Cold Plunge Tips for First-Timers

Cold plunges seem to be popping up everywhere, and it’s not just because summers are getting hotter. Research shows that cold water therapy can help reduce muscle soreness, decrease stress, sharpen mental clarity, increase blood flow, improve sleep quality and enhance mood.

The practice of immersing the body in frigid water for a few minutes at a time has existed for centuries in rituals that would be equally at home in modern Nordic spas as in ancient Greece bathhouses.

But while climbing into an icy pool or jumping into a frigid stream may come easily for some, the mere thought of being that cold terrifies others. Luckily, experts have some tips to help you prepare to take the plunge.

Start in the Shower

To begin, you don’t have to go further than your own shower or bathtub. Gradual exposure to cold water can get you ready to take a full plunge. Start with 15 seconds under cold water and work up to a minute or two, said Wim Hof, an extreme athlete and motivational speaker from the Netherlands known as “The Iceman.”

Get Out in Nature

Research says that spending time outdoors has been linked to improved mood and emotional well-being, and this applies to both green spaces and blue (aquatic) ones. If you have the opportunity to take a cold plunge into a natural body of water, such as a river, a stream, a lake or an ocean, you’ll be getting both emotional and physiological benefits. Be careful in open water, where you may face uneven footing, currents and waves. Never plunge alone in open water and be sure to have a secure way to ease in and exit.

Chill With Others

Local wellness studios, urban bathhouses, spas, gyms and hotels have seized on the growing interest in contrast therapy — the practice of alternating between hot saunas and cold plunges to enhance circulation. Plunging in a group can also bring physical and mental benefits. Dacher Keltner, a social psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, explained in his book “Awe” that the goose bumps you feel when you’re cold actually evolved as a signal for mammals to huddle together. That resulting touch and closeness, he wrote, initiate a rush of oxytocin — known as the bonding or love hormone — which can encourage openness and trust between people. If nothing else, being among friends can help distract you from the cold. In the United States, spas like Othership, Alchemy Springs and Bathhouse offer classes and other communal experiences. Social media and sites like Meetup.com can connect you with cold-plunging groups.