9 Cold Plunge Benefits You Probably Didn't Know

Hormetic Stress

This post is all about 9 cold plunge benefits for physical and mental health that you probably didn’t know.

Stepping into cold water can stimulate a variety of physical responses. These responses can provide a multitude of mental and physical health benefits that can be difficult to achieve with other strategies.

Lets take a look at what happens to your body during a cold plunge and the 9 cold plunge benefits that you probably didn’t know:

The Science Behind the Plunge

STEPPING INTO A COLD PLUNGE:

1.) Involuntary Gasp

The first thing that happens when you step into a cold shower is usually an involuntary gasp due to the shock of sudden temperature change.

2.) Vasoconstriction of the Blood Vessels

Blood vessels then constrict in an attempt to maintain core body temperature and minimize heat loss.

3.) Cardiovascular Response

As a result of the initial shock and vasoconstriction, your heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure increase.

2.) Adrenaline, Norepinephrine, Cortisol Release

Then, the sympathetic nervous system is activated and adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol rise. This is also known as the “fight or flight” response.

4.) Endorphin Release

Cold receptors on the skin then send signals to the brain which stimulate an endorphin rush.

5.) Metabolic Boost

Your metabolic rate increases as it works to get the body back to its core temperature.

This happens in two ways:

Shivering
Activating brown fat (burning internal fat stores for calories to generate heat)

STEPPING OUT OF A COLD PLUNGE:

1.) Improved Circulation

Once out of the cold water and your body has used its own mechanisms to produce and conserve heat, vasodilation occurs. This greatly increases circulation to the entire body.

2.) White Blood Cells Increase

Due to a heightened metabolic rate, the immune system is activated providing the body with an increase in white blood cells.

3.) Cortisol Levels Drop

By activating the sympathetic nervous system and the release of endorphins, the body lowers cortisol (the stress hormone) levels.

4.) Dopamine Release

Dopamine, also known as the “feel good” neurotransmitter, is then released and can stay elevated for up to hours after the cold exposure.

9 Health Benefits of a Cold Plunge

Let’s dive into the 9 transformative cold plunge benefits and discover how this chilling challenge can lead to a warmer sense of overall health and wellness:

1.) Makes you Happier

Although the idea of stepping into a freezing cold shower may not seem like the happiest of activities, studies have found that what happens in your brain, both during and after a cold shower, can be a huge mood booster.

There are three ways researchers believe this happens:

1.) The release of adrenaline and norepinepherine

By activating the sympathetic nervous system, your brain receives signals to release adrenaline and norepinepherine.

These chemicals, known as the “fight or flight response”, make you feel more alert, give you more energy and may be the reason why you feel the need to move and vocalize yourself during a cold shower.

This study found that cold water exposure increased the participants norepinepherine levels by 530%.

2.) The release of endorphins

Endorphins are known as the bodies “feel good hormone” or our “natural painkiller”.

The physical stress of the cold exposure signals the brain to release endorphins to counteract the discomfort.

This group of hormones can give you a sense of total euphoria. You may also know this feeling described as a “runner’s high”.

Scientists have found that higher levels of endorphins lead to increased pleasure, happiness, self esteem and a better sense of overall well- being.

3.) The release of dopamine

This neurotransmitter plays a large role in how we perceive pleasure.

Dopamine affects learning, motivation, mood, attention and how we process physical pain.

One study concluded that cold water exposure increased participants dopamine levels by 250%.

Another study found that these increases in dopamine levels we comparable to that of someone doing the drug cocaine. However, instead of the rise and crash of these levels, it showed a sustained rise and very slow (up to three hours) decrease back to baseline.

This study concluded that after cold water exposure, participants felt more “inspired, active, attentive, and proud with decreased feelings of nervousness and distress”

Finally, this study found that 59% of participants who had regular exposure to cold water reported a significant reduction in their overall depressive symptoms.

