This Saturday, I took a dip into a cold plunge & wondered if there was research that backed the anecdotal benefit claims and discovered there was and if there was a "right way" to do it.
Cold Plunging has been suggested to have many health benefits such as: boosting the immune system, treating depression, enhancing circulation, increasing libido, burning calories and reducing stress. While many of these stated health benefits are based on subjective claims and personal accounts, some scientific evidence does exist.
Mental Health
The practice of cold plunging was found to be related to better mental health.
One of the reasons this occurs is thought to be due to the release of dopamine. Dopamine is a powerful hormone capable of enhancing mood, focus, and attention. Even short bouts of cold exposure can cause a lasting increase in dopamine and sustained elevation of mood, energy, and focus. The rise in dopamine lasts up to 6 hours.
Research also suggests that while cold exposure initially ramps up your sympathetic (fight-or-flight) stress response, acclimating to cold over time shifts you toward a more relaxed, parasympathetic state.
To Increase Energy and Focus
Deliberate cold exposure also causes a significant release of epinephrine (aka adrenaline) and norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline) in the brain and body, which increase alertness, energy and focus for some time after.
Building Resilience & Grit
By adapting to the stress of cold exposure in a controlled environment, you are training yourself for improved coping and maintenance of a calm, clear mind when confronted with real-world stressors. In other words, intentional cold exposure is great training for the mind, and great training in using breath work to regulate cortisol during stressful situations.
Post Workout Soreness
Research suggests that cold plunging after high intensity exercise may reduce muscle soreness, feelings of fatigue, and inflammation—but only immersion in water lower than 59°F had a beneficial effect on inflammation.
Another meta analysis revealed cold plunging following high-intensity exercise has positive outcomes for muscle power, perceived recovery, and reduced muscle soreness (partly due to decreased circulating levels of creatine kinase, which is associated with muscle damage and soreness) 24 hours later.
In a 2021 review of eight studies, the regular use of cold plunge negatively affected resistance training adaptations like gaining strength. Cold plunge, however, does not appear to negatively impact aerobic training adaptations or performance. With that knowledge, cold plunges should be done after cardio or on rest days. If you cold plunge on resistance training days, Andrew Huberman, PhD, recommends doing it before or four hours post-exercise so you don’t hinder your strength building.
Circulation
Research suggests cold plunging doesn’t just enhance circulation immediately, but that when done regularly, it may lead to microvascular changes that continue to enhance circulation over time.
Metabolism
Cold exposure increases metabolism in the short term due to the body burning calories to increase core body temperature. While the total calories burned to increase body temperature are minimal, the conversion of white fat (characteristic of obesity) to beige or brown fat (which burns chemical energy to create heat) can be beneficial for improving glucose metabolism. Researchers have shown that, in response to cold, white fat cells in both animals and humans take on characteristics of brown fat cells.
Cold Plunge Protocol
Now let’s talk about the “how to’s” of old plunging including how cold, deep, long, and often we should use cold water immersion to maximize benefits.
How Cold?
Studies show temperatures between between 50 and 60°F are typically low enough to elicit benefits. According to Huberman, you should be thinking, “This is really cold (!), and I want to get out, BUT I can safely stay in.”
How Deep?
Most of the studies use ice baths or cold water immersion to the neck, which appears to be best. However cold showers can also work.
How to Breathe?
Focus on slowing your breath before and during the plunge so you don’t hyperventilate or hold your breath. Once in, each breath should take about 3 seconds. (Holding your breath can increase risk of cardiac arrhythmias.)
How Long?
2-3 minutes of cold immersion is a great place to start. Benefits of 2-3 minute plunges are improved muscle recovery and reduction of soreness, improvement in circulation, boost mental well-being, and a reduction inflammation.
4-6 minute cold immersion is the next phase if you have built up tolerance to cold water temperatures. Some of the benefits of 4-6 minute plunging are a reduction in inflammation and muscle soreness, higher metabolic rate is triggered, a release of endorphins contributing to a better and uplifted mood, and improvement of sleep quality.
Longer times spent in cold water is not necessarily better. Some experts do not recommend going past 11 minutes for the majority of the benefits. However, when it comes to post exercise recovery and reduction in soreness, a 2016 meta-analysis concluded that an immersion time of 11–15 min can provide the best results (with temperatures between 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit).
How Often?
Consider cold plunging a maximum of 1-2 times per week until you notice that your body is acclimating and cold immersion feels less stressful. A recent study showed that 11 total minutes per week elicited a range of benefits and is a good protocol for ongoing use.
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