Taking the plunge: The benefits of cold water immersion
At Sense Of Self, we encourage bringing ancient rituals into day-to-day wellbeing. For hundreds of years, people have understood the benefits of cold plunges to reduce inflammation, enhance circulation and soothe their muscles.
Sitting between SOS’s mineral bath and traditional Finnish sauna is our round, soft-grey cold plunge.
The cold plunge tub is kept at a cold but comfortable 8-12 degrees celsius and offers quick relief after a soak, sweat or steam.
At the front desk, we get a lot of questions about how long you should cold plunge, how often is healthy and what the benefits are of cold water immersion therapy.
The answer, as always, is that you need to do what feels right for you. Go at your own pace and test things slowly. This little guide to cold plunging has been written to add to the knowledge you can draw from your own body.
What is cold water therapy?
For some, cold water therapy can mean bravely filling a bathtub with ice cubes after a workout or jumping into a lake or ocean fist thing in the morning. For others, it’s a cold shower at the end of the day or a brief immersion after anything that heats up the body.
While many people like to immerse themselves in cold water for whole minutes at a time, you might feel the benefit of quickly dipping in and out of the cold plunge in-between activities. Imagine it like a palette cleanser when tasting wine or coffee.
How long have people used cold water for wellbeing?
While cold plunges, particularly ice baths, have become increasingly popular in recent years, the practice of immersing in cold water has been around for a lot longer than Wim Hof. Cold water immersion plays an important role across many cultures.
In traditional Chinese medicine, cold water has been used to activate the immune system and increase blood flow. This is generally practised more gently than full immersion into an ice bath and might include a minute in a cold shower, just enough to stimulate a sense of Yang in the body.
The ancient Egyptians also used iced baths to reduce irritations in the skin. And in Greece, cold plunges became popular for treating joint and muscle pain. In Denmark, people still dive into two-degree temperatures to shock themselves out of frigid winter depression.
How long should I sit in cold water?
Some guests enjoy staying in our cold plunge for extended periods. However, it is crucial to pay attention to your body's signals. You should do what feels comfortable and beneficial for you.
Even 10-30 seconds can invigorate the senses and wake up the body. It is important to remember that cold plunging might not be suitable for everyone and how long you can stay in is not a competition.
How often should I cold plunge?
It has been recommended to avoid completely immersing in cold water daily. If you’re plunging for long periods of time, you might want to give the body breaks by only indulging every few days.
However, in places where winter swimming is popular, they have been jumping in cold, open water every day for generations. Depending on how regularly they are exercising, some athletes also like to do jump in and out of an ice bath daily.
What time of day is best to cold plunge?
Again, it varies. For some people taking a cold plunge as the last activity in an evening bathhouse visit can help improve their sleep. Others have told us it helps them wake up and achieve focus in the morning.
When you’re not at the bathhouse, you might try looking for local watering holes in nature (see further reading at the end of this article) or ending a shower with cold water to build a tolerance and playfully test your boundaries.
What are the benefits of submerging in cold water?
People who swear by the cold plunge often share the physical and psychological benefits of cold water therapy. Across their reports, some consistent benefits include:
Enhanced wellbeing: Cold water immersion has been shown to release endorphins, which can improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety. Additionally, the shock of cold water can serve as a form of stress relief by bringing you into the now.
Reduced inflammation: Plunging into cold water can help reduce inflammation in the body. It’s why ice baths are so popular with athletes and after big workouts or gym sessions.
Reduced muscle soreness: In similar vein to inflammation, cold water immersion has been reported to decrease the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles after exercise, which can improve feelings of tenderness in the body.
Enhanced circulation: Cold water immersion can cause blood vessels to narrow and then widen when the body cools down and warms up again. This process improves circulation, which is beneficial for overall cardiovascular health.
Boosted immune system: Some studies suggest that regular exposure to cold water can stimulate the production of white blood cells and increase the body's resistance to infections.
Increased alertness and energy: For some people, cold plunges can provide an instant energy boost and increase alertness by activating the sympathetic nervous system.
It’s important to remember that these experiences are subjective. Some studies suggest that research in this space has been too heavily reliant on anecdotal accounts. All this means, however, is that the benefits of cold plunges might be different for everybody.
How do I know if cold water therapy is for me?
When you’re at the bathhouse, you might subconsciously notice what other people are doing. Some guests love to cold plunge in-between each activity. Others go into the hammam for awhile, then saunter over to the bath and take a brief cold plunge when they’re ready.
It doesn’t matter how often or how long you jump in the cold plunge for - or if you choose to plunge at all. A cool shower or soft pause in the relax lounge might be a more appropriate way to cool down after the sauna or hammam.
You have two hours at SOS to tailor your own experience. With your phone safely tucked in a locker, you might notice more awareness of your body’s signals; what it’s asking for and when.
We challenge you to ignore what others are doing and follow your own rhythm. Listen as it calls you to enjoy hot water, cold water and anything in-between.
Further reading
The Dao does cold water immersion, Clarice Berry
Natural places to cold plunge, Lonely Planet
The Danish trick to shock your body into happiness, BBC
The best places to swim in Australia, Places We Swim
Frequently Asked Questions - What’s in the bathhouse?, Sense of Self
