Does the thought of soaking in cool water sound heavenly to you? Cold plunge is all the rage on social media these days, but you may be surprised to learn it’s not a new trend! The practice of ice baths and cold water immersion was embraced by many ancient cultures, including the Romans, Greeks, Japanese, and Scandinavians.
Modern people enjoy cold plunge for the same reasons as our ancestors – it’s a fantastic addition to your health routine. From stress and pain relief to mental fortitude, there’s a benefit for everyone. Here are five reasons why you should try cold water therapy!
1) Controllable Temperatures
Let’s start with an obvious concern – exactly how cold is cold plunge? Rest assure it is way less intense than a polar plunge, an ice bucket challenge, or cryotherapy.
The starting point is a temperature below 60 degrees and no lower than 39 degrees. But not even professional athletes start near freezing! Cold water immersion is a graduated process that you take at your own pace. You only go as low as is comfortable for your body as it adapts to this unique therapy.
2) Mental Endurance
Are discipline and fortitude traits that you want to develop or strengthen? Cold plunge is a marvelous way to work on your mental resilience. It takes commitment to subject yourself to cool temperatures, but that’s a huge part of the reward.
You also don’t need a lot of time to exercise your mind with cold plunge. One session is between 2-5 minutes. Anyone can make that work with their schedule!
3) Stress Relief
You know that sensation of calm that washes over your body when you focus on intentional breathing? Because cold plunge is a major jolt to your parasympathetic nervous system, deep breathing is essential to power through. A steady inhale-and-exhale rhythm will help your body lower stress. Think of it like shifting into a lower gear.
4) Decreased Pain
If something is inflamed, you usually reach for something cold – a cool rag for a headache, an ice pack for a sprain, or cooling sprays and rubs for sore muscles. A cold plunge submerges your entire body up to the neck in chilly water. The body have several important responses to counteract the water temperature, including increasing circulation.
The result is that many people feel a reduction in pain, whether from ongoing conditions like arthritis or temporary discomfort like muscle stiffness and injuries. For some, the rush of endorphins is enough to perceptibly elevate their mood.
5) Sense of Belonging
There’s an entire community of wellness enthusiasts who adore cold plunge. Celebrities like Lady Gaga and Mark Wahlberg tout its benefits. People are sharing tips and inspirational stories on social media. You could soon be part of a likeminded collective willing to take the plunge to better health!
Still curious? Watch Emily Carslon, Splash President, experience her first cold immersion therapy in our new PLUNGE tub in this Facebook video! She also shares tips to remember if it’s your first time taking the plunge too. You can even visit our showroom to see a PLUNGE tub in person.