Unfortunately, muscle and nerve fibers don't work well when cold. You become progressively weaker and you become exhausted more rapidly.
Lowered Body Temperature
When you take a cold shower or spend a few minutes in your cold plunge, your body's temperature will dramatically decrease. As a result, your body will release chemicals—such as melatonin—which researchers believe induces sleep.
The shock of cold water can immediately put your body in distress. The American Heart Association says that cold plunging can cause a sudden, rapid increase in breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. Hypothermia can also be triggered faster.
The body's natural cooling process after a cold shower can promote sleepiness and facilitate a smoother transition into sleep. Cold showers can also lower body temperature, which is associated with sleep onset and maintenance, potentially improving sleep quality.
Wear warm clothing on the top part of your body to keep the exposed areas of yourself warm. You can drink hot liquids, like tea or decaffeinated coffee, to help keep your body temperature from dropping too low. Avoid taking a shower right after an ice bath.
A good target time for a cold plunge is three minutes in the water. Eventually you will be able to add more time, but the most important thing is to listen to your body. For complete cold plunge beginners, you can develop your tolerance by taking a quick dip (30 seconds) or regular cold showers.
In terms of frequency, it is recommended to participate I cold plunge therapy two to three times a week. This is because the body needs time to recover between sessions, especially if you are participating in other physical activities.
In The Morning: Taking a cold plunge bath in the morning can help to wake you up and give you a burst of energy to start the day. It can also improve mental clarity and focus. If you're using cold water immersion for this purpose, try taking the plunge as soon as you wake up.
Some studies suggest 50 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 15 degrees Celsius) to be an optimal temperature range for cold plunges focused on reducing muscle soreness, notes Dr. Van Dien.
“The latest research shows that 11 minutes a week of being fully submerged is ideal. This can be broken up in a number of ways. Personally, I try to do my ice baths every other day or two to three times per week,” says Leary. If you find that cold plunging is starting to negatively impact your energy or mood, cut back.
For some people, having a group means they will stick to their goals of cold plunging daily or a few times a week. It's safer too. Cold plunging can lead to hypothermia and an increased risk of arrhythmias and heart attacks, hyperventilation and drowning.
"I would caution against it for anyone with a cardiac history," said Plutzky, who noted that little research on the health effects of cold water immersion included people with heart conditions.
Cold water exposure: Take a brief dip in cold water up to the neck for 30 seconds to 2 minutes to increase baseline dopamine levels for at least 2-5 hours. Start warmer than you think you need to and ease into it over a few days. Do not expose yourself to cold water after strength or hypertrophy training.
Cold water immersion also activates brown fat — tissue that helps keep the body warm and helps it control blood sugar and insulin levels. It also helps the body burn calories, which has prompted research into whether cold water immersion is an effective way to lose weight. The evidence so far is inconclusive.
Don't stay in your ice bath too long
Don't be tempted to stay for longer than suggested. We recommend staying fully submerged in the ice bath for 2 to 10 minutes, even for those who take regular ice baths. Exposure to the cold can restore connection and reset the mind and body.
Dizziness: Ice-cold water constricts your blood vessels which can lead to this dizziness.
Just keep in mind: Cold plunging is considered a hormetic stressor that may be health-promoting in small doses—but too much could overtax your body, particularly if you're already feeling burnt out. (More on how to cold plunge safely below).
London says there's no set time, but would recommend 11 minutes per week total, which could mean three to four sessions per week at three to four minutes per session.
In short, if you want to make the most out of your ice bath and reap those tasty long-term benefits, it's best to NOT take a warm shower right after your cold plunge. However, don't forget to warm up in a more natural way by drying yourself off and bundling up in a towel or two.
Some people and manufacturers recommend changing it every four weeks or so, while others will only change the ice water in their tub or cold plunge every three or four months.
Cold Plunging Tip #5: Dunk Your Head Right Away
Right when you enter the tub, dunk your head all the way under the water.
Your metabolism is how fast your body converts food into energy. The faster and more efficient your metabolism is, the more energy you'll likely have, and the easier you'll find it to lose weight. Cold plunging can aid weight loss by increasing the burning of white fat (a.k.a. “bad fat”).