what are the benefits of cold plunge

Full Answer

What are the health benefits of cold plunge immersion?

Good for the nervous system: Nerves in the autonomic nervous system are activated during the cold plunge immersion. The cold also stimulates you to take deeper breaths, decreasing the level of CO2 throughout the body, helping you concentrate.

What is cold plunging and why should you try it?

Additionally, cold plunging can help you better manage stress and anxiety because it teaches you how to counter the fight or flight response you likely experience while being submerged in ice water.

What are the benefits of cold plunges for athletes?

When you immerse yourself in cold water, the temperature constricts your blood vessels. In part because of this constriction, cold plunges have been shown to help flush waste products like lactic acid out of your muscle tissues. ( 3) Cold plunges can even reduce levels of cortisol — a hormone often associated with stress — in athletes’ saliva.

What are the health benefits of taking a plunge?

The act is backed by years of research proving the substantial physical and mental perks, such as quicker recovery, and higher energy levels and attention spans from the waves of norepinephrine you get with each plunge.

How long should you stay in a cold plunge?

The target time of a cold plunge is three minutes. This is why you should build up to a 5-minute cold shower in the weeks preceding your plunge. Three minutes is also long enough to tap into the most desirable cold-immersion benefits, such as improved blood sugar regulation and fat burning.

What does cold plunge do for body?

When you take the plunge into your cold plunge pool, the chilled water instantly numbs the nerves that surround your joints and muscles, causing the release of hormones and endorphins. The release of hormones and endorphins acts as an analgesic, which relieves inflammation and alleviates muscle strain and joint pain.

Should you cold plunge everyday?

Taking ice baths will do many things for your health and well-being—the trick is to do it Daily. This isn't a once-a-week type of thing, you need the daily cold plunge to get all of the benefits.

How many times a week should you cold plunge?

In a clinical trial, taking a cold shower for up to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times per week was shown to help relieve symptoms of depression. Sitting in cold water can quickly boost your system to increase alertness, clarity, and energy levels while also releasing mood-boosting endorphins.

Does cold plunge burn fat?

Taking a cold plunge in an Ice Barrel can activate the brown adipose and muscles in your body. Once activated, Irisin and FGF will be released. These two hormones burn up the white fat tissues resulting in weight loss. Dr.

Is cold water plunge healthy?

Plunging into frigid water is stressful on the body and can have harmful effects. Hypothermia, mainly. And in rare cases immersion can provoke cardiac arrest, arrhythmia, or respiratory distress, particularly in people with underlying health issues.

Does cold water clean your body?

Cold water closes the pores, so from that perspective you're not getting as clean, and you're also not sweating, thus not cleansing the pores in to the soapy water, but there's only so much clean that we need to be, and since hot water liquifies oil, which is then stripped by soap and chemicals to be carried down the ...

Why is cold water good for mood?

The mood benefits reported after cold water immersion are likely because it activates the body’s “fight or flight” response. The shock of being blasted by cold water provides a quick, natural high by elevating levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in our brains.

Why do people swim in cold water?

Swimming or submerging in cold water has gained popularity with the mainstream as a way to boost immune systems, build resilience to stress, and treat inflammation — especially during the pandemic as people search for simple, close-to-home ways to improve their wellbeing.

What is cold water immersion?

Cold water immersion is an ancient practice that has roots in many different cultures, particularly those in high latitudes. Scandinavians have long lauded the post-sauna cold dip as a way to rinse off toxins, jump-start blood flow, and release endorphins. Even Hippocrates and Thomas Jefferson avowed the benefits of soaking in cold water.

Can you stop taking antidepressants after swimming in cold water?

A recent case study reported that a woman who had suffered from severe depression for eight years was able to stop taking antidepressant medication after swimming in cold water once a week improved her mood. Even cold showers have been shown to have antidepressant effects.

Does shock wear off when you submerge in cold water?

Interestingly, that shock wears off the more you submerge in ice-cold water as the body becomes habituated to the experience. The best bet for those who are interested in testing out the potential health benefits of cold water immersion is to wade in slowly. “I always listen to my body to see whether it wants to go in.

Is cold water good for you?

Cold Water Benefits. The short answer is yes. One study tracked 49 Finnish winter swimmers who dipped in cold water an average of four times per week. After four months, they reported a significant decrease in tension and fatigue, as well as an improvement in mood and memory compared to 33 non-swimmers.

Is it bad to plunge in cold water?

Plunging into frigid water is stressful on the body and can have harmful effects. Hypothermia, mainly. And in rare cases immersion can provoke cardiac arrest, arrhythmia, or respiratory distress, particularly in people with underlying health issues. Plus, cold shock induces uncontrollable hyperventilating as the lungs contract, ...

Discover which cold plunge can complement your exercise routine, improve your mental health, and help boost recovery

Discover which cold plunge can complement your exercise routine, improve your mental health, and help boost recovery.

Best Cold Plunge

Our number one cold plunge pick is both beginner-friendly and versatile enough to keep even the most advanced cold plunge enthusiasts hooked on the ritual.

Best Cold Plunge for Small Spaces

If you’re living in a small space, but still want to house a cold plunge under your own roof, this pick is sized to fit into any area, indoors or out.

Best Cold Plunge on Amazon

For online shoppers, our favorite Amazon pick is mainly for beginners wanting to test out the benefits of an ice bath, or those who just don’t want to spend a lot of money on a tub — it’s basic, but it can still get the job done.

How We Chose the Best Cold Plunges

There’s a lot of cold plunge tubs on the market, which means there’s also a lot of statements claiming each one is the best of the best.

The Benefits of Cold Plunges

Cold plunges have been around for years in different varieties — from use in ancient rituals to more recently, athletic recovery. Cold plunges have proved to help with mood, immunity, recovery, and weight loss .

What to Consider Before Buying a Cold Plunge

Cold plunges come in many shapes and sizes. It’s important to weigh your individual needs — like space and price — before diving into the buying process.