The Benefits of Cold Plunging are Legit

These days, it seems like everyone is throwing themselves into icy water. Celebs like Kate Hudson, Hailey Bieber, Lizzo, and Lady Gaga have all touted the benefits of a friendly cold plunge. But with all the hype and alleged health advantages, are the benefits of cold plunges actually worth the freezing temperatures?

Whether you call it a cold plunge, an ice bath, cold-water therapy, or cold-water immersion, the basic concept is all the same. The idea is to completely submerge yourself in cold water (usually below 15 degrees Celsius), for anywhere from 30 seconds to a full 15 minutes. Interestingly enough, regardless of celebrity status, most people seem to enjoy cold plunging enough to do it again, and it's probably due to the many reported benefits of cold plunging. Think reduced inflammation, less muscle soreness, better sleep, and potentially sharper focus, per the Cleveland Clinic.

"Although some may dismiss cold-water treatment as a passing fad, it has been used for years for its health benefits," says Carmen Van Rensburg, an accredited exercise physiologist and consultant to Facialteam. Nordic countries notably cold plunge in combination with time in a sauna, and the practice may date back to the Finnish stone age.

Now that cold plunging is trending again, it's not just elite athletes and actors getting in on the ice. If your shower temperatures usually reach the depths-of-Hades (hi, it's me), the idea of a lukewarm rinse — let alone a tub of ice — might sound like pure torture. But if so many people are cold plunging and swearing by it, there's got to be something great about it . . . right? To fully unpack the hype, we asked experts to help unpack the actual health benefits of cold plunges.

What Are the Benefits of Cold Plunges?

Soaking in ice-cold water isn't the most appealing pitch, but the science confirms there are real benefits to cold plunging. For starters, research shows that cold-water therapy can help reduce inflammation. Michael Hamlin, CSCS, strength and conditioning coach and founder of Everflex Fitness, says that it can also help with perceived soreness after a tough workout, which is why it's often used by athletes for recovery purposes. He says cold plunges can also boost immune function, decrease levels of pain, stress, anxiety, and depression, and increase alertness and energy thanks to spikes in the "fight-or-flight" hormone and neurotransmitter norepinephrine.

Part of the magic of cold plunging is the way it changes your body's blood flow. "The cold water causes blood vessels to constrict, which increases blood flow to the organs and tissues when the body is warmed up again," explains Lalitha McSorley, PT, owner and lead physical therapist at Brentwood Physiotherapy in Calgary, Canada. "This can help improve overall circulation and oxygenation of the body." That blood flow has a cascading effect, imparting even more perks.

"Having proper circulation allows the heart and other organs to perform normally, can help to boost your immune system, and will increase your energy," explains Matt Tanneberg, DC, chiropractor and certified strength and conditioning specialist in Scottsdale, AZ. It also plays a part in reducing inflammation. Inflammation isn't always bad — in fact, it's "vital in the recovery process," Tanneberg says — but when there's excess inflammation, it can delay healing. "This blood flow, along with the anti-inflammatory benefits, will help speed up your recovery process post-workout or in returning from an injury, as well as decrease your overall muscle soreness," Tanneberg says.

Building off of these processes, cold plunging can also improve sleep quality, "which is important for optimal recovery," McSorely says. You may notice better sleep because cold plunging decreases stress in general. "Exposure to cold water has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to reduce stress and promote relaxation," McSorely explains.

Kelly Kessler, DPT, host of the "Rewiring Health" podcast and owner of Optimal You Health and Wellness adds that "stress and anxiety are a result of the brain's perception of a potential threat to the system." Cold exposure can help you train your brain not to respond as impulsively, thus increasing your overall resilience to stress, she explains.

Rachel Pohl, an adventure artist currently living in Norway, is one of the many converted by cold plunging. "If you told me a few years ago that immersing myself in ridiculously cold water would become one of my favorite activities, I would have laughed," she wrote on Instagram. "But a year and a half ago, I decided to face my discomfort. I read about both the physical and mental health benefits of ice baths, and I was tired of being anxious and constantly sick. So I committed to gradually spending longer and longer in cold water (often in the shower!). Now, I crave the rush of endorphins, and the more often I do this (most days), the less anxiety I experience, the better my immune system is, and I'm also better equipped at handling stressful situations (learning to tolerate discomfort means I can work through hard things)."

Dutch athlete and speaker Wim Hof, aka "The Iceman" and creator of the Wim Hof Method, is another creator who uses his platform to share some of the physical and mental health benefits to traditional ice baths. "I always say, a cold shower a day keeps the doctor away," he wrote on Instagram. "If you've ever taken one, then you know from experience that it shakes off the cobwebs and leaves you eager to attack the day."

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