November 3, 2023

Top 6 Benefits of Cold Plunges

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What is a cold plunge?

A cold plunge, also known as an ice bath or cold water immersion, refers to deliberate cold exposure in water. Plunges typically happen in water less than 60°F and can go low as 38°F. They can take place in winter oceans, lakes, bathtubs, or special tubs designed to maintain temperature.

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What Are the Benefits of a Cold Plunge?

What if someone told you that a brief dip in cold water could give you all of these benefits?

Enhanced mood & focus
Reduced inflammation & muscle soreness
Improved recovery & physical performance
Improved immune system
Improved resilience & stress management
Accelerated metabolism & improved cold tolerance

Below we’ll dive into all the details on why people are taking the plunge.

Enhance Your Mood & Focus

One study showed that a cold plunge at 57°F caused a 250% increase in dopamine levels, and a 530% increase in noradrenaline levels that lasted for several hours.

Dopamine is often referred to as the “feel-good” hormone, and is associated with feelings of happiness, motivation, alertness, and focus. In addition to cold exposure, dopamine can be released from other activities such as exercise or even binge-watching your favorite Netflix series.

Noradrenaline is heavily involved in your body’s emergency response system to danger, commonly referred to as the “fight-or-flight” response. It is associated with attention, mood, memory, and alertness. Additionally, low levels are known to cause anxiety and depression.

Another study compared a group of people who took a 20-minute cold plunge in the ocean to a separate group that watched from the shore. Researchers looked at a mood questionnaire taken from both groups and found that only the plunge group improved in all categories. The cold plunge group reported:

Decreases in depression, fatigue, anger, tension, & confusion scores
Increases in vigor & self-esteem scores

Reduce Inflammation & Muscle Soreness

A recent study showed that cold plunges are effective in reducing inflammation and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS refers to the muscle soreness that occurs 1-2 days following an intense exercise session. Many of you can probably thank your physical therapist for introducing you to DOMS at some point in your rehab. Additionally, biomarkers for muscle tissue damage (creatine-kinase) were also shown to be improved after a cold plunge.

Individuals in the previous study also had improved scores of “perceived recovery”, a measure that indicates how ready you feel for another bout of exercise.

Improve Recovery & Performance

Researchers also looked at the recovery effects of cold plunges on power, strength, and aerobic endurance. Subjects in the study were split into two groups and performed a high intensity workout. One group finished the workout with a cold plunge while the other did not. Athletic testing was performed for both groups 24, 48, & 72 hours after and here were the results:

The cold plunge group had significantly better power, which refers to explosive movements such as sprinting or jumping at 24 hours compared to the control group.
There were no significant improvements in strength or endurance scores in the cold plunge group at any time in the 24-72 hours after compared to the control group.

Improve Your Immune System

Although it didn’t look at a traditional cold plunge, a study in the Netherlands found that cold water exposure via cold showers led to less sick days taken at work. Over 3000 participants were randomized into two groups: an only-warm shower group and a warm shower group that ended with 30-90 seconds of cold water.

Results showed that the group that added 30-90 seconds of cold showering took 29% less sick days compared to their warm-shower counterparts. Additionally, there was a 54% reduction in sick days if participants also regularly exercised in addition to their cold exposure, compared to those who did not exercise and took only warm showers.

Improve Resilience & Reduce Stress

By placing yourself in a deliberate state of stress, you can work on how your brain responds to stressors. The cold water acts as a lab where you can safely focus on breathing and remaining calm while engaged in a controlled state of stress. This can build mental fortitude and help when challenged with real-world stressors outside of the tub.

Accelerate Metabolism & Improve Cold Tolerance

During a cold plunge, metabolism has been measured to increase by up to 350%. This short, one-time increase may not burn a significant number of calories, but repeated bouts of cold exposure can increase the body’s production of brown fat. Unlike typical body fat, brown fat can regulate body temperature and burn calories. Consistent cold plunging can then lead to improved metabolism and even improved blood sugar regulation.

Negative Effects of Cold Plunges

Unfortunately, the benefits of cold plunges come with a few adaptation trade-offs. Although they improve short-term recovery, research has shown that long-term use of cold plunges immediately after intense exercise can actually reduce strength and muscle growth. Aerobic endurance, however, does not seem to be negatively impacted by plunging after cardio sessions.

For example, one study looked at a group of men that completed a 10 minute cold plunge immediately after each resistance training workout they completed, for 12 weeks. The cold-plunge group gained significantly less muscle and strength compared to the group that did not engage in cold plunges after their workout.

When Should You Cold Plunge?

Looking at current research, here is our recommendation based on goals:

If your goal is to gain strength or muscle long-term, you should plunge before your workout or on a different day.
If your goal is to reduce soreness after a workout, you should plunge right after exercising.
If your goal is to recover quickly and perform better because you have another event coming up in 1-2 days (like a sports tournament), you should plunge right after exercise.
If your goals are for endurance sports, you can plunge any time.
If you are only interested in the mental benefits, you can plunge any time.