I know many people raving about how great cold plunges are and I found myself pushing back and saying no way. I am the type of person that takes forever to get into a cool swimming pool and get a shiver just thinking about it so how in the world would I be able to do a cold plunge??!
My first cold plunge was more of a “be like a local” type of experience when I was traveling in Finland in the middle of winter. According to a local Finnish person, most families do cold plunges (usually in a nearby river or stream) and then sauna on a routine basis. They were claiming this had something to do with the improved health status of most Finnish people. So, I tried it. I think I may have cheated as I got in the sauna first and literally jumped in to the absolute coldest water I have ever felt (yes, it was outside) and instantly got out very proud that I got in. But that was the chicken way of doing it minus any health benefit at all. Recently, I was at a retreat and we did a purposeful cold plunge sans sauna. This time a guide prepped us on how to breathe, to put our neck in the water and our hands out and to set an intention of what are we releasing in our breath. Oh, and stay in for 2 minutes…. What a humongous difference! The breathwork was key and those of us who followed their instructions did really well while others who didn’t were visible shaking to the point it was painful to even watch. What was interesting was that I felt a difference immediately after getting out!
There has actually been quite a bit of research on cold plunges especially in the athletic world. That’s why you see so many professional athletes sitting in ice baths after a game. Cold plunge health benefits go way beyond the athletic world. READ ON for 6 surprising health benefits of cold plunges/ice baths…
- Improved circulation: when the water constricts the blood vessels and then they dilate again after this leads to increased circulation. **see who should not do this below
- Enhanced mood and focus: Endorphins are released that can improve mood and improve focus. With the enhanced mood you may notice a reduction in stress and anxiety.
- Better sleep: Lowering the body temperature helps with quality of sleep.
- Weight loss: Cold exposure activates brown fat which can increase your caloric utilization.
- Increased immunity: regular exposure to cold water can increase your immune system’s activity. There have been several reported associations with decreased upper respiratory infections in people who do cold water swimming.
- Enhanced recovery: Athletes often do this regularly to decrease inflammation in joints and muscles to help speed recovery. Studies show cold water plunges actually decrease creatine kinase levels when done immediately after exercise which in turn helps decrease muscle soreness and accelerated fatigue recovery. Creatine kinase is a marker of muscle damage which is often very elevated in high performing athletes.
Not everyone should do a plunge though as it can make certain health conditions worse so always speak to your physician before you jump in! If you have poor circulation, Raynauds, are pregnant, have diabetes, heart disease, arrhythmias or blood pressure issues then it is not recommended.
If you do decide to try this be sure and research the type of breathwork you should be doing when in the water. We did a variation of Wim Hof breathing which truly made all the difference!
To your health,
Laura
