During the dead of winter, it’s natural to want to cozy up and stay as far away from the cold as possible. There are plenty of benefits, however, to trendy cold plunges—as seen on the fitness realm of TikTok. We checked in with personal trainers and other health experts to learn more about the many (and surprising!) pros that often come along with the act of soaking your body in chilled, icy, or freezing water for brief moments.
Read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Dr. Jonathan Leary, health expert and founder of social wellness club Remedy Place, Evander Nelson, NASM-certified personal trainer, Ben Amanna, fitness expert, CEO and founder of boxing sportswear company Boxraw, Rachel MacPherson, ACE-CPT, certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews, and Chloe Woo, CPT, and Ryan Rosenthal, CPT, certified personal trainers at Dogpound.
READ MORE: What Are The Benefits Of Ice Baths? We Asked Health Experts About This Trendy Treatment
@wanthoney #coldtherapy #dipoftheday #coldplunges #mindfulness #wanthoney ♬ original sound – darcy stokes
15 Benefits Of A Cold Plunge
1. Increases Energy
Dipping your body in cold water is a great way to increase energy, MacPherson explains, because a cold plunge “improves circulation.” This, she notes, means more nutrients to your muscles, boosting recovery and repair. “Cold water can strengthen your nervous system with a rush of hormones and a controlled increase in blood pressure, which can be beneficial as well,” she adds.
2. Increases Physical Recovery
For fitness, cold plunges might help with post-workout inflammation. “While you don’t really want to eliminate all inflammation since it can help with building muscle, getting rid of the soreness, or recovering from cardio, training is improved with a cold plunge,” MacPherson says.
3. Helps Mood
A cold plunge can also “offer a huge rush of endorphins and spike dopamine,” Leary says, which can then help improve your mood. It also can help you wake up, and ultimately feel less groggy, sluggish or fatigued.
@leah_stankus Day 5 of the cold exposure experiment #coldplunge #coldplungechallenge ♬ follow me for more frank – no
4. Improves Sleep
As cold plunges are known to impact your mood positively, this in turn can help you get into a healthy sleep routine, Leary points out. A mood boost can often mean less naps or tiredness throughout the day, and following your natural circadian rhythm.
5. Helps Weight Loss
In order to lose weight healthily— these personal trainers stress— it is vital to create a balanced diet, exercise regularly and stick to a consistent sleep schedule. As cold plunges can help you wake up and sleep better (and ultimately have a natural and healthy sleep routine), this can also in turn aid your weight loss journey.
6. Reduces Inflammation
If you ever notice your skin swelling or reddening, Woo explains that cold plunges can help soothe inflamed areas and help swelling go down. “Cold plunges are also known as ice baths, and one of my favorite recovery methods,” she says, due to its success in lessening “inflammation and swelling.”
@angifletcher5 What are the benefits of the Cold Plunge? #icebath #health #wecandohardthings #fyp ♬ original sound – Angi Fletcher
7. Reduces Stress
Cold plunging is a great introduction to adaptation training, Leary says, or “teaching the body to adapt to different types of environments.” This, he adds, builds mental resilience and “allows the mind to get comfortable in a state of discomfort, which will improve the ability to deal with other types of stress.”
8. Helps The Immune System
It is proven that cold plunging can not only “reduce stress and boost your mood,” Rosenthal says, but it can also “strengthen your immune system.” Therefore, “it’s not only beneficial physically,” Rosenthal points out, but also “mentally and for fighting off illness.”
9. Improves Mental Health
Teaching the body how to handle extremes, especially within our ice baths, starts to “teach the body and mind that you are in control,” Leary says. Not only is there “pure satisfaction in accomplishing something difficult,” but the more you “incorporate ice baths into your routine, you will find that there are simple, yet very practical practices that put you back in control and inevitably teach you how to better handle stress,” he adds.
10. Lessens Body Aches
Woo says that the act of plunging your body in cold water relieves “sore muscles, reduces inflammation and swelling, and can help boost immunity.” Cold water, she notes, is shown to have “positive effects on the central nervous system, in turn supporting mental health.” (It’s all connected!)
11. Promotes Healthy Skin
Any great skincare routine involves washing and cleansing your face, and Dr. Angela Casey, MD, dermatologist and creator of Bright Girl skincare line says that “morning skincare habits should take into account the circadian rhythm of the skin.” In the morning, she notes, the skin has completed its rest and repair phase, which occurs overnight. Gently waking up your skin with cold water before officially cleansing can inspire you to do the rest of your skincare routine, leading to brighter, more hydrated skin!
12. Improves Lung Function
As cold plunges are known to strengthen your immune system, they can also encourage your lungs to work more powerfully, and give you more energy. You might even feel your respiratory tracts open in the process, allowing more oxygen to enter your body.
This trending wellness practice has proven benefits for your sleep, immunity, and mental health. https://t.co/t0IxrJumq3
— WWD (@wwd) January 24, 2023
13. Can Help Fertility
Although there may not be “widespread evidence” that cold plunges “benefit fertility,” there is certainly a strong correlation, Global Viewpoint reports, citing a PubMed study. This is partially due to the other benefits, as regular exercise and a consistent sleep schedule are also known to be important to encourage healthy bodies in general, as well as pregnancies.
14. Stabilizes Blood Sugar
Some of the biggest benefits of a cold plunge “include increased circulation and oxygenation of the blood,” Nelson explains, and a more stable blood sugar. According to a 2021 study, exposure to the cold can even “improve insulin sensitivity” and “reduce fasting glycemia” in some individuals with type 2 diabetes.
15. Gets You Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Submerging yourself in cold water is not an easy task, and Amanna notes that doing this can help you get out of your comfort zone, where true growth is possible. “I believe in pushing your personal boundaries to see how it could impact your body and mind,” he says. Amanna adds, “The risk is minimal and the rewards could be massive for you personally.”
The Bottom Line
If you’ve never tried the cold plunge, these personal trainers suggest giving it a try to benefit your mental health, inspire you to get active more and try something new. “I recommend practicing some breath-work before getting in,” Rosenthal says as his final piece of advice. “Practice deep, mindful breaths will help you get past the initial shock of cold temperatures and settle into your experience with more ease,” he concludes. (Got it!)