2.) Helps You Focus

The adrenaline and norepinepherine release during a cold shower can have a huge impact on your level of focus.

These chemicals can also work to increase your energy level, concentration and productivity that will continue hours after the actual cold exposure.

Participants in one research study said that taking a cold shower gave them similar effects to drinking a cup of coffee.

3.) Speeds Up Weight Loss

Taking a cold shower means your body has to work extra hard to keep you warm.

When your metabolic rate increases to maintain your core body temperature, your body will tap into brown fat.

This means that you metabolism will stimulate body fat to burn as fuel to generate body heat.

4.) Boosts Your Immune System

Do you remember when your parents told you not to play outside in the cold or you would get sick?

Surprisingly, when your metabolic rate rises due to cold exposure, your immune system activates creating a surge of white blood cell production.

This process happens due to your body trying to adapt and protect itself to the mild stress changes.

This study took a group of participants, ages 18-65, and split them up into two groups. Every day, one group took warm showers and the other group took warm- t0- cold showers (with the cold exposure up to 90 seconds).

After 120 days, it concluded that the group who took the warm-to-cold showers had a 29% decrease in sick related absences from work compared to the other.

5.) Decreases Inflammation

Decreased inflammation from a cold shower occurs due to vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels).

The decreased inflammation also means less pain, soreness and even stiffness of the muscles.

When the body warms again after the cold exposure, the vessels dilate allowing fresh, oxygenated blood to pump to your muscles for ultimate recovery.

This study found that cyclists who completed intensive training sessions had decreased muscle soreness after continuous cold exposure for 10 minutes.

6.) Supports Cardiovascular Health

Cold exposure has been shown to improve circulation by stimulating blood flow and enhancing oxygen and nutrient delivery to the entire body.

This benefit has been shown to have long term positive impacts on cardiovascular health.

7.) Helps You Sleep

At nighttime, your body temperature naturally lowers. This lowered body temperature signals melatonin to be released. Melatonin then tells your brain that it is time to go to sleep.

By taking a short, 1-2 minute cold shower before bed, the drop in body temperature may have the same reaction as melatonin.

Non-sleep related benefits of cold showers such as lowered stress, increased immune system and decreased muscle soreness can also contribute to a restful night’s sleep.

However, there is controversy if whether or not cold showers before bed are actually proven to contribute to a more restful sleep. Studies on this seem to be 50/50.

If a cold shower wakes you up more than calming you down before bed, opt for a cold shower in the morning when you wake up. Some studies have found that a cold shower in the morning can indirectly improve sleep by synchronizing your circadian rhythm.

8.) Improves Hair and Skin

If you have heard about another recent trend- cold facials, ice rollers, etc, you know that cold exposure can also be beneficial to your skin.

These practices, along with cold showers, are great for minimizing pores, reducing inflammation and puffiness, slowing aging, tightening skin, reducing acne, speeding up healing and reducing muscle tension.

Cold water also helps seal the cuticle of the hair so essential natural oils do not wash away. This makes for less damage and loss of moisture.

9.) Makes You Live Longer

Some studies have found that exposing your nervous system to stressful cold stimuli and activating the “fight or flight response” frequently for short periods of time can actually build your tolerance to stress.

This can train your brain and body to build resilience and grit to overcome various other stressful events– both physical and psychological.

The simple act of stepping into a cold shower or plunge pool triggers a fascinating cascade of physiological reactions. Whether it’s boosting mood, improving focus, accelerating weight loss, enhancing immune function, reducing inflammation, supporting cardiovascular health, potentially aiding sleep, or improving skin and hair health, the impacts of cold exposure are both varied and significant.

Moreover, regular engagement in this mild stressor might contribute to increased resilience against life’s challenges, suggesting a pathway not only to physical robustness but to mental fortitude as well.

While the thought of a cold plunge might initially send shivers down your spine, the potential long-term benefits could make this bracing routine a worthwhile addition to your wellness regimen!