As a result, cold therapy can produce a feeling of calm, happiness, and well-being, which can support the mitigation of mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety. A typical session lasts about 2 – 5 minutes, it may be recommended you engage in multiple sessions depending on your needs.
Combat symptoms of depression
In one clinical study, participants who took daily cold showers for several months reported decreased depression symptoms. Additional research suggests that cold water may boost your mood and decrease anxiety.
Minson and his team of researchers found that participants' (all of whom reported being mentally healthy) levels of the stress hormone cortisol dropped after doing a cold water immersion and stayed lower for up to three hours afterward.
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.
Mental State & Energy
An ice bath conditions the brain and strengthens its ability to cope with life's daily stressors. Cold water immersion also creates balance and increases serotonin levels for an uplifted mental state and energy.
“The body responds to cold water by up-regulating feel-good molecules like dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, as a way to compensate.”
In general, two or three ice baths that last 10 to 15 minutes is a good weekly number to aim for. Keep in mind that you'll have to build up to 10 to 15 minutes over time.
Can You Cold Plunge Daily? Yes, you can plunge daily, but D'Agostino suggests creating a routine beginning with three days per week for the first few weeks so you can take note of how your body feels as you introduce a new stimulus.
Risks of cold plunging can include hypothermia, cardiovascular events or dysfunction and drowning, says Dr. Van Dien.
The cold plunge is anywhere from 37 to 60 degrees. 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. But, if you're a beginner, you might want to take it slow, like five minutes per week total.
Czech researchers found that cold water plunging can increase blood concentrations of dopamine — another so-called happy hormone made in the brain — by 250%.
As your body scrambles to protect its core temperature, it progressively cuts off blood flow to non-essential muscles. Unfortunately, muscle and nerve fibers don't work well when cold. You become progressively weaker and you become exhausted more rapidly.
May Boost Your Mood
The bracing effects of cold water may offer a quick mood boost. Past research reveals that submerging your body in cold water increases dopamine concentrations by 250 percent. Dopamine is known as the “feel-good” hormone because of the key role it plays in regulating mood, per the Cleveland Clinic.
Peace and quiet should help you to relax. Consider adding an essential oil, such as lavender oil, to promote relaxation. Your bathwater should be just a little hotter than body temperature, which is about 37C. Somewhere between 40C and 45C is ideal.
Cold plunging can lead to hypothermia and an increased risk of arrhythmias and heart attacks, hyperventilation and drowning.
After 30 days of cold showers, most individuals report feeling more alert, having more energy, having healthier skin and hair, improved mental health and resilience, improved circulation, and more.
Don't take a warm bath or shower soon after your cold session. Contrast therapy has its benefits, but it's better to allow your body to raise its temperature naturally and gradually. Some great ways to warm up after an ice bath are: Stretch out in the sun.
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.
Check with your doctor beforehand, as ice baths can have negative and potentially dangerous effects on people who have certain medical conditions: Heart disease. High blood pressure. Diabetes.
First Thing in the Morning
For most people, cold water immersion is an ideal way to start the day. Plunging into ice water first thing in the morning helps trigger chemical reactions throughout the body that increase energy and mental alertness.
Staying in for too long.
The sweet spot for cold plunging and ice bathing are somewhere between two and five minutes. Stay in any longer and the benefits diminish. If you stay in for too long, your body temperature may drop too low and you could suffer from hypothermia.
Research shows that the cold water can also help boost your mood by activating the sympathetic nervous system, increasing the availability of endorphins and norepinephrine — a neurotransmitter that's typically secreted by the body in response to stress.
Hormones. We know cold water immersion increases production of mood-elevating hormones and neurotransmitters (beta-endorphins, noradrenaline and dopamine) that can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety by changing the chemistry in our body and brain.
Many cold water swimmers report feeling exhilarated after a swim – getting a burst of energy and feeling very happy. Research suggests this may be linked to an increased release of endorphins and other hormones in the brain. The body releases these chemicals in response to the shock of cold water.