule.
Cold plunging also acts as a natural painkiller. Cold water helps desensitize the nerves in the painful area which decreases your pain sensation. That is the same way you normally put ice where it hurts. If you suffer from arthritis or have other problems with your joints, then cold plunging could be beneficial to you. That is why many people with arthritis feel far less joint stiffness and increased mobility from a quick plunge into cold water, without having to resort to medication.
Plus, your circulation will get a boost as you warm up out of the water. There is an increase in the rate of blood flow, delivering important nutrients and oxygen to muscles resulting in further beneficial recovery. If implemented as part of a regular routine, cold plunging can play an essential role in helping sustain muscle heath and flexibility; which goes a long way in keeping you well and active. Not only does this natural recovery prospect help with muscle soreness, but it can make chronic pain a bit more manageable, leading you closer to your physical and wellness goals.
5. Improve circulation and heart-health
The other benefit of cold plunge is to improve your body circulation. As you hit the cold water, your blood vessels constrict causing your blood to flow back into the vital organs of the core. This narrowing helps to increase circulation by creating resistance for your cardiovascular system. Once you get out of the cold water, your body blood vessels open back up and provide oxygen to flow through your blood to your whole body. This constricting and dilating enables blood to go through the cells of your whole body which helps support circulation and cardiovascular health over time.
Again, overtime regular cold plunging also increases the body’s cardiovascular endurance and tolerance. You are in fact providing your heart with stress, forcing your heart to work harder and more efficiently at the same time as if you were exercising. This strengthening of your heart can reduce your blood pressure and optimize the function of blood vessels leading to improved delivery of oxygen-rich blood to all organs and tissues within your body. This is how cold plunging can help in enhancing your circulation, which will eventually minimize the chances of heart-related problems.
6. Improved Sleep Quality
Cold plunges might just be the answer to our poor slumber! Cold Water immersion has also been shown to help control cortisol, the primary stress hormone in the body that commonly disrupts sleep when at high levels. Because it lowers cortisol and helps you relax, a cold plunge can prime you for a truly incredible night’s sleep. A lot of us will also take a dip to cool the body in order to wind down for bed at night. This method serves as a natural cooling to your body, which in turn helps you go to sleep faster.
Cold plunge literally can help the body to release endorphins and other ‘feel good’ hormones, making you feel better inside. In addition, you will gain a state of calmness or relaxation. These can last for a couple of hours after the dip which helps you relax and put all your stress from the day on the side. This refresh of emotion may be particularly positive for patients with sleep problems due to anxiety or racing thought. When you jump in the bath before bed, it gives your body and brain a chance to hit a reset button and cold plunging may promote stronger, more restful sleep.
In addition to this, regular cold plunges may also normalize the body’s sleep-wake cycle by increasing its production of melatonin. This can improve your overall circadian rhythm which can help you sleep better and feel more awake the next morning.
7. Assists with Fat Loss and Metabolism
Cold plunging is actually a potent weapon for helping in fat reduction as well as skyrocket the metabolism. When your body is exposed to cold water some effort has to be employed by the cellular mechanisms to maintain a balance on but that costs fat and energy ultimately. More calorie expenditure means more thermogenesis or your body gives off heat and sweat.
The brown fat in our body helps in burning calories to produce heat instead of storing it, which encourages the activation of brown fat and this is where cold plunging comes to play. When activated, brown fat increases your metabolic rate which can help you to burn more calories even while not exercising.
In addition, cold plunging may activate the release of specific hormones that facilitate fat metabolism. For example, cold exposure has shown to elevate norepinephrine which not only liberates fatty acids but also heightens the level of focus and wakefulness. This makes it easier to stay alert and active throughout the day, therefore indirectly contributing to weight loss. Regular cold plunging is a practice you cannot afford to miss out on if you want to enjoy the increased metabolism that will allow you to eat freely without having those pounds pile up.
Aside from the calorie-burning benefits, cold plunging can also combat cravings and improve discipline with food. The body responds to cold like it does stress, effectively strengthening its capacity for mental resilience. The extra edge this gives you mentally is likely to help with turning food cravings away, and sticking to healthier eating habits overall. So cold plunging helps your weight loss with boosted metabolism, extra calorie burning and better willpower too.
So here is how to start cold plunging.
There are many ways for you to take advantage of a cold plunge. Some beginner-friendly tips to get you started;
Start Slow
When you start with cold exposure, beginning with cold showers is ideal. Start with your normal shower, and then finish it off with a 15–30 second blast of cold water. You are a wise man: you can lengthen the time when you are in this stage, as your tolerance will be built over time.
Use a Tub or Pool
Fill a bathtub (or any other cold plunge pool, if you have one) with ice-cold water to the point where you can fully submerge your body up to your neck (drop the temperature anywhere between 50°F and 59°F or 10°C and 15°C). Begin by trying to stay in the water for 1–3 minutes. As you get used to the cold, work your way up increasing the length over time to 10-15 minutes total as desired. Begin with 2–3 sessions per week and gradually increase the frequency. This slow and managed approach weakens the effects on our bodies and keeps the whole experience pleasurable.
Practice Breathing
Your breathing is very important in overcoming the battle with cold water because when you hyperventilate, it may create a scratchy adrenaline rush and mental fog. So, it’s important to breathe deeply before dipping into the cold water and relaxing your mind.
Set a Routine
If you want the total benefits of a cold plunge, here is where consistency comes into play. Integrate cold plunges 2-3 times per week into your routine. Eventually, you will probably see an improvement in your general mental and physical health.
Conclusion
Cold plunging has a lot of benefits for the body and mind. This ancient practice does everything from enhance immunity and combat inflammation to increase bone density, soften the fascia, strengthen mental fortitude, sharpen your focus, and let you consistently sleep! Just like any other aspect of taking care of yourself, we recommend working up to longer and colder plunges as your mind adapts. With a little practice and lots of repetition, you might end up finding some solace in cold exposure and making it another regular activity you engage with when taking care of yourself to deliver the energy security to take on the day.
