Picture this: it was a hot, summer day. I was basking on a beach chair by the pool at my favorite spa resort with my family — shades on, book in hand, happy as can be, and minding my good ol’ business. Until, of course, my sister had the crazy idea of cold plunging in the polar plunge pool that had been taunting me all afternoon (seriously, it felt like the pool had eyes and could smell my fear). But, of course, I’m not one to pass up on a challenge (competitive much), and I’m a sucker for a good TikTok trend … so, ultimately, I accepted the challenge.
But one thing you should know about me is that I can’t have a cold shower for the life of me. It could be 95 degrees outside, no AC in the house (it’s a uni rental), and my shower temp is still hot enough to steam up the bathroom mirror. So, as you can imagine, I was terrified. But the good news? You don’t have to plunge for long in order to reap the benefits (I mean, it’s called a plunge for a reason). But why does cold plunging have benefits in the first place, and why did I kind of enjoy it?
What are the benefits of cold plunging?
Cold plunging, also known as ice baths or cold water immersion, went viral on TikTok after its health benefits and at-home convenience started trending — but it isn’t new. Cold plunging has been around for years (I mean, centuries) and resurged after celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, Harry Styles, and Hailey Bieber popularized this ancient practice as a trend on social media.
Supposedly reducing inflammation, improving circulation, enhancing mood, increasing mental resilience and strength, and a ton of other benefits, cold plunging can be done in a cold plunge pool (like I did), in a cold body of water, or from the comfort of your own bathtub — as long, of course, as temperatures remain around 50 to 60 degrees. A Lifestyle Medicine study of about 40 undergraduate students, all new to cold plunging, indicated an enhanced mood after plunging for five, 10, and even up to 20 minutes. And the catch? None. Their mood was enhanced by the same amount, regardless of how much time they spent underwater.
While cold plunging is usually done in minute intervals (two minutes in, two minutes out, and repeat sort of thing), a one-and-done plunge of anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes can reap the same benefits (as the study proves).
At the spa resort I attended, they had a hot springs pool as well as the cold springs to enjoy all of the therapeutic benefits of contrast hydrotherapy: a European therapy technique of alternating between cool and hot temperatures for the benefits of pain management, muscle recovery, and improved circulation. The hot springs hovered around 104 degrees, while the cold springs hovered around 45 degrees — though, of course, this can look different depending on where and how you decide to plunge.
SO, I tried cold plunging for myself…
While I would like to say I lasted five minutes in the cold plunge, I only did about 30 seconds (… or maybe just under). Hey, it’s harder than it looks! I don’t think I took a single breath the entire time I was underwater because of the cold shock — and that’s normal. Plus, if you’re like me and don’t do well with cold temperatures, it’ll likely take time to work your way up to five minutes.
While at first you may only be able to hit that 30-second mark, the tenth time you do it, you may be able to reach five minutes. Besides, experts from the University of Utah suggest plunging for 30 to 60 seconds the first few times you do it anyway, so that your body can slowly adjust to the temperature. It all depends on the person, their body, and how experienced they are. But, like I said, 30 seconds is just enough to see some benefits, and honestly, I did.
After the plunge, I felt noticeably more relaxed. My sister and I made a note of doing both the hot springs and the cold springs to reap both benefits, and I honestly think it’s what enhanced the results. We did about 15 minutes in the hot springs first, waited a few minutes, and then dipped into the cold plunge. She repeated the cycle and did a minute in the cold plunge the second time (I swear I wasn’t jealous).
Because I was so relaxed, I actually fell asleep on a beach chair for over an hour afterwards — and yes, it was the best feeling in the world. One thing I did notice, however, was how dehydrated I was after I woke up from the nap. Now, of course, this could be from falling asleep in the sun, but it was definitely something I made sure to make note of, regardless, for next time.
I also noticed how relaxed my muscles felt that evening. I was quite zen for the rest of the day, and I really think it was because of the cold plunge. While I did attend a massage the same day, I think that the cold plunge was just the cherry on top of releasing all of the tension I had in my body that day — mentally and physically.
So, while I can’t be too certain the benefits I experienced were from the cold plunge alone, it is definitely something I see myself experimenting with again. While I didn’t love the plunge itself, I felt great afterwards, and that can only get better with experience and longer periods underwater (and, you know, learning how to actually breathe while doing it).
If you ever find yourself in a spontaneous situation like me, where you can give the cold plunge a try, honestly, I say go for it. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? Just make sure you have a warm towel ready — we don’t want any frostbite over here!